Automatic vs. Double-Clutch and general buying advice F56

[Filibuster]

My first post in the Mini section!

After not knowing with what to replace my ageing '04 Audi S4 Avant (4.2 V8 with 344 hp), I've come to the only sensible conclusion:
A 1.5 3-cyl Mini Cooper F56!

I'm fed up with old cars and having to take care for them all the time (I got two other cars for this) and it seems the Mini is one of the few cars the OH and I like equally. So yesterday I popped by the local Mini dealer (over in Switzerland) to have a look around their stock. With the new facelift arriving, they sit on a pile of new, unregistered pre facelift cars they give away basically for free!! OK, not for free but with what seems to be very reasonable discounts.

Now there is one Cooper with the old Aisin (?) 6-speed automatic I'm interested in. I read good reviews about this engine/gearbox configuration, but I wondered whether the new Gertrag double clutch is much, much better.

I'm booked for a test drive with various models this Saturday, but would greatly appreciate your view beforehand.

I might be interested in a new built to order too, if the conditions are good (and you all tell me to go for the double clutch).

Also apart from the few styling tweaks and the touchscreen nav, are there any differences worth mentioning between F56.1 and F56.2 (is this the right terminology or did you guys adopt BMW LCI terms to mark the facelift?).

[steve-5snwi]

If you can find the right spec pre LCi then go for it. We have the Cooper S auto and the gearbox is fine, i much prefer the torque convertor boxes - the LCI Cooper S is DCT the Cooper is the ZF8 speed box i think ....

So yes go for the older model and spend less.

[Filibuster]

steve-5snwi said:

If you can find the right spec pre LCi then go for it. We have the Cooper S auto and the gearbox is fine, i much prefer the torque convertor boxes - the LCI Cooper S is DCT the Cooper is the ZF8 speed box i think ....

So yes go for the older model and spend less.

Thanks for the comment!

So the 1.5 Cooper LCi doesn't have a dual clutch but rather a 8-speed automatic? I didn't know that...
Well, in this case I really look forward to the test drive!

I narrowed down two cars that are basically identical. Both Auto 1.5 Cooper in Melting Silver with black roof, black 15" Heli and the leatherette/cloth sports seats with Pepper pack. Only difference is that the more expensive one has the Wired pack and the LED (std. not advanced) which I really like!

So I see where I land with my negotiation and decide from there!











Can one still buy a new car in 2018 with Halogen lamp? ....

[steve-5snwi]

I would be wanting the LED's

It appears that the low power versions a 7 speed DCT boxes but the Cooper s and JCW are the 8 speed ZF box - according to the interweb

[sad61t]

I have the R56 with six-speed Aisin, and recommend it. Very smooth when creeping in traffic and otherwise not too bad (better at changing gear than I am). Occasionally gets confused if you coast into a junction and then hoof it out as it's in a high gear and takes a second to select a lower one; this can be worked around by selecting a lower gear on the flappy paddles (they were an option on the R56, check the F56). It also has a sequential 'Sport' mode that allows you to change gear manually using the stick/paddles; in this mode it stays in the selected gear unless a stall (not sure on over-rev) is imminent. In normal drive mode, a manual paddle override reverts to auto after ten seconds.

BMW say the transmission oil is 'for life', but Aisin recommend changing it every 20,000 miles. This is very conservative (Japanese cultural caution) and Volvo say 60,000. So every few years, find an indi with the hydraulic pump kit (gravity is insufficient) to flush the old oil and replace it to keep your box shifting well.

[Filibuster]

Just received offers for two 1.5 Coopers and two 2.0 Cooper S. All of them with 6-speed automatic unregistered pre LCi's.
Well, I just might not get the poverty spec (relatively) Pepper Cooper, but the full maxed out Chilli+Trafalgar Cooper S with adaptive LED, pan roof, leather, etc.

And I wanted to be sensible this time around.....

[Filibuster]

Well, I just bought myself a new Mini Cooper S





Will do a readers cars thread once I pick it up!
Thanks for posting!

[steve-5snwi]

Very nice, did you end up with an auto ?

[Filibuster]

Yes, it is an automatic. Although not the sport automatic.

[HJMS123]

Filibuster said:

Yes, it is an automatic. Although not the sport automatic.

What's the difference in the boxes OP and how do you tell which one a mini has?

Really like the colour combo

[sad61t]

HJMS123 said:

What's the difference in the boxes OP and how do you tell which one a mini has?

Really like the colour combo

There's an external post about it here:
http://www.minif56.com/forum/313-purchasing-orderi...

Mini's site is dire at the moment, no Configurator and few technical details about the myriad of options. All hipster sliding pages and randomly scattered navigation buttons.

[Filibuster]

Sport automatic has paddles on the steering wheel, normal automatic does not. Also sport automatic has red stitching on the gear lever.
As I understand, there are no mechanical differences between the two. Only other software.

The advantages are:

• faster gear changes in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd when in sport mode
• launch control
• full controll when DSC is deactivated and Traction is activated

Owner's Manual said:

Manual mode M/S: prevent automatic
upshifting
Once maximum engine speed is attained, M/S
manual mode is automatically upshifted as
needed.
For vehicles with Sport automatic transmission,
automatic shift operations are not performed if
one of the following conditions is met:
▷ DSC is deactivated.
▷ TRACTION is activated.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.

In an other thread I just said how I'd like a manual that doesn't upshift hitting the rev limiter and kickdown is deactivated.
And what do I buy....?

Well, for 99% it will suit me very well! Great gearbox very smooth and really suited to the 2.0 turbo i4.
Apparently is has predictive drivetrain. This means it picks up your position from GPS and takes that in consideration whether it changes gear (i.e. not changing up when you are approaching a bend).

[Filibuster]

Since I posted rubbish pics before, here are some more from the advert and the specs:









It's an unregistered MY 17 Cooper S (I think, last one pre LCi) and had 14km on the clock before I test drove it.

• Thunder Grey Metallic
• Mini Yours Leather Lounge Carbon Black (commonly known as black leather)
• Chili package
• Wired package
• Excitement package (whatever that one is)
• Innovation package
• adaptive LED headlights
• Harman/Kardon sound system
• front and rear PDC
• it parks itself !!! (really, in a Mini???)
• heated seats
• Mini Connected XL (you can see on your phone on the sofa how much petrol is left in your tank, apparently)
• automatic transmission
• keyless
• rear spoiler
• panoramic roof
• anthrazit roof
• cruise control
• Mini driving modes

Quite a list! It's astonishing what tech comes in a Mini that only a decade ago was available in the most expensive S-class.
A shame that some great options where not specced by the dealer. Chief amongst are the heated windscreen and sport automatic. Both where only small extras compared with the final sticker price. Especially the heated windscreen would have been handy since it sleeps outside. Also it is the only blind button which drives me mad....

Thanks for all the nice comments and watch this space as I will link the readers car's thread I will be doing!

[funboxster]

steve-5snwi said:

If you can find the right spec pre LCi then go for it. We have the Cooper S auto and the gearbox is fine, i much prefer the torque convertor boxes - the LCI Cooper S is DCT the Cooper is the ZF8 speed box i think ....

So yes go for the older model and spend less.

My wife had a 2015 Cooper S with sports auto torque converter. It was very good, but I was never impressed with the mechanical action of changing between D,R,N & P. She now has a 2018 LCI Cooper S with DCT sports box. It feels smoother to me, and it's basically just a touch action now on the stick to change mode, with a useful button to place in Park.

[steve-5snwi]

Heated screen was one of the wifes demands on her mini.

[Filibuster]

Re Automatic on pre LCI F56:

I read that the sport and normal automatic transmissions are mechanically identical.
You can retrofit the stering wheel with paddles and enable the sports function (faster shift in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and launch controll).
Apparently you can also enable sports function without the paddles.
I will definitly do this!!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Yup just 5 minutes of coding

[Filibuster]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

Yup just 5 minutes of coding

Do youknow whether my Mini Dealer will be: ‘sure, no problems’ or more like ‘never heared of this... not sure whether we are allowed to do this... no sir, we can’t activate this function for you’

[Trustmeimadoctor]

They won't do it. But you can just need a cable and esys