Please help me drive my new automatic tomorrow

hothothot_3

Rikki wrote: »

I find the clutch peddle is high in my manual car so when driving the automatic I often forget no clutch, lift my left foot to change down the gears when braking and find it waggling around in mid air.:o

Good idea to waggle it, I do alot of long driving, probably end up with deep vein thrombosis in the left leg.

nah, I cant wait.......does anyone else get excited like a teenager when they are getting a new car?

Rikki

hothothot wrote: »

Good idea to waggle it, I do alot of long driving, probably end up with deep vein thrombosis in the left leg.

nah, I cant wait.......does anyone else get excited like a teenager when they are getting a new car?

Yes, when I got my first 4by4 and it snowed.

With practice you can drive the auto with you left foot. I don't encourage this but on a long journey it's a welcome rest for the right foot.

Raksha

OH has an auto, but I rarely drive it. My left foot always wants to be doing something, so I find it best to tuck it under my right leg across the base of the seat.

quidsin

Auto's are ace, works van is Manuel, but my car it auto, so much easier!!!

Hotlegs-
D3 or 3 – This mode is found in Honda, Acura and Pontiac 4-speed automatics and only uses the first 3 gears. According to the manual, it is used for "stop & go traffic", such as city driving.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission

thistledome

hothothot wrote: »

I feel alot better from these helpful clear posts. Am I correct in thinking that it is impossible to stall a car with automatic transmission?

The first time I drove an automatic (boyfriends huge Granada Estate), it stalled at some traffic lights and I couldn't get it started again. I didn't know that you can't start an automatic unless it's in Park. (It stalled due to an engine fault). Luckily the man behind me was a gent and came and told me, rather than getting angry.

Now I have an automatic of my own; can somebody clarify about changing gear whilst the car is in motion? I do it all the time and I don't have a button on my shift lever. Is it just some makes or have I got a freak motor? Until I read this thread I didn't know it was an issue. I'm talking about changing from D to 2 or 3.

OP, until you get used to it, keep your left foot tucked away. I drove a manual for years and it's not fun to stamp down hard on the brake, thinking it's a clutch! Thank goodness for seatbelts.

You'll soon get the hang of it, so don't worry. They're like driving a go-kart - easy.

HotLegs

quidsin wrote: »

Auto's are ace, works van is Manuel, but my car it auto, so much easier!!!

Hotlegs-
D3 or 3 – This mode is found in Honda, Acura and Pontiac 4-speed automatics and only uses the first 3 gears. According to the manual, it is used for "stop & go traffic", such as city driving.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_transmission

Thanks for that but I'm still none the wiser, in laymans terms does it mean zooming like a nut when the lights go green?:o

hothothot_3

thistledome wrote: »

Now I have an automatic of my own; can somebody clarify about changing gear whilst the car is in motion? I do it all the time and I don't have a button on my shift lever. Is it just some makes or have I got a freak motor? Until I read this thread I didn't know it was an issue. I'm talking about changing from D to 2 or 3.
.

Thanks, and the points you raise here are the only bit im still confused. Im concerned of changing from 2 or 3 to D whilst the car is moving, because if 2 and 3 is for taking off in snow, grass etc, obviously the car will be moving and would it be dangerous to then change into D?

naf123

the button that makes the car go into D3, is for snow weather.

It gives more speed to the wheel and less torque. Hence perfect for icy roads.

To be honest, automatics are so easy! Just go from P to D when driving and then back into P when you have parked.

And of course R is for reversing.

Sometimes, when I want lots of power, I go to D2, and it gives u much more acceleration then change back to auto mode. (D)

hothothot_3

naf123 wrote: »

the button that makes the car go into D3, is for snow weather.

It gives more speed to the wheel and less torque. Hence perfect for icy roads.

To be honest, automatics are so easy! Just go from P to D when driving and then back into P when you have parked.

And of course R is for reversing.

Sometimes, when I want lots of power, I go to D2, and it gives u much more acceleration then change back to auto mode. (D)

So it seems Im not as rich as Hot legs, my car only has a 2 and 3. and so far all I think is that 2 is for snow and grass and too scared to shift it into D once its moving in case I get the engine wrapped around my neck. :rotfl:

sebdangerfield

HotLegs wrote: »

Thanks for that but I'm still none the wiser, in laymans terms does it mean zooming like a nut when the lights go green?:o

No!

Most autos will zoom like a nut in drive anyway, some have a sport mode which will hold the gears longer at the deficit of economy to get more power. To accelerate quickly they'l also have a kickdown facility so when you floor the throttle it'l drop a gear or two to accelerate quicker.

The numbers are to hold the specified gears.

1 for very slow moving traffic or very very steep hils etc when you dont want the auto to change up.

2 similar to 1 it holds second gear for the same benifits as 1 plus when pulling off in snow and mud it makes it less easy to wheel spin an pull away smoother so basicly pulls away in second like you would in a manual when there's little grip.

3 is for holding third, for going down steep hills when you dont want the auto box to change up any higher than third. Normaly this one will also allow the use of first and second too. Most auto cars vary so just posty what car it is or check the manual.

Another mode some have is an auto overide like the BMW auto. This allows you to control any gear and change when you want to. It holds each gear until you tell it to change, unless it thinks it'l either stall from low revs or explode from too many revs and it'l change itself in self preservation!