Anything good or bad about the automatic transmission? How reliable are they? Thanks!!

 

I've owned a 2007 S Coupe, and a 2011 Justa Clubbie, both with manuals, and loved them both. The S was a lot more fun to drive. The Justa had less service issues, and ran fine on regular, but I understand your post question auto vs manual. In December of 2014 I decided I wanted a Clubbie S and I found a 2013,"leftover", aggressively priced, at my local dealer. I bought it. It's an automatic with paddle shifters, that I've never used. First time since 1981 I'm driving an automatic, and I simply love it. The car shifts flawlessly, and still feels like a sports car. It's still really new to me, I'm still clutching with my left foot, but I think my days with manuals are over.

 

Manual-
Pros: It's a manual

Automatic-
Cons: It's an automatic

On a serious note it's a matter of personal preference at this point. I had a loaner from the dealer with a squish box and didn't like it at all. Personally the best thing about my mini, and why I love it so much, is how connected with the car I feel. Take away the clutch and shifting and all of a sudden I've given control of that connection over to a computer and a torque converter.

I'm about to have serious shoulder surgery (on my shifting arm) and "switching" to an automatic isn't even an option. This is all my two cents, for whatever it's worth

 

Exactly!

 

Auto with paddles almost as fun as manual.
Auto more reliable/readily covered via warranty than manual.
Manuals used to provide better fuel economy; not anymore.
Greg

 

I've got a 2012 R56S with the paddles...It's a blast to drive but I'm considering trading it in...and when I do I think I'll get a manual next time...why? Just to be different. No doubt about the paddles though, they are fun...but I don't like the paddles on the new F56 because only one paddle shifts up and one paddle shift down... On my R56 both paddles shift up/down and it allows you to not worry about which paddle you grab as you are turning and accelerating or down shifting....

Bottom line: Get what you want. Test drive both and get the one that is most fun or that the wife can drive...pick your poison!

 

Well I will put it this way I would never buy a used automatic again. I am in the process of having a shop replace my tranny. At a cost of $9200. If you do get a used automatic just make sure you get a warranty that will cover the FULL cost of a tranny job. My warranty will only pay out $2700. Then no more warranty.

 

I love the versatility of the R 55, 6 automatics with paddle shifters that also allow the stick shift override too. I put the car in sport mode quite often and shift it as if it were a manual. I can push or pull on either paddle, push or pull back on the stick, or -bump it back to fully automatic mode by pushing the shifter sideways. It's fun to time your own shifts, rev it as much or as little as you wish. It keeps me from missing a true stick, which I occasionally do.

The Mini automatic 'requires' no maintenance, but many of us are doing a partial drain and fill on a regular basis to keep the atf in good shape. I could not afford a transmission failure.

 

If you buy into the idea of an automatic transmission that 'requires' no maintenance you also need to start a maintenance fund for a new transmission. The partial drain and fills help but they leave a lot of old oil behind. A full flush every 50K miles like Aisin recommends will help keep a transmission sound.

I have the auto transmission in mine and I drive it in sport mode with the paddle shifters all of the time. I have another car with a 4-speed manual and truck that is an automatic. The Mini with the paddle shifters is the best of both worlds.

 

Ha! My thoughts too.

 

I agree the automatic with paddle shifters is a lot of fun. I can also agree with the maintenence of them. I for one can attest to the cost of a tranny.

 

I had a loaner with the paddles and I was not left with this feeling of it being "fun". Granted it was new to me and I never really got used to it, so obviously that throws a darker shade on my opinion, but truly, there is nothing else like really driving a 6 speed with the shifter in it's proper place. You can pretend with the paddle shifting squish box but it's just not the same, you don't feel the gears, your left foot is not in complete control of the connection between engine and transmission. No automatic anything can replace that.

 

. Was yours the infamous CVT unit, or the later AW 6 speed?

 

Oh, so they corrected their mistake?

Paddle shifters should be pull left to downshift, pull right to upshift.

I have 2 other cars with that feature.

I can't use the paddles on my 2013 R56, it so convoluted.

 

Aisin transmissions are pretty sturdy. In this application, however, they are run with conventional (not synthetic) fluid at high temperatures (up to 224F) which is not a good combination.

Edit: for more details and suggestions see my post here:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4056577

 

I had the first with CVT: no problems at all, now I have the CM with automatic=shifts faster and you can drive it in real trafic in a fast way.

 

The pros and cons of an automatic in a Mini are the same as they are in any car. The thing to consider is why so many high end manufacturers don't even offer manual transmissions any more. The automatics at one time were very inferior to the manual. They're not any more.

 

In a couple of years time when you are driving a electric/hybrid you won't have a choice anyway......

 

The USA is a leading nation, most of the drivers can nor will drive a manual gearbox.Here in Europe automatic is still an exception.It cost a little more but some "oldtimers" still think that a gearbox is faster and sportier.
Almost all my cars had manual gearboxes. I wouldn't never want one again.

 

. Was yours the infamous CVT unit, or the later AW 6 speed?
To Pure Red My 06MCSa has the 6 speed Aisin Automatic with paddle shifters. It is in the shop now costing me $$$$ getting the transmission replaced. The CVT was never used in any MCSa as far as I know...

 

Thanks for the replying, I was just wondering since there are many sad posts about dead or dying CVT tran's

 

It seems to me as more of the MCSa's get into the 80,000-100,000 mile range we are seeing more automatics failing. This of course depends upon the owner doing tranny flushes or not. .

 

Then again those people with problems, yell louder and more often, then those without any. ..

 

I will be draining and refilling mine when it hits 50K, and then every 2 years after that.

 

Good idea. I wish the previous owner of mine would have done that. .