used car recommendation

tomstickland

OK, I've had a quick look round the internet. I'm trying to find some measured transmission loss values for typical automotive gearboxes.

So far I've found this, which is quite useful:
http://www.answers.com/topic/manual-transmission

Advantages
Manual transmissions are typically more efficient than automatic transmissions. This is because manuals generally involve a clutch instead of a torque converter, which can cause significant power losses. This results in both better acceleration and fuel economy.
It is generally easier to build very strong manual transmissions than automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions usually have only one clutch, whereas automatics have many clutch packs.
Manual transmissions normally do not require active cooling, because not much power is dissipated as heat through the transmission.
A driver has more direct control over the state of the transmission with a manual than an automatic.
Manual transmissions are typically cheaper to build than automatic transmissions.
Manual transmissions generally require less maintenance than automatic transmissions.
In addition, many people feel that driving a manual forces the driver to pay more attention to the road and to other cars, making it more difficult to become distracted.
Manual transmissions use less fuel than an automatic transmission. Manual cars will do an extra 2 miles per gallon.

Assume that 2mpg is a plausible number for fuel consumption increase. Assume the average car manages 35mpg over a year. The auto version would use 37/35ths more. That's 6% more. For a much more efficient vehicle (50mpg) this number might reduce to 52/50ths, ie: 4%.

If the 35mpg car did 15000 miles per year at £4 per gallon then it'd use a total of 430 gallons per year, costing £1700. 5% of that is £85. So the auto would cost £85 extra per year to run.

In future autos defence this is interesting too: http://www.usatoday.com/money/consumer/autos/mareview/mauto497.htm

retailwarrior

Evening Hall

This is a first post so please excuse if I make any pho pahs.

All advice for this guy previous is ok but. Have you considered a deisel clio? Parts are dirt cheap from the scrapper and easy to fit. But the biggest plus is....you can put SVO in instead of deisel with no conversion kits or additives.

A massive saving of 50p per liter!! I have checked all the main supermarkets and Tesco do theirs for £1.25.

No it wont damage your engine as clios have bosch fuel pumps which can handle the SVO with out polymerisation. Note this only works on straight deisel models. Not with turbos or anything else fancy.

Be kind to the environment and change!

tomstickland

I am not going to bother to reply to that.

I'm not going to bother reply to this either.
Oh damn, I just did.

superscotsman

I have heard all this about automatics before. Let me see.
They take all the fun out of driving. They creep at traffic lights. They always break down. They are out of control. I like to drive properly. They guzzle fuel. The car shoots off when you don't want it to. The Merc that Princess Diana was killed in was an automatic; maybe it was automatic transmission fluid that was found in Henri Paul's blood. or maybe Henri Paul couldn't stand the tedium of driving an automatic.
If that were the case I would be facing astronomical fuel bills, huge repair bills, I can't drive properly, I would be having an accident every week, and if I didn't die in accident, I would die of boredom instead. But none of these things are true.
Funny old world, isn't it?
I'm pushing this stick about at the moment. Mmmmmmmmm, this is FUN!!!!!

tomstickland

Well, automatics are more complex and expensive to fix, fuel consumption is slightly worse (but with clutches it might be about the same as a manual) and they are not the choice of an enthusiast. I'm talking about driving for fun ie: balancing the car on the throttle when going round corners etc, in which case I don't want something deciding when to change gear for me.

You obviously like them and maybe they have improved a lot in the last few years.

tipsychick

Don't suppose anyone knows how much a W reg Golf 1.6S should be worth? Only 16,000 on the clock! HATE anything to do with garages!

stationairy

thanks for all help guys

now i have been to see a yaris last night going again today
what should i be looking for?
also it is a w reg with 50000 miles for £2300 is this a good deal
comes with 12 months mot and tax, 3 month warrenty and full tank of petrol

sorry i am a total novice
anyone had a yaris what they like

highguyuk

http://www.wisebuyers.co.uk/ for car prices

1.6 S Golf ... nice choice ;-)

tomstickland

s for slow I'd imagine. New Golfs are very, very heavy and the 1.6 engine struggles. We have one as a pool car at work and I've not heard a good word spoken about it. That's nothing to do with reliability, comfort or resale value. Just people's (generally youngish men) impressions of it's ability to get where they want to go.

Smudge32

So basically, EVERYONE has a different opinion!!