OT: automatic van hire - possible?

[Andy Burns]

Every conventional auto I've had did allow locking into any gear (except top) but the DSG *WILL* change up/down when it reaches too many/few revs, whether it's in full-auto mode or manual.

[Part Timer]

Wouldn't she be at risk of an LC20 (Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence)? Unless you accompanied her and displayed L plates. Not sure what the insurer would say even if it was your claim, her being a named driver but without manual licence. Would they check the details of all named drivers with no bearing on the claim?

My only info for the OP is the two pedal Renault van that someone else mentioned. James May used one when they went testing as roadies for The Who.

Anyway, back to the DIY!

[Andy Champ]

Yes, but how often do you think of using it? Whereas in a manual not changing gear half way around a fast corner just comes naturally.

Andy

[The Natural Philosopher]

Try a decent German box Mercs Beemers or Jags all use the same I think.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No, I'd have changed down well before the corner. The auto wont do that. I will come into the corner on low gear in neutral, shift down with a lurch as you get past the apex and apply the power, and then unwantedly change up as you power out of the corner.

Autos react, they don't predict. Drivers can predict.

The only way to get a classical auto to do what you want is to use the brakes and accelator together. This is not optimal for brake wear or fuel consumption.

So

Yawn. I've driven very high performance autos in Jaguars (4 or 5 or 6 if you count ones 'loaned' when in service or tested). They are still sub optimal.

Thats no bloody good as its often a pretty difficult process with odd gates and a lot of delay. I do that to an extent on the freelander, but its more as suggestion than a lock. It WILL still drop to 2nd to pull away from a dead stop, and stay there screaming..if you forget.. AND it wont change down if that would overrev the engine.

As indeed it does.

[dennis]

I hate the "manual" smart i sometimes drive. It is not an auto and you have to use the stick to change gear.

Except you don't. It will change down when it decides the engine speed is too low.

It never changes up, except when you pull away and floor the gas, then it will change up. Trouble is it sometimes does this just as I decide to change up and the damn thing goes up two gears.

[Steve Firth]

Most decent autos will not change gear on a fast corner either. They have lateral g sensors.

[Huge]

You perplex me. 95% of what you post is sensible, logical and correct, and then every so often you come out with something that makes dennis look like an intellectual giant.

[Andy Burns]

This is one of the 95% ... in a race that is over in under 5 seconds where half of that time is spent convincing the clutch to stop slipping, who has time to change gear?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I dunno if my ZF has that. It has one for hills - if it speeds up on the over-run and you touch the brakes it changes down.

But even without, it's just bad driving if it changes down and produces too much 'power' on a corner. It only changes down when you call for that. It's something you soon get a 'feel' for.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My steptronic ZF in my BMW will also change up or down if you exceed the speed for that gear (either too fast or too slow) when in 'manual' mode. And as you say, most modern ones do too. My previous BMW with basically the same transmission but without the steptronic, could be locked in any of the gears totally - except 5th. Modern boxes obviously designed for those who can't drive.

But the box is so good in auto I hardly ever use the manual function.

[Huge]

I suggest you look on Youtube for some in-cockpit dragster footage.

[Andy Burns]

Same here really, I've used the flappy paddles to check they work, but there is hardly ever a need to use them, or to knock the selector over to "M" ... though it is part of the sequence needed to enable launch control, again I've tested it works, but it strikes me as an excellent way to ruin the clutches.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Then do so in the auto.

Sounds like it needs fixing. A decent auto in good nick doesn't 'lurch'.

So you exercise control over that auto. Just because it's an auto doesn't remove the responsibility to drive properly.

Complete rubbish. If an auto changes gear in the middle of a corner so would you have to on a manual - perhaps even more so. So you're restricting your speed on that corner to stay within the speed of that gear. Just do the same with the auto.

You need to learn how to drive them, I'm afraid. Just because it's an auto doesn't remove that responsibility.

You normally change down in a manual at speeds higher than that gear is capable of? How many engines have you broken? The maker decides just how the gearbox is programmed. And on something like a Freelander, it will be for the sort of use that vehicle is normally put to. And I can barely think of a worse one for throwing around corners...

Well, if you include the rough changes you talk of it sounds like it needs fixing. It's not unknown for the clutch timing to go wrong.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If it changes gear by itself it's an auto.

Why would anyone buy such a crappy device? Especially at the price?

>

[Dave Plowman (News)]

As I said most dragsters use a conventional auto - so no clutch to slip.

Usually a modified 2 or 3 speed from a yank tank.

[Andy Burns]

[fred]

Well he still has the pin in his hip and an auto Honda and the full driving license.

What, you can't do your test in a car with an automatic hand brake? I find that hard to believe. You can't do your test WITH an automatic handbrake perhaps.

I dislike some iterations of auto handbrakes. Get them on hire cars, with no instructions on how to use them, and the Fiat, Renault and Citroen versions I have suffered all differed in their operation. My own car has a very simply approach. Set it with a programmable switch on the steering wheel and it remains on until cancelled or the ignition is turned off. If the car stops the auto hand brake sets in. Just press the accelerator (Auto box) to go and it automatically releases.

Paul Mc Cann

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I can't for the life of me see the need for an auto handbrake on an auto. Just use your other foot on the brake to hold it on a hill if it needs it. And use park when stopped for more than a short time.

[Huge]

They don't slip the clutch anyway. It would be destroyed in milliseconds. As you (I think) rightly pointed out excess torque is bled away through wheel-spin.