[kyleshelton]

I wanted to give some personal feedback on my recent experience with comparing the automatic vs manual transmission of the '15 MCS. First, I am not a "wrench" guy, so forgive my lack of understanding how they work. Its just my personal driving experience.

Background:
I had a 2009 Clubman with several issues that during the repairs I was driving a '15 MCS with automatic loaned from the dealer. I drove this car for 4 weeks.

As a result of my issues, I traded my 2009 in for a new '15 MCS with a manual. I have had it for 6 weeks.

I currently have my MCS in for some stuff (window tint, stripes, etc) and again, have a '15 loaner with an automatic that I have had for a couple of days.

EXPERIENCE
Overall my experience with both was good. However, I felt the automatic was a bit rough at low speeds. I expected some turbo lag during acceleration, which would explain a bit of hesitation, but when starting from a dead stop with only what I will say is medium acceleration, it felt a bit clunky or choppy. I do not get this sensation with the manual. The manual is smooth and natural during the same situation.

The second situation was when I was coming to a stop. With the automatic, just as I would come to a stop, about 50% of the time the car would serge bit just before a complete stop. Again, not sure if the transmission is the key, but I have never had this happen with the manual.

Note: since I drove two different MCS with auto and they both had the similar behavior, I have to assume this is intended.

Maybe its just me, but thought I would relay what I noticed.

Anyone else with experience with both?

 

[Crimguy]

I have a manual MCS and just had a couple days with a loaner auto MCS. I noticed the surging when coming to a stop as well. Seems to be the transmission performing a downshift a low speed. Overall it was a decent auto, but would've benefitted from paddle shifters. I enjoy this car a lot more with the manual transmission though.


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[Crimguy]

I should add that I have 17" wheels and the loaner had 16". The ride was noticeably less harsh with the smaller wheels, although I felt the steering was a bit squirrelly on the higher profile tires of the 16s. The 17 tracked better.


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[jeremybingham]

I should add that I have 17" wheels and the loaner had 16". The ride was noticeably less harsh with the smaller wheels, although I felt the steering was a bit squirrelly awwwon the higher profile tires of the 16s. The 17 tracked better.


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I'd definitely agree with this. My Cooper has 17" summer but 16"winter tyres and it definitely tracks straightercwith less correction on the 17's.

 

[Sunster]

I've actually just started a thread about shamefully stalling a manual MCSD. However, in relation to the auto, which I also have as a cooper petrol (well, it's now my Mum's) I noticed very quickly the odd behaviour of the stepping down sensation.

I noticed it even further as my Mum's previous car which I routinely drive (a nissan qashqai auto) as well as my manual was much much smoother in both setting off and slowing down.

All I can say is that first of all it bothered me. I have a particular t-junction I take every day which is on a slight incline and the sensation seemed to be particularly noticeable there. It was never terrible, just somewhat disconcerting. I also noticed that the auto cooper has a very noticeable and quite nice growl which is louder than the manual version which I had on a loaner for a day.

So I took the cooper auto in to be looked at because of an issue with it's bluetooth. At the same time I told them about the 'juddering' which I think I mentioned as 'lurching' or 'lunging' from start.

When I picked the car up they said they'd done a system update and then tested the car for said 'lurching' and couldn't find anything. I drove the car away and really noticed a difference. It's still definitely not smooth, but much less apparent AND surprisingly it's a little bit quieter.

So, not a definitive answer from me. There's part of me that just thinks that it's done 2K miles now and maybe it needed a bit more time to bed in, but whatever they did/didn't do certainly seemed to help. I did make a point of making sure that the lurching was in my notes so hopefully that will have been transferred into their general database.

 

[kyleshelton]

I agree it wasn't a horrible feeling (surging, ...), but just noticable compared the manual. Like most cars, you would adjust your driving habits.

I should add that both loaners with auto had less than 400 miles on it. Not sure that getting past the break in period or having some tweaks done at a early service would make it better... but worth noting the mile for everyone.

Good to know it wasn't just me who noticed it.

 

[Hat]

i've been driving my MCS Auto for around 6000 miles now & not noticed this behaviour at all. Maybe i've just been lucky?

.. Overall it was a decent auto, but would've benefitted from paddle shifters. I enjoy this car a lot more with the manual transmission though.

the MCS Auto does have paddle shifters as standard, at least in the UK

 

[JGreyOC]

I have this exact same second situation with the brakes:
The second situation was when I was coming to a stop. With the automatic, just as I would come to a stop, about 50% of the time the car would serge bit just before a complete stop. Again, not sure if the transmission is the key, but I have never had this happen with the manual.

Did anyone find out if it is normal? It happens so frequently on mine that I just got accustomed to feeling a small jerking motion before every stop.

 

[02fanatic]

I agree it wasn't a horrible feeling (surging, ...), but just noticable compared the manual. Like most cars, you would adjust your driving habits.

I should add that both loaners with auto had less than 400 miles on it. Not sure that getting past the break in period or having some tweaks done at a early service would make it better... but worth noting the mile for everyone.

Good to know it wasn't just me who noticed it.

From my very limited experience driving the '15 JCW automatic with paddle shifters vs. the '15 MCS with 6 speed manual, I can honestly say the manual was excellent and was effortless, while I struggled with the steptronic....but, ha!, this is due to one thing: in my case, I am so used to shifting with a clutch I didn't even know how to drive the JCW auto "proper"...drove like an old man! LOL!

I believe alot of what you experienced is due to familiarity...you are a manual guy like me, so the automatic felt weird...over time it may very well feel better...maybe not.

For me, I am one of the very few (apparently) who have placed an order for the '15 JCW with manual transmission (and I am still waiting....). But, I am certain it will be worth the wait...about 2-1/2 months and counting!

 

[Deonair]

I currently have a 2015 manual Cooper as a loaner while my 2014 MCS auto is in the workshop.


The manual Cooper is very smooth indeed, a very nice ride. I've never experienced any surging on my auto MCS (10k on the clock). Is this happening to people in both Drive mode and Manual mode?

 

[annoyingmouse]

By modern auto standards, the F55\56 has a large ratio spread relative to its amount of gears. It has a similar spread to ZF's 8hp which as the name suggest has 8 forward ratios. Combine this with sporty programming, and the car is often in a lower gear than "normal" for an automatic. This is the reason you experience surges, or sometimes even engine breaking (if your RPMs are low when you let up) when you expect to coast.

 

[Tiger]

I have this exact same second situation with the brakes:
The second situation was when I was coming to a stop. With the automatic, just as I would come to a stop, about 50% of the time the car would serge bit just before a complete stop. Again, not sure if the transmission is the key, but I have never had this happen with the manual.

Did anyone find out if it is normal? It happens so frequently on mine that I just got accustomed to feeling a small jerking motion before every stop.

I'd say it's definitely normal. Mine does it too. It has a lot to do with how one is stopping and how the F56 is geared... and being used to what the car is thinking. With my truck, I got very used to coasting into stops, just letting it roll and squeezing the brake gently down all the way into the final stop. The F56 doesn't seem to like that. I've been wondering whether it was the auto start/stop function or the car flicking into first gear, and now I'm sure it's the latter. It just seems to prefer getting to the stop a little more quickly, otherwise that last downshift (for that quick takeoff it's preparing for) is a little jerky.

 

[Deonair]

Ah, that's probably why I've never noticed any surges, because I do just that!

 

[James-B93]

I've been suffering with this surging quite a lot, when coming to a stop you either keep your foot at the same firmness and come to a fairly sudden and unsmooth stop, or, if you try and come to a smooth stop, just before you start to get to walking pace the car lunges forward

I've gotten used to it and have started anticipating it and lifting off the brakes slightly, controlling the lunge (to a certain degree) and smoothing the stop after the lunge, it's a right pain!

Will be taking the car in to Mini on my way home tonight to see if they can perform this update to try and stop it, it seems to happen in both mid and green mode, but not in sport strangely enough