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Post by Holly on Nov 5, 2009 10:59:06 GMT
Thought I would start a topic to find out what it is that people love about Auto Minis ? Also why did you decide to buy a Mini Auto ? For me the first Auto I bought was my woody Merri, I really wanted a Woody but had never driven an auto before but when I found her for sale she was such a good price that I decided to get her anyway, so it wasn't really intentional. However once I finally got her on the road and drove her I just loved how relaxing and easy she is to drive, she seems to almost float along the road. Dont get me wrong I still love my manual Minis too, but the Auto makes a nice change and I would never consider swapping them for Manuals, infact I am horrified every time someone suggests that to me!! I did find that I had a little trouble swapping between the manuals and Autos in the very beginning as when I got back in the manuals I would forget that I needed to change down for roundabouts and junctions etc, but that didn't take too long to get used to and now I can easily swap between the 2 types with no hassle  . With Maggi (my Auto shorty) again I wasn't looking for an Auto, she just happened to have one and I loved the car and as I knew I loved Merri's auto I knew I would have no trouble with it. It does have advantages being an auto with a shorty too as i dont get problems with the gear lever hitting the seats So what about everyone else ? |
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Post by asahartz on Nov 5, 2009 18:37:19 GMT
I never planned to buy an auto Mini. In fact I never planned to buy the Elf at all, but I was into 60s classics at the time, and a market trader that I bought some models from told me he had an Elf for sale, it was local, so I went to look, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I've owned several other autos but never an auto Mini. To be honest I don't have much confidence in the AP box, but I do intend to transplant a modern auto into a manual Mini sometime.
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Post by (minisniper) on Nov 5, 2009 19:53:17 GMT
Well to start things off I can only drive autos and I couldn't get to grips with driving a manual and what fun and games that was. My partner aka Bigsniper bought me a manual car a D reg Golf to teach me to drive and I just couldn't get to grips with changing gears, feeling the bite etc etc, there was loads of screaming matches and tears but no blood. My partner had the patience of a saint, well for a short time anyway until I was driving down a lane and turning left into another lane which was just a little more than single carriageway/dirt track I came face to face with a lorry and I hit my brakes and stalled  My partner then told me to restart the car which I did with tears rolling down my face  because I knew what was coming next. The road we had turned into was a hill so I had to do a hill start and I couldn't  but my partner kept saying yes you can!!!! and by this time my tears were just flooding out and my partner had still screaming at me yes you can. I have to say that the lorry driver was very polite and sat there patiently. So after about 5 minutes, of screaming me crying my partner said a few choice words and got in the driver's seat and got out out of the way. So after that I gave up and was never going to drive again, well!!! until my partner decided to go to Bulgaria and then I didn't have a chauffeur anymore and I knew the only way I would past a test was in an automatic, so that's what I did and pasted first time  The first auto I bought was a Rover metro and it was a great little car but my love of minis was coming out and I really really wanted one so I went out and bought one and Molly was the first one I looked at and I have no regrets so that's why I bought an auto mini. I love driving Molly as she's easy to park not that I'm very good!! ;D She's very responsive and she has a hell of alot of personality which I never found in my other cars. |
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Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 5, 2009 20:23:53 GMT
Well i was born with Spina Bifda not that you would know to look at me As a result ive had many many foot and leg opperations over the years so as my good leg is my right leg (im guessing your a step ahead now ) and getting severe pains in my left leg every time i tried to drive a manual i decided to learn to drive an Automatic and took and passed my test in an Auto  Ive had quite a few cars mostly newer cars but just two Minis My last Mini was called Spud and i missed him soo soo much so my Partner Sam bought Boris august last year now im bitten by the Old Car Bug again and would love a fleet of Auto Minis and find it sooo boring everytime i have to drive our daily driver a VW Golf  I did try Sams Manual Citroen C2 around a car park a couple of months ago but after several Bunny Hops got out of the driving seat and refused to go near a manual ever again   So thats why Autos for me Huggz Jodie |
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Post by (minisniper) on Nov 5, 2009 20:30:36 GMT
I did try Sams Manual Citroen C2 around a car park a couple of months ago but after several Bunny Hops got out of the driving seat and refused to go near a manual ever again So thats why Autos for me Huggz Jodie Only bunny hops, I had a kangaroo under my bonnet!!! ;D ;D |
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Post by Holly on Nov 5, 2009 21:29:53 GMT
I've owned several other autos but never an auto Mini. To be honest I don't have much confidence in the AP box, I dont know why you have no confidence, I have had Merri on the road for 9 years and never had any problems with her auto gearbox |
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Post by mrslaphead on Nov 6, 2009 0:50:06 GMT
My association with autos only started in the last 5 years, previously all my vehicles had been manual including several motorbikes, 4x4s a couple of minis and assorted others. Unfortunately an incident between my bike and a German Shepherd at 70ish has resulted in several ops to rebuild my wrists (and recently my left elbow, twice) and finally I realised that if I was to continue with a 60 mile round trip to work then I would have to change to an auto. I wish I had changed years ago, it is so much more relaxing , which means less anger in the car, and even if they do sort out my arms I will probably always choose autos. The mini is just as much fun as the previous manual minis I owned and always holds its own whether on spirited club runs through the Trough of Bowland or motorway cruising up and down the M6.
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Post by asahartz on Nov 6, 2009 17:32:56 GMT
I've owned several other autos but never an auto Mini. To be honest I don't have much confidence in the AP box, I dont know why you have no confidence, I have had Merri on the road for 9 years and never had any problems with her auto gearbox Elfie has had three engine/boxes during my ownership. The first engine was in great condition but the box died, and you just don't find good 'boxes on worn engines, so I had to scrap a perfectly good lump. Evy came to us with exactly the same fault as killed Elfie's other two boxes - no forward drive. Unless someone can show me otherwise, general opinion seems to be that the parts are not available to fix them. This is why so many people convert their autos to manual. I'm a great fan of auto cars (my ownership includes two Mercs, three Toyotas, a Volvo) and I wish the AP box were stronger (it's fun to drive!), but it's not. |
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Post by mrslaphead on Nov 6, 2009 17:39:21 GMT
Theres a company called JPAT which do all the bits to restore the gearbox.
i also understand that Martin at MRA recons boxes as well.
If you look through the other mini forums the manual box is just as fragile its just cheaper to recon as there were more of them made so theres more second hand boxes. There are always threads about boxes jumping out of/crunching into gear (normally 2nd) and then theres the issues with clutches/master cylinders.
Just my 2 cents.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2009 19:29:27 GMT
Did you get any of the auto boxes reconditoned? or did you just scrap them ? There is a place in my town that reconditions Mini gearboxes including auto ones. Its called A1 Gearboxes, when I had Merri's done (in 2000) just before I got her on the road they had just hired a guy who was supposedly an expert on the Mini Auto box which was very lucky. That all turned out great and meant that I could keep the auto in her even though I had never driven an auto it was well worth doing and must be pretty strong as its still going fine all this time later and its not like she has an easy driving life either |
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Post by asahartz on Nov 6, 2009 19:39:51 GMT
I couldn't find anyone who could do the job. I searched the internet and asked local gearbox repairers. I was told that the parts were not available.
The cost would appear prohibitive in any case. I can buy another car for that!
Seeing as there now appear to be parts sources, perhaps its about time I ventured down another unexplored pathway. I've not found anything yet I can't do if I have the equipment.
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Post by Holly on Nov 6, 2009 19:48:34 GMT
Merri's cost about £700-ish when I had it done back then, i thought that was quite good as that included taking the engine out and putting it back in etc. We basically took the car in and drove it out a few days later |
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Post by asahartz on Nov 6, 2009 20:53:18 GMT
Good value for the job I suppose, but then I'm tight and hate paying anyone else to do something I can do myself!
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Post by vpmetroste on Nov 9, 2009 22:14:01 GMT
aaaww i feel nostalgic now back in 1991 i bought a cranbury red mini mayfair auto being disabled i Can only drive autos
in the summer of 1991 leaving crystal palace park with 100s of minis to drive to Brighton " the famous London to Brighton run"
another run i did was with i believe the British mini club to Dan ya ago th in south wales
i Will have another mini 1 day
nothing beats the sound of the AP gearbox music to my ears
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Post by bnicho on Nov 11, 2009 12:28:21 GMT
Many years ago my Mini broke down at a distant motorsport event. I had driven my Mini to the event, so I had no easy way of getting it home. A mate offered to trailer my car home and I could drive his Mini. His Mini was a 1968 Mini Matic with a mildly tweaked 1300 Auto transplanted in and Cooper S disk brakes fitted. That 800km drive was a revelation. I loved the ability to shift manually when I felt like it and just stick it in D and let it sort itself out when I was lazy. A few years later I started to restore the Moke, and I decided it would be an Auto. I purchased an Auto front subframe from the same friend. The ex-metro 1275 Auto engine and box turned up shortly after at a bargain price, and the rest is history. Now I have one of the few Auto Mokes around. It's the perfect crusing combination. I have to admit, I often adjust the rear vision mirror or rest both my hands on top of the steering wheel in full view when I take off at the lights. That way anyone watching me can see that I'm not changing gears. Maybe I should put an "Automatic" badge on the back.  I went to Port Douglas in Qld a few years ago and we hired a Moke to drive around in. Spookily the hire Moke was also yellow, but manual. When I returned it I mentioned that I had an Auto Moke. I was asked to give them first refusal I ever wanted to sell it, as he has three or four people come in every week who want to hire a Moke but can only drive Autos. |
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Post by Holly on Nov 11, 2009 13:27:51 GMT
Maybe I should put an "Automatic" badge on the back. Oooh you should do ... wear an Auto badge with pride |
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Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Nov 11, 2009 14:42:08 GMT
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Post by Holly on Nov 11, 2009 14:48:30 GMT
you should def do that |
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Post by jockduck on Nov 14, 2009 10:18:32 GMT
I agree that AP11s have a bit of a reputation for fragility but so do a lot of other mechanical devices, and mostly its due to unsympathetic ownership, a good autobox well looked after should go for 50000 miles. I don't know what the parts situation is like for the more modern ones but it should still be OK and the early ones should be upgradeable to some extent.
I love listening to the 'box working while my wife is driving, I wait for the first slow takeup of the forward clutch and the 3-4th flare for the first couple of changes and the clack from the overly large clearance in the idler gear end float and the occasional 3-4 tie up when hot, It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen just writing about it but the faults are only about 5% of the box's workings the rest of the time its great, hopefully the box I'm building now is better.
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Post by gretzky38 on Nov 17, 2009 19:25:57 GMT
I bought my Mini 30 when I found out there were only 200 made with an auto box. I'm a sucker for things that might be rare!!
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Post by tony105 on Dec 1, 2009 19:05:32 GMT
I suppose for me remember that my mother always wanted an automatic Mini of her own, but in those days (early 70's) most people we knew related the tales of dire warnings! like 'they are expensive to fix and break down a lot' etc!! This put my Dad off and so my mum never did get an automatic Mini however many years later she did buy an Austin Metro automatic - which she loved. I have always had a passion for Mini's of all types, Mk1's, Vans, Pick-Up's, Coopers, Limited editions etc,, and of course automatics. The original design of placing the manual gearbox in the sump was as we all know a stroke of Issigonis genius, but to then with ap's engineering to design and fit an automatic gearbox to also be fitted below the engine was incredible. I did take my driving test in a manual and my first car was a manual transmission 1275GT 1970 model (wish I'd kept it!), my second Mini was an automatic Mini 1000 in blue; driving that car was a revelation - no hill starts, quick get away, easy to park - that was it from then on I would hear nothing negative about the automatic Mini. I then went on to own two automatic Clubman Estates and now own my 1996 1.3i - which is the last year that Rover produced automatics for the home market; I would like to have a very early 65 automatic Mini - one day! I am so pleased that this forum has been devised as I didn't know that so many others also like the automatic; long may they continue!
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Post by mollymoke on Dec 31, 2009 0:13:48 GMT
I was looking for a new 1275 for my Moke, after some time found the auto from a late model Japan Rover, "oh you can have that cheap as no one wants the auto" and I thought it would be fun, why not have a go at fitting the subframe, squeezing the box in.... And it IS FUN! I have to admit, I often adjust the rear vision mirror or rest both my hands on top of the steering wheel in full view when I take off at the lights. That way anyone watching me can see that I'm not changing gears. As there is not much room in the Moke anyway, my left thigh leans on the the shifter knob, on long runs if I'm alone I will put my left foot on the left side of the tunnel, slide my bum over a bit, almost looks like I'm sitting in the middle, or of course, put my left arm up and hang onto the roll bar, take off one handed must look very funny! |
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Post by bnicho on Dec 31, 2009 2:02:23 GMT
As there is not much room in the Moke anyway, my left thigh leans on the the shifter knob, on long runs if I'm alone I will put my left foot on the left side of the tunnel, slide my bum over a bit, almost looks like I'm sitting in the middle, or of course, put my left arm up and hang onto the roll bar, take off one handed must look very funny! My knee rests on the shifter too, but it doesn't bother me. I reverse my Moke into the garage and I want it as close as possible to the left or passenger side of the garage (RHD). This way there is more room for my Corona Coupe with it's huge doors on the other side. Rather than just use the mirrors I slide over to the LEFT or passengers seat of the Moke and reverse the Moke into the garage from there. The steering is light enough to turn from the "wrong" side of the car, I can reach the pedals fine and I'm on private land doing abouty 2km/h, so why not! The neighbours think it's a laugh too.  If only VicRoads would let me convert it to LHD, I would! |
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Post by julian0987 on Dec 31, 2009 10:17:38 GMT
i love the little gear selecter and peoples faces when you tell them it's automatic hehe!
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Post by rose4765 on Jan 1, 2010 21:25:04 GMT
i love auto's of any description, i passed my test in a 1978 auto mini she was called Martha i loved her to bits. i drive an auto mainly because i was knocked off my motorbike in 1988 by a hit and run drink driver, i suffered very bad injuries to my left leg and ended up in stoke mandeville hospital for three months where i had three ops to repair my leg and i had skin grafts and fifty two stitches. the surgeon said that if my leg had actually broken they would have taken it off below the knee as there wouldn't have been much left holding it on  i also suffered damage to my right knee, neck and back but i think i was pretty lucky considering, i'm still here and i can still walk. i can drive a manual but i find it difficult and i like auto's anyway. so far i've had Martha, then an auto peugeot 205 with the gti engine in it, several auto astra's, an auto mini city i now have as my daily drive a 1993 toyota townace diesel auto and as soon as i can manage it Dennis the mini hle estate who will be returned to an auto as he was originally |
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ovie
Senior Member
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Post by ovie on Jan 5, 2010 21:25:13 GMT
Hmm lets see...so many things about auto minis.....well, like many others I bought an auto mini as I had back and left leg prolems. Previously I'd owned US motors, and even ran a Mercury Grand Marquis with an LPG conversion for 3 years as my daily driver. After much exasperation with the NHS (lets' cut your spine open and fuse some vertebrae together, it might help, it might not...) I went on recommendation to and osteopath and have never looked back. Still got back pain, but got all the sensation back in my left leg and can now drive manuals.
Anyway, in the middle of all of this we moved house and the Mercury wouldn't fit in the yard to the rear of the large terrace house we moved to, so it had to go. Got the auto mini to replace it as the 'fun' car and an auto Kia Sedona as the family hack. Hated the Sedona so as soon as left leg worked again I got rid and bought the ZT just after MG Rover went bust and got money back + the car!
Fave thing about the auto mini is the comments on the centre console: "Did you have to cut a hole in the bottom right for your foot?" ..."No, it's an automatic, my left foot has loads of room."
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because I knew what was coming next. The road we had turned into was a hill so I had to do a hill start and I couldn't 
but my partner kept saying yes you can!!!! and by this time my tears were just flooding out and my partner had still screaming at me yes you can. I have to say that the lorry driver was very polite and sat there patiently. So after about 5 minutes, of screaming me crying my partner said a few choice words and got in the driver's seat and got out out of the way.
i also suffered damage to my right knee, neck and back but i think i was pretty lucky considering, i'm still here and i can still walk. i can drive a manual but i find it difficult and i like auto's anyway. so far i've had Martha, then an auto peugeot 205 with the gti engine in it, several auto astra's, an auto mini city i now have as my daily drive a 1993 toyota townace diesel auto and as soon as i can manage it Dennis the mini hle estate who will be returned to an auto as he was originally