Drove an auto on the weekend
- Thread starter s0ck
- Start date
- Joined
- 3 May 2004
- Posts
- 17,725
- Location
- Kapitalist Republik of Surrey
Manual shift in a normal car like a crappy hatchback is pointless if you ask me. Sportscars and anything spritely or powerful then fine but why would you want to make more work for yourself in a car that is already gutless and boring to drive, sitting in traffic etc? You've seen how bad people's clutch control is, no control pulling away or parking, why don't they do themselves a favour...
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 8,560
- Location
- Glocestershire
Not really, auto isn't suited to crummy little 4 pot engines. My G/f's mum has a 1.4 auto Polo and it's completly horrible. The same car with a manual would use less fuel, drive smoother, cost less to buy and be more robust.
- Joined
- 3 May 2004
- Posts
- 17,725
- Location
- Kapitalist Republik of Surrey
That's because the box isn't matched to the engine well or isn't designed well. Autos work perfectly in other cars, they just don't get much thought in a lot of models.
I raise your example with my example: My girlfriend's Scenic is fine, pulls away nice and smoothly with no effort, changes immediately when you want it to and uses next to no petrol. If I had to sit in traffic keep engaging and disengaging gears and meddling with the clutch every time the traffic crept forwards or I went round a bend it would drive me mad. It's a bland daily eurobox.
On the other hand my mum's 1.4 auto Polo is exactly as you describe
I used to drive an auto but when I got my new car I switched back to manual. Why? Fuel economy.
Really Autos are better for nearly all driving, sure, they're not as much fun when you get a clear stretch of country road you can play with - but, realistically, how often do you do that?
Really Autos are better for nearly all driving, sure, they're not as much fun when you get a clear stretch of country road you can play with - but, realistically, how often do you do that?
I drove a Mini Cooper with a semi automatic gearbox for a while and thought it was a blast. I thought automatics would be horrible before driving that, but the ability to creep along in traffic with just one foot and one hand controlling everything was bliss. Yet you had the contrasting ability to downshift right to the power point on the flight in to a corner with no effort. I swear I found myself driving the Mini even faster than I would my BM, just because it was sooo easy!
Next car will be a semi automatic, for definite. The 0-0.5s to 60 or the 0-4mpg loss on a modern automatic gearbox is really worth it.
Next car will be a semi automatic, for definite. The 0-0.5s to 60 or the 0-4mpg loss on a modern automatic gearbox is really worth it.
I must admit, I'm quite keen on this little Honda auto I've been given. At the moment driving is nothing to do with fun. Its just getting around, so the auto does the job perfectly.
I've got the option of flappy paddles, but to be honest, I just can't be bothered when I've got the option not to.
I've got the option of flappy paddles, but to be honest, I just can't be bothered when I've got the option not to.
The auto box is already draining the joy of motoring from you! Burn it!
At the moment I'm just glad I can get about.
autos are so bad that mitsubishi has put one in the new evo ;]
autos are great.
the comment about the matiz - how does the auto compare to the manual equivalent? yes the auto has crap figures, but im guessing the manual isnt that much better ;]
autos are great.
the comment about the matiz - how does the auto compare to the manual equivalent? yes the auto has crap figures, but im guessing the manual isnt that much better ;]
Not really. The gearbox in the new evo is a dual-clutch box, which can be either electronically or manually controlled. A regular auto box is very different in terms of how it works.
Last edited:
The auto box in our old merc ML seemed to get scared of 5th gear after a few months, would go near the redline before it actually changed to 5th. :/
Currently have manuals in all the cars though, you cant beat the ultra close range box in the defender.
I had a blast in a smart roadster brabus at the weekend and i loved the flappy paddles even if it did have the response time of a drunken idiot at 2am.
Currently have manuals in all the cars though, you cant beat the ultra close range box in the defender.
I had a blast in a smart roadster brabus at the weekend and i loved the flappy paddles even if it did have the response time of a drunken idiot at 2am.
DCT or not, I think it's the clutch pedal itself that gives a manual transmission "driver involvement", not the manual selection of gears. So to most people, the new Evo has an automatic gearbox.
no **** its different, thats not the point though. so many people (especially on here) disregard any car that does not have a clutch as they are 'boring' to drive. this clearly is not the case, as can be seen with DSG / SMGII and the others decent semi auto / clutchless manuals.
I'm not disagreeing with you, my point is it's hardly fair nor accurate to lump the dual-clutch box into either category. I don't see the attraction of messing around with a clutch and gearstick myself, but then I usually prefer practicality over so-called driver involvement.
Yes, but it's hardly a run of the mill automatic system is it?
I don't think the "boring/uninvolved" comments are aimed at cars like this. People always start citing SMG BMW M3's, F1 cars, dragsters, luxury V12 barges and other such exotica which are equipped with specialised systems when the dislikers (such as myself) are actually talking about everyday fodder like Ford Mondeos, M reg Honda Accords and so on.