Going from manual to automatic

rypt · 28 Apr 2010 at 13:29

beermonster said:
Abit of research (autotrader) shows that there are more autos only in the 3 litre engine size for 3 series cars. I'd say thats down to the fact that an auto suits a bigger engine, in which case most people that buy 3 series are pretty clued up. Percentage wise its 66% autos to manuals.

And a manual suites every engine... the only good autos are DSG based that do not **** about when you use the paddles but instantly do as you ask them

!bluetonic! · 28 Apr 2010 at 13:37

I love my auto box. It's responsive and mated well to the engine.

I've never had any problems switching between the two as either comes back to you in seconds. (i.e going for the clutch in an auto when braking). I've never driven a DSG box and little experience of 'semi-autos'.

You can obviously hold the gears and switch down to a lower gear for engine braking. The only disadvantage I can think of is a 'fast corner' which I'd prefer a manual box for.

I use my right foot for accelerate and brake but Honest John advocates the use of left foot braking. The 9-5 pedals do not sit right for me to do this, not that I would anyway. The left foot rest pedal is there to give balance to your body.

Django x2 · 28 Apr 2010 at 13:49

tbf, the autoboxes in BMWs these days are very very good. I'm not sure about the box in the 330i E9x form but the E60 is sublime. I definitely will not be going back to a manual unless I buy a proper sports car, there's no need. I still do high mileage though and love not having to throw it between 1st and 2nd continually on the motorway.

The manual mode in the E60 is great to use and gives you all the engine braking fun and late changes you might ever need. I'm sure thats the same in the E9x range

smokedog · 28 Apr 2010 at 14:40

I never thought I would ever get an auto, always had stick shift, but I have no regents in doing so. Mine is also an auto on a 3 liter BMW. Driving now has become more enjoyable and relaxing. The autobox is great, its very responsive and smooth, and when I want to push on, I knock the stick to the left for manual shift and use the paddles.

I would be lying if I say I didn't miss manual, but that is only about 5% of the time. In general day to day use, I would always go with auto. Also I wouldn't want to drive an auto on a small engine car.

I get around · 28 Apr 2010 at 17:50

Jez said:
You dont, you simply are inexperienced with automatics. This is the case for 99% of people with your viewpoint.

I've had 2 days experience, how much more do I need to know I prefer changing gears.
Automatic cars just don't feel right, just generally an unsatisfying drive as it's so boring, at least when you're changing gears there is something to do with the left side of your body.

Pete19s · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:03

I get around said:
I've had 2 days experience, how much more do I need to know I prefer changing gears.
Automatic cars just don't feel right, just generally an unsatisfying drive as it's so boring, at least when you're changing gears there is something to do with the left side of your body.

I suppose the question that needs to be asked is what rubbish car/auto combination were you driving?

iaind · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:08

I get around said:
I would hear it revving and my brain cuts in "need to change now" every time. It just became annoying, it's muscle memory or something.

Aside from that it just feels wrong not changing gear. No clutch control available, no decision when to change up. Just feel completely out of control of the car.
You've still gotta pop it into neutral at the lights as well unless you weld your foot to the brake, annoying everyone behind you.
And on all but the very best ones they're slower and less economical.

Just seems pointless to me, I prefer manuals.

How on earth can you feel out of control? Who cares what gear you're in for normal driving when the car is doing it for you? You can easily force a change up when acellerating by backing off and putting your foot down makes it drop a gear or 2. If you really want to be in a specific gear, most boxes have a manual mode too.

You can put the handbrake on with the car in drive

I get around · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:26

Volvo 850 estate, automatic.
It crept forward if the handbrake was on in drive.

Even when you put your foot down it would take a good 2-3 seconds to drop a gear and the acceleration was painful, so slow.

Manuals are superior, you can have fun in them, on the motorway pop it into 6th and chill out and clutch control is just majorly useful when trying to squeeze into a tight parking space.

iaind · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:31

Shock horror as knackered old car is crap.

If it crept forward in D with the handbrake on, the handbrake was broken and probably wouldnt hold it on a steep hill. Kickdown in mine is near instantaneous - the accelleration has nothing to do with the gearbox either.

Judging all autos from that one experience would be like judging all cars of the same colour to be the same

wez130 · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:32

The newer auto boxes are much quicker than that, we're talking milliseconds now, modern autos have 2 clutches, on for the gear you are in and one with the next gear ready to engage, of course if you're accelerating then try to downshift, it'll take a little longer as it would have the next gear up ready instead of the down gear. But even that wouldn't take more than a second.

Joshy · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:48

4 days since making the change to an automatic and I am really enjoying it. For the city driving that I do the gearbox has made the drive so much more relaxing. I don't see how people can be complaining about performance, my gearbox is 18 years old and is based on an even older design but it still changes gear far quicker than I could, and a lot smoother too!

hohum · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:50

My current car is a manual as I wanted to ensure that I got competent with that after passing my test, plus didn't want to limit my car choice at the time. In all honesty though, I think my next car will be an automatic. Really get fed up with constant gearstick/clutch usage around town and during busy traffic periods, and seeing as our roads will be getting even more crowded going forward... it just seems like getting an automatic next time will be a better choice (for me, anyway).

Of course, I can certainly see the appeal of a manual gearbox - it gets you more involved in the driving experience, and on decent roads it can be a lot of fun. For regular day to day usage though it tends to just feel a bit of a chore due to the situations mentioned above. Cars are far more intelligent than they used to be, which in turn makes me feel like a bit of an idiot - I'm arsing about with an archaic method of changing gear when it could be done for me (no, I'm not lazy), and it's only occasionally that I'm in a situation to enjoy manual anyway.

I'd imagine a lot of people who are against automatic gearboxes probably just haven't tried a half decent one - not all of them have to be redlined before they change up a gear

. Either that or they're put off by the stigma that surrounds them in this country, whereby you're somehow a rubbish driver if you don't drive a manual. Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter.

Pete19s · 28 Apr 2010 at 18:52

I get around said:
Volvo 850 estate, automatic.
It crept forward if the handbrake was on in drive.

Manuals are superior, you can have fun in them, on the motorway pop it into 6th and chill out and clutch control is just majorly useful when trying to squeeze into a tight parking space.

So the handbrake was not working properly then? One big bonus I find at work is that I dont have to worry about clutch control when parking in small/confined spaces as the auto takes care of that. One foot on the brake pedal and one foot on the throttle if need-be. Stress free motoring compared to a manual.

Moeks · 28 Apr 2010 at 19:06

rypt said:
No thanks, it is a perfectly valid statement to make. It should not be any more difficult to find a good manual or a good auto for most cars ... clearly if it is it means that either there are far, far more autos than manuals (like 95-5%) or that BMW owners do not look after their cars, as such due to there being so few manuals there are very few cars in good condition

You should look at the ratio of automatic to manual Mercedes then ....that probably is something like 95%-5% ...you'll find much the same with Lexus, although the smaller IS series does feature a manual box quite a bit I believe, not the bigger ones though, I dpon't even think it's an option on the GS and LS.

When you are waiting at traffic lights and such, you don't put an auto into neutral you just keep your foot on the brake, you would only take it out of drive if you were standing still for a long time for whatever reason ...otherwise you just leave it in drive.

Maz · 28 Apr 2010 at 19:08

Drivens Autos and Manuals since I learned to drive 9 years ago, must admit I prefer Automatic - unless its a Sports car, but even then I prefer some of them in Automatic.

iaind · 28 Apr 2010 at 20:34

Moeks said:
When you are waiting at traffic lights and such, you don't put an auto into neutral you just keep your foot on the brake, you would only take it out of drive if you were standing still for a long time for whatever reason ...otherwise you just leave it in drive.

Handbrake on else you'll be blinding the poor sod behind you

But yes, in drive seems fine for short stops. I knock mine into neautral if I'm going to be sitting for a bit because the book told me so - something about the fluid overheating.

I was wondering today, do automatics go through brakes quicker? Just that you're obviously using the brakes a lot more for low speed control - but not sure if that has a big effect in the grand scheme of things!

smokedog · 28 Apr 2010 at 20:39

iaind said:
I was wondering today, do automatics go through brakes quicker? Just that you're obviously using the brakes a lot more for low speed control - but not sure if that has a big effect in the grand scheme of things!

I would presume that would be the case, as you can't really engine break.

mjt · 28 Apr 2010 at 21:43

As above really, but be prepared for fuel consumption to take a hit.

Moeks · 28 Apr 2010 at 22:11

iaind said:
Handbrake on else you'll be blinding the poor sod behind you

But yes, in drive seems fine for short stops. I knock mine into neautral if I'm going to be sitting for a bit because the book told me so - something about the fluid overheating.

I was wondering today, do automatics go through brakes quicker? Just that you're obviously using the brakes a lot more for low speed control - but not sure if that has a big effect in the grand scheme of things!

E39 hand-brakes are notoriously bad, no way will mine hold the car with it in drive, my brake lights aren't 'that' bright anyway.

sneakypenguin · 29 Apr 2010 at 00:54

beermonster said:
Only downside to autos I find is sometimes lack of engine braking can feel odd, and spirited driving isn't anywhere near as fun, although mine is not tiptronic so I just stick it in 2nd which will allow up to 80mph and plenty of response and engine braking.

mines an Omega elite - 3.0 v6 jobby, and the first auto car I have owned. When I first got it, for the first few weeks, I kept finding my left foot trying to press the clutch and my left hand trying to change gear, especially at junctions, that soon stopped after I got used to it. The kickdown is ferrocious on mine, to put it in perspective, was in the 3rd lane of the motorway doing 80 and a police BMW with blues and twos came up behind me. Inside lanes were busy so I had no choice but to floor it. It kicked down to 3rd and took off, I out accelerated the police to 120-130 where I pulled in to let them pass, as said the kick down is near instant, also that's why the sport button is good, switch that on when your coming to a roundabout and feel it change down a gear and the engine braking, thats what I do on mine