Automatic or Manual?
- Thread starter zom247
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Associate
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as above, i use the footbrake then select D take foot off the brake and if its a particularly steep hill the car will just stay still until you give it a very small amount of throttle then it starts off 
very easy to get used to
very easy to get used to
THE DSG box isn't a traditional auto though, and certainly isn't relevant to the OP who is looking at 1.6 focus!!! I definitely think the DSG boxes are the future though, faster than a manual, with no fuel penalty..brilliant.
Soldato
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I think the fuel efficiency penalty on modern automatics, hell, even on some older ones, is pretty negligible. Wouldn't suprise me if it was less than 10%.
Depends on what you're doing with it, really. Seen better economy out of some of my autos vs some of the manuals in some instances.
Like 'em both, for different reasons. No set way about it, just personal preference and vehicle usage.
Depends on what you're doing with it, really. Seen better economy out of some of my autos vs some of the manuals in some instances.
Like 'em both, for different reasons. No set way about it, just personal preference and vehicle usage.
My Z4 auto is nothing like a speedboat to drive. I prefer autos these days on everyday modern cars - unless you're planning on taking it to a track or something it really isn't worth the extra hassle of owning a manual.
I'm in my mid 30's though, I would not have agreed with myself 10 years ago, but then again autos have improved greatly since then.
Soldato
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Oh yea, potentially - but it depends on the vehicle in question doesn't it. If you've got something doing 20mpg then those 2mpg are neither here nor there.....40mpg, it might be an issue.
A lot of modern boxes, according to wiki, are down to 5%, which makes the difference even more negligible.
This 'autos have improved greatly' thing confuses me sometimes too, some of the smoothest and nicest to drive autos came out in the 50s, 60s and 70's, with some modern autos just feeling like, well, unresponsive slushboxes. Some of the 70s Borg Warner autos have nice, crisp positive actions, strong kickdowns and are tough as hell.
Then again, they were typically backed up with a 'proper' engine and not some weak paper bag effort
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Soldato
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Go try one and make up your own mind.
I drove my dad's 2 litre Xantia auto, I can't imagine driving it quickly (the 1.8 manual he had before was much easier to drive quickly) and the fuel consumption was worst then I was expecting. It was however very easy and relaxed. It's certaily much slower then a 2 litre manual of the same age, however Citroen for some reason fitted the older 8v engine to autos.
My mum has a 1.6 auto Focus and likes it but my dad finds it very slow (I think my mum last drove a car on full throttle in 1972).
I drove my dad's 2 litre Xantia auto, I can't imagine driving it quickly (the 1.8 manual he had before was much easier to drive quickly) and the fuel consumption was worst then I was expecting. It was however very easy and relaxed. It's certaily much slower then a 2 litre manual of the same age, however Citroen for some reason fitted the older 8v engine to autos.
My mum has a 1.6 auto Focus and likes it but my dad finds it very slow (I think my mum last drove a car on full throttle in 1972).
I love the 6sp auto in my 530d but it is relatively advanced and the car has oodles of torque. It even disengages the torque converter if your still with your foot on the brake to save fuel. The fuel figures arent much different between manual and auto either. BMW's official figures are Urban (mpg) 32.1 (30.4), Extra-urban (mpg) 53.3 (53.3) and Combined (mpg) 42.8 (41.5) with the figures in brackets being the auto.
Wouldnt have one in a smaller car with a little engine though.
Wouldnt have one in a smaller car with a little engine though.
1.6 auto isnt actually that bad. no its not a supercar but it does me on my 90 or 140 mile round trip to work daily and also fine around town.
Driven an auto for long enough now that i hate it when i am in a manual, i am sure i could adjust back quick enough though. The type of cars i like are best suited to an auto gearbox anyway, my car would be ridiculous if it were available as a manual.
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nothing wrong in using the gearstick but how antiquated is shoving a pedal to the floor to do it? goes right back to the dawn of motoring along with hand cranking the engine to start it
I no longer wish to drive a manual car again. I have been americanised. Just toddle along and if I need some grunt drop it to gear 3 or floor it and it goes. come into traffic or on a hill just sit and do nothing it's so lazy it's fantastic
I've noticed when I jump out of an automatic DAF XF (HGV) into a manual one, I tend to forget to use the clutch! Very embarrassing when you shudder to a halt at a junction with a stalled engine! 
My old e38 BMW had a superb Steptornic Auto box which gave the best of both worlds imo, I tended to drive it as a clutch less manual which is fair enough, the clutch pedal gets tiresome quickly imo.
When I bought my manual Mondeo TD I tried a Ghia X 2.0i also, it had probably the worst auto box I've ever come across, my old Granada Scorpio was far better, then again, it was an old school 4 Spd mated to a V6 in RWD config,tbh, little wonder I preferred it!
My old e38 BMW had a superb Steptornic Auto box which gave the best of both worlds imo, I tended to drive it as a clutch less manual which is fair enough, the clutch pedal gets tiresome quickly imo.
When I bought my manual Mondeo TD I tried a Ghia X 2.0i also, it had probably the worst auto box I've ever come across, my old Granada Scorpio was far better, then again, it was an old school 4 Spd mated to a V6 in RWD config,tbh, little wonder I preferred it!
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semi automatic gearboxes are fitted to formula one racing cars so just imagine how fast the gearchange is. Even my lowly Panda has a similar sequential box rather than the normal H setup. Its the only way to go
semi automatic gearboxes are fitted to formula one racing cars so just imagine how fast the gearchange is. Even my lowly Panda has a similar sequential box rather than the normal H setup. Its the only way to go
No, Formula one cars do not have 'semi-automatic' gearboxes, and they have no similarity whatsoever with the one fitted in a Panda :/