Cooper S - Auto?

[sad61t]

After reading about chocolate clutches and recalcitrant second gear selection, I'm considering an auto if I step up from the Cooper to S. Would help in the traffic endemic in the S.E. too.

Had a test drive last year in a Cooper auto and it wasn't horrible; took a little getting used to at low speed and I let the dealer park it at the end as my left leg was programmed all wrong! A slight delay on take-off from the lights was about the only negative aspect I noticed.

Any thoughts?

[DanGT]

I would not go for an auto just becuse of the clutch problems etc. If you like to drive autos and find them better the ok.

[Sam.F]

Don't do it.

[rfn]

Assume we're talking about R50/R52/R53 here... the R50 Cooper Auto is a CVT Gearbox, whereas the R53 CS Auto is a proper (BMW) unit with proper gears.

[sad61t]

rfn said:

Assume we're talking about R50/R52/R53 here... the R50 Cooper Auto is a CVT Gearbox, whereas the R53 CS Auto is a proper (BMW) unit with proper gears.

Test drive was a new demo, so R56.

Have a feeling the CVT was changed to BMW auto as there were a lot of problems with the CVT and the repair is more than an R50 is worth (monetarily).

Problem with the web is that I'll always find a list of horror stories on whatever car I'm looking at, and then the lemon flavoured doubts creep in.