Hello everyone! Hope my fellow MINIacts are doing fine. On this end, we're proud to be new members of the MINI family. I always wanted one, and my wife finally caved and allowed me to buy one since our youngest son took possession of my truck. Long story short, I recently had a front seal replaced. It was causing a small transmission leak which was fixed by MINI at no cost. Under warrantee.

Here's my concern: My MINI just now made the first 1K miles. Is it possible when they replaced the front seal the manual transmission shifting could be affected in any way? Maybe it's my way of shifting, but I felt a noticeable jerk 2 or 3 times I didn't notice before. Could it be my clutch finally breaking in?

Folks, and advise you can provide relative to driving this awesome machine with regard to shifting would help. I've researched online and found YouTube videos where people are double clutching, down shifting, heel-toe maneuvers all which make me look like an idiot. I'm afraid to rev him too high, I baby him, so any tips on shifting, etc.. will be most humbly appreciated.

I just have the base Cooper Hardtop, nothing fancy .. but we absolutely love him. I wash him every weekend, gave him the best window tint to protect him from the Florida heat/sun and feed him nothing but Shell V-Power 93 octane gas.

Here he is parked next to my boss's car.

Regards,
David
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I understand your concern but unfortunately I don't have any answers, but I would definitely mentioned it to the Mini dealer. If Mini has a hydraulic operated clutch ( not sure) it could be a fluid issue or some cars have a clutch master slave unit. Asked the dealer, or maybe someone else on the site can answer.

 

Shifting is not always smooth in my MINI, and definitely stay off the revs until you've fully broken in your engine. It doesn't sound like you have a problem. If you find you can't shift, that's an issue.

 

Ask one of the MINI mechanics to drive it. My guys seem to bend over backwards when I have a question.

 

My advice to you is in regard to your shifting is not to worry about the way it shifted a couple of times. See how it goes you've got a warranty. Find a friend who has driven a stick for a long time and have them give you a lesson. Ask questions. I've got 86k miles on mine and still have my original clutch. BTW congrats on your new car It is now time to have some fun while driving your Mini. RELAX Go out and find a spot to rev it up 4,500-5,500rpm and hit a few corners. One doesn't have to drive these cars like they stole them to have some fun. Thought this might help. Originally Posted by Mini2na
3)
I have 50K+ on my '07 MCS. No trouble with MY clutch, and I have about 60+ autocross runs on it a year. So... take it for what it is worth.

- Driving a MINI hard does not mean burning out from a standing start. I go faster if the wheels don't spin. Getting the clutch out quickly and then increasing throttle quickly is the way I go. I drive my MINI hard around corners, not drag racing.
- Changing gears is a rev match game. I am familiar with the sound of my engine and do my best to engage the clutch when the engine revs match the transmission rotation/vehicle speed. I use the clutch to engage / disengage and not for slippage engagement.
- The torque of the MCS is great starting at low RPMs. Use that torque after engagement rather than using the clutch to bring the vehicle speed up to a higher engine RPM.
- NEVER ride the clutch. It is my belief that lots of clutch wear is from "inching" in traffic. Get the clutch fully engaged and disengaged quickly. Don't ride it somewhere in the middle to move slowly up.




You probably do most of this naturally if drive a manual. It just may be more important in a MINI.
You bring up many good points. One in particular is how much torque these little cars crank out. I have an 08s with 86,000 on the original clutch. Shortly after I got my car I was on a straight road stopped at a light and could smell my clutch. And no recent stops. Since that time I try to make sure my foot is totally off the gas when I shift. It takes little pressure on the gas pedal with the clutch engaged to make the rpms soar.I think most premature clutch failures occur during the shifting process not the starting. Take a look at the tach during a few shifts. As you pointed out so well about not to ride the clutch and to engage and disengage quickly hopefully it helps someone out there. Just thought I would share my theory. __________________

 

Hi Everyone!!!

OK, this is some solid advice and tips. Thank you all for that.

I took my MINI out earlier and drove him around my block a few times. I followed the advice of letting off quickly and for the life of me it seemed like the center speedometer turned into a MINI face and told me, "Really!?!? ... Is that all you got!?!?!" lol. I mean this thing took off, so it must be my ignorance in shifting.

In my ventures around YouTube on how to shift a MINI, I came across this young man's video. He's doing all sorts of stuff which I doubt I will EVER be able to do. Heck, you have to see how he runs his "S" model, how he goes into turns, heel-toe, double clutching, etc. My gosh, he's darn good at this stuff.


Heck, I just want to drive/shift smoothly so I don't ruin my clutch. However, this young man puts this 53 year old to shame. However, I can hear his MINI roar, and it sounds really nice when he shifts around corners.

Regards,
David.

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PS: Can someone please explain in simpleton terms so folks like me can understand, what is "Rev Matching"? Do I need to be at a specific RPM for different gears? Again, please forgive my ignorance ... this young man does it, but doesn't simplify it for those of us who don't know this technique.


Regards,
David

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Rev matching means you hit the gas while your foot is all the way on the clutch to bring the engine RPMs up to where they should optimally be for the gear you are shifting into.

Classically this is used when shifting into a lower gear and avoiding that 'jerk' motion of the car.

I coast a lot with the clutch disengaged and I rev match before shifting into 5th or 6th. I believe this prevents clutch wear, and the coasting avoids engine braking when I'm 100% off my gas pedal.

 

Thank you LAN.

Guess I'll need to keep an eye on the RPM gauge and become familiar with where it is at a given gear. At least that's how I'm interpreting this. :(

Regards,
David

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I have watched the above mentioned video numerous times. I have driven a manual for years, and never knew about the benefits of "rev matching." Even with years of experience, and never a burnt clutch, I was always filled with trepidation about down-shifting. The heel-toe makes so much sense to me. I was of the habit, prior to viewing this video, of coasting to a full stop in neutral.

Not anymore! "sOggyrice" is the man!

 

rev matching is good for racing, drag, autox or road racing. heal and toe is not used at all in drag racing, but is good to know for autox and road racing, as well as some spiriting driving around town.

double clutching is good for absolutely nothing other than sounding like you've watched too many fast and furious movies. it's only needed when driving a non-synchronized transmission, and last time i checked none of us were driving semi's. all this will do is slow you down for no reason.

this guy claims he's doing a hard launch but isn't even wot shifting. then he claims not do to launch a high hp car, which is also false. if you aren't an idiot you can launch any car of any hp safely. i launched my 450fwhp/500fwtq neon all the damn time and it held up just fine....well except that one input shaft lol.

if you really want to learn how to drive go to a track day at a road course and get an instructor. they'll show you how to push the limits of the car and proper driving technique. it's always better to learn from someone who knows what they are actually doing rather than someone who just knows how to make youtube videos and magazine race.

 

Thank you JustAGuy & PSIChick.

I appreciate the feedback.

My only concern is I was so use to shifting on the onset of the engine asking for the next gear (at the start of the high rev sound), I never let it go above say ... 4500rpm for fear I may damage something. I remember the salesman told my wife and I the MINI can go to 50mph on second gear. I was like, HUH?!?! We never drove a MINI before, and were SOLD the moment we took him out for a trust drive (he came home with us that evening). I only have one regret, and that is I should have gone with the "S" model automatic, but this is our first MINI ... and something tells me it won't be our last.

He told us MINIs hold their value, so maybe in 4 years I'll trade him in. We'll see, as I may just decide to keep him since I'm already attached to him.

As always, any suggestions, tips, personal knowledge about this car (I have the base hardtop six speed), will be most appreciated. IMO, I feel the best tips, advice, etc. are received from those who actually own (present or past) a MINI.

Thanks,
David

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