I have come into an R56 just-a-Cooper that isn't the car I would have ordered. After a month, I fully see why people love this car, but the automatic (sigh) transmission drives me crazy. Mainly because of the chasm-like gap between 2nd and 3rd gears. 1st is for pulling stumps, 2nd isn't much different, then you find 3rd somewhere on another planet. With the powerband so high in the rev range, you have to wind it out in 2nd to get into the power in 3rd. Plus, for around-town driving it seems that 2nd is always too low, 3rd always too high. Just curious, does the manual have the same spacing between the gears? I assume the ratios are different for the S and non-S cars.

 

I find the 2nd and 3rd gear ratios perfect. If I have any qualms, it's that 6th gear (and, to a large extent, 5th as well) is superfluous if one doesn't drive on the highway. But I guess it's good to have them there.

As with most standards, though, the manual gearbox has a fairly large gap between 1st and 2nd (1st is short).

 

I've had a couple auto loaners and I find that if you just "abuse" it and keep it in a lower gear, it is actually quite fun with the little paddle shifters.

 

Yea I actually love the auto and find it a lot of fun, but you need to keep it in manual mode (or at the very least sport).

 

i just bought an 09 mini s with auto trans--all my past cars have been manual shift--the mini is for my wife--with only 900 miles i haven't abused the car much--i was told to keep it under 4000 rpm's for the first 2000 miles--so far i am happy with the auto trans--i can not wait to get past 2000 miles so that i can drive as i please with the paddle shiffters--i did test drive a standard mini with auto--i dove up and down a mountain for about 10 miles with no traffic--i kept the mini at 6000 rpms only shifting with the paddles--what a test drive--before this drive my wife was going to get a honda fit even though she really wanted the mini

 

It's still an auto, but if you manually shift it in Sport mode (I find the shifter best) it's a blast. The paddles work nicely but they don't hold a gear as long.

 

Yeah, the auto can be somewhat fun. I never drive it unless the sport button is on and the "manual" mode is selected. Then, once it the oil is warmed up, I just flog it in 2nd, so I can hit 3rd at at least 3,500. I'm sure the ratios were chosen to hit fuel economy standards, and that's okay, but to me it feels like a 7-speed box with 3rd gear missing.

 

In response to the OP's question...I find the ratios on my manual JCW are pretty spot on. 1st is very short but 2nd-5th, while close together, are evenly spaced. Around town, say 35-50mph-ish, I can be anywhere between 3rd-5th depending on conditions. 6th gear allows quiet highway cruising. Have never driven an automatic, not even a loaner.

 

I've not noticed any power gap, but I'll take note on my trip home and get back to you.

 

I find the 1st-2nd gap a bit large in the Justacooper. If you change up at red line from 1st, you'd now at 3.a bit krevs in 2nd, which is a bit below the power band.

It works fine the Cooper-S, which has a very wide power band.

 

what i do not like about the auto trans is that when i pull for an upshift it takes about 200-500--rpms before the shift is complete--have not tried it in sports mode though yet

 

I have a manual trans. Just because i enjoy the whole clutch, gear lever, experience. I was wondering though. I drive with one hand 99% of the time. if im performance driving I drive with two hands, but not in the 9oclock and 3 oclock position. I find it more "natural" in the 11, and 2 position.
Does it feel awkward to have your hands stuck in the 9,and 3 position to shift?
also, I am not sure by how much, but I know the auto trans robs at least 15+ HP as well.

 

+1

Shifting out of 1st at 2000 RPM puts me at around 1000 RPM in 2nd. There's not much power there. However, it's plenty for keeping the automatics behind me happy (vs. riding 1st up further and having a more noticeable gap in acceleration when I shift to 2nd).

It's nice that 2nd can be ridden up fairly high though. I find I go around town in 3rd (if traffic is heavy/it's hilly) or 4th.

 

There is more control at 9-3, since your hands can travel farther before needing to move off the wheel. But it's also nice because you can just have one hand on the wheel since each paddle can up and down shift.

As far as drivetrain loss on the auto vs the manual, it doesn't seem to be a problem. Stock auto beats the manual down the quarter mile.

 

Oh boy. Let's just avoid this topic, alright everyone?

Personally, though, I doubt the drivetrain loss is 15 hp, and the torque converter help to get automatics off the line a bit quicker. The manual probably makes the time back in places where the automatic's computer can't make decisions as well (twisties, hills).

Basically, the gap between 2nd and 3rd is not as pronounced in the manual. Third was probably made taller to improve around-town fuel economy, and second was probably made shorter to give it more of a kick in acceleration. In the manual, gears are more evenly spaced, but the first gear has to be shorter in the manual, since automatics can have a taller first gear--this is applicable to all cars with an automatic vs. a manual transmission, though, not just the MINI.

 

I love the manual shifting on my MC. Perfect for the city and it's a lot of fun on the highway. I don't notice a slight delay at all. Just shift quickly and you're where you want to be. No complaints.

 

auto is for girls

 

When MINI decides to install a quality clutch/flywheel and a proper throw out bearing made of real metal and not plastic, I 'll probably buy another manual MINI. But the way it looks now, my next MINI will be A-U-T-O-M-A-T-I-C-O.

I am very impressed with the AISIN 6 speed auto in our Clubman S.


Hey minimalistic: Are you looking for a date? I can give you a good raunchy time.

 

Ha, ha. Yes, the auto is a bad deal in so many ways, power loss, bad gear ratios, the shift delay...but it's what I'm stuck with after many years of manuals. Sigh.

 

Not the Aisin my friend. This is one of the finest automatics in the market today.

 

I don't care about all the mechanics of the Automatic. I just know that when I want to I hit the GAS and Molly is more than happy to pass the POS that thinks they can 'get a car ahead'...UHHHHH ain't gonna' happen!!

OH...and I"M A GIRL!!!

 

I have to agree, its not better than DSG/Stronic, (which is actually superior to a MT in every way) but it is the second best AT I've ever driven.

 

Almost every way. No block shifting, or, for winter driving, no kicking into neutral by clutching in.

But I agree... dual clutch is the future. Faster shifting for sure, and a good dual clutch transmission can feel as smooth as an automatic in everyday driving. The fact that we're starting to see them on non-performance oriented cars is a good sign.

 

Gotta agree on the dual-clutch future...I actually liked the SMG on the M3 I had, and that was a pretty primitive system compared to what's out now.

 

the delay that i see is on my tac--when i pull the for an up shift it takes 200 - 500 rpms before the shift is complete--i will try it in the sport mode to see if there is a change--i drove a 07 bmw 335 and a 07 lexus is 350--both with auto trans and paddles--i didn't notice a delay in either of these