If there was a launch control in my 11' MCS, in sport mode, I would have been on my new set of tires about 14K miles ago.

 

i was at meet yesterday in south jersey and there was a guy there wit his 2011 MCS...

according to him... in sport mode, with the clutch depressed and in gear... at WOT the car will keep itself at 4000 - 4500 RPM... we tried it in my 10 MCS and it didnt happen but he showed me in his. im kinda jealous actually. lol

 

Just realized that myself. I'm recently out of my break-in period of my '12 MCC and thought it would be OK to open her up a bit to hear the sweet sound. In neutral, revved her up to about 4k, and that's all she wrote. Tach would bounce to 4.5, then drop back to 4k. Of course in gear that isn't the case.

Probably not good to rev the engine too high in neutral, im assuming that's why the feature is there.

EDIT: Wait a minute, I don't have an MCS, so I never considered that as a type of launch control, so I will just call it a safety feature in my Justa

 

Good idea! Thanks for the tip.

 

Launch mode is cool but I wouldn't be doing 4000k clutch dumps too often. It really is hard on the car. BMW dumbed it down for US cars (I have a 2500k launch control in my M5 and that just lights up the tires). I recently reprogrammed it to have the Euro Launch Control with clutch dumps at 4000k and I'm just too scared to try that out lol. All I know is if you do too many launches, it will blow your clutch prematurely so use at your own risk.

 

Then you also need to make sure to never keep anything with your mailing address on it in the car--like your registration. (Uh-oh!)

Unless you get your mail at a post office box, of course.

 

I didn't know...that my 2012 MCS has it's own opinion about when recirc air is needed, or not.

Yes, there's a button. However, sometimes, it doesn't care what I prefer (typically, outside/fresh air is preferred).

If it's in AUTO climate mode, *or* the A/C is on, or both, it will shift into recirc mode (and out) on its own. That explains why my careful only-with-a-window-open and only-with-fresh-air-selected pipe smoking invariably leaves my MINI smelling like an airport smoking lounge. Not good.

I worked through this today, trying the recirc button in various states, and with the various combinations of AUTO and A/C. With both *off*, you can press recirc and hear the air intake sound change (within a second or two). With either AUTO or A/C selected, pressing recirc doesn't control whether inside air is being used, or not. There's no change in the air source due to your button press. As I sat there a while, it *did* revert to outside air on its own.

For a minute or two during this experimenting, I thought that maybe my recirc button wasn't working (its indicator light came off/on, but the air intake source wasn't changing). Once AUTO and A/C were off, however, it did function as expected. And with the A/C engaged, it did change the air source on its own (while I listened), so it isn't broken, and appears to be planned / deliberate behavior.

Anyhow. I didn't know my MINI could / would decide on what type of air it wanted to cool and ignore my preference. But it does.

 

This is probably intentional, to keep too much humidity from building up in the cabin and causing the windows to fog up. My Mazda does a similar thing, though simpler, it just turns off recirc whenever the AC is on.

 

I'm sure it's on purpose...but the opposite direction in summer: it's defaulting to recirc to reduce the load on the A/C. My CX-7 used to switch on recirc anytime you turned *on* AUTO with A/C, maddening. But it had a pretty marginal A/C capacity so I could see why they'd program it that way.

My 1996 Mazda wasn't automated...just a mechanical lever. You and I have seen many Asian cars of that era completely fogged over cruising the highways in winter b/c the owner left it on recirc!

 

can someone tell me if this is normal? on my gf's '11 cooper s the windows will roll all the way down until you press the window switch again. on most cars the windows stop when you let go or unless you click it to make it go ALL the way down. so it's extremely hard to make the window just go down an inch at a time.

does that make sense?

 

It's normal. The switch is just very sensitive. You are actually hitting it all the way down to make it do that

 

On my '12, a quick press of the window switch will make the window go all the way up or all the way down. Holding the switch up or down a little longer will only roll the window up or down until I let go of the switch.

It is a little difficult to get the windows down just a half-inch.

 

Double tap the button, first press starts it going down second press stops it.

 

The rear headrests fit up front.

 

ill have to try, there definitely no indentation from partial to full. i tried it very slowly and it would just go all the way. ill try holding and the double tap method

 

Tried it this AM, double-tapping works great for cracking windows open.

 

Here is one that I just found out. As everyone with an R56 knows, the 12v outlet in front of the shifter is not energized unless the engine is running. However, if you put the fob in and hit the start button without your foot on the clutch, the outlet will be energized without having to run the engine.

 

First off, this is a great forum, I haven't read all of the posts like some of you have, but the ones that I have read, thank you for sharing!

I didn't know that I have been missing the one-tap-three-blinks feature that I've set my turn signals to do. I'm really enjoying not having to hold the stalk down for a simple lane change!

I didn't know how superior in clarity the radio stations would be in HD. I'm not ready to give up my Satellite radio any time soon, but I've almost re-discovered terrestrial radio again!

I wasn't expecting the base stereo to be as good as it is...must be all of these years in GM cars - the radios are fine, but nothing special!

I have been REALLY surprised at how responsive my Justa is in 6th gear. EZ cruise at an indicated 75MPH (yes, I know it's probably a bit slower, I just haven't confirmed it yet) at about 3K on the tach...I want 90? No sweat, just push a little harder on the gas, 90, coming right up, Sir!

Southern California, for those of you who are not familiar with our crazy freeways, is also loaded with toll roads. One of them (the 241) has got a respectable climb headed to Orange County from the 91 freeway, and I fully expected to need 5th gear for this hill. I was wrong. This little MINI will hold 75 all the way, in 6th...and still never show less than 19MPG indicated on the computer. I've got more powerful rides at my disposal that will not hold 75MPH in top gear without the auto kicking down a notch. Maybe it's just because I don't drive high-end Euro stuff like a big Porsche or a Benz, but I wasn't expecting to be so impressed with the Justa on hills!

Lastly, I wasn't really expecting a true 34MPG out of the first tank. If this is a sign of what's to come, I'll be in love with this little MINI for quite some time!

 

Congratulations on your new beastie!

Be sure that whatever you program into one key is duplicated in the second (unless you actually want them to be different). Otherwise, you might think it's not working properly--each key needs to be programmed with your choices.

As for the fuel mileage, I would think it should improve considerably as you break in your car. I was getting 33 out of the gate with my MCS, and still get it even though I am now using ethanol (we didn't have it at my regular stations 5 years ago). I would expect an MC to be closer to 40. And yes, that's calculated, not the computer's number.

 

Thanks, Deb! Good advice...I do need to program the other key, which I have not done yet. Lots and lots of Ethanol here in California, can't get away from it...I figure that as soon as she in broken in, if I can keep my foot off the gas, 37 - 39 is a reasonable hope. Only time will tell!!

 

I think that's quite reasonable to expect. The mileage, that is--NOT the part about keeping your foot off the gas. I've owned my MCS for 5 years, and still can't do that. Hubby gets somewhat better mileage than I do, but his driving is a little soulless at times....

 

I can't believe I read 2371 posts in 3 sittings ! (mostly 2 sittings actually...I only read a page or two the first sitting)

Wifey has a 2012 Knightsbridge and I just got a 09 Justa. (both Canadian cars)

Is there a way to shut the headlights off with the engine running? (either stopped or in motion) I presume being a Canuck car we have DRL's but I am wanting it , for example, if I am in a parking lot in the winter,(engine running so I don't turn into a popsicle) waiting for my wife at a store, to not blind the driver across the parking lot from me, waiting for HIS wife. I could think of other example, but that one springs to mind first. In a couple cars I've had, simply being in neutral and putting on the E-brake has turned the headlights off.

So . . .is it in the manual and I missed it? I swear I read all 2371 posts. . but did skim over a few here and there if it was referring to features we don't have (Cooper S), NAV, COMFORT etc.

THanks !

 

Am I understanding you right--you can't just turn the lights off with the switch on the left panel?

If you mean the DRL, can't you just program them off with the stalk? (Engine has to be running to do so, but it's a 30-second job.)

 

On my 2009, If the engine in the car is running, the headlights are on. Doesn't matter where the selector is on the left stalk. (the 2012 is identical)

If there is a way to program it otherwise, or even turn it off temporarily (like in my example) ; I am all ears.

Daytime Running Lights have been "standard" on Canadian Cars for quite a long time, but usually there is a work-around. . .especially if you are parked.

Maybe reading 2373 posts has made me daft.....

I might just say, too, I've never played around with it much. I think I've driven my car twice at night so far.

 

Another Canadian here -

As far as I've found, no. There is no way in a Canadian MINI to shut the headlights off without shutting the car off. The dial on the left stalk does absolutely nothing. It's all to do with how the car is programmed to comply with the Canadian DRL laws.

HOWEVER. If you're willing to get a bit technical, you can completely override this using NCSExpert. (Plus make the sunroof and windows close with the keyfob, and many other fun things...) It re-enables the stalk, meaning you can turn on your driving lights without the headlights. Or turn off your headlights in, say, fog so you can actually use those fog lights.

If you're interested, check out this thread, or check out all the NCSExpert threads in the "Electrical" subforum.