I love this new steptronic on my '08 MCSa.
Question: Is is OK to leave it in 2nd gear when slowing to a stop and then taking off in 2nd also?? It seems like it's OK but just want some feedback.

 

Fine to start in 2nd. Otherwise it wouldn't do that.

 

Right. Yes that is true. I know the car has it's "it won't let you do it if it's bad for you" thing. Thanks.
Is it sort of bad for the transmission though??

 

No. Why would it be? Trannies don't care....

Only thing it might be bad for would be the engine... if it "lugged" the engine, making it pull hard at very low RPMs... but in these cars with the 6 speed trannies, there's not a ton of difference between 1st and 2nd like there was in an old 70's era 4 speed. That's the big difference why I would NEVER start off in 2nd in my TR7, but I do it all the time in my MINI.

 

right I see.

Ok thanks

 

I was wonder the same thing. I have never driven a standard so know next to nothing about shifting and such, but the steptronic is very fun to use.

 

I am thinking that using the steptronic mode correctly ("you know what your are doing...") will give better MPG ???

 

Most likely, highest MPG will come from running in full auto mode (not manually shifting), with the tranny NOT in "sport" mode... and with the driver running "light" on the throttle (vs. flooring it from every stop). In the "normal" auto mode, the car will shift very conservatively to maintain relatively high fuel economy at the cost of performance. It's unlikely that manually shifting will improve upon this (though, I suppose, it's possible if you shifted even more conservatively - maintained lower RPMs - which would make your MINI drive like a '68 Beetle).

 

If you have the cruise engaged, it doesn't ever seem to shift into 6th, so perhaps engaging the manual shifter to go into 6th when cruising would be a good idea?

 

Again, depends on whether you're in sport or normal auto mode.

Sport mode = no 6th gear unless you manually shift to it. But why use cruise control in sport mode?

Mine shifts into 6th just fine with cruise control - as long as I'm in "normal" mode.

For R56'ers here - when I say "sport" I'm not talking about the "sport button" - but the auto mode you shift into.