Driving an Automatic - AWFUL!

I've got two automatics currently to sit next to my RX8. Swore years ago I'd never have one BUT with current UK roads giving me a headache (going into Manchester most days), the Jeep and the Xedos 9 are both autos.... fantastic as in no hassle, pump and squiert.

What I would say though is, I don't like how in bends when I want to gun it, they're not sure what to do... in a manual, you set you go, in these auto's they seem to hesitate on harder bends when I want to shoe it one!
 
As many people have said, there is such a gulf between the good and the bad here, a poor autobox can make or break cars really. I'm sure the Corsa is alright for what it is with a manual where you can keep the engine in it's no doubt narrow power band ...having said that costantly stirring bolts in a small engined car with no torque is really annoying to me.

I've driven autos for years and wouldn't buy another car without one unless it was a true sports car.
 
asim18 said:
Yeah I find full autos take the fun out of enjoying bends. Say I'm enjoying a bend in 3rd, soon as I want to power out of a bend it's in ****ing 7th gear lol.
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This kind of thing only happens if you've been rumbling along sedately then suddenly decide to press on at a milliseconds notice.if you've been pressing on there are very few boxes that will suddenly revert to using as high a gear as possible

Even then most have some sort of "manual" mode that will let you have a little bit more control
 
Snookums said:
Had this conversation with a friend the other day about autos and manuals. Is it just me that actually kind of enjoys the manual part of driving? It's so mundane and boring as it is now you literally have nothing to do expect sit there and push a pedal. Odds are you have cruise control too. Obviously on a motorway it doesn't make the slightest of difference. Just don't think I'd ever want an auto.
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I'm happy enough changing gear and think I quite enjoy the feeling of being more involved but having driven a small number of autos now, it actually makes driving around town a more pleasant experience in some ways provided it's not a terrible auto-box or paired with a woefully underpowered engine.

It will depend what you're looking for when driving though and now I'd happily consider an auto (although it's not a prerequisite for me) while I suspect even 5 years ago my view would have been different.
 
Manuals are insufferable. Why change gear yourself when a machine can do it for you?:o Manuals suck in traffic, too.
 
rodenal said:
This kind of thing only happens if you've been rumbling along sedately then suddenly decide to press on at a milliseconds notice.if you've been pressing on there are very few boxes that will suddenly revert to using as high a gear as possible
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Exactly. I'm rumbling along sedately 99% of the time. I'm not going to be thrashing an auto 24/7 just so it knows to let me take a few nice bends here or there.
 
Every time I drive the wife's car I spend a few minutes thinking "wow a manual, this feels good, involving and connected" which then turns into "WHAT A BALL-ACHE!" as soon as I hit traffic.
 
loltim said:
Manuals are insufferable. Why change gear yourself when a machine can do it for you?:o Manuals suck in traffic, too.
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Because i want to chose the gear. It does my head in having no proper engine braking!

Auto's are better in traffic, but then so is a taxi or push bike :)
 
Love both my auto and manual cars. If I was forced to choose one or the other it would be auto though, just such an easy stressless way to drive. On the roads, the amount of times I wish for an auto to just kick back and relax hugely outweighs the times wishing for a stick to stir down a winding road.
 
Well I'm back in a Manual, it feels so right for me! However if I ever go Auto again, it will never be an easytronic
 
Housey said:
An auto box needs a big engine and bags of torque and ideally in a wafter. In that situation it's perfect, in something small, with a small engine it's hideous.
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True, or an Easytronic... Cheap mans Auto as someone else said :D
 
I always swore blind that I would never drive an auto.

Now many years later I had no choice but to move to an auto due to a spinal injury makes it hard for me to use a clutch.

Now even without the physical problem I would never go back to a manual I just love auto now.

I hate it when I have no choice but to drive the wife's manual car I detest every second that I am sat in it.......
 
Changing gear is a chore when doing a rush hour commute. I adore the DSG, it's a natural technological progression from a manual gear box.
 
asim18 said:
Yeah I find full autos take the fun out of enjoying bends. Say I'm enjoying a bend in 3rd, soon as I want to power out of a bend it's in ****ing 7th gear lol.
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The Golf R Race driving mode and sport DSG setting will only change up at max rpm (about 7.5k) and down from 4k rpm.
If you are cruising in this mode it will happily be sat at 4k rpm waiting for more throttle.
 
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I do enjoy the lazyness of a auto, hence why i like them, but after buying my 3.0 Z4 manual, its reminded me how fun and involving driving a manual is, I'd pick a manual anytime.
 
When I had a DSG in a courtesy car I hated it at first. But after a couple of days I grew to like it. But I'm not at the stage yet of preferring them over a manual.
 
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