Thought about getting a sprint booster and JB+ and calling it a day. Didnt really want to get into modding the car because its brand new and my dealer might give me grief about the sprint booster. JB+ is easy to take off.

 

Sprint Booster installation and removal is trivial.

 

I really want a Sprint booster, was looking for a used one but can't find one for automatic.

 

Sprintbooster won't fix this. ^^^

BTW, I feel the same way myself about driving a manual. I've driven underpowered vehicles before with manual trannies and they've never felt like this car does. I think the All4 has something to do with it, too -- AWD cars are notoriously difficult to launch anyway when everything else is good; couple that with a clutch that isn't up to the task and you've got, well, a car that launches like crap like this one.

All the sprintbooster does is change the throttle mapping to make it feel more responsive. It doesn't make it any quicker or faster, and it surely won't make the inadequate clutch stop slipping on a hard start.

 

+1

 

So on a whim, as I noted above, I got an itch to look into to that Clubman S loaner my wife has (still). Contacted my MA, and she immediately low-balled me on the Paceman's value (about $2,500 under KBB, and this car is basically immaculate), and she quoted close to original sticker on the 2013 Clubman S. We went back and forth a few times and she came up about $1,500 on the trade, and eventually took something off the top of the Clubby which knocked about $40 a month off the monthly nut.

Then I stepped back and said what the hell am I doing thinking about trading in a 14-month-old car. It's got its issues, but it's far from the worst car I've ever owned. I'm not ga-ga over it like my first MINI, but I don't hate it either (except when I really need to go from a dead stop). It sounds sort of decent with the Meagan muffler, and it has almost enough zip with the JB+ tune to not be totally wimpy. So it doesn't handle like a go-kart, the seats don't wrap around me like other MINI's, and the rear seats don't fold flat ... oh well. Probably my worst complaint is that I can't beat the crap out of the clutch, which is a little too easy to do. I think I can live with that until I can get something for it on a trade.

So I'm keeping it. I'll have to not beat on it because I can't stand the smell of burning clutch plates, which means no more racing BMW's (or pretty much anything else) at stop lights. I'll enjoy the relative added comfort and quiet over its smaller MINI cousins, keep the windows down as much as possible to enjoy that modest little exhaust note, and relish in the confidence of AWD at least through next winter. And maybe I'll throw on a CAI, which I know adds not much of anything to performance, but will at least give me a little added noise to enjoy.

Lucky for y'all you can't get rid of me that easily.

 

Ok, one more post on this, and then I'll give it a rest ...

I test-drove a 2014 Cooper S hardtop today at a customer appreciation event at the local dealer. Nice, quieter and a little more compliant than the last gen, but still nice and tight handling. Seats feel like they wrap all the way around you. Motor has a noticeably different torque curve (more punch off lower RPM's) and a really sweet sounding exhaust note that's almost musical. But ... surprisingly, I didn't find it really significantly snappier than my Paceman with the JB+ tune. A little quicker, but not as much as I would have expected. So again, one more reason stick with my Paceman for awhile longer.

 

I appreciate your sentiment and updates, nice to know I am not alone in my less then impressed state in the Paceman. I added the JB+ after reading your thread here and it makes the Paceman more fun but as I posted elsewhere it has caused idling issues so we shall see. I will definitely hold on to the car until Winter when more people will want an All4 and see if I can break even when letting her go.

 

I haven't minded reading your sentiments about your Paceman at all. I think you've presented them in a fair & thoughtful way rather than just bashing the car like many do.

 

I really like the looks of the Paceman.
the main reason that I got the CM was for utility and the fact the rear seats fold down all of the way. I still go back and fourth on which Mini that I would have liked more.

I had a loaner Mini, the roadster, and enjoyed the heck out of it.
I am not complaining about the mpg, came from a Nissan Titan...lol

 

I like the looks of the Paceman, too ... though I confess I'm not completely gaga over it like I thought I'd be when I first saw pics of the concept. Do your rear seats fold flat? Mine still do not. But that's just a minor annoyance compared to the %@#*^ garbage clutch. Some days I like the car, but some days I just want to drive it off a cliff.

 

I actually have the countryman s awd with the auto.
I did get a Paceman s with stick as a loaner one time as well.
Does the stick in the JCW feel different?
The reason that I got the CM was for the utility and for mtn biking.
I do prefer the sporty look of the Paceman tho.

I also go back and fourth if I should have gotten a wrx hatch.

 

If you really want performance, the WRX would have been the way to go. My wife's Countryman All4 auto is ok, but my Paceman All4 manual is a total dog.

 

This is a great read for me right now.

A month ago we bought a 2008 R56 Justa hatch for my other half, its a great drive with its go-kart handling and with the very recent swap on to slightly lighter winter alloy wheels and non run flat tires it feels even more sprightly on initial throttle response.

Yesterday I tested a Countryman SD (2.0 turbo diesel, 143bhp), and whilst it was a nice drive i couldn't help feel it wasn't that quick - I was looking at the C'man to replace a 2012 Audi A3 sportback with 110bhp TD engine. At the time i felt the Countryman was held back as it was stone cold on the test drive, and probably barely done any miles in the few weeks it had been on the dealers lot. In hindsight I think that was part of the issue, but I'm also thinking its larger 18" wheels and runflats were also not helping its cause off the line - they probably weigh ca 50lbs each ?

Today I've been scouring dealers web sites looking at Countryman SDs, but noticed that Paceman SDs are the same money used but with better specs. I recognise they aren't as practical a proposition for family use (we have a 13yr old son) but some of the comments made in the opening post give me other things to look at going forward..
> the non flat folding rear seats
> the extra weight, and drag of the All4 drivetrain (the best Paceman I've found is an All4)
> be wary of wheel options / weights

Thanks for the honest comments guys - sadly with UK fuel prices (currently pretty cheap at eq of $8/us gallon) and my 17000 mile annual usage I can't entertain the petrol mpg figures.


Edit 4/12/14 - chased 4 approved used Paceman SD today, all sold. Found another at a local non Mini delaer with 4k miles - had a look and decided it wasn't quite the car for me. The BRGreen paint clashed a little with the checked sports interior (aqua, yellow, red) but it was the non fold flat rear seats and the large doors that confirmed i needed a 5 door. Found a nice spec Countryman SD so bought that over the phone instead - just need a collection date and a trip to London to collect it now (150mile round trip)

 

So its been about a week and a half now since getting my Paceman back with a new, 'beefier' clutch, as my SA called it. This car is now the pleasure to drive that it should have been all along. I no longer have the urge to drive it off a cliff whenever I need to make a spirited launch. The clutch is now very predictable and confident feeling with no more slipping. And the JB+ gives it enough pep to be not boring, so it just feels more like a MINI should.

Also, interestingly, I got my best mileage since I've owned this car on the last tank of gas (almost 29 mpg). As I told my wife, I'm sure it's because I'm no longer 'driving angry' all the time because I'm not driving it like I hate it. It's kind of amazing what a difference that comfortable driving feel makes. It's good to be liking my car again.

 

Specs on the clutch please, I think it will give me the add I'm looking for.

 

Sorry, I have no idea what the specs are -- but my SA said they're putting in JCW clutches when they replace them for these issues. All I can say is that the pedal doesn't feel any stiffer to depress than it did before -- there's just plenty of grab now. Where it used to slip if I'd get on it just the slightest bit too hard, it does not slip at all now (unless I want it to intentionally, that is), no matter how hard I jump on it. I can only assume it has a larger friction surface than the original stocker.

 

My bad...I didn't look close enough to see which Paceman you owned. I have the JCW and love it but if I'm able to squeeze a bit more from the clutch I was going for it.