I can a little over 30 if I drive on the highway, go 60mph and use cruise control.

I’ve heard the MTH software actually helps gas mileage (I haven’t installed it, yet). Maybe something to do with the computer being calibrated for 93 octane (about all we can get in my neck of the woods).

And I’ve got to agree with what the previous poster said. I am really happy with my tranny, but the thing that REALLY annoys me is that if I am slowing down, and the car decided it needs to go to 2nd (without me telling it to) at the same time that I downshift I end up in 1st instead of second like I was trying to get to.

Very interesting how different people drive this transmission – John Connor only uses full manual, I never do! But I bet we both enjoy MOTORing ;)

Both John Connor and MINICooperMitch are correct in that in the manual mode if you forget to downshift when you have to stop at a traffic light or something, the transmission only goes down to 2nd. I tend to forget I’m in manual until I start off again but it does start of OK in 2nd. Why not 1st is a mystery

I too have the hang of not letting the car upshift for me in the manual mode near the red line but it does take some practice.

I have not checked my mileage and I didn’t order the on-board computer. I do know that My Cooper would go about a week and a half to two weeks without needing a pit-stop but the MCSa is hungry once a week or less if I am agressive.

It’s not going to change my order, but I’m interested in what to expect.

If the transmission is in “DRIVE” or “SPORT DRIVE” mode, then the transmission will actually start off in 1st gear after coming to a complete stop. If you accelerate lightly, then the shift from 1st to 2nd happens very low in the RPM range. Try it out and you can tell. However, like you said, if left in “MANUAL MODE”, the transmission will not downshift into 1st gear on its own and leaves you to pull away in 2nd.

Living in Chicago, I usually find i am coasting through every stop light or coasting faster than the car in front of me. It’s always clutch in and foot on the brake…thus the contemplation of getting an auto.

Any experience here?

I wonder if anything is changing for the 06 setup?

1) The “kick down” feature is downright dangerous. It is stupid and I have no idea why it exists. That being said there is enough of a ‘bump’ from full acceleration to the kick down so I never accidently go into it any more.

2) As for it shifting up for you when you hit the red line, I have had it happen by accedent when I was learning, but other then that I have never had it happen. Even when I was driving at speed at Summit Point raceway where I was constantly near the red line, never happened, always shifted when I wanted it too. Maybe it’s just me, but not a problem, and don’t mind the little bit of safety so I (or someone driving my car) doesn’t blow up my engine.

3) One thing you did miss was the automatic downshift when stopping at a light. And the fact that it only shifts to 2nd gear. (The car starts fine in 2nd). It’s a nice thing, though occasionally when I’m downshifting myself I do it too late and the car downshifts too leaving me in 1st when I think I’m in 2nd.

Overall I love it to death. I have driven manuals for 20+ years and always wanted a paddle shifted clutchless manual (OK the MCAa is not a TRUE clutchless manual) and now I have one. I’ll never go back!

• John Connor

I was told to shift at about 4200 RPM but I notice when I start out in 1st gear the transmission seems to want me to shift at a little over 3000.

The other thing I was never told if I have to be at a stand still(stopped) before shifting from D to SD or to Manual. I’m still not sure of that, but from reading this post it seems shifting from one mode to another can be done at any time. I wonder if it’s the same for the MCa as for the MSCa.

When MINI called me to get my input, etc about 4 weeks after I purchase the car I told them that how to use the CVT should be on the CD. They have a little info but not much.

Thanks again for the Post and I agree with Damon: “This is my favorite MINI site.”

When in M will the car automaticly down shift if the rpms become too low, like if you or the front passenger accidentally bumps the selector into up shifting?

One more question. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t the BMW M3s and M5s have each of their paddle shifters designated for either up shifting or down shifting only? If this is true, then personally I would find this much easier to use compared to the way the paddle shifters currently function on the MCSa.

Is your car the same? No lockout from slipping from Drive to Reverse?

Yes, I agree, the automatic up-shifting in the manual mode is very disappointing. I have driven the car another 1000 miles and find that the car up-shifts when I don’t want to. You have to keep it below the red line just a little or it shifts. I also don’t like that I can’t push the accelerator to the floor in the manual mode. I got used to driving the Cooper that way. It was fun to just keep the pedal planted, let off,shift and then just stomp back down. I don’t like that I have to make a conscious effort to keep the pedal up off the floor.