Best auto 'box

[PaulHogan]

Well? Thinking reliability and smoothness but feel free to address the question how you like

[W00DY]

One that's been removed and thrown in a skip. Ahahaha....


Honestly I liked the 5-speed found in earlier Merc W211s, but I haven't experienced many.

[Big Rod]

I like auto's. I've had many.

By far the best one I've ever used is the one in my Nissan 300ZX. ECU works well with the engine and it delivers power almost seamlessly right through the range.

[Athlon]

For daily driving I have never driven a car with a better auto than my old Lexus LS400 with the 5 speed, just a superb piece of kit and should go down in history as one of, if not THE best auto to date.

Toughest has to be the Chrysler Torquflite, bullet proof to many hundreds of ponies.

[george h]

I like the 7 speed DSG in Volkswagens.

[The_Burg]

Most amusing is the Honda Insight.
Sport mode, redline the whole way. 0-60! Allegedly.
(If it didn't weigh 47 tonnes and have around 85hp it would be fun).

Other than that the only auto's i've driven were a 1.8LX Sierra and a certain Rover P100, which was cool.

How good are modern mainstream autos with many gears rather than the old school 3 with a clunk?

[stewies_minion]

george h said:

I like the 7 speed DSG in Volkswagens.

+1 for DSG. Albeit I'm more familiar with the older 6 speed. I couldn't tell the differnece with the 7 TBH.

I also like the auto box in my E9x 330i. It's very nearly as good as DSG. Only occasionally does it annoy me.

[eliot]

Athlon said:

Toughest has to be the Chrysler Torquflite, bullet proof to many hundreds of ponies.

TH400 and Powerglide also.
Running a 6L80e in the daily driver - very good when tweaked.

[SirBlade]

george h said:

I like the 7 speed DSG in Volkswagens.

+1 VW DSG is ace

[Willy Nilly]

Not strictly an auto box as it has no gears but the Dyna VT transmission in my tractor really is rather special, better than any car I have ever driven or am ever likely to drive.

[entwisi]

isn't teh DSG a twin clutch box rather than an Auto? i.e it preselects and clutches the next one in rather than a true auto with a torque converter etc?

[H100S]

The best I have driven Jag XF V6 diesel.

[PaulHogan]

Also, is an auto box better with a petrol or diesel lump, all else being equal?

[angusc43]

The previous gen Merc 5 speeder is epic for an auto. The newer gen 7G is almost as smooth but very occasionally fluffs the change very slighty. But I'm just being picky.

[TheEnd]

PaulHogan said:

Also, is an auto box better with a petrol or diesel lump, all else being equal?

Hard to say, but generally they work better the bigger the engine.

[rfn]

H100S said:

The best I have driven Jag XF V6 diesel.

Quite, the ZF box in XFs is brilliant.

[Matt80M]

stewies_minion said:

I also like the auto box in my E9x 330i. It's very nearly as good as DSG. Only occasionally does it annoy me.

Does the box in you 330i do a funny slipping thing occasionally - looses drive momentarily and feels like the fluid has been replaced with treacle - lift off and press the throttle again and it carries on as normal?

I agree though, normally very smooth indeed, and seems quite receptive to changes in driving style.

Edited by Matt80M on Thursday 7th April 11:36

[richardxjr]

Athlon said:

For daily driving I have never driven a car with a better auto than my old Lexus LS400 with the 5 speed, just a superb piece of kit and should go down in history as one of, if not THE best auto to date.

Bombproof (I believe Lexus has never had to supply a replacement LS box, ever), utterly seamless and happily revs to 6500 in sport mode

[tim0409]

I don't know about the best but I can give you the worst - the original Smart Fortwo and the latest one. I have owned both and they are truly hateful.

[calibrax]

The Jatco box on my MG ZT diesel is great, especially in "sport mode". And the "snow mode" worked really well when we had all that bad weather a few months back. Didn't get stuck anywhere.