Mitsy Galant Tip-Auto INVECS II

Mitsy Galant Tip-Auto INVECS II

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flamingm0

Original Poster:

68 posts

245 months

Friday 15th April 2005
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Have just bought a Galant with INVECS tiptronic auto. I went along for the test drive think nahh, don't really want an auto but it was local and convenient. I had an auto in the past and though great in traffic you would put you foot down coming out of a bend and nothing would happen until 2 years later.

This was different, I was quite impressed. Seems the best of both worlds, responsive throttle and you can but it across to manual mode and shift when you want, with no lag. Changes down using engine braking too. Clever.

Do these boxes have a torque convertor or a electrically operated manual clutch? How does it compare to other "sporty" autos?

IF you're interested, marketing blurb can be seen at:
www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/features/invecs.asp

tuttle

3,427 posts

238 months

Sunday 17th April 2005
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My only experience of trip tronic type gear box/changers is in my dads merc clk.He's had manuals all his life,so its his 1st auto.He's been really happy with it.Does genuinely seem to combine best of both worlds.If you manually flick up/down,gear changes seem quick & seamless,can change down to use engine braking with no surprises etc.If you like it,go for it.
iirc nissan use a similar system for auto 'liners,seems to work well enough,tho I've never driven one.


>> Edited by tuttle on Sunday 17th April 11:49

>> Edited by tuttle on Sunday 17th April 19:57

ninjadave

2,101 posts

257 months

Monday 18th April 2005
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Same box as I have in my FTO.

It's a good box, but needs to be looked after with regular services and NEVER overfill it. If you do it decides to redecorate your engine bay in 'box fluid. I found out the hard way It doesn't do much lasting harm to the 'box but it won't like it much either.

It uses a TC rather than an EC. They aren't the best designed by todays standards, but aren't too bad. They do sap an awful lot of power (My engine is calculated at 204bhp, but my wheels are at 137bhp ). There is a company in the SE that can do you a replacement TC for a resonable prices (less than a couple of hundered) with toughened splines and blades. These are also more effiecent leading to lower fuel bills (or in my case more torque on tap).
They will also alter stall speeds and things if you want, but that starts costing big, and unless you do drag racing isn't really worth it.

All in all, just make sure it has been serviced well if you want it.

Edit to say -

The only other sports auto I've driven was in a (then) new Merc a couple of years ago. The Merc changed smoother, but nowhere near as quick to respond as the INVECS-II, especially when going down through the gears. Compared to all other stnadard autos I've driven it's much better, even in auto mode. It can just be a bit scarry when you first drive it and it'll drop two gears for every inch of foot travel... it lead my gf to bounce from 4th to 2nd to 4th to 3rd the first time she pulled around a bend on a country road

>> Edited by ninjadave on Monday 18th April 12:21