Hate to admit I know this, but its still very possible to be on your phone while shifting

That said, I still highly recommend that people not talk at all on their cellphones. You have the right spirit AggieMini

 

20,000 miles of smiles in my 05 MCSa. Heavily modded and keeps up and beats many MCSs.

 

While MIB was in shop, (second gear went out) we had a MC with CVT. YES it was a dog off the line. But it sure came in handy when leaving the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the United States Grand Prix.

NO I would never own a CVT MINI. But I do know people who want a MINI but can not drive a manual. The CVT is for them.

 

I too bought a manual MINI, its nice to get back into a car where you do more than just stomp on the gas and brakes.

I also own a '86 Corvette that is an automatic. I still really like it, because I can: 1. Set it in drive and take care of things that need attention (the lady) 2. I've become great at multi-tasking, so I can talk on the phone, drink coffee, pretty much anything that means not paying attention. 3. I can beat all stock manual 'vettes. I also have a '91 manual and my '86 is much faster.

Again, I like getting back into the seat of a manual though.
Medic

 

we had a loaner cooper for 4 days while our MCS was in the shop for repairs.

The loaner offered better fuel economy at the price of performance. If the a/c was turned on, the power available for performance worsened quite noticibly. The only saving grace in terms of performance was the electric steering. Had the mini been equipted with conventional power steering, I fear the car would be a real drag to drive around town.

 

50 years young, have only owned four automatic vehicles in my long list of 20+ cars over the years, commute in Houston with heavy traffic all the time. Manuals rule! (also have taught a few folks to drive manuals over the years, very satisfying)

 

RU serious? I'd take a F430

 

When I last had my MCS in for warranty work at Towson, I got a MCSc automatic. While I missed being able to shift (a couple times I reflexively went fot eh nonexistent clutch pedal and grabbed the shifter), the car was still fun in it's own way. It might be an automatic, but is sure is one of the most fun automatics I have driven (not considering modified, reverse-pattern manually shifted automatics in modded musclecars!).

 

CVTs and CVT owners are all crap! They never smile or have a good time driving their dumpy little manual-wannabes. CVTs are for fun-hating losers that don't have enough coordination to shift and drive at the same time. CVTs are not only for girly-men, they are built by ex-***** and do not belong in any car that is meant to drive.

What? There's one in my car? Oh ... never mind!

 

Good place for humor...I was half expecting the next post to be "my tranny can beat up your tranny!"

 

 

The first MINI i ever drove was back in April of 04, and it was an 04 MC CVT. At the time, i didn't know manual... but i'd just gotten back from a DCMM event with 50 MINIs on a drive, and although i was in a miata, it was so much fun riding around with them that i went and test drove a MINI. I was obsessed with it even more than i was before i drove the car.

But as soon as i got behind the wheel of my soon-to-have-been manual cooper, i never touched another automatic MINI again (i was currently driving my first miata) Once i test drove an MCS, it was an even different story. Now i guess it's obvious that's what i want next. I hate automatics, and i transformed my boyfriend into a manual enthusiast... but to each his own, i guess. I just think they're missing out on a whole lot of fun

As for that crutches comment, i've had quite a few issues over the years with a hurt left leg.. and sadly, it's never stopped me from driving a manual. My old coworker traded in her manual SUV for an automatic because her doctor told her it's too much of a workout for her bad knee. So she started running again and it miraculously healed. But now she's stuck with her automatic and hating life. I never want that to happen!

 

When we got our Mini - I wanted a manual, but the wife cant/didn't want to learn how to drive a manual... so we got an automatic. I've learned to like it using the paddles though? I'll admit - it's not 100% the same, but as someone said above - it's about timing?

 

If I believed that God does exist, I would also believe that He loves ALL MINIs.

ProfessorDave: My granny can beat up your granny!

 

My Cooper is equipped with a stick and quite frankly, wouldn't really consider anything else. That being said, however, there have been a couple of times that ran around three months each following back surgery when there was no way I could operate a clutch and as such, my poor Mini sat by itself in the garage, clean, but unused. It was times like these that the practicality of an automatic becomes enviously apparent.

Really, these are great little cars and your choice of transmission just comes down to your local driving habits. If I lived in a high traffic area like NYC, I truly believe that I would be hard pressed to drive a stick on a day-to-day basis although I'm quite sure I would probably regret that choice come the weekend.

 

Batgirlwildcat: I talked to my granny (using a ouija board and some old tea leaves) and she said "bring it!"

 

Still feisty, eh? Should be quite a rumble. This is for pink slips, right?

 

What I would truly perfer would be if BMW would dig into the M3 parts bins and give us the SMG box from the current M3. Or somethig simmilar.

It is possible that they would do such a thing. But highly unlikely!

 

Hey there Berkeley.

Come on up here to Auburn and we can run Highway 193.
RoadKill

 

Philly traffic (95 comes to a stop daily) and all the hills make a manual fun but too much work every day for an hour each way. If more of my commute were on winding roads devoid of traffic I would love a manual. But reality bites. Too much to do on the road. Maybe when I retire I will get the manual, my son wants one. Naturally . . .

 

Not going to happen if the standard trans pilot knows how to drive!

Automatics have their place, especially if it's your only car and you have to deal with traffic.

A stick helps you become one with the car. That's why you don't see many Miatas with automatics either. Enthusiasts tend to buy sticks, especially with smaller, tossable cars, IMHO


regards,
Red

 

I think this thread was meant to be lighthearted and funny. My response was meant that way....

I prefer manual transmissions in my vehicles. Doesn't matter if we're talking about a MINI or a F-250 Diesel 4X4 work truck. I have only bought three cars (all used) with automatics. A 1972 Chevelle (good luck finding a manual in one of those), a 76 Cadillac Seville (automatic only), and a 94 Impala SS (again automatic only). Chevy lied to the car magazines during the whole production run of Impala SS's and said that "next year" there'd be a 6 speed manual version. They even made a prototype, let the magazines test it, and put it on the show car circuit; but alas, "next year" naver came.

Due to my family's history of arthritis, eventually I'll probably be forced into an automatic. Until then, no way, no how. I even plan to retrofit the Impala SS with a 6 speed manual when time and money permit.

Rawhyde

 

I drove a stick for my first 10 years of driving. I then drove an automatic for the next 6 years of driving. I got the urge to drive a stick again and bought a used 1914. I sold the automatic shortly after.

For my wife I test drove the CVT and had trouble merging with the 80MPH traffic. I then drove the manual and told my wife that we either get the manual or upgrade to the S for more $$$ to get an automatic.

I got my manual.

While the CVT may be OK for some and may even be learnable, I just could not see myself trying to learn it. I found that I stay awake better on the road with a manual and for me it is safer.

 

I love my CVT.

How can you possibly drink coffee, look at your crackberry, change CDs, operate your sunroof, and wave at your friends with a manual trannie. Women multitask very well, but this is absurd.

My husband is having fun with the paddle shifters also.

For traffic in my area, CVT was the best choice.

Paul! Mini of Towson does rock...help me out here though, what color was the convertible you got that day? I don't need people thinking I am you, running around in Towson, chirping tires. I am in enough trouble already.

MINI MEG

 

Pertinent to this thread, Grandma drove a '65 Dodge Dart, and it was (GASP!) an automatic!