[aquaanox]

Hey fellas -

i just registered here tonight.. Yes! we got our first mini s ... however driving back from the dealer at night i noticed a slight glare (almost a shadow) on the center speedometer. Its obvious that the shadow is cast bec of the bright lighting in the dials and i was wondering if this was normal... I had to dim the interior lights way down for it to not be noticeable.

fyi.. the standard new radio does play MP3 CDs!!! yes... !! Im glad i didnt pay for the IPOD adapter.. and the sound quality rocks. Also, if anyone is wondering, the 6 speed auto tranny is about a half second faster (0-60) than the manual tranny. The steptronic paddles rock and save lots of human time required to shift gears manually. Im a former 330i stick owner, and found this transmission to be right on the mark. Very happy about getting the auto. I do miss a bit of the engine growl with the stick though but think i made the right choice here.

~TIA

-05 MCSa
Hyper Blue Metallic
White top/rims
Auto
Premium Pack
Cold Weather Pack
and some other options

[Achilles]

congrats, just a question, whats in the cold weather pack? is it the same as all weather visibility?

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by Achilles

congrats, just a question, whats in the cold weather pack? is it the same as all weather visibility?

nope.. heated seats, washers, and mirrors...

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquaanox

Also, if anyone is wondering, the 6 speed auto tranny is about a half second faster (0-60) than the manual tranny.

Not so, it's the other way around, manual is quicker, slightly, but obviously with the manual there's more variation from driver to driver.

As for the lights, not really had a problem with that myself, but at least you can adjust the brightness a good degree up and down if needed.



Congratulations on your new MINI.

[slurpee1216]

"fyi.. the standard new radio does play MP3 CDs!!!"

thanks for answering this question! =) enjoy ur mini!! can't wait for mine to come (2 weeks!)

[Cooper76]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

Not so, it's the other way around, manual is quicker, slightly, but obviously with the manual there's more variation from driver to driver.

As for the lights, not really had a problem with that myself, but at least you can adjust the brightness a good degree up and down if needed.



Congratulations on your new MINI.

Maybe he meant quicker on the shifts, not 0-60???

[rsinsheimer]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

Not so, it's the other way around, manual is quicker, slightly, but obviously with the manual there's more variation from driver to driver.

As for the lights, not really had a problem with that myself, but at least you can adjust the brightness a good degree up and down if needed.



Congratulations on your new MINI.

For what it's worth (probably not a lot) my MA said the same thing -- he said that the numbers were 5.8 seconds 0-60 for the MCSa, 6.3 seconds for the MCS. In a way I could almost find this believable, as most of us mortals can't shift in 250 ms, while the Aisin automatic can.

To put it another way, the average driver's time from 0-60 is probably going to be faster with the MCSa than the MCS. Yes, I know we're all way above average here at Mini2.

[beekman]

The myth that the MCSa is faster than the MCS can be traced to a misprint in a "product selling points" brochure given to dealers about the MSCa. It claims that the automatic weighs 50kg less, is 0.5 faster to sixty, and has a higher top speed - however the headings over the columns of figures were reversed, and it's really the manual that's faster, lighter, etc.

Nice brochure otherwise - it features Rauno Aaltonen putting the MSCa through its paces . . .

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by beekman

The myth that the MCSa is faster than the MCS can be traced to a misprint in a "product selling points" brochure given to dealers about the MSCa. It claims that the automatic weighs 50kg less, is 0.5 faster to sixty, and has a higher top speed - however the headings over the columns of figures were reversed, and it's really the manual that's faster, lighter, etc.

Nice brochure otherwise - it features Rauno Aaltonen putting the MSCa through its paces . . .

Well.. after about 600 miles in the past 2 days...: ) im glad i opted for the auto.. i can quickly shift it to fully auto or SD when im answering my cell in traffic, and ha ha!!! man im smiling even typing this out... I simply love the shifter in the auto.. even though i rarely ever use the steering paddles(i just love to keep my hand on the shifter), the shifts are extremely fast. Today on gw parkway in the dc metro area ( a 10 mile 2 lane parkway, very dark, somewhat winding) a mustang GT started to tail gate me - i was already doing about 70-75 in 6th and just 2 rapid shifts down to 4th : ) it was all over. Seriously, i currently own a 05 c230 kompressor stick, an e320, and the fam has a s600 (0-60 is just about 4.6 secs btw) and just got rid of a 330i stick. Ive also rallied in tibet when i was kid - yeah those were the days : ), so i can sort of tell if the auto felt faster than the stick i drove at the dealers. The shifter on the MCSa is very very fast, you would have to be a professional race car driver to shift the manual tranny as fast as this with no loss in power to the wheels while depressing the clutch : ) . Just my 2 cents, hey i love to throw a stick around as well evey chance i get.

btw - i do have one annoyance with the car so far. Every time i start the car, or turn off the engine i hear this strange noise from near the glovebox (AfAICT) - its almost like the sound a power antenna makes. I hear the same sound with i turn the air conditioning on and off.. Anyone ever experence this problem ???

~thanks in adavance.

[Kenmini]

The auto gearbox in our MCSA is Definitely shifts quicker than my old 2003 330ci Automatic ... but definitely not as fast as the SMG II in my Brother's car. ... you can't get the Headsnapping shifting feel in the MCSA .. but hey... Its a MINI and its meant for turnsing and spirited motoring !! I know I'll get smoke by his car in a straight line race .. but I know I'm gonna kill him when we hit the turns ... ahhaha

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kenmini

The auto gearbox in our MCSA is Definitely shifts quicker than my old 2003 330ci Automatic ... but definitely not as fast as the SMG II in my Brother's car. ... you can't get the Headsnapping shifting feel in the MCSA .. but hey... Its a MINI and its meant for turnsing and spirited motoring !! I know I'll get smoke by his car in a straight line race .. but I know I'm gonna kill him when we hit the turns ... ahhaha

yeah the SMG II is a different kina animal - and much more expensive one. Regardless the handling/shifting and smiles per hour provided by the mini are unique.

btw I just found out that the first car in our family was a mini minor.. !!!

~

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

As for the lights, not really had a problem with that myself, but at least you can adjust the brightness a good degree up and down if needed.

The glare was from the 2 ambient lighting led(s)... da.. oh well glad to know this is not a fault.

[Kraigster414]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquaanox

Well.. after about 600 miles in the past 2 days...: ) im glad i opted for the auto.. i can quickly shift it to fully auto or SD when im answering my cell in traffic, and ha ha!!! man im smiling even typing this out... I simply love the shifter in the auto.. even though i rarely ever use the steering paddles(i just love to keep my hand on the shifter), the shifts are extremely fast. Today on gw parkway in the dc metro area ( a 10 mile 2 lane parkway, very dark, somewhat winding) a mustang GT started to tail gate me - i was already doing about 70-75 in 6th and just 2 rapid shifts down to 4th : ) it was all over. Seriously, i currently own a 05 c230 kompressor stick, an e320, and the fam has a s600 (0-60 is just about 4.6 secs btw) and just got rid of a 330i stick. Ive also rallied in tibet when i was kid - yeah those were the days : ), so i can sort of tell if the auto felt faster than the stick i drove at the dealers. The shifter on the MCSa is very very fast, you would have to be a professional race car driver to shift the manual tranny as fast as this with no loss in power to the wheels while depressing the clutch : ) . Just my 2 cents, hey i love to throw a stick around as well evey chance i get.

btw - i do have one annoyance with the car so far. Every time i start the car, or turn off the engine i hear this strange noise from near the glovebox (AfAICT) - its almost like the sound a power antenna makes. I hear the same sound with i turn the air conditioning on and off.. Anyone ever experence this problem ???

~thanks in adavance.

Agua, I am a brand new MCSa owner too living in the DC Area (Northern VA). Maybe we can compare notes sometime. Message me anytime. I love this car!!

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kraigster414

Agua, I am a brand new MCSa owner too living in the DC Area (Northern VA). Maybe we can compare notes sometime. Message me anytime. I love this car!!

Congratulations, wish i had the xenons!!

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquaanox

The glare was from the 2 ambient lighting led(s)... da.. oh well glad to know this is not a fault.

As far as I could tell they also dip when you dip the other interior lights (dash lights).

[aquaanox]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett

As far as I could tell they also dip when you dip the other interior lights (dash lights).

i actually have started to like the well formed shadow now on the speedo now.. .. : ) so instead of dimming them down, ive gone all the way up.. The new mini got her first wash at the house last night.. the benz now neglected got a basic wash, but the mini got the works The wife thinks i would sleep with the car if i could - oh well, glad she's headed outta town tomorrow for a few days..(just kiddin- in case she see's this post) Me, im drving to the pokanos this weekend with some freinds so im hoping to get the car to push the the autostick to its limits on the bends.