I can tell you this as BlimeyCabrio it is what you need the MINI for. I too drive 45 miles one way to work in urban traffic, and I am to lazy to have a Manual in this situation.
As far a anything else I love it. I use the paddles a lot with no hesitation.
johnnymg - 75mph in an auto around 2400RPM
My $.02
Happy Motoring

- KP

 

KP

Much thanks for the RPM info. That's a lot lower than I had been led to believe.

BTW, what sort of MPG are you getting?

Enjoy the mini!

JohnG

 

Thanks KP for showing there are at least TWO of us who think this way.

I just looked today - mine was actually pulling 2600RPM or so at 75 (that's 75 on my speedo, which is about 72 according to my GPS)

I actually haven't even tried to keep track of mileage - I watched it for the first couple of weeks - since then it's been broken in, I've been driving like it was stolen, and mileage be damned.

But I think early on I got 26 or so on the highway on a trip...

 

An MCS without a clutch and manual tranny, just isn't a proper MCS.

 

Whatever

 

johnnymg - Well the MPG is really how hard you want to drive. I have had KPMINI for almost five weeks and averaging 25 MPG. Now that is a mix of city and highway driving and keeping the RPMs up close to 3000 RPM.

BlimeyCabrio - I love my auto. Not a MINI it sure says so on all the paperwork I have. This is a personal choice, no one should be look at different because of it. I got the Exact MINI I wanted did not settle for anything.

Merry Christmas and Happy Motoring.

- KP

 

John,

I moved across the country with my MINI, and following a Penske truck doing 70MPH all day, I averaged 32mpg. Around town I seem to get around 26, depending on how I drive.

 

I AM one of those guys who drives an Auto MC (Not by choice, it was the ONLY one in my area for the price and miles I got it at) and drove an Auto MCS for a few days when my Coopah was in the shop. Then, after thinking the Auto MCS was awesome, I borrowed my parent's MCS just to play with the 6-Speed. HOLY CRAP WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

THERE WAS POWER WHEN I ACCELERATED.

Sorry to sound like the condescending spawn of all death incarnate (?) but I would much rather drive a 6-speed manual than an auto after that experience.

*For some added info, I just started driving manuals this year, and I've been driving 6 years now. I drove a manual prior to this, but it was a WRX and their trannies SUCK*

 

No debate from me on this point - the manual is, by design, more efficient at getting power from the engine to the wheels. But, to be fair, my MCSCa moves pretty spritely when I punch it (If I shift aggressively - keeping the car in the power band vs. lugging it at <3000). I certainly don't feel power-starved in my MCS auto (with the extra weight of the convertible, with a fat guy behind the wheel).

But, again, as I've said a few times - to each his/her own. I'm happy for folks who LOVE their manuals. I loved my manual 25 years ago. Now I love my "kinda sorta optional manualish" auto. Racing? Get a manual. Commuting while on a conference call while sipping a Starbucks? Get an auto.

 

Just a few words on the Auto from Mini2:

Scrogg (An MA, actually): "The new auto is such a huge improvement on the CVT that they aren't even in the same league.

Smoother, more precise shifts with little or no delay in full auto mode; and near-manual shifts in Steptronic mode, with a little pressure taken off the accelerator whilst shifting.

Both left and right paddles do the same, pull towards to shift up and push away (with your thumb is easiest) to shift down, so quick shifting is easy.

I'm now seriously considering an auto for my next MINI."


Near Oxford Mini:"Amazing........................

We are 450 miles in with the Auto Cooper and all we can say is ...... fantastic. Puts a smile on your face everytime it's driven.

The gearbox is superb compared to the CVT one we test drove back in the summer. You hardly know its changing at all. Our other car has the VW DSG box and we were worried we may be disappointed; not at all.

We are still mostly driving it around in standard Drive mode at the moment as we are are trying to not over rev the engine for the first 1000 miles. The manual also recommends you don't use the kick down to start with; so tempting though as its ready for the off.

Had a little play with the DS (Sport) mode and that really gets things moving in Auto mode, however it get better ..... Using the manual flippers in DS is a treat; real F1 stuff just keep your foot planted and change.

One thing we really like is in standard D mode you can use the manual flippers briefly to slow you in to a corner (for example) then it switches back in to D almost straight away with no gear stick messing.

I know we are being careful with the revs at the moment but on the current tank of fuel its doing 37MPG and that includes being stuck in a near stationary jam for 1hr on New Years Day the rest has been a bit of motorway and A roads and country lanes.

The only things we would criticise is the positioning of the gear shift indicators (see other thread http://www.mini2.com/forum/2nd-gen-a...r-p-r-n-d.html) and the automatic, in our opinion, should have had the bigger 50litre tank fitted to the Cooper S to improve the range."

Source: http://www.mini2.com/forum/2nd-gen-a...to-tranny.html