[nonsequitur]

Good explanation. I'm sorry that I messed up my earlier post, now corrected.

This may need some test drives this weekend!

[BidiMINI]

We'v had our CVT MCC (hers) for about 10 days (800 miles) and I love it. Yes the CVT is different than my previous vehicles (all rather large SUVs) but have learned how it responds, and how to compensate. In my larger vehicles I've always driven more conservatively - slow starts from a dead stop because the jackrabbit starts noticeably affect fuel economy. I never expected the CVT to ack like a Chevy auto. In the MCC w/CVT, my MPG are so much better I just give it the gas and go - not a screaming start but definitely more aggressive than I've been used to. Adds to the factor too! haven't had any problems with chugging slows to a stop.

I love driving a stick and already trying to convince the MRS that we can sell the remaining SUV and get me an MCS with a few performance mods - but for now, the MCC with the CVT is WAY MORE FUN than anything I've driven in 20 years.

[puzzle]

Hi all

Had my One CVT for just over a week now and the jerking when it is cold is a bit annoying. However my sister (desert storm) has an S manual which can do similar. I think I do need to start driving more aggressively as said.

What is more frustrating is the dead spot in the power like when I am pulling away. Is anyone else experiencing the same???

[Cooper76]

Quote: Originally Posted by puzzle

Hi all

Had my One CVT for just over a week now and the jerking when it is cold is a bit annoying. However my sister (desert storm) has an S manual which can do similar. I think I do need to start driving more aggressively as said.

What is more frustrating is the dead spot in the power like when I am pulling away. Is anyone else experiencing the same???

Yeah, the jerkiness has been an issue talked all over the forums here. But if you view the MINI with CVT as a motorbike with a roof and two more wheels, then it shouldn't bother you as much or at all.

The dead spot is there. That is why, if at all possible, to try and keep the rev range over 1500 minimum when hitting corners or turning. If going from a dead-stop, you have to plan your method of escape before darting out.

[marrsbar]

Just got my MCC CVT today (traded in my ONE tin top CVT) WOW! what a difference. It feels much more responsive and is a much more aggressive drive. Still has the same niggles as my old CVT had, the 'dead spot', the shuddering, but the car in general is FABULOUS.

Not really a great comparison for 04 CVT against 05 CVT as I've gone from a ONE to a Cooper. I just wanted to say how LUSH my new MCC is, thats all.

[nonsequitur]

Quote: Originally Posted by plantain

This [lurch behavior while medium-fast hard braking] is in both Drive and, as far as I can tell SportDrive. I've been sticking to Drive mode almost exclusively since I'm still in my breakin period.

I just don't experience any of this under braking?
Start at some speed you pick, like 40mph, and describe exactly what happens, please.

Quote: Originally Posted by plantain

LURCH! ... Any suggestions for how to smooth this out?

I should, but I'd like to duplicate the strong reaction you're getting first. I've been "disconnecting" throttle from brake inputs more and more as I drive the CVT by braking with left-foot and throttle with the right-foot, sometimes used together. I'm not suggesting that as any appropriate solution here.

A "lurch" to me is a strong, sudden, "jump" movement. Is that really what you mean?

If we cannot generally duplicate your experience, then it must be your individual car, and that would be resolved in MINI Service.

[plantain]

Quote: Originally Posted by nonsequitur

I just don't experience any of this under braking?
Start at some speed you pick, like 40mph, and describe exactly what happens, please.

A "lurch" to me is a strong, sudden, "jump" movement. Is that really what you mean?

If we can generally duplicate your experience, then it must be your individual car, and that would be resolved in MINI Service.

Well, the good news is, I think somehow either I, or the MINI's adaptation to me, has greatly smoothed out this response. It doesn't happen as much, and when it does, it doesn't feel like a "lurch" or "jump"; it feels like it has somehow managed to downshift but without actually kicking the car forward when it does it.

But, to try to answer your original question - I think what I was experiencing was the downshift when the RPMS drop below about 1200. If I'm slowing down, but going maybe 12-15 miles per hour when it happens, it's just fast enough that the computer downshifts thinking I'm stopping, but too fast that the downshift feels more harsh. If I can time it so those two events don't occur at once, it's pretty much invisible. I've noticed though, that even now when I do it, it's pretty hard to feel it.

I'm thinking that it's probably more about my driving habits changing than anything else. Before, I used to have a particular deceleration pressure and rate which was optimal for my previous cars brakes and weight. Now, I've found that the Cooper is smoother when it's stopped just slightly faster and with a shorter distance.

[plantain]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooper76

Yeah, the jerkiness has been an issue talked all over the forums here. But if you view the MINI with CVT as a motorbike with a roof and two more wheels, then it shouldn't bother you as much or at all.

The dead spot is there. That is why, if at all possible, to try and keep the rev range over 1500 minimum when hitting corners or turning. If going from a dead-stop, you have to plan your method of escape before darting out.

I've noticed this "dead spot" too, and so far, I've learned to adapt around it. It doesn't bother me at all during acceleration from a stop; it's certainly not worse than my previous standard automatic. Cornering still gets me sometimes; I've found that if I'm having trouble keeping the revs up, that flicking over into SD mode just before I hit the corner revs it up just enough to smooth things out.

As far as the "jerkiness" - that only really bothers me when I'm in my office parking garage cruising around 10 MPH. It's kind of a weird feeling - probably because I have seen a picture of the CVT belts, I sometimes imagine that this is the position where the belts are "loosest" and they are bouncing around like rubber bands, alternately getting a good grip and slipping. I know that's probably not what is actually happening, but that's what it feels like. Again, I've solved that one by pushing into steptronic mode and forcing the revs higher, usually cruising in 1st gear smooths this out. It seems most prominent in the steptronic's default mode of gear "2", which I think is the approximate gear that it chooses when you're in D mode going around 10 MPH.

[nonsequitur]

Quote: Originally Posted by plantain

... I sometimes imagine that this is the position where the belts are "loosest" and they are bouncing around like rubber bands, alternately getting a good grip and slipping. I know that's probably not what is actually happening, but that's what it feels like.

This is not what's happening in the ZF gearbox, just as you stated! There is no slipping of the single belt (not "belts"), and definitely no "bouncing around" of that belt. This gearbox uses a pushbelt (torque is transmitted under compression, not tension); it's the opposite of older approaches.

On the "rubber bands" comment, you may enjoy an older thread that pulls together some historical information. The early Van Doorne belt technologies were pull, some were rubber, and they used multiple belts for wear and reliability. One of the slurs given to the cars was "rubber band car".

CVT history in Racing

It's current, and helpful to your conversation about our CVT-equipped cars, to note that the ours is probably closer to the F1 gearbox that David Coulthard drove in the Williams FW15C CVT-equipped F1 car. It was immediately banned after they realized just how dramatically it would win!

[Mr ONE]

Great news I have solved my wifes Mini CVT problem, I've sold the car and bought a 330 CD BMW. No problems with this gearbox, can't wait. I must say that the Mini Cooper is a fine little car but not with a CVT gearbox.

[Cooper76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr ONE

Great news I have solved my wifes Mini CVT problem, I've sold the car and bought a 330 CD BMW. No problems with this gearbox, can't wait. I must say that the Mini Cooper is a fine little car but not with a CVT gearbox.

330 is a fine car. Very nice choice. But, if you liked the MINI so much, why not just get it with a standard instead?!

[Mr ONE]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooper76

330 is a fine car. Very nice choice. But, if you liked the MINI so much, why not just get it with a standard instead?!

Wife will only drive an auto.

[sharrellk]

I got GOLDIE ('05 MC CVT) on 8/31/04 and now have just over 9k miles. I too must admit that the lurching at take off and slow-down was annoying. Over the miles, this has dramatically improved, although still noticable. However, we just upgraded her software to the MTH. HUGE difference!! Not only does she sound sportier but the take-off is much smoother. Now the only problem is that the feeling of getting up to 70 is now 90. I am really going to have to watch for cops now. I could think of worse problems...

[plantain]

Quote: Originally Posted by sharrellk

I got GOLDIE ('05 MC CVT) on 8/31/04 and now have just over 9k miles. I too must admit that the lurching at take off and slow-down was annoying. Over the miles, this has dramatically improved, although still noticable. However, we just upgraded her software to the MTH. HUGE difference!! Not only does she sound sportier but the take-off is much smoother. Now the only problem is that the feeling of getting up to 70 is now 90. I am really going to have to watch for cops now. I could think of worse problems...

I'm assuming the MTH is some kind of 3rd party software upgrade based on the posts I've read. How hard is it to install, and can you put the "original" software back easily?

I've just past break-in and I've noticed that things have smoothed out a lot since I first posted. The braking "lurch" I described is almost non-existant now. I can't even get it to happen on demand. The acceleration "yo-yo" is also very difficult to get to happen; the only time I can do it is if the car is cold, and I lightly touch the pedal after the "creep" mode gets me to 5 mph. Even then, once the car warms up, it's pretty much gone.

If my car hadn't smoothed itself out, I might be tempted to try the MTH just to see what difference it makes, but now I'm so happy with its performance I'm kind of afraid of messing it up!

[reydo]

well, i picked up BAT BOY on sat and don't feel any kind of lurch at all - even tho i felt it on the test drive a few months ago. so i am not going to jinx anything.

[mukimmy99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr ONE

Great news I have solved my wifes Mini CVT problem, I've sold the car and bought a 330 CD BMW. No problems with this gearbox, can't wait. I must say that the Mini Cooper is a fine little car but not with a CVT gearbox.

That is not great news! that is sad news!!

I have had my MCC CVT for a week and It has definitly taken a little bit of getting used to. i have foud that the steady foot on the gas is the best remedy. a few times i have felt like that lurching was going to send me right into a parked car! but i have indeed gotten used to it. If, in your initial "take off" you hit right about 2500 rpm, i hit what i like to call the "sweet spot" and that baby takes off like a rocket. Once I'm out of the initial start, it will hit that spot again around 3200 rpm between 3 & 4th gears. Its a blast. It has been a ton of fun figuring it all out. bottom line for me, be a lead foot and you'll be fine!

[plantain]

Quote: Originally Posted by mukimmy99

Bottom line for me, be a lead foot and you'll be fine!

Yeah, those were my thoughts exactly when I was driving it for the first 800 miles or so! Somewhere after that point though, either I adapted or the car "softened" its response. I no longer have to lead foot it to get a smooth response. It is, however, so much more fun to drive this way!

By the way, I've found that "lead-footing it" doesn't seem to affect the gas mileage much, at least for me. I have a 45 minute commute, 30 minutes of which is 4-way stops on surface streets, and I get 30 mpg on 91 octane.

[mukimmy99]

Quote: Originally Posted by plantain

It is, however, so much more fun to drive this way!

it is an absolute riot. i find myself going out just for the sake of driving. who knew a car could be such a blast!

[reydo]

Quote: Originally Posted by mukimmy99

It is an absolute riot! I find myself going for drives just for the sake of driving. Who knew a car could be such a blast!

i totally agree. i haven't even tried the steptronic mode and already LOVE driving in it. just waiting to get past the break-in period (only at 100 miles so far) to have some fun. cars used to be transport. the commute used to be annoying. now i can't wait to get in the car every morning and love the drive into work and back home. i've even started running more errands and driving to lunch (no one dared get in the old stinky civic.)

[MissMapp]

I've had my MC CVT for just over a week and definitely noticed the slight lurch. It's already improving -- either because the car has smoothed itself out over the last 800+ miles or because I'm just getting better at driving it. Probably a little of both. I do think MINI has done a terrible job at both explaining and extolling the CVT. If it wasn't for the information I've found here, I never would have known what a happy little monster I've got living in my garage!