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Mini Clubman Automatic All4

Passion, instruction, buying, care, maintenance and more, any form of vehicle discussion is welcome here
Dod101
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417190

Postby Dod101 » June 3rd, 2021, 10:53 pm

Howard wrote:
Dod101 wrote:In my Q5, 'key' means ignition key and this cannot be extracted unless the gear stick (for want of better expression) is in Park. Is that difficult to understand?

My car is coming up for 5 years old but that is not decades old.

Dod


Most cars I have driven over the last few years have transmitters rather than keys. In an emergency power failure one can extract something like a high tech metal "key" from the plastic transmitter housing to open a door but I guess most drivers haven't ever had to do this.

I'm guessing when you change your car, if you get a new Audi you won't ever use a key again. You will be supplied a couple of transmitters.

Our BEV unlocks itself if one has the transmitter in one's pocket as one approaches and will start once the driver, with transmitter is inside so no "key" is ever used.

But, I admit that I might ask Mrs H, "have you seen my car key" when I have mislaid said transmitter :) .

regards

Howard


Thanks. This all sounds very technical but I must say that after a month or two these (so called) innovations become very every day. I plan to change my car later this year so I guess that it may be a transmitter then.

Dod

DrFfybes
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417237

Postby DrFfybes » June 4th, 2021, 8:36 am

Dod101 wrote:I did not know that. No one told me. Anyway I bet very very few people use their handbrake at traffic lights. Mine is a little button to operate air brakes and is easy and very effective but it all takes time. Maybe try it next time if I remember.

However if a car runs into the back of me irrespective of where my foot might be there will be a collision anyway. Why if I put my car into park would I face any bigger a bill than otherwise?

Dod


The rationale I was given for that when learning was that if you were stopped in traffic with the handbrake on, the handbrake stays on, even if you are hit, unlike your foot, which is likely to move off the pedal.

Paul

Dod101
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417243

Postby Dod101 » June 4th, 2021, 8:52 am

DrFfybes wrote:
Dod101 wrote:I did not know that. No one told me. Anyway I bet very very few people use their handbrake at traffic lights. Mine is a little button to operate air brakes and is easy and very effective but it all takes time. Maybe try it next time if I remember.

However if a car runs into the back of me irrespective of where my foot might be there will be a collision anyway. Why if I put my car into park would I face any bigger a bill than otherwise?

Dod


The rationale I was given for that when learning was that if you were stopped in traffic with the handbrake on, the handbrake stays on, even if you are hit, unlike your foot, which is likely to move off the pedal.

Paul


And that is very possibly true. Maybe I should change my habit. What do drivers of a manual car do? It is so long since I drove one that I have forgotten. I cannot imagine that we ever did other than put our foot on the clutch and brake pedals at traffic lights.

Dod

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417249

Postby staffordian » June 4th, 2021, 9:17 am

Dod101 wrote:What do drivers of a manual car do? It is so long since I drove one that I have forgotten. I cannot imagine that we ever did other than put our foot on the clutch and brake pedals at traffic lights.

Dod

I rarely sit with clutch and brake depressed. I believe holding the clutch down wears the release bearing.

I generally knock it into neutral and use either footbrake or handbrake depending on how long it looks like I'll be held for.

In the dark I'll rarely use the footbrake in consideration of following drivers eyesight.

DrFfybes
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417434

Postby DrFfybes » June 5th, 2021, 10:09 am

Yup - manual and auto goes into neutral. Auto into Park if on a hill of the lights go red as I get there.

Handbrake used if I'm going to be there for a while - ie if the light have just gone red as I approached - or at night/in poor visibility once someone arrives behind me.

Oddly, I use the 'normal' handbrakes nearly all the time, but use the electronic one on the Avensis a lot less often as it is a bit of a faff and slower to release and co-ordinate with the clutch.

I tend to do this more on longer trips - allows me to flex my legs a bit more and move my ankles. I'm not sure I use the handbrake as often when popping to the shops.

Paul

ReformedCharacter
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417461

Postby ReformedCharacter » June 5th, 2021, 1:28 pm

staffordian wrote:I rarely sit with clutch and brake depressed. I believe holding the clutch down wears the release bearing.

Well, that's what my father taught me and he learnt from his experiences of fixing his Austin 7s. And I've generally followed his advice, to the point where I feel uncomfortable when my OH sits too long at a junction with first gear engaged and the clutch depressed or slipping on an incline :shock:

Old habits die hard :)

RC

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417470

Postby bungeejumper » June 5th, 2021, 2:07 pm

ReformedCharacter wrote:
staffordian wrote:I rarely sit with clutch and brake depressed. I believe holding the clutch down wears the release bearing.

Well, that's what my father taught me and he learnt from his experiences of fixing his Austin 7s. And I've generally followed his advice, to the point where I feel uncomfortable when my OH sits too long at a junction with first gear engaged and the clutch depressed or slipping on an incline :shock:

Me too, when SWMBO does it. I'd be happy enough to learn that modern thrust bearings are stronger than the old ones were, but I'd still worry that her foot might slip. A near-relative had a bumper shunt after she sneezed; it would have been somewhat worse if she'd jolted forward into another car's path. :|

BJ

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417476

Postby AF62 » June 5th, 2021, 2:33 pm

ReformedCharacter wrote:or slipping on an incline :shock:


Lots of cars, even those with manual handbrakes, have an ‘auto hold’ function which will keep the car from rolling back on hills to remove the need to ‘slip the clutch’, and you can just drive off as if you were on a level road.

ReformedCharacter wrote: Old habits die hard :)

RC


But lots of drivers of such cars either don’t realise or don’t trust the system so continue to do what they always did.

9873210
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417499

Postby 9873210 » June 5th, 2021, 5:13 pm

staffordian wrote:I rarely sit with clutch and brake depressed. I believe holding the clutch down wears the release bearing.

There's also the chance that you do not hold the clutch all the way down so are slipping (and wearing) the clutch.

Mind you I suppose this shows improvements in clutches. Back when I was learning to drive holding the clutch took significant effort. Using the clutch instead of neutral would have felt like left leg day.

DrFfybes
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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417502

Postby DrFfybes » June 5th, 2021, 5:28 pm

AF62 wrote:
Lots of cars, even those with manual handbrakes, have an ‘auto hold’ function which will keep the car from rolling back on hills to remove the need to ‘slip the clutch’, and you can just drive off as if you were on a level road.


But lots of drivers of such cars either don’t realise or don’t trust the system so continue to do what they always did.


All the cars I've driven with that system only do it for a few seconds after you've released the footbrake.

Paul

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417505

Postby AF62 » June 5th, 2021, 6:03 pm

DrFfybes wrote:
AF62 wrote:
Lots of cars, even those with manual handbrakes, have an ‘auto hold’ function which will keep the car from rolling back on hills to remove the need to ‘slip the clutch’, and you can just drive off as if you were on a level road.


But lots of drivers of such cars either don’t realise or don’t trust the system so continue to do what they always did.


All the cars I've driven with that system only do it for a few seconds after you've released the footbrake.

Paul


Isn't that all you need to move your foot from the brake to the clutch and go?

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417508

Postby Charlottesquare » June 5th, 2021, 6:50 pm

Cannot comment on the Clubman but do have a Diesel 2 litre Countryman AWD Auto, simple to drive, reasonable space (especially height) with back seats down, comfortable, had for circa four years and apart from one service and its MOTs has been cost free (apart from my fitting a towbar, though already had wiring/socket for one)

Only regret is not getting one with cruise control for Europe (not that we have managed to get there since 2019) but otherwise great, and pretty comfortable even on the terrible Edinburgh road surfaces.

Ours is a 2011 with very low mileage (<40,000) and for a ten year old car the paintwork which ,had added to it a water repellent protective treatment (white) is near mint.(Only slight defect decorative tape at lower front windshield needs replaced)

Do find rear reversing slightly tricky as cannot see rear end but ours has parking sensors.

If the Clubman build is anything like the Countryman it will be a good, solid, wellbuilt, car.

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417838

Postby brightncheerful » June 7th, 2021, 9:41 am

Mrs Bnc drove alone the 20 or so miles home from collecting Mini yesterday, driving behind me all the way at no more than about 40 mph where allowed. A few B roads and though towns, both A roads and some dual carriageway. To begin with, she took up my suggestion she drive around the dealership car park (about a minute or so) and reverse into the parking space to get the feel of the seating position, wing mirrors, etc, on the second lap more confident and by the third lap keen to get going.

Report so far very comfortable seats, experimented between normal, sports and green mode without any issue, stiffer steering than she was used to with Audi A1 but responsive. Aware how much more stable car felt on cornering. (4*4). At one stage she thought about changing gear but mostly forgot about manual driving. Has disiscovered the joy of automatic. Overall, very pleased (so far).

We stopped at the petrol station to fill up Mini - gone apparently are the days the dealers would provide a full tank of petrol. I topped up my car as well. £96!!! £1.33 a litre !!


---

The 2 owners before mystery solved. first was a pre-registration by the dealership, second an employee of the dealership who subsequently left the company. I experienced a pre-registration with my last Audi: in exchange for my agreeing for the dealership to register for their accounting purpose and before the number plate year end they gave e £450 or so.

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417882

Postby bungeejumper » June 7th, 2021, 11:57 am

Charlottesquare wrote:Only regret is not getting one with cruise control for Europe (not that we have managed to get there since 2019) but otherwise great, and pretty comfortable even on the terrible Edinburgh road surfaces.

No promises, but most cars these days come with the circuitry ready-installed for cruise control, and all you need to do is buy a switch. :) The job may require removing a bit of plastic tab from the column. If in doubt, there are specialist firms who fit them at low cost.

It's really only on the continent that I get any proper use out of my CC. The overcrowded south of England means it's cutting out too often. But no, it's not adaptive, and yours might be.

BJ

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Re: Mini Clubman Automatic All4

#417953

Postby Charlottesquare » June 7th, 2021, 4:03 pm

bungeejumper wrote:
Charlottesquare wrote:Only regret is not getting one with cruise control for Europe (not that we have managed to get there since 2019) but otherwise great, and pretty comfortable even on the terrible Edinburgh road surfaces.

No promises, but most cars these days come with the circuitry ready-installed for cruise control, and all you need to do is buy a switch. :) The job may require removing a bit of plastic tab from the column. If in doubt, there are specialist firms who fit them at low cost.

It's really only on the continent that I get any proper use out of my CC. The overcrowded south of England means it's cutting out too often. But no, it's not adaptive, and yours might be.

BJ


Thanks, that is interesting to know, if we ever get permitted to again drive in Germany, in order to get to our house in Sweden, I might consider having it retrofitted as Edinburgh to Newcastle /Hull followed by Netherlands to Sweden return is not far short of a 2000 mile round trip.


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