# Yes or No



## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

I'm thinking of selling/trading my Procharged Mustang and getting into a Cooper S. Would be Auto (that hurts) so my wife can drive it. How are the Autos.


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## RVExotics (Feb 1, 2008)

I currently drive an auto MCS (which is for sale, hint hint) and have only ever driven autos up to this point. Which is why I'm selling the MCS and getting a manual Z4 M Coupe asap! lol I love the convenience of an auto, but am really appreciating the control of a manual now. So back for the auto MCS. I would have to say the tranny overall is good. It's smooth shifting when accelerating and it'll downshift very quickly to give you that extra oomph when passing. My only complaints would be when slowing down to a stop, the turbo (if you're talking '07+) wants to rev the car a bit more so it may jump forward just a little - this got better with time and the car doesn't do it very much now. Also, when the sport button is engaged, if the car is in full auto mode, the aggressive downshifts are, well, too aggressive. It jerks WAY too much. Any time I use the sport button, I pull the stick over into the steptronic mode and either use it or the paddle shifters on the wheel to control the gear. 

I guess one other little quirky thing about an auto MINI, at least compared to all the domestic automatics I've driven before this car, is that is actually feels more like a standard than most automatics. There is some clutch lag, or something, kind of hard to explain, but it doesn't feel like a completely numb automatic. 

They're great cars. I bet you'll have a blast in it. It won't have the raw horsepower of your 'stang, but they can certainly scoot, and they're great in the twisties.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

Thanks for the reply. I personally do not like or want an Auto. Only would do it if my wife likes the ride. Neither one of us have been in a Coop. She's giving me the "It's too low...too small" bit. She would have to test drive and tell me she really likes or hates it. 
Thanks for the offer to buy yours but I would want an 09. The JCW looks tempting. Good luck selling yours. 
My cousin bought an Auto Z4 and regretted it.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

WHITEX said:


> She's giving me the "It's too low...too small" bit.


No such thing as "too low" IMO.

Lower = lower center of gravity = less roly-poly handling = better control = safer.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

Plaz said:


> No such thing as "too low" IMO.
> 
> Lower = lower center of gravity = less roly-poly handling = better control = safer.


Or too fast.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

NEED HELP. Being the good guy I am I told my wife I'd sell the Stang and get an Auto Mini. She's not very enthused. Couldn't care less about the Stang or Mini. SO...should I get her to test drive the Coop and see how she reaacts? Should I simply bring a MCS home and see if she throws me & the Mini out or keeps us. Should I get divorced and find a woman that likes Mini's? Thanks.


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## clubboy (Jul 18, 2008)

WHITEX said:


> NEED HELP. Being the good guy I am I told my wife I'd sell the Stang and get an Auto Mini. She's not very enthused. Couldn't care less about the Stang or Mini. SO...should I get her to test drive the Coop and see how she reaacts? Should I simply bring a MCS home and see if she throws me & the Mini out or keeps us. Should I get divorced and find a woman that likes Mini's? Thanks.


Tell her she can have ANY CAR SHE WANTS if she learns to drive stick. Hehehe


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

clubboy said:


> Tell her she can have ANY CAR SHE WANTS if she learns to drive stick. Hehehe


I will not be the one to teach her....and it won't be my car she learns on. Been there. Done that. OUCH. 
I might just bring one home. It's easier to ask for Forgiveness than to beg for Permission.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

WHITEX said:


> NEED HELP. Being the good guy I am I told my wife I'd sell the Stang and get an Auto Mini. She's not very enthused. Couldn't care less about the Stang or Mini. SO...should I get her to test drive the Coop and see how she reaacts? Should I simply bring a MCS home and see if she throws me & the Mini out or keeps us. Should I get divorced and find a woman that likes Mini's? Thanks.


1. My wife drives my Cooper S 6MT when necessary.
2. She hates the way the car rides and we tend to always take her car out.
3. She agreed with my purchase and blesses my decision to get a Clubman S when our baby is born.
4. If your wife cares about your happiness she'll back your decision to get whatever the hell you want.

Or maybe I'm lucky that way.


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## clubboy (Jul 18, 2008)

WHITEX said:


> I will not be the one to teach her....and it won't be my car she learns on. Been there. Done that. OUCH.
> I might just bring one home. It's easier to ask for Forgiveness than to beg for Permission.


My dad taught me in France... took him 10 minutes. It was a rental, so he even taught me how to launch from 4th gear. I stalled once when I hit the road, then never again. Got lots of practice driving all over France. My folks visited 4 times and we travelled everywhere, so I got lots of practice.

So... next time you take your wife to France, rent a manual and share the driving. They're cheaper to rent than automatics.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

WHITEX said:


> NEED HELP. Being the good guy I am I told my wife I'd sell the Stang and get an Auto Mini. She's not very enthused. Couldn't care less about the Stang or Mini.


Ummm who's car is this? What does your wife drive? What car do you use when you are together? How much are cars a joint decision? How much does buying a new car impact buying things she wants.

On the + side the Mini should use less fuel. Insurance could still be steep.

We've driven the MT MCS as well as the regular Mini. Only with the MT though. Can't comment on the AT.

If you are looking for a car that all is powerful and pushes you back in the seat, the MCS isn't it. Its not bad, but my Miata is faster. Not all that impressive if you want a foot masher.

Debbie likes *driving* the Mazda, but hates riding in it. Honestly the Miata can be quite harsh over long distances. Debbie likes the MCS from either seat. Things go much smoother when your wife wants the car (big hint)


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

blueguydotcom said:


> 4. If your wife cares about your happiness she'll back your decision to get whatever the hell you want.





Andrew*Debbie said:


> Ummm who's car is this? What does your wife drive? What car do you use when you are together? How much are cars a joint decision? How much does buying a new car impact buying things she wants.


We would share the Coop. I could trade or sell one of my rides and get the MCS...but I'd like her to share the decision. I could simply buy one for myself and it would be a 6 speed....but as said before I'd like her to drive it also. We have a Winter house in Florida. I'd leave it there. My game plan is to drive one and see if I like it first and then take her to the dealer to see how she likes it. Currently she has her own car and so do I. The Coop would be for fun. A Convert is not out of the question. And if it's a 6speed JCW is a maybe. Anyway thanks everyone. I'm going to set up a test drive next week.


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## Shawn (Jul 12, 2008)

blueguydotcom said:


> 1. My wife drives my Cooper S 6MT when necessary.
> 2. She hates the way the car rides and we tend to always take her car out.
> 3. She agreed with my purchase and blesses my decision to get a Clubman S when our baby is born.
> 4. If your wife cares about your happiness she'll back your decision to get whatever the hell you want.
> ...


I taught my wife how to drive on my R53. She thinks the learner has become the master. She is good enough that she too doesn't ever want an auto. I think I created a monster, but I will never be in the situation where I will have to compromise on my car. Also, she was from South America where the rules of the road are a little different, so I was basically teaching her how to drive, how to drive in the States, and how to drive a manual all at the same time. Teach the wife and enjoy the ride.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

I test drove a Cooper in Auto yesterday. Fun little car. My partner in crime (Mrs. WhiteX) is going to try on one for size next week. I'm giving her the courtesy of the final decision on this ride. 
The Coop handled nicely but could use more HP with the Auto. trans. A Cooper S Convert might be the ticket. I like it a lot. Pepper w/ stripes or Red w/stripes.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

WHITEX said:


> I test drove a Cooper in Auto yesterday. Fun little car. My partner in crime (Mrs. WhiteX) is going to try on one for size next week. I'm giving her the courtesy of the final decision on this ride.
> The Coop handled nicely but could use more HP with the Auto. trans. A Cooper S Convert might be the ticket. I like it a lot. Pepper w/ stripes or Red w/stripes.


The current Cooper S convertible is significantly heavier, has less power, less room and more chassis flex than a standard Cooper S. You'll feel it. Try the Clubman S if she finds the cooper is too rough. Wife hates my Cooper S but felt the Clubman S was just fine.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

blueguydotcom said:


> The current Cooper S convertible is significantly heavier, has less power, less room and more chassis flex than a standard Cooper S. You'll feel it. Try the Clubman S if she finds the cooper is too rough. Wife hates my Cooper S but felt the Clubman S was just fine.


I appreciate what you are saying. Thank you. She saw a picture of the ClubMan and liked it immediately. We're going to set up a tester next week.


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## kc540i (Sep 3, 2007)

Our (i.e. wife***8217;s) clubman S is the 6sp auto - much better than the CVT in her old base mini, I tried so hard to get her to learn to drive a stick. I would say it is one of the best autos they could have put in this car. It shifts fast, seems to have minimal power loss vs. reg 6sp, and in the manual sport mode you can run it to redline and keep it there unlike most autos with manual mode (accadently bounced it off the limiter yesterday messing around) - I think it fits the car perfectly - if you have to have an auto. If it was my car it would have a 6sp, it seems harder to build boost from a stop for good launches (fwd does not help either), it also seems to be harder to kept boost up between normal non-sport shifts (the tiny turbo in the S helps a bit with that), and I***8217;m not sure if we ever upgrade anything how much power it will handle.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

I believe the ClubMan has a Spare tire? Is it a full size or mini?


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

WHITEX said:


> I believe the ClubMan has a Spare tire? Is it a full size or mini?


Nope, RFTs.


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## kc540i (Sep 3, 2007)

WHITEX said:


> I believe the ClubMan has a Spare tire? Is it a full size or mini?


No spare, just run flats on the S. We got rid of the RFTs and bought a spare tire and wheel from the dealer to throw in the back if we leave the metro area.

spare tire and wheel was ~$300+ if I recall.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

Reason I asked about the spare....in the Brochure from the dealer (large black pamphlet) it talks about RunFlat technology and mentions under that "spare tire fitted on Mini Clubman only"


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

blueguydotcom said:


> Nope, RFTs.


In Great Brittan, the base Cooper Clubman has regular tires. A space saver spare is an option. RFTs are optional. I'm not sure if you can still order the space saver if you have RFTs.

The base Clubman S has RFTs.


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

Getting a spare with a Clubman depends on what size wheels you have...those with 17" won't get a spare because it won't fit in the compartment and they definately don't want you mixing 16" with 17" on a front drive car. I don't believe the 16" wheels will fit over the brakes on an S?


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## kc540i (Sep 3, 2007)

woody underwood said:


> Getting a spare with a Clubman depends on what size wheels you have...those with 17" won't get a spare because it won't fit in the compartment and they definately don't want you mixing 16" with 17" on a front drive car. I don't believe the 16" wheels will fit over the brakes on an S?


The spare will not fit on the front of the Clubman S but it will fit the back just fine. If you get a flat in the front you have to pull one of the rear wheels off, put it on the front and use the spare on the back. PITA but it beats a tow bill if you are 300 miles from home with no run flats.

We have 18's with 35 series tires, if we get a flat there is a chance the wheel will be damaged as well.

The spare should fit under the floor in the back just fine....havent tried it yet though.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

woody underwood said:


> Getting a spare with a Clubman depends on what size wheels you have...those with 17" won't get a spare because it won't fit in the compartment and they definately don't want you mixing 16" with 17" on a front drive car. I don't believe the 16" wheels will fit over the brakes on an S?


You can get clubmans cooper S with 16s. Thankfully. I have 17s on my Cooper S...never again. The RFTs are wretched.


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## WHITEX (Jan 29, 2006)

I saw my Dream Mini today. A Pepper S Convert Sidewalk. I loved it. I stopped driving...looked at it and drooled. My Chevy SSR might be in Jeopardy.


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## ///M3 E93 in LA (Aug 14, 2008)

I drove one as a loaner, even with automatic, in sport setting, it was a blast!


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