Automatics: are they trickier than manuals in snow?

[LotusOmega375D]

The reason I ask is that the bloke living next door with an automatic fwd Audi A4 has taken to parking on our property, rather than clear a safe route through the snow from his own land. He's never done it before and other cars manage to get in and out all right, so I wondered if his auto-box presents extra difficulties in the snow.

[kambites]

Depends on the auto in question, I think. Some have the ability to lock the box in a high gear for snow, some don't.

[Prof Prolapse]

No he's st.

[Krikkit]

Sounds lazy - you can lock them into a gear to make it easier.

[Hereward]

Autobox should be every bit as good as a manual. Ability to move off without wheelspin by selecting second gear/Winter mode, instead of first, and not having to worry about clutch control are two bonuses.

Ultimately the skill of the driver is the main factor, though.

[paintman]

Never had a problem, in fact an automatic being able to 'creep' when in gear can be a distinct advantage in slippery conditions.

[McSam]

I'm not really sure how a clutch is supposed to be a hindrance in the snow either..

[Hereward]

doogz said:

Hereward said:

Autobox should be every bit as good as a manual. Ability to move off without wheelspin by selecting second gear/Winter mode, instead of first, and not having to worry about clutch control are two bonuses.

Ultimately the skill of the driver is the main factor, though.

I can select second gear in my manual too

Not sure how that a bonus of having an automatic 'box?

You are an excellent driver with excellent clutch control. Some of your fellow humans lack your skills. Old dears manoeuvring in carparks at 5,000 revs spring to mind!

An autobox removes the requirement for a driver to worry about clutch control. So, to answer the OP, autoboxes are NOT trickier than manuals.

[Fastdruid]

If anything easier with the creep of an auto.

[kambites]

Hereward said:

You are an excellent driver with excellent clutch control. Some of your fellow humans lack your skills. Old dears manoeuvring in carparks at 5,000 revs spring to mind!

An autobox removes the requirement for a driver to worry about clutch control. So, to answer the OP, autoboxes are NOT trickier than manuals.

And how many of those old dears would know that it was a good idea to stick the auto in second in the snow? I'm guessing approximately none.

[pits]

paintman said:

Never had a problem, in fact an automatic being able to 'creep' when in gear can be a distinct advantage in slippery conditions.

^ That, I hate autos with a passion, they're the gearbox of satan and should be banned from this world, my E39, useless in slippery conditions like snow even with winter tyres, touch the accelerator with ASC and in second gear it just spins the one wheel, which obviously negates putting winters on because they spin just as much normal tyres (they wont be fitted again, unless it goes to the alps again where it is legal requirement)

But just put auto in drive, let it creep, if needs be just let it creep then attempt to change it up a gear

[kambites]

Winter tyres should NOT spin as easily as summer tyres. That's a fair chunk of their reason for existence!

[monthefish]

Yes, slightly, as they have one less element of control.

[Arbathnot]

it may be a tdi multitroinc. tragic in snow esp if big wheels etc

[Hereward]

doogz said:

Hereward said:

doogz said:

Hereward said:

Autobox should be every bit as good as a manual. Ability to move off without wheelspin by selecting second gear/Winter mode, instead of first, and not having to worry about clutch control are two bonuses.

Ultimately the skill of the driver is the main factor, though.

I can select second gear in my manual too

Not sure how that a bonus of having an automatic 'box?

You are an excellent driver with excellent clutch control. Some of your fellow humans lack your skills. Old dears manoeuvring in carparks at 5,000 revs spring to mind!

An autobox removes the requirement for a driver to worry about clutch control. So, to answer the OP, autoboxes are NOT trickier than manuals.

Thanks.

Ignore the clutch control for a second, since that's not actually what I was talking about.

You think that the ability to move off in second is a bonus of driving an automatic car. I can do that in my manual car. So it's not really.

I also find slowing and stopping in very poor conditions to be a lot easier with a clutch pedal. Having driven the same piece of snow and ice covered road this week in both my manual and auto 4x4s

But one can NOT ignore the human inputs of clutch control and gear selection. They are the most important factors in this debate...

[V8RX7]

Re the OP question - it shouldn't matter.

Generally they are worse as you ultimately have less control.

Also 99% don't have engine braking which when you are going down a very slippery hill at walking pace can be a god send particularly if you also have 4WD.

[A.J.M]

Bosses FIL had a 07 Audi A4, tdi with auto. Came with multi spoke 18s, was useless for pulling away in snow on any sort of incline. Got bored towing it up the hill to his house..

So likely his tyres and he's a lazy git are to blame.

[Monkeylegend]

kambites said:

Winter tyres should NOT spin as easily as summer tyres. That's a fair chunk of their reason for existence!

Agreed, winter tyres and a torquey automatic diesel in creep mood will make it easier to get out of trouble in most situations than a manual in my experience.That's probably because I am not a driving god though

The downside of modern auto's is the electronic intervention when detecting wheel slip, which can be better controlled by a competent driver in a manual. Having said that I haven't had to switch it off yet with the winter tyres on, which was not the case with summers.

Not trying to develop another tyre thread but it does have an impact in relation to the OP's question.

[Hereward]

doogz said:

Hereward said:

But one can NOT ignore the human inputs of clutch control and gear selection. They are the most important factors in this debate...

I'm not ignoring the human inputs of clutch control and gear selection.

I'm pointing out that being able to select second gear to pull off in, is not an advantage of an automatic, as you claimed earlier on. I can do it in my manual, my auto, my centrifugal clutched semi-auto, my mountain bike, and my hoover.

Ok, Henry doesn't actually have gears as such. Just high and low speeds.

Well I am sorry I ever mentioned Second Gear/Winter Mode. I should have focused solely on the clutch-control element.

My point was how many of your fellow humans think to drive off in second at low-revs. My observations are that first gear/full beans/wheel-slip is the default method.

[Snowboy]

Depends on the car, tyres and driver.