R56 Auto vs. Manual (please don't kill me)
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,966
Likes: 1
A good idea is to mark the outer seat rail with white-out at the point where the end of the seat flange is on the rain. That way, if it is moved, you can move it right back. Many different people can handle your car at the dealer and most aren't going to care.
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati, OH
I personally don't quite get the factionalization/partisanship from either side of the aisle.
We all drive great, super fun cars. For a variety of reasons, some of us like to row our own gears, others are more partial to letting the computer/paddles do that job. BFD....
We all drive great, super fun cars. For a variety of reasons, some of us like to row our own gears, others are more partial to letting the computer/paddles do that job. BFD....
... or that I almost rear-ended because they missed a shift in front of me on a technical twisty drive... or that I left searching for the right gear behind me when a simultaneous grade change and curve radius change made the previous "right" gear "wrong" all of a sudden... not that any of those things ever happen in the real world.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,880
Likes: 3
From: Your Worst Nightmare :)
my dealer treats me like a VIP (maybe because Ive had so many nagging problems with my R53) and not once have they moved the seat--I marked the rail and flange with white out before the first time I took it in!(hey Blimey how many UJ's do U have on yr cab? I have 6.)
Last edited by sequence; Apr 4, 2008 at 11:18 AM.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 7,578
Likes: 4
From: Paradise
You AT guys seen awfully defensive. It isn't like every MT driver in this post has trashed ATs. There have been quite a few of us who acknowledged that MTs are faster in the 1/4, but we just prefer driving MT.
I was seriously considering an AT MCS because I've liked the idea of paddle shifters ever since they appeared in F1. I'd never driven one, but it seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately, there weren't any AT R56 MINIs available to test drive when I went shopping. I was still debating it in my head when I test drove a VW GTI with paddles. The VW salesman went with us and guided me to some twisty farm roads outside of Salinas. The car handled very well, but I found that the paddles weren't really as much fun. I'm sure they are safer, and faster for racing, but my clown car is more fun for me with the anachronistic lever on the floor, and that silly 3rd pedal.
I was seriously considering an AT MCS because I've liked the idea of paddle shifters ever since they appeared in F1. I'd never driven one, but it seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately, there weren't any AT R56 MINIs available to test drive when I went shopping. I was still debating it in my head when I test drove a VW GTI with paddles. The VW salesman went with us and guided me to some twisty farm roads outside of Salinas. The car handled very well, but I found that the paddles weren't really as much fun. I'm sure they are safer, and faster for racing, but my clown car is more fun for me with the anachronistic lever on the floor, and that silly 3rd pedal.
I stopped seeming defensive on this subject about a year ago...
I think for some of us, though, we're just freakin SICK of the offensive generalizations made by various sticks-for-brains - note that I am NOT saying or implying that there is something defective or inferior about ALL persons who drive manuals, their skills, their decision-making ability, their preferences, their level of "enthusiasm" or anything else. But there are a small minority who regularly express their ignorance, intolerance, own personal inferiority complexes or whatever, whenever this topic arises, by doing exactly that toward their fellow motorers who don't drive stick for whatever reason. You could be 90 year old Michael Freakin Schumacher with an arthritic knee, but if you drive an auto then OBVIOUSLY you're a few notches below any 17 year old with a six speed and clutch on the "enthusiast" scale. It's just stupid, and it never ends.
So now I don't get offended or defensive anymore. I'm just making a sport outta stating our side of the matter. Us paddle shiftin brothers gotta stand together.
I think for some of us, though, we're just freakin SICK of the offensive generalizations made by various sticks-for-brains - note that I am NOT saying or implying that there is something defective or inferior about ALL persons who drive manuals, their skills, their decision-making ability, their preferences, their level of "enthusiasm" or anything else. But there are a small minority who regularly express their ignorance, intolerance, own personal inferiority complexes or whatever, whenever this topic arises, by doing exactly that toward their fellow motorers who don't drive stick for whatever reason. You could be 90 year old Michael Freakin Schumacher with an arthritic knee, but if you drive an auto then OBVIOUSLY you're a few notches below any 17 year old with a six speed and clutch on the "enthusiast" scale. It's just stupid, and it never ends.
So now I don't get offended or defensive anymore. I'm just making a sport outta stating our side of the matter. Us paddle shiftin brothers gotta stand together.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,165
Likes: 400
in my one act of mature self control today, i will refrain from offering any of several retorts...
(hopefully redeemng that unforgivable post to the song title thread...)
4th Gear
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati, OH
Paddle and stick wielding MINI drivers should stand together as well, IMHO.
Anyways, I'll climb down of my soapbox and slink away now
Motor On
When you talk in parentheses around here I sometimes can't hear you.
25 on the BlimeyCab last time I counted. More on the way. But many are subtle...
25 on the BlimeyCab last time I counted. More on the way. But many are subtle...
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: DC
well being my first week here, I think I started a pretty popular little thread here.
Sorry about instigating, it was more of the how that I was looking for, and I have received several good answers on the subject. Between torque converted efficiency vs high torque set ups, to gear ratios and timing.
Again thanks for all the informative post, and even though I am a manual lover driving auto (and enjoying it), I love all your MINI's. and the owners aren't too bad either.
Sorry about instigating, it was more of the how that I was looking for, and I have received several good answers on the subject. Between torque converted efficiency vs high torque set ups, to gear ratios and timing.
Again thanks for all the informative post, and even though I am a manual lover driving auto (and enjoying it), I love all your MINI's. and the owners aren't too bad either.
4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 459
Likes: 6
From: Renton, Washington
I've been driving a 2008 Cooper S with an auto for a loaner this week...
I can't beleive how touchy the brakes are & how jerky the transmission is!!!
I can't understand why anyone would buy a Mini with an automatic after driving it.
I can't beleive how touchy the brakes are & how jerky the transmission is!!!
I can't understand why anyone would buy a Mini with an automatic after driving it.
Thread Starter
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2nd Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: DC
How'd it go from autos winning a drag race, to autos being faster on a track?
The paddles have some advantage, but a on track with a skilled driver the manual is going to be better. The torque converter is going to let the engine rev down while breaking, while a manually is mechanically linked and there wont be a delay. Granted with the sport mode, the MINI auto is going to be way better than most other cars autos. I got the manual because I just always rather have a manual, but there are plenty of good reasons to get the auto instead.
The one thing, major for my view, that the auto will always be way worse than a manual is when the car spins out. There is a perfectly good third pedal with the manual so that your motor doesn't choke up and run backwards with a manual transmission. With the auto, you cant realistically shift it into neutral in time to save the stall. Since I've spun out 3 times with the MINI so far at autocross and plenty of times in other cars I can say that getting an auto would be stupid for my purposes. I've driven some auto base RSXs in a defensive driving class before, and the stall thing is pretty annoying.
The paddles have some advantage, but a on track with a skilled driver the manual is going to be better. The torque converter is going to let the engine rev down while breaking, while a manually is mechanically linked and there wont be a delay. Granted with the sport mode, the MINI auto is going to be way better than most other cars autos. I got the manual because I just always rather have a manual, but there are plenty of good reasons to get the auto instead.
The one thing, major for my view, that the auto will always be way worse than a manual is when the car spins out. There is a perfectly good third pedal with the manual so that your motor doesn't choke up and run backwards with a manual transmission. With the auto, you cant realistically shift it into neutral in time to save the stall. Since I've spun out 3 times with the MINI so far at autocross and plenty of times in other cars I can say that getting an auto would be stupid for my purposes. I've driven some auto base RSXs in a defensive driving class before, and the stall thing is pretty annoying.