Automatic transmission.

Guys, guys, this is a pointless discussion.

Everyone should know that generally manual gearboxes are more suitable for "performance" driving, whilst they're rubbish when used for relaxed easy going work, ambling around town and generally trying to emulate a chauffeur.

They are obviously aimed at different markets, and we should leave it at that.
Lets face it, would you take an APC down Oxford st, or a London bus into desert storm? Hopefully not, yet they're both designed to ferry people around over land.
 
I've driven a few autos, the last on I had a play in was a Ginetta G26 (I think?) with a 2.1 Pinto, single 45 and auto box.
It was certainly a very relaxing 250 miles but I'd not choose an automatic unless I was doing a driving job in something I didn't like (ie a van through London)
 
Originally posted by Chiggs
You aren't even old enough to drive yet? :confused: :rolleyes: :p

So much more potential with a manual, way more fun and you have a *lot* more control over the car (lift-off oversteer etc).

Chiggs
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right, from that im getting that with a manual car you can be more irresponsible? :rolleyes:

I fail to see what me not having a liscense yet has to do with anything either? :rolleyes:

And as for auto's accelerating faster, ive never heard such a load of BS, you would have to be a very good driver to be able to shift anywhere near as fast as a decent autobox. Also why would top fuel dragsters use auto trans if they are slow for acceleration, for old fat men etc...?
 
Well upto my current motor (Omega Elite 3.0i) and since 1964, I always had manual box. But I have to admit, GM do make a nice auto-box :) I still drive it a bit like a manual sometimes, as it doesn't like slowing down ;) pre-selecting low gear is essential, I never use the 'Brake only' option. Selecting 'Sports-Mode' is fun, albeit...cough... thirsty. most of my driving is town stuff, so it suits me. Elites only have manual as an 'option', but I think I would still choose auto, just cos I ain't had one before, fancied a change. And I'm a lazy git :D

Steve
 
I have driven 2 supras round donnington park...one auto and the other manual.. there was about 2 seconds difference per lap, in the favour of the manual. As of off the line performance... Leon green was one of the fastest cars at 10 of the best last year in his MKIV supra and thats auto... And the supra that i am just about to buy is also an auto... performance figures for a supra are as follows... 0-60 5.1seconds auto 4.9seconds manual... The only ppl who can beat the supra auto box are pro racers and drag racers (PPL Usually hit the rev limiter in first)... Anyone who is coming up with this rubbish have obviously never driven one for a long period of time... or if they have its been in a nova! What a load of AR$E!
 
There is a REAL place for a good auto box.
An auto can be designed to be sporty,or it can be operated in a sporty manner. Almost all of the auto boxes have a tie up with engine management now.

In the 4.0 ford explorer using the R55e auto box (which is just a beefed up scorpio box) you can be happily tootling round a roundabout in 5th @25mph , or you can floor it and have it change up to 5th at 105mph.Just by letting the management decide how the cars being driven in conjuction with driver input.

The engines running strategy often plays a big part in how normal road use autos handle,as do the servos and valve body designs as they are set to operate at given oil pressures.

There is always something more to think of, ;)
 
Originally posted by Clarkey
right, from that im getting that with a manual car you can be more irresponsible? :rolleyes:

I fail to see what me not having a liscense yet has to do with anything either? :rolleyes:

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You can be more irresponsible if you want, or maybe just enjoy having more control (i'm a power freak ;)).

You not having a liscense implies that you have very limited driving experience, to make up you're mind you'd need to have driven quite a few miles in both manual and auto. You don't get into the spirit of fun driving until you know the car inside out and it's limits etc. which takes a few K+ miles.

We're talking about *fun* driving, it's not all about shaving 0.5 secs off your 0-60, but enjoying the driving and the feel of the car.

Chiggs
 
I just dont see the point in buying a totally phat car like my mate did and get it in auto i mean what was he thinking. A porshe is a drivers car and to buy an automatic one just is silly.

Why have all that power and not control it.
 
Originally posted by Kanes
riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight *keeps his comments to himself

oh might aswell correct you, the viper is a v10 8.3 litre, they only come with the option of a manual six speed to retain some exclusivety as a driver's car.

Right so paddle shift is stupid, hmmm faster gearchanges, can cope with high HP and very easy to use, oh yes that reeks of sucktitiude :rolleyes: stupid schumacher

umm drag races often use autoas due to the faster gearb changes
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:) i was kinda guessing the stats of the car. Padle is stupid because its easier if you get me prob not. If you want a race of skill which is what street draggin kinda is then just jumping in a powerful go card and just wakking the foot to the floor aint hard. Cars of similar spec with manual gear boxes proves who is the best racer. Paddles are quicker yes but are easier.
 
The only experience of an auto car that I have is driving my dads proton 1.5 auto, and that was just horrible. Not the best car in the world to begin with i'd admit, but it was just generally boring to drive. Demand acceleration and...nothing. I'm not slagging off all autos, but personally I would always prefer a manual box unless I was driving for hours a day.
 
Originally posted by Manifest
:) i was kinda guessing the stats of the car. Padle is stupid because its easier if you get me prob not. If you want a race of skill which is what street draggin kinda is then just jumping in a powerful go card and just wakking the foot to the floor aint hard. Cars of similar spec with manual gear boxes proves who is the best racer. Paddles are quicker yes but are easier.
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you were kind of guessing the stats of the car which you claimed to be your favourite, so i'm just presuming here but you've never actually driven it either, so your favourite car is one which you don't know the specs of and have probably never driven

Street drag racing is skill............................ no afraid not it's stupidity. I'm sorry but you are coming off as a complete nova boy. Real racing is skill, f1 driving requires a lot of skill, they use f1 shift, so that's not really skill is it? skill is not how fast you can get upto top speed, skill involves getting the apex right for corners, being able to go at speed around corners, any monkey can go fast in a straight line

Paddles are quicker, which is the whole basis of racing. You want the car going as quick as possible for as long as possible and still driveable.

I'm not having a go but you seem completely uninformed and inexperienced
 
I don t mean on the street!!!!!!!!! Hell no. Yes that is stupidily. I like the look of the dodge no i have never driven it but i just like it.

You can go to special tracks and drag cant you?

F1 takes one hell of a lot of skill bit you have to admit it would be more interesting if they had to drive the cars like fully. Manual and stuff, that would sort the men from the boys.

I gues si am i bit under expirienced but im a bit spoken out i guess.

/me retreats and lets the other carry on with the debate.

No **** you from southed essex. I use to live there, where abouts i lived in billerikki. Cant spell it mind.
 
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The Lexus 400 has an auto-box - and it's brilliant.

So, your argument is flawed :p
 
Putting an auto box in a car with less than say 120 bhp will make the vehicle sluggish and take a lot of the enjoyment out of driving.

Having driven over 450,000 miles in the last 11 years though, and having owned in excess of twenty cars in that period as long as the vehicle has decent power, torque and is set up correctly an auto box is just as good if not better than an equivalent manual.

My current car is the BMW 540i in the picture below. This has a 4.0 V8 with 286 Bhp and 295 lb/ft torque and has a five speed adaptive auto gearbox.
This means that it responds to the way that you are driving at any given moment. It also downshifts on steep downhill gradients to provide engine braking, and if you are flooring it and suddenly back off in the middle of a corner it will hold that gear until you accelerate again or you get onto a straight bit of road, to stop you exiting the corner backwards.
On top of this it also has a sport mode which holds the gears longer, allows much more energetic kickdown and cuts out fifth gear.

I have to say I do not miss a manual box one little bit, and if Saxo boy (no offence:))comes flying up behind you while you are trundling along in top, there is no pause while you downshift to out accelerate him.

In a Gti: manual every time.
In any powerful car other than a balls out racer or supercar, go for the auto.
 
I totallly messed up this thread,

I just wanted to just post about how much i enjoy actually driving the car its self with the traditional technique. Just wanted to see who agreed but i did turn it into i hate autos thread so sorry.

Im off to find a double clutchin beast!
 
Personally, I like manual cars - nothing beats a good well-timed slam across the gate from 2nd to 3rd, almost full throttle, lightest tap on the clutch stylee gearchange. Always puts a grin on me face :)
 
I like the kick when raising the clutch and ur revs are high. Not a fan of padles or the sinc boxes. I like having the clutch there to use to the best of or ability not letting a automated thing do it for you.

Do rally cars have clutches nowadays?
 
The days for manual boxes are numbered I reckon. You can get better economy and emissions from them, and they can be made more reliable. New audi multitronic has lower C02 emissions that the manual equivalent.

My old Carlton was an auto and although a bit slow, it was brilliant in town and in traffic jams. Now driving my Golf GTI in similar conditions is a pain in the arse. Then again on traffic free b roads the Carlton was lardy and boring and the GTI is :D
 
Originally posted by Steve W
Putting an auto box in a car with less than say 120 bhp will make the vehicle sluggish and take a lot of the enjoyment out of driving.

Having driven over 450,000 miles in the last 11 years though, and having owned in excess of twenty cars in that period as long as the vehicle has decent power, torque and is set up correctly an auto box is just as good if not better than an equivalent manual.

My current car is the BMW 540i in the picture below. This has a 4.0 V8 with 286 Bhp and 295 lb/ft torque and has a five speed adaptive auto gearbox.
This means that it responds to the way that you are driving at any given moment. It also downshifts on steep downhill gradients to provide engine braking, and if you are flooring it and suddenly back off in the middle of a corner it will hold that gear until you accelerate again or you get onto a straight bit of road, to stop you exiting the corner backwards.
On top of this it also has a sport mode which holds the gears longer, allows much more energetic kickdown and cuts out fifth gear.

I have to say I do not miss a manual box one little bit, and if Saxo boy (no offence:))comes flying up behind you while you are trundling along in top, there is no pause while you downshift to out accelerate him.

In a Gti: manual every time.
In any powerful car other than a balls out racer or supercar, go for the auto.
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Yeh but dont you feel you want to control all that ower a bit more. Like you decide exactly what revs you want and when to change etc. Just if i had say ferrari 355 which is a dam powerful car with a 0-60 time of 4.6seconds theni would want to control the clutch etc. Plus my left foot with by getting stiff not slamming down the clutch getting the next gear ready quick and then bringing it back up quick again.

I dont like autos because they make cars sluggish or anything like that. The post was supposed to be about y i like manuals better. Dosnt matter how quick an auto is in my opinion because i like to have control of the gears even if i cant do it as well as an auto.

Post should have been phrased like this:

Topic Transmision: have you say!

What tranmission do you like the best and why

I like manual because blah blah
 
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