What cars SHOULDN'T come with a manual

[willmagrath]

Us PHer's all love a manual gearbox and i will always buy manual when i can, but what cars have you driven that had awful manual boxes?

To start, my dad has a manual Insignia cdti, the manual gearbox is horrible and coupled with the cars turbo lag and weight, it makes accelerating through the gears a chore!

[ShaunTheSheep]

Anything diesel.

Anything proper luxury, I'd feel short changed if I had to stir-my-own in any roller! With the possible exception being the drophead.

[GravelBen]

ShaunTheSheep said:

Anything diesel which is intended primarily for boring on-road commuting.

Finished that sentence for you Nothing wrong with manual boxes in a lot of proper 4wds.

Edited by GravelBen on Monday 25th August 01:24

[Baryonyx]

Diesels suit automatic boxes, because otherwise you get an unsatisfying shift-fest.

[griffin dai]

My 9-3

6 speed manual is gash notchy as hell and close to impossible to get 1st without screaming at it to go in. Really let's it down. Still can't figure out why Saab didn't offer a 5 speed manual in the v6, the 4 pot Aero got 5, 6 and auto

Just 6 or auto.

[Swoxy]

318d.

[Baryonyx]

Speaking of Vauxhall diesels, the new Astra is miles better than the old one but where is the twin clutch box? Come on Vauxhall, get with the times!

[Miner49er]

Original MB C-Class.

[CYMR0]

My W212 Mercedes E220.

Nice car, but horrendous for commuting due to the heavy box and clutch. Fine on the open road but I look forward to commuting in a rented Focus instead because of the comparative lightness of the change.

[richs2891]

Diesel 4x4 5 door models seem to suit auto better in my eyes. Especially the more luxury models.
Lots of arguments which is better of road manual or auto's.

[MagneticMeerkat]

None of them! My Mazda came with about three different manuals in gloriously bad nineties swirly design; all housed in a chintzy gold-edged binder.

I expect one for the car, one for the radio/cassette and another one with a load of smeary stamps inside implying dubious service records.

I don't actually read them but sort of enjoy the fact they are there. Especially if there's the usual simpering introduction.

[David87]

Any Land Rover, bar the Defender.

[Corpulent Tosser]

I depends on what you use it for as much as the actual car, our RR Sport is auto and that is best for it given the use and way it is driven, our MX5 I wouldn't want auto as it is used primarily for enjoyment and occasional spirited driving.

There is an old expression, horses for courses.

[juansolo]

ShaunTheSheep said:

Anything diesel.

THIS ^

I can't think of anything more depressing to drive than a manual diesel. Having an auto lessens the sheer horridness of it all.

[c2mike]

BMW 320d F30. Drove one for 2 days (BMW dealer loaner car). Nasty notchy gear change and heavy springy clutch. Must be better as an auto.

[Baryonyx]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

Volvo XC90.

Some poor saps actually bought one

Although the automatic transmissions were notoriously troublesome too, no?

[CaptainSlow]

willmagrath said:

To start, my dad has a manual Insignia cdti, the manual gearbox is horrible and coupled with the cars turbo lag and weight, it makes accelerating through the gears a chore!

I agree, Insignia's shouldn't come as autos either.

[shoehorn]

Baryonyx said:

Although the automatic transmissions were notoriously troublesome too, no?

That`s an understatement.

Automatics for any vehicle that is driven by anyone old enough to remember WW2,women with more than one child or other women aboard(they all ready have more than enough to be getting on with) and taxi`s,round here the lazy feckers are usually 1 or 2 gears too high.

[willmagrath]

CaptainSlow said:

willmagrath said:

To start, my dad has a manual Insignia cdti, the manual gearbox is horrible and coupled with the cars turbo lag and weight, it makes accelerating through the gears a chore!

I agree, Insignia's shouldn't come as autos either.

Haha very true!

[Riknos]

c2mike said:

BMW 320d F30. Drove one for 2 days (BMW dealer loaner car). Nasty notchy gear change and heavy springy clutch. Must be better as an auto.

In contrast - I had a 320d F30 for 2 weeks, and found the gear shift not so much notchy as soft (and signal box like compared to the s2000) and I found the clutch TOO light, but I guess it's all relative?