I've never known anyone that regretting buying a manual, and I've known many that regretted buying automatics.

Me, I have 4 cars with stick shifts in my driveway and no plans to ever buy an automatic (edited). I feel strongly enough about this that it ultimately decides what cars I look at (ex. I love the Volvo 850 Rs, but they only come in auto)

 

An automatic manual? LOL jk.

 

I drive all the time in NYC, and would never consider an automatic. Go Manual!

 

I work in Socal using the 10,5,& 134 freeways. But I still have fun with traffic using the manual transmission.

 

I got the 6 speed as well...makes for more fun while driving.

 

I was driving 150 miles per day commute through L.A and would never consider an automatic for something like my MINI.

Now i DO have an Auto on the 7 Series but that is a WHOLE different animal!

There is something that I love about being able to fit anywhere I want playing with the range. Normal cruising for me is about 3K in 6th and that is fine.

Bought the MINI at the end of March and have added 31K at this point.

Jim

 

If you can drive a stick, it's the only way to go with a Mini!

For those of you that can't drive a stick, I'm glad the auto is an option so you can enjoy the Mini as well!

 

Not being able to drive stick is only acceptable due to handicap or other physical constraints. Simply not knowing how can be remedied in one evening.

 

It is more fun than an automatic for sure. However, I drive more aggressively when I drive a manual tranny. In fact, I drove like an ******* today and gave others some heartattack. Afterwards, I sentenced myself to driving below 3500 rpm for the next two days.

 

Six Speed manual all the way
I couldnt drive the R56 as a Auto T it would be boring

 

i drive up the 5 from north OC to downtown LA. manual all the way, no issues whatsoever

 

The Mini is the perfect car to enjoy a manual 6-speed in, no matter how clogged the commuting traffic. No stick, no deal!

That said, if I were buying a luxu-barge from Lexus or BMW I'd want an automatic (not that I'd be interested in buying any Bangle-era BMW, but that's fodder for another thread...)

 

I would recommend the 6sp

 

I have two vehicles (F150 Supercrew & Yukon) that are auto tranny ... but for a sports car ... a manual transmission seems to be the obvious choice.

Just one man's opinion of course ...

 

go with a 6 speed. Unless there is a 7 speed available.

 

6 speed closed eyes!

(OK open them when you drive! )

 

I test drove a used 06 automatic convertible MCS and almost gave up on Mini. For some reason, I went out to the dealer and test drove the 07 manual 6 that I now own!!!!! It was night and day! The 06 vert was a dog and I couldn't believe the difference.

Please auto/vert/06 and older take no offense. It might just have been that particular car. Gotta wonder why a used car with less than 5000 miles was selling for 10,000 off MSRP?

I wouldn't dream of owning a MINI that had an automatic. My wife has driven manuals for most of her adult life. She prefers an automatic for laziness reasons. However, this past weekend, she drove my Mini for the first time and I had a hard time wrestling it away from her. She couldn't believe how easy it was to drive, and drive hard!!!!!!!

MANUAL 6 and only the MANUAL 6 IMHO!

 

They should only offer auto for the non-S Mini. The MCS is meant for manual transmission. Shifting is effortless for the manually inclined, even if there is bumper to bumper traffic. The one thing I'm looking into is a more comfortable shifter.

 

Why the hell would they only offer auto on the Cooper? They're both driving enthusiast's cars, the only difference is that one has more horsepower and the other gets amazing gas mileage. They're both fun to drive.

 

Manual Trans. My wife talked me into that. I had originally ordered AT, but changed. Glad I did. But the AT with manual mode can be fun as well. Have driven both.

 

is the way to go I work in NYC and commute daily
I would say 60% city driving 40% highway.......
wouldn't trade the manual for an auto .....

 

I agree with others here, some cars are meant to have an AT, others an MT. The Mini is in the second group in my opinion. That said, whatever you are comfortable with.

 

Thank you all,

Wow...many people said to go 6 speed manual instead. Yeah I have no problem both AUTO and MANUAL trans and I used to have the manual trans car many years. Those opinions helped a lot for me. Thanks much

 

I have a 6-speed stick... the auto sucks the life out of the car and should be for people who can't drive sticks (pref. for some medical reason).

I have a 100mi comm. / day and sit in 15-30min of stop-n-stop-some-more traffic (crossing the Hudson into NYC)...

Also the Autos have had quality issues, supposedly fixed, but...

 

You folks are revealing alot of poppycock and snobbery on this thread.
Holy moly.

The car shouldn't have an AT? What the dip?
Well then, I'll respond that if you are tiny enough to use the clutch in an R53, you must be a verified runt. Yup. You're a runt; nobody that is full-grown man-size could possibly squeeze in there.
Not as much so in the R56 since the steering wheel telescopes a little, but still leaning toward runt.
And your feet must be really small too if you can wedge them in on the clutch without hitting the brake...

Quality issues with the AT? My MT car destroyed its transmission twice in the 3 months I owned it. When I looked for a replacement car I made sure I got the AT, just for quality issues...

And there is a world of difference between the previous gen's AT and the turbo car's AT ---- this AT was made for the new motor. The shiftpoints are excellent and it can be employed in 4 distinct modes, 2 of which are fully manual anyhow, with the convenience of shifting on the steering wheel with paddles.
Hmmmmm. Ferraris come with paddle-shift clutchless sequential semi-auto trannies; does that make them less sporting, boring, or inferior too?

I got an experiment. One of you hot-shot New York MT commuters can meet me at Deals Gap and we'll see who's quicker through the Dragon. Play fair; mod-free car like mine.