Manual Vs Automatic??

[Frank7]

Ares said:

Probably a combination of it being a (small) vauxhall and an automatic.

I had one as a hire car for 24hrs in Spain 2, maybe 3 years ago. Hertz, so would have been new then. It was petrol, no idea what engine size. The Autobox was like an old fashioned slush box. 5 speed (IIRC) with huge jumps between ratios made for a very unpleasant experience. I changed it for a manual, still not great, but far far better.

Fair enough, a reasonable and credible explanation, thanks, I was
guessing that being a smaller automatic might be the reason.

[talksthetorque]

We've both just gone auto in our house.
The Leased S4 ( "everything that's changed for the worse" PH badge worn with pride) has a ZF 8 speed and there's a 6 speed DSG in her 9 year old DSG.

Both are very good, but I'd say the 6 speed DSG is the more intuitive solution when in full auto.

She went auto after driving mine and has changed from a Z4M Coupe with a manual gearbox that was awful at anything less than seven tenths.

However, with the discussion about small autos Has anyone ever had the pleasure of driving a Fiat Punto with the clutchess(operation) manual dualogic?

[Ares]

talksthetorque said:

However, with the discussion about small autos Has anyone ever had the pleasure of driving a Fiat Punto with the clutchess(operation) manual dualogic?

No, but I did have an (original) A-Class courtesy car with it's clutches manual. Just weird. And not very good to boot.

[JakeT]

I drove my mum's 500 TwinAir with a Dualogic a bit. Loved it. Especially as the selector was right. Back for up, and forward for down. How it should be!


I tend to buy manual. The age of cars I tend to buy the manual model is faster, more fuel efficient, and more reliable. Traffic in a manual doesn't bother me that much. Fortunately my commute is rural Berkshire to Rural Hampshire. Little traffic and some great roads.

[iguana]

Years back when autos were properly rubbish I decided Autos were for 3 types of drivers.

1- Those missing a limb or two.
2- Those who can't drive
3- Those who can't drive properly

Now are autos around that aren't terrible & in fact quicker than a manual, I'm still not a fan & haven't much changed my previous views.

[Ares]

iguana said:

Years back when autos were properly rubbish I decided Autos were for 3 types of drivers.

1- Those missing a limb or two.
2- Those who can't drive
3- Those who can't drive properly

Now are autos around that aren't terrible & in fact quicker than a manual, I'm still not a fan & haven't much changed my previous views.

I feel a similar way about people who can't construct sentences properly and use poor grammar

[cerb4.5lee]

iguana said:

Years back when autos were properly rubbish I decided Autos were for 3 types of drivers.

1- Those missing a limb or two.
2- Those who can't drive
3- Those who can't drive properly

Now are autos around that aren't terrible & in fact quicker than a manual, I'm still not a fan & haven't much changed my previous views.

I tend to have an Auto because I do around 30k miles a year, but like you I've never been much of a fan of them in all honesty. I just find them boring as hell to use, but I do like the ease of them.

[Frank7]

Ares said:

iguana said:

Years back when autos were properly rubbish I decided Autos were for 3 types of drivers.

1- Those missing a limb or two.
2- Those who can't drive
3- Those who can't drive properly

Now are autos around that aren't terrible & in fact quicker than a manual, I'm still not a fan & haven't much changed my previous views.

I feel a similar way about people who can't construct sentences properly and use poor grammar

Way to go Ares, I tend to think that anyone who’d say 2 and 3 about drivers of automatics,
probably has a bumper sticker saying, “ Not only am I a cretin, I want everyone to know it.”

[iguana]

cerb4.5lee said:

I tend to have an Auto because I do around 30k miles a year, but like you I've never been much of a fan of them in all honesty. I just find them boring as hell to use, but I do like the ease of them.

I do 100k+ a year & still don't want one.

[DoubleD]

100k+ a year? Wow! Are you an astronaut or something?

[blearyeyedboy]

A slight tangent...

I understand that DSG gearboxes learn your driving style over time. What happens if you share your car with someone else on a regular basis?

[cerb4.5lee]

iguana said:

cerb4.5lee said:

I tend to have an Auto because I do around 30k miles a year, but like you I've never been much of a fan of them in all honesty. I just find them boring as hell to use, but I do like the ease of them.

I do 100k+ a year & still don't want one.

I hope its all motorway and not heavy stop/start traffic then! Hats off for sticking with a manual if not.

[cerb4.5lee]

DoubleD said:

100k+ a year? Wow! Are you an astronaut or something?

[jmorgan]

cerb4.5lee said:

DoubleD said:

100k+ a year? Wow! Are you an astronaut or something?

Airmiles?

[culpz]

blearyeyedboy said:

A slight tangent...

I understand that DSG gearboxes learn your driving style over time. What happens if you share your car with someone else on a regular basis?

Not true for DSG's, whatsoever.

They react accordingly to your inputs on the throttle, brake pedal and the speed that you're carrying.

Edited by culpz on Thursday 26th April 09:12

[Filibuster]

As most of you, not long ago I wouldn't have considered an automatic for a small car.

But now I am looking at new Minis (F56 3-pot Cooper, pre LCi) at the moment and first was dead set on a manual.
But the rest of the family that might drive the car from time to time prefers an auto. After reading some reviews, I decided to go for an auto box (6-speed Aisin Automatic, not the new 7-sped Gertrag double clutch). Let's see what the test drive reveals.

And to be honest, it makes sense as it will replace an automatic Audi S4 Avant. (let's see how I cope with a lot less cylinders, power, torque and cargo space)
I still have a manual 997 C2 for those glorious driving moments! Wouldn't want that one to be an automatic! (although I'm not to sure whether I'd not spec a new 991.2 C2 with PDK )

[stuckmojo]

I was a die hard manual fan. Somehow I still am, as I would not want my 996 in tiptronic form. (or even DSG, to be honest).

However, as the wife got an auto licence only, we were forced to buy an auto, and here comes her 220i with the M sport pack with the 8 speed auto with paddles. It's just about perfect. To the point that if I had the choice for a daily driver cum sports car it would be an M2 in auto. Not manual.

Same thing for the 4x4, I can't imagine shifting gears every 4 seconds around town anymore. Even if the gearbox is the dumbest old Mercedes slushbox ever.

Times change.

[captain_cynic]

stuckmojo said:

I was a die hard manual fan. Somehow I still am, as I would not want my 996 in tiptronic form. (or even DSG, to be honest).

However, as the wife got an auto licence only, we were forced to buy an auto, and here comes her 220i with the M sport pack with the 8 speed auto with paddles. It's just about perfect. To the point that if I had the choice for a daily driver cum sports car it would be an M2 in auto. Not manual.

Same thing for the 4x4, I can't imagine shifting gears every 4 seconds around town anymore. Even if the gearbox is the dumbest old Mercedes slushbox ever.

Times change.

I have a manual M240i... After test driving the auto I nearly walked into the office and cancelled my order. I couldn't imagine how a car that had almost all the right ingredients could be so dull and lifeless. The only reason I didn't is because BMW had sent the 3 pedal version to all the journalists and all of them raved about how good it was.

And they were right. A manual box transformed the car. The auto box is designed to be completely inoffensive, to remove the driver from the experience of driving I.E. designed for the American audience and in so doing, managed to make a great car boring.

[cerb4.5lee]

Filibuster said:

I still have a manual 997 C2 for those glorious driving moments! Wouldn't want that one to be an automatic! (although I'm not to sure whether I'd not spec a new 991.2 C2 with PDK )

A friend of mine has recently put a deposit down on a Cayman GTS and we were discussing which gearbox to go for. His current daily is a Manual Megane RS Trophy which he does 20k miles in. The Cayman will be his daily too so I said go for the Manual again but the dealer reckons he will love the PDK more.

The PDK is half a second quicker to 60 than the Manual and will be easier to use day to day. I think he will miss the interaction of a manual though but everyone says that the PDK is awesome so its a tough call.

He's going on a Porsche track day soon so that will help make his mind up, he's currently favouring the PDK.

[Filibuster]

cerb4.5lee said:

A friend of mine has recently put a deposit down on a Cayman GTS and we were discussing which gearbox to go for. His current daily is a Manual Megane RS Trophy which he does 20k miles in. The Cayman will be his daily too so I said go for the Manual again but the dealer reckons he will love the PDK more.

The PDK is half a second quicker to 60 than the Manual and will be easier to use day to day. I think he will miss the interaction of a manual though but everyone says that the PDK is awesome so its a tough call.

He's going on a Porsche track day soon so that will help make his mind up, he's currently favouring the PDK.

N/A Porsche with the 6-speed manual are considered to be among the best money can buy right now.
I'd only consider PDK for the newer 991.2 when the option is the 7-speed manual, which is not as good as the old 6-speed manual.

Do tell your friend to go for the manual GTS.