Reliable and fairly economical auto cars?

Iceweasel

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

However you look at it, an automatic gearbox is not (and cannot be) as "intelligent" as a human being.

Human beings can anticipate an upcoming change in circumstances, while an automatic gearbox can only respond to the change, after it has occurred.

For example, I can drop a cog as (or the instant before) I reach the beginning of a hill, whereas the automatic can only drop a cog once the car has started up the hill.

Likewise, I can change down before I accelerate, whereas the automatic can only change down in response to the throttle being opened.

Whilst I accept what you say is correct, I have never found it necessary to make a manual intervention in the circumstances you quote to get a benefit of any kind - either performance or safety - I see no advantage in changing down early.

If there was a need for it, an early change down can easily be done - and quicker than a manual box could do it.

I have driven an auto with 'paddle controls' and didn't find them useful at all.

Each to his own of course - but I have found no disadvantage in having an auto-box car in over 300K miles - very much the opposite.

Dogzrunning

knightstyle wrote: »

Wonder how much you want to spend? We have just sold our Toyota Auris, 07, 1.4d auto after 4 years, always gave over 50mpg and never let us down.
The Yaris version has the same engine and gearbox so will give 60mpg, great for a cheap auto.

Thanks everyone
Ah yeah the toyota yaris i was looking at very nice car im looking at spending £3.000 you will all probably say you will never get a decent one that price but thats how much i have atm:(

basill

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

However you look at it, an automatic gearbox is not (and cannot be) as "intelligent" as a human being.

Human beings can anticipate an upcoming change in circumstances, while an automatic gearbox can only respond to the change, after it has occurred.

Although no use to the OP the Rolls Royce Wraith can anticipate upcoming road conditions using GPS and the navigation system to help select the right gear!

This technology looks like it might come to more affordable cars eventually.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/new-technology/mini-to-get-rolls-royce-gps-transmission-tech

B

Goldenyears

basill wrote: »

This technology looks like it might come to more affordable cars eventually.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/new-technology/mini-to-get-rolls-royce-gps-transmission-tech

B

I think the new Mercedes C-class has it now. More affordable than a Rolls anyway.

iolanthe07

I have driven autos for the last 15 years and would never go back to a manual now. Driving an auto is just so much more stress-free, especially in heavy traffic. Modern autos (like the Ford Fiesta) are quicker and use less fuel that their manual equivalents.

colino

Its funny that most haters of the slushpumps seem to think that they're still Borg Warner 35s with three gears thrashing away your fuel. People do go through a transition the more they drive them (especially the most modern ones coupled to torquey engines). You will initially at some point use the gears "manually" and frequently use the kick-down and/or sport buttons if they have them. Decent cars with adaptive transmissions learn the drivers characteristics and I can hand-on-heart say when I'm driving one of our autos, the car does the thinking for itself.
Go on, test drive one. Get a decent run, make sure you experience stop-start town work, twisty B roads and some motorway running. You'll begin to wonder what your left leg's for.

[Deleted User]

colino wrote: »

Go on, test drive one. Get a decent run, make sure you experience stop-start town work, twisty B roads and some motorway running. You'll begin to wonder what your left leg's for.

I have.

300 mile round trip to the NE, with a decent slog around the town, and I still wouldn't have one.

getmore4less

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

However you look at it, an automatic gearbox is not (and cannot be) as "intelligent" as a human being.

Human beings can anticipate an upcoming change in circumstances, while an automatic gearbox can only respond to the change, after it has occurred.

For example, I can drop a cog as (or the instant before) I reach the beginning of a hill, whereas the automatic can only drop a cog once the car has started up the hill.

Likewise, I can change down before I accelerate, whereas the automatic can only change down in response to the throttle being opened.

You would be suprised how responsive a DSG box is once you are used to them

As you approach the hill(at the right time press the accelerator a bit, around the same time you are stirring your box) it will drop a gear faster than you can change manualy

Same with a desire to speed up almost instant and certainly quicker than faffing about with a gear stick.

The only place I have slight delays is when slowing down and then the sudden desire to speed up(eg: approaching blind roundabouts), these can be antisipated by sport or manual or I just take the hit of a sub 1s delay.

alleycat`

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

It can look ahead and see an upcoming hill :huh:

You mock but apparently the new auto in the rolls tracks where you are by gps and picks the gear based on what's coming up!?!

alleycat`

getmore4less wrote: »

You would be suprised how responsive a DSG box is once you are used to them

As you approach the hill(at the right time press the accelerator a bit, around the same time you are stirring your box) it will drop a gear faster than you can change manualy

Same with a desire to speed up almost instant and certainly quicker than faffing about with a gear stick.

The only place I have slight delays is when slowing down and then the sudden desire to speed up(eg: approaching blind roundabouts), these can be antisipated by sport or manual or I just take the hit of a sub 1s delay.

I agree the dsg box is superb.
They are just catastrophically expensive when they go wrong.