Auto or manual

10 years ago in Motors if you said you preferred auto over manual you'd be laughed out the door, but auto gearboxes have improved vastly in that space of time that it seems the majority including myself would never go back to a manual for everyday driving.
 
sandys said:
but for the trundle through Bristol in stop start traffic auto is amazing.
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That's what made me go for a Auto. My Fiesta ST had such a heavy clutch that it was fun to drive but being in the traffic through town was just a pain. I got my golf in Battersea and on the way home was a bit of traffic. Right away I noticed how much more comfortable it was to drive in a city.
 
squerble said:
Yep, would never buy a manual again now. I've got a Focus Titanium X 1.0 Ecoboost with a 6-speed torque converter auto (they dropped the PowerShift gearbox because it was so naff) and it's fantastic. Nice and smooth (though I'm sure not as smooth as the ZF8s in BMWs etc, I'm sure), and I've got paddle shifters if I want a bit of manual control while making progress on some country roads.
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when did they change to non-powershift ?
 
I don’t agree that having an auto makes you a lazy driver. There’s nothing wrong taking away a certain perhaps unnecessary aspect so you can focus more of your attention elsewhere.

Mr mondeo said:
Oh OK, what year is it?
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2010. Touch wood it’s been reliable. I’ve changed the oil and filter twice in my ownership now - due every 3 years or 37k miles.
 
ShiWarrior said:
when did they change to non-powershift ?
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On the Focus it was from 2017 onwards, which was the last two years of the Focus Mk3.5 (which is 2015-2018), but only on the petrols. The Mk8 Fiesta then got that same 6-speed TC auto, and the Focus from 2018+ got an 8-speed TC auto. I believe the diesels across the Mondeo range still have PowerShifts as these are the wet-clutch variety not plagued by the infamous issues, but the rest are now torque converter boxes.

There's talk that the new Focus ST is going to get a new 7-speed dual-clutch box which will bring back the PowerShift moniker but don't quote me on that, it was a very brief read that's stuck in my head (rightly or wrongly).
 
squerble said:
On the Focus it was from 2017 onwards, which was the last two years of the Focus Mk3.5 (which is 2015-2018), but only on the petrols. The Mk8 Fiesta then got that same 6-speed TC auto, and the Focus from 2018+ got an 8-speed TC auto. I believe the diesels across the Mondeo range still have PowerShifts as these are the wet-clutch variety not plagued by the infamous issues, but the rest are now torque converter boxes.

There's talk that the new Focus ST is going to get a new 7-speed dual-clutch box which will bring back the PowerShift moniker but don't quote me on that, it was a very brief read that's stuck in my head (rightly or wrongly).
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thank you kindly :)
 
squerble said:
There's talk that the new Focus ST is going to get a new 7-speed dual-clutch box which will bring back the PowerShift moniker but don't quote me on that, it was a very brief read that's stuck in my head (rightly or wrongly).
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Indeed, I think the Fiesta have done away with the 8 speed TC now and are back on a new 7 speed DCT, but I cannot find out what type it is.

It might be the new getrag 7DCT300 for the non hybrid fiesta, and presumably eventually the 7HDT300 hybrid version possibly?
 
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VaderDSL said:
Indeed, I think the Fiesta have done away with the 8 speed TC now and are back on a new 7 speed DCT, but I cannot find out what type it is.
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ShiWarrior said:
thank you kindly :)
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I was wrong - the new 7 speed in the Focus ST is actually a 7 speed torque convertor box. It's essentially the 8 speed box but with 3rd gear dropped as it was too close to 2nd.

Didn't know about the Fiesta but yea looks like that's now a 7-speed DCT but doesn't use PowerShift name. It's all a bit confusing :)
 
For commuting would not go back to manual now - but the auto in my vehicle is pretty decent.

For me it has to be a good auto mated with a decent power, preferably V6, engine though - in some smaller cars with lower power engines I don't enjoy the auto at all.

I have plenty of options for taking manual control of mine if I wish and you learn to manipulate the behaviour of the auto over time plus mine has kick-down - so if I want to get more involved I can but generally don't too much.

Howard said:
I don’t agree that having an auto makes you a lazy driver. There’s nothing wrong taking away a certain perhaps unnecessary aspect so you can focus more of your attention elsewhere.
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I thought it for a bit - but now I'm used to driving auto I find it actually makes me a safer driver overall - manual was making me think about the road ahead in a way that an auto doesn't but with an auto once I adjusted I find I'm freer to be more aware of what is going on.
 
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Rroff said:
For commuting would not go back to manual now - but the auto in my vehicle is pretty decent.

For me it has to be a good auto mated with a decent power, preferably V6, engine though - in some smaller cars with lower power engines I don't enjoy the auto at all.
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You'd be surprised - the 1.0 3-cyl EcoBoost in my Focus is mated to a torque converter automatic which in past years would be hateful but it's actually a good mix. As it's a modern TC auto the torque converter locks up from second gear upwards and so becomes a direct drive anyway, negating the old rubber banding effect and all the losses through the torque converter that one used to get.
 
squerble said:
You'd be surprised - the 1.0 3-cyl EcoBoost in my Focus is mated to a torque converter automatic which in past years would be hateful but it's actually a good mix. As it's a modern TC auto the torque converter locks up from second gear upwards and so becomes a direct drive anyway, negating the old rubber banding effect and all the losses through the torque converter that one used to get.
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To be fair I haven't driven any of the smaller engine autos recently. In years gone by they could be quite hateful.
 
ShiWarrior said:
just a shame, autos are more expensive to buy than the manual counter parts , used cars that is, unsure about new cars
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Also there is a big difference between a cheap used manual and cheap used auto in that respect - cheap used auto is probably [more of] a money pit and/or nearer end of life in comparison.
 
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