I have never used my e-brake on slopes... but it is there if you are feeling super nervous about a hill.

 

I now own cars with manuals and cars with automatics. I think that there is a lot of undeserved hate of the MINI's Asin 6 speed automatic. In manual mode, it is the closest thing you'll find to the feel of a manual transmission, the shifts are crisp, you can use it for engine braking without worrying about clutch wear, only you aren't pushing on a clutch pedal. All that and you won't be spending the cash for a clutch replacement in 100K miles.

If you must have an manual transmission, rent a car with a stick shift, and burn that one up, don't learn on your new MINI!

Dave

 

I learned stick on my r50. After I was told to let the clutch pedal up slowly and let it engage and get the car rolling before pressing the gas, it got easy fast. Trying to teeter totter the pedals isn't necessary.. Just ease up slowly and you'll learn where the friction point is. Have fun!

 

Being I own both cars, 03 MCS manual and a 09 MCS auto, I feel I'm qualified to say your wrong. Yes I love my manual, but when my wife got her auto we were impressed by how well it does shift in the manual mode, plus where did you get the idea that the paddle shifters are a joke? Once you get used to them they are very sweet to use, both hands on the wheel at all times, just like F1 mentioned a couple threads ago. Plus, "you'll want nothing else but a", once you get into a 2 hour traffic jam or hurt your leg, you will wish you had an automatic

 

As some say, I would rent a manual and learn on that. However I would recommend that you try to avoid bad habits from the start (ie. Driving with the clutch depressed). I personally learned to drive stick first making the transition to automatic easier.

Good luck!

 

I got my first manual in 1976 and I've only owned manuals since then. I suggest you get a manual, but do have someone who really knows how to operate one correctly and have them give you some lessons on how they should be operated. A clutch (even the MINI's) will last well over 200k miles if driven correctly.

 

My wife didnt really know how to drive stick before we bought our MINI. It took no time at all for her to be comfortable. No clutch problems so far at 43k.

I would just tell the dealer you're going to buy one, but only if they teach you how to drive on one of their lowness or something.

 

Oh….
I was in the same boat as you!
Never drove a manual. Never had a sports car.
Always a 4 door sedan.

Test drove the automatic and had my friend test drive the manual.
Lost a lot of sleep over it.. A LOT!!! Manual or automatic? Manual or automatic?
After a couple more test drives, I went with the manual. I don’t know why.
There was something about it! The car felt alive with the manual!

I finally made a decision and went with a manual.
Had my friend take it home from the dealers and started learning!
First couple days was really hard and stressful!
Sucks to stall in traffic. Regretted my decision… asking myself why the heck did you get the manual. Lol
Uphill starts…I would sweat bricks! So nervous…
[After a week of driving, got a lot better! Started to enjoy it.
This is my 3rd week and I really really love it! There’s nothing like it! The regrets are gone!
Uphill starts are easy now! Rev Matching, Downshifting, Heel to toe… I love it!
Traffic who cares! When the road opens up! Bammm….this is why I got the manual!

But I’m not hating on the automatic… its great! But I just felt that it was better for me to shift the gears myself. Just my .02

His video’s helped me a lot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B59-pWSPoZU

 

I would definitely recomnend the manual. I have driven several manual transmissions cars nd none have been as smooth as my MCS. I think even for a beginner you'd be driving fine in no time.

When I first learned to drive a manual the toughest parts we
1. remembering to go to neutral or down shift when slowing, but the car pretty much remind you of this ....
2. starting from a stop on hill. Of course the MCS has HillAssist which would help a beginner alot ....

 

you can rent a manual trans in the US? i've never ever heard of anyone getting one.

 

I drive through Detroit rush hour traffic every day with my stick. It's totally worth being able to have the freedom to have tons of fun on those non-working days. I couldn't imagine sacrificing a manual transmission so I could be more relaxed on my commute, but have a soul sucking experience when it was time to have fun.

RESIST THE SOUL-SUCKING SLUSHBOX EVERYONE

 

As a frequent business traveler i can say without a doubt this is true. Even if you get a "premium" car like a Camaro you get that poo-box auto. In Germany we're starting to see more and more auto's on rental cars. What is wrong with this world?!

 

A number of the "no name" car rental places still have manuals available. If you look in your local yellow pages you will probably have a few to choose from. There is a place not far from me and when I called to rent a vehicle for a trip they asked me if I needed an automatic. This was summer before last.
Annette

 

I rented a manual transmission Miata a few years ago, You just have to request it.

Dave

 

If you were a rental company, would you rent out manuals for people to beat the hell out of? You'd go broke replacing clutches. Of course rental cars take a beating in general, but it just seems sensible to have auto transmissions. They may also have a hard time renting them.. imagine someone wants a two door coupe (or whatever.) but all the agency has is a stick, and the customer doesn't know how to drive one.

 

I guess I'm going to become a one man campaign to get people to stop referring to automatics in this way.

This is complete BS.

There is nothing - nothing! - you can do with a 6 speed manual shift transmission that I can't do with my 6 speed automatic, except push in the clutch pedal.

If you're going to try to tell me and the rest of the world that a clutch pedal is a mind enriching experience - again - I call BS!

You do not know what you're talking about, and I and the other automatic owners are sick and tired of being referred to in this manner, as if we're somehow second class citizens because our cars don't have a clutch pedal - what a bunch of cr@p!

So stop it. Show a little respect.

We don't refer to you stick shift drivers as morons for wanting to exercize your left leg all day.

 

+ 1, MINIdave!

another Dave

 

I'm a manual driver but I agree with you entirely. It's nothing but personal preference. Just because I might like the feel of a stick shift and enjoy pushing the clutch doesn't mean my decision is "better" than someone who prefers an auto, regardless of why they prefer it.

I have driven an Auto Clubman S and it was a blast, the paddle shifters were very cool and I could really roast off the line.

Offering your opinion when asked is one thing, but slagging others for their transmission preference is rude and stupid.

 

As a manual owner, I'm like dannyhavok, and agree with you MINIdave.

 

Well I made my trip to the dealer today and walked out with a new 2011 S .. manual. I got to try it out in one of their storage lots and it wasn't bad at all (I only stalled it twice!). I'll be picking it up Saturday after they prep it and get my bonnet stripes on. It's going to be a fun weekend!

 

Awesome! Congrats, and good luck learning manual! Post pictures when you get it. For YOU, I think you made the right decision. If you got the auto, you'd be questioning your decision forever.

 

Go manual you won't regret it! If you post your location I'm pretty sure someone one here would drive it home for you. At least I would.

 

Congrats on getting a manual! I learned how to drive one on a new car that I bought about 15 years ago. My brother drove it home from the dealership, and he gave me two lessons. Then he flew off to California, leaving me to drive it for a week without him nearby. I had some scary moments on the Atlanta hilly streets, but it was a great way to just dive in and learn. Within a few days, I was fine. I had that car for 5 years and never had to replace the clutch, so learning on it didn't hurt my clutch life alot.

One other benefit of having a manual. If you're a single woman, you get MAJOR bonus points from dates once they see that you drive a stick shift. I can't count how many times guys' eyes have gone wide when they see my car.

 

A quick add...

- I've never used the emergency brake on hills. I play a game on hills, though...how well can I balance the gas and clutch to not move forward without using the brake. I'm looking forward to my new MINI's hill assist on some of the steeper hills here in Atlanta (and ATL has some seriously steep hills)
- I've never understood when people say "I'd hate having a manual in traffic" I drive in traffic all the time. So you have to use your left leg a bit more - why is this such a big deal? Driving a stick has never bothered me in traffic, and it is so much more fun on open road.

 

I put those who say "don't buy a slushbox, buy a manual" in the same category alongside Mustang owners who say "you drive a MINI? Are you gay?". Have any of you actually TRIED an auto S in manual mode?