For the first time ever I bought a car with automatic transmission. For no other reason than my wife wanted an automatic...she is learning to drive you see.
I have an auto gearbox Merc sprinter at work and to be honest it's not very refined - very jumpy in lower gears.
In cars, the difference between auto and manual is small as there is not much weight to pull, IMO. I had a Ford Explorer - auto - and that was OK. I have a Honda Accord - manual - and it is OK. I don't feel the level of comfort or ease of driving in cars, vans or 4x4's is very different in manual or auto. 4, 5 or 6 gears in manual is easy. If people pass their test in an automatic car they are not allowed to drive a manual, not the other way around.
Sometimes I would love to drive vans like that, Rob. How many drops a day do you normally do? Is the sprinter jumpy in low gears with a good load on?
The problem with learning in an automatic is that, even if you pass your test, you're still not qualified to drive a manual car. My wife is learning at the moment too. We got her a little car to learn in and went with manual for that reason. Some of her friends said she should learn in an automatic because it's easier, but how many more lessons do you really need to get used to changing gear? Just one or two.
Automatic.............AAAARRRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH............. Increased fuel consumption, unable to tow or push out of the way in case of break-downs. Only bad experiences there for me............
my previous car was a steptronic auto--i liked it a lot. in fact--if i did a lot of city driving i would prefer an auto. i liken auto transmission to--power steering--servo brakes--a starter motor. windscreen wipers.
Exactly. A friend of hers ( Filipina ) has an automatic. And they all seem to drive automatics in the Philippines? But yes, she knows that she wont be qualified to drive a manual if she passes her test in an automatic.
In the 1970s Mr Honda came up with a 400cc (iirc) motorcycle that was an automatic. It had the remarkable habit of changing gear in mid-corner. In the 1980's Mr Volvo made an automatic station wagon. It had the remarkable habit of changing up just as you pulled out to overtake. Don't ask me how I know this. But I drive a manual.
I normally do 15 - 20 in a 4 hour period covering a 10 mile radius, its good money but its very repetitive, same roads, same people day after day. The Sprinter seems to be jumpy in low gears whatever the load, so I can only assume its because its new - it seems to settling down, but at times its a bit of a beast. Ours is a 2.2Cdti MWB with high roof, and front wheel drive, meaning its useless in muddy conditions and very steep hills, as we have in Aberwristwatch (as Dom calls it!). Fuel economy is terrible, I don't know the exact figures, but we average 600 miles a week with 2 full tanks each week at £90 a time. Its all that stopping, starting and waiting in traffic, and on top of that its an auto gearbox. I'm sure our old manual Transit was more economical.
I used to have a closed mind on automatics. It would always be a manual for me. But over the years, at different times I have been "forced" to drive an automatic ie hiring of cars to get to Aberdeen ( only an automatic left for hire ) or in the USA where it isvall turned on its head and automatics are preferred. And I have test driven about 6 or 7 automatics over the last month. Apart from the initial familiarity issue I never found anything about them to complain about. Eventually I concluded that it was just a case of what one had been weaned on. http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/09/11/manual-transmissions-getting-rarer-in-us/ I do believe that there have been issues in the past. Heavy fuel consumption, over revving and mechanical issues but time has moved on and the systems appear to have become refined. In many cases automatics have a manual option built in. Reading this summary gives us some modern day thoughts on the topic. http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/advice/buying/2013/september/automatic-versus-manual/ Going on the basis of whats on the second hand market, it looks as if about 1 in 10 cars in the UK are automatic.
my auto box was the same as used in BMW minis---6 speed. manual mode was a very quick change--a sequential shift--yet you couldnt change down if it would over-rev the motor. i still got over 30 mpg out of a 1.8 litre.
At a quid a gallon, fuel economy becomes less of an issue. Also we arent going to be doing anymore than 6000 miles in the next year. I walk to work each day.