Manual v/or Automatic transmission

NBLondon

I've always had manuals - partly because I drove hot hatches in my 20s when no-one would ever have fitted a manual and never moved up to the exec level when they might have been an option. I probably went along with the idea that they were more expensive to run and maintain. I only ever drove auto boxes on holiday in the US. Reading the comments here - maybe I should think again next time I want to change - as I am now rather more likely to be either in suburban traffic or an a long motorway run than blasting down a windy B-road for fun.

Cap2019

Wouldn't touch an auto unless it was a torque converter. The alternatives are great .. when they work.

Robisere

Until I became disabled due to a spinal injury and spinal nerve damage to my left side limbs in 1995, I owned only manual 'box cars. I drove many auto box cars in my work as a workshop foreman and had a poor opinion of most in those days, possible exceptions being "top end" models such as Bentleys, Rolls Royces and Aston Martins. My first auto box was a Vauxhall Astra and it was not the best experience. I have had many Motability makes and models since and noticed that over the years, autos became more and more efficient and easier to drive. The first decent driver was a '51 basic Focus LX and I loved it. Several leases later I had another Focus, a Titanium and I hated it. The best driver after that was an original C-Max 2.0 petrol, then a C-Max 2.0 TDCi. The best yet was a Tucson 1.7 TDCi: seamless changes, pulled away swiftly, good MPG and ran smoothly. However, due to deterioration in my mobility, I found it difficult to enter and exit, my wife even more so after a hip operation problem. So I downsized to another Hyundai: an iX20. That is a revelation in small car autos. 1.6, 16v, 125 bhp, 6 speed box. Comfortable, economical in everyday motoring, but accelerates past slow traffic very, very well, ripping through a kick down without any sign of a pause in changes. It will pull up a very long and steep local hill at 60 all the way, more if I wanted to break the limit, which I don't!

Would I go back to a manual if I could, given a good working left leg and healthy spine? No chance! Quite apart from the "Lazy" drive, I believe it is safer. More attention can be paid to the road and looking ahead for possible problems.

iolanthe07

Just seen the comment above re VAG DSG gearboxes and I'm really surprised.

It depends on the model of gearbox. Some of the earlier ones had a bad reputation for expensive post warranty failure and a tendency for the car to hesitate when pulling out into traffic or entering a roundabout. I believe the newer ones are much improved.

facade

chelseablue wrote: »

I've got a 2006 Nissan Note at the moment, not sure what type of auto that would be?

A proper torque converter auto, made by JATCO, very good & reliable.

chelseablue

facade wrote: »

A proper torque converter auto, made by JATCO, very good & reliable.

Glad to hear it

My aim is to get it to at least 20 years old. Partly to annoy my husband who thinks its an ugly car :rotfl:

bertiewhite

The only automatic I've ever had was a 2.7 Grand Cherokee and I kind of liked it. Until I started getting fault codes relating to the gearbox which finally went in to limp mode and ended up killing the car

Everything else was fine.

Scrapit

Auto for my traffic bound journeys, if I lived else where I'd be back with a manual.

Brilley

..I am considering an auto for my next car, never had one but really like the idea. Problem is as per the above comments the VW group has some widely reported problems with their DSG gearbox and then seem totally unconcerned about customers who have been left with BIG bills to repair them (£3k+?). Although it would be nice to know the percentage of actual failures as they must have supplied hundreds of thousands over the various models they supply.

May only be worth considering if you are buying new and keeping until the warranty is gone!

EssexExile

I've prefered autos since manuals went up from 3-speed, too much faffing about with that stick thing in the middle.