At one time I had a Rover 105R, it had a lever coming out of the dashboard with a button on it. Press the button to operate a pneumatic clutch and move the lever into drive, then it changed up automatically. Unfortunately sometimes when overtaking at speed it would change down unexpectedly blasting a big cloud of black smoke behind.
newshound snipped-for-privacy@stevejqr.plus.com> wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk:
I drive a Hybrid. I think of it as an electrically enabled automatic! A Pwer Split planetary gear shares power between motor and engine. No clutch
- no changes. I love it.
+1
Having driven three versions of Toyotas:
- computer controlled clutch 'semi-auto'
- CVT auto
- hybrid e-CVT
The e-CVT is a lot smoother, and the advantage is it can combine motor and engine for extra acceleration grunt when you need it.
A manual would be a substantial retrograde step IMHO.
Theo
It was a geartronic I drove. There's so much traffic around these parts these days you end up with clutch foot ache. Didn't think i'd like an auto but was very pleased and now having a complete rethink, plus as stated elsewhere, no more clutch replacement.
Headache if the box goes kaput though!
As an aside, it was interesting when I almost launched everyone through the windscreen the first time I wanted to stop it and my left foot instinctively went for the clutch and found the brake.
He's a nutcase, then.
As you can also with modern autos.
It kicks down far quicker than the average driver can manage with a manual box. If you see a gap that allows you to overtake, you have to change down in a manual. This takes more time than it takes an auto to change down by flooring the pedal. On either, you can grind along in a low gear waiting for the opportunity to overtake.
I doubt he has either.
Yup. Ambulances are generally auto too.
Two speed manual box fitted with an automatic overdrive, and torque converter. Dunno why Rover bothered, as autos had been around for some time. It could be the P4 didn't have room for one, being a rather old design with a chassis.
The twin clutch/layshaft boxes are pretty pricey, and I'm told not easy to fix, unlike conventional autos.
But on the forum for mine, I've not heard of any failures. Unlike clutches on the manual version.
I know someone with one - he rather liked it, although was less impressed when it developed a gearbox fault and Volvo wanted north of 5K to fix it!
Historically I have always favoured a manual, but the last time I was looking for a car I could only get what I wanted with an auto.
In the past I had driven other people's 3 speed autos and did not really like them. However the one I got has a more modern 5 speed "tiptronic" style box with various modes including "full manual" shift as one option, and it has to be said its a world apart from the autos of old.
(I would expect a more modern auto to be even better - mine is now an older genration design since its in a 2003 2L twin scroll turbo Subaru Legacy GT).
It has several modes - Eco (supposed to make it more economical at the expense of a more "lazy" shifting routine) - I never use it since it makes it a bit less responsive and makes little if any difference to the fuel consumption. Normal mode is ok for day to day stuff and nice in heavy traffic, and quite intelligent at changing down when it needs to. Sport mode is like normal but down shifts more readily, and gives more engine braking assist.
Then full manual where you can nudge the stick up and down, or use buttons on the wheel. That is good on the twisty turny stuff for having a bit more fun or for terrifying unsuspecting passengers (it looks like a family estate, but goes, stops, and changes direction quite unlike one! :-)
You can also use the button on the wheel in normal or eco modes to temporarily override the car's choice of gear. That is a bit of a mixed blessing - in some cases its really nice - like descending a steep hill you can just nudge the gear up and down to control the speed, or get a bit more feel and control from a lower gear going into a corner. At other times it tries to be a bit too clever and ends up second guessing what you want.
So all in all, I would be happy to have another, and might even choose one (manuals are harder to find and more expensive on JDM scoobies), but there are a few pros and cons depending on the driving you are doing.
You friend is an idiot. ;-)
These boxes can change so quickly that in practice, they can drop gears and accelerated faster than you could in a manual. No need to press the clutch, pick a gear, let the clutch out again etc, just stomp the go pedal.
Tim
My first automatic was a 2009 Mondeo which I believe had a torque converter, and I am now running a 2016 Mondeo which I think is the twin clutch type, and has flappy paddles, should I choose to use them, which is pretty seldom.
Both simply worked, gave me sufficient performance for my needs, and they were both pretty smooth in operation. I guess the only time I really get my foot hard to the floor is towing the caravan onto a slip road.
Chris
I don't know about the XC60, I have a Mercedes C220 which has the DSG box. It has a (semi) manual mode which I seldom use. I say "semi manual" because it will override your selection to prevent over-revving or stalling.
I think once you get above 5-gears you really can't keep track. The Merc can be persuaded to change down when you want a little more get up and go.
A friend bought a jag because it had a manual box. He took me for a ride to show how good it was. He was in the wrong gear 90% of the time...
Dave
The point is the gearbox was sitting in 4th whilst he was driving in
3rd, and took a while to move to 2nd. Perhaps these gearboxes are not all the same. He was quite adamant on how long he was waiting for power to kick in.
Was it what volvo call the "powershift" double clutch? If so that's what I'd opt for ...
The geartronic shift up and down the gears I find useful if only that I keep wanting to do something with my left hand... it's useful to lock the gear in 2 say when there are a load of speed bumps close together.
If you do go for a Volvo it has one of the best user forums for any make and also at least one good facebook group. The forum has saved my bacon a few times - you could ask about issues with a model here. Auto boxes like fluid changes, which makers often don't recommend but users do.
About 5 years ago I hire a Jeep in the USA. I had to stop driving it up a hill because the automatic gear box overheated and a warning light came on.
Odd, really, as once the US made the very best autos. Even Rolls chose to fit them. But about 40 years ago they sat on their laurels and it's now Germany which leads the way. Of course with cheap fuel they didn't see the need for a more efficient auto - just fitted a bigger engine for more go.
About 1/5 of a second to change with a double clutch, unless you "catch it out" e.g. it was in 3rd on the "odd half" and has 4th ready to go on the "even half" but then you hoof it, so now it needs 2nd on the "even half", so that makes it a bit slower.
And learnt to fool the box using left foot braking to force a shift down. So they burnt the brakes out instead
They may be able to, but on practice they dont. Up to to a second lag
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