Hello I am new to this forum. I am wanting to learn more about the Cooper with the normal motor and 6 speed automatic. I posted previously in the new member section and did get some answers to some questions I asked. However, I would like to hear about what people think about the 07 and 08 models. I already know the normal aspirated motor is by Peugeot and it has a chain rather than a belt. What I need to know is highway mpg for the nonturbo motor with the 6 speed automatic. I have been driving standard transmissions for years, but I am ready for an automatic now. I plan on getting a new car this year depending on what fuel prices do. I am waiting to see what diesel does for one. I presently drive a diesel Beetle which I have owned since new for 8 years. I am interested in the upcoming Jetta diesel. If diesel spikes even more above gas in the Summer, winter will not be good. I do not want a hybrid, but the Mini might be a possible choice for me. I want to hear what highway numbers the automatic is getting. Typically, I try to drive for economy. I average 42-44 mixed driving in the Beetle. High 40's highway, sometimes 50 if I am lucky. Also, do you HAVE to use Premium fuel on the nonturbo engine??? I prefer something that uses regular. If all goes well, I will test drive one this weekend. Should this car ride as well as my Beetle?? Any information greatly appreciated! Thanks, Paul

 

sorry don't have a regular mini harttop have a 007 s model with the auto just got it a couple weeks ago and have less than 800 miles on it. the auto is great love it as for milage i am not to use the cruse funtion till i have over 1500 miles and drive a winding mountain road daily average speed under 50mph (although thats hard to do because the car wants to rocket thru the corners ) but being conservitive i try to be i am averageing 34.7mpg . dont think i will ever get into the 40's wasn't made to do that and i have herd that there is a diesel model in europe but not the US. as for gas yes you have to use premium in the non turbo model which is still cheeper than diesel and doesn't cost me $180.00 to fill up like it did my truck. love my car its great wouldn't trade it for nothing

 

I have an 07 MCS auto...reading over performance numbers not only does it get better gas mileage BUT...it is the fastest MINI you can buy, even beats out the JCW MCS :-)

I have read quite a few articles which say the transmissions in the past have been a reliablility issue so I am hoping the 07 revised transmissions are improved.

If anyone has data on the reliability of the 07 and up MCS trannys (auto/manual) please post up. Apparently, the CVT transmission was a failure in terms of reliability. So, I would avoid the CVT from what I have read.

 

I also have a 2000 new beetle diesel! Trust me you will enjoy driving the Mini much more than the beetle. I have used 87 octane regular in my 07 S and it will run on it but you will get noticable pre-ignition. I usually run 89 octane and the car runs fine on that. If I plan to do some hot rodding I'll use 93. The cost of running the Mini will be slightly more than the Beetle diesel but there is no comparison on fun to drive.

 

I do not know about that, Chris. I am not 100% sure, nor am I an expert on this stuff, but everything I have read says that my 2008 MCS Manual is faster than the Automatic by at least 1 second off the line, and getsbetter gas milage by about 3-5mpg's if not driven like a speed demon. I also have the JCW kit on mine, and I am pretty sure this kit does not slow the car down compared to an MCS without this kit. So would that not mean that it would be even faster, therefore meaning that my MINI is in fact the fastest possible MINI you can get from the factory (Unless we are talking about the 2008 Convertiblewith the JCW kit of course. Which would be the true fastest MINI)?

 

just on the topic of transmission, an auto will always (ALWAYS) be faster than a manual. People will argue this point all day long, but the fact is, it doesn't matter who you are, you are not going to shift faster of more consistently than an auto. most stock trannys won't come ready for racing, so a shift kit is an excellent idea.

not that theres anything wrong with stick shift. you feel more in tune with the car as you drive, and more in control. Plus, they get better MPG than auto (because it takes power to turn a torque converter). Manual can also handle higher HP than auto, becase of the way they're built.

people will try to argue that stick is better than auto, or that auto is only better for drag racing, but no matter how you cut it... auto = FTW.

As far as for the mini tranny; I haven't had one to tear down and play with, so I don't know. these are just tranny basics.

 

dont worry about the cvt trans, those were only on the first gen coopers. 2nd gen is new from the ground up... literally