Automatic car: unexpected benefit

Tazzimus

Deleted User wrote: »

Which has to be restarted after every touch of the clutch

Which I imagine is a safety feature. you wouldn't be doing much clutching on most motorway trips unless you're in traffic, when you wouldn't be using cruise control anyway.

I drive Maynooth to Tullamore at the weekends and 95% of that is on cruise control, with the usual exceptions of the toll and the slip road I take.

rabbitinlights

The biggest benefit of an auto is eating a 99 during the summer.....

NotToScale

What was the hangup about avoiding autos in Ireland and Europe generally? Seemed to be all sorts of macho notions about them in the past.

I know they're a lot less inefficient these days and hybrids in particular render that argument completely redundant, but it always seemed to me that there was some nonsense 70s bravado notions about automatics in Europe in general.

Tazzimus

Tazzimus wrote: »

Which I imagine is a safety feature. you wouldn't be doing much clutching on most motorway trips unless you're in traffic, when you wouldn't be using cruise control anyway.

I drive Maynooth to Tullamore at the weekends and 95% of that is on cruise control, with the usual exceptions of the toll and the slip road I take.

The safety feature is on the brake.
If I am at 100-1320kmh and have to slow down (say a toll) I can just reengage the cruise at 30 kmh and the auto takes over.

Wife's manual I have to get up to 6th gear before doing so.


Cruise in manual is not as effective as the auto

Tazzimus

Deleted User wrote: »

The safety feature is on the brake.
If I am at 100-1320kmh and have to slow down (say a toll) I can just reengage the cruise at 30 kmh and the auto takes over.

Wife's manual I have to get up to 6th gear before doing so.


Cruise in manual is not as effective as the auto

Probably on the clutch for a manual as well to stop you blowing it up trying to change gear with cruise control on.

Never said it wasn't as effective, was just pointing out that it's not just auto's that have it.

zilog_jones

NotToScale wrote: »

What was the hangup about avoiding autos in Ireland and Europe generally? Seemed to be all sorts of macho notions about them in the past.

I know they're a lot less inefficient these days and hybrids in particular render that argument completely redundant, but it always seemed to me that there was some nonsense 70s bravado notions about automatics in Europe in general.

Automatics used to be slow, thirsty, heavy and expensive, and for people who couldn't drive properly. Attitudes take a long time to change. Just like how some people still think Italian cars rust, or diesels are clean...

Vittu

Have my first auto car and drive a manual for work. The constant use of both makes it easy to sit in either and go but a nod time I catch my hand heading to the gearstick in the auto. It's a 2012 and smooth. When overtakking it can take a second to change up after changing down but I think this is to do with how hard I am pushing the throttle. Cruise control and auto make like so much easier.

loyatemu

We got an auto last year and wouldn't go back. I get what people are saying about manual being more responsive "real" driving, but frankly I'm dropping the kids to school in a Citroën, not switchbacking over the Alps in an E-type. For 90% of the driving the average joe does on a day to day basis, auto is is the better option. eCars and hybrids are going to make manual transmission a niche interest within the next 10 years.

galwaytt

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I am looking at getting an auto but there are very little choice if you aren't looking for a auto-diesel or a tiny 1litre city car.

should be no shortage of mid-size petrol VAG cars I'd have thought ?

Peig Sayers

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I am looking at getting an auto but there are very little choice if you aren't looking for a auto-diesel or a tiny 1litre city car.

My Honda Jazz auto is a 1.5 and very nippy.

MetzgerMeister

I'm on my 7th car since I started driving in 2003. They have all been manual and petrol until my current one which is auto and diesel.

The reason I disliked diesels was because I learned to drive in a 1.6 diesel Peugeot 106 which was absolutely lethargic and so lacking in power it wouldn't pull the tits off a leper.

I never liked autos because any I had driven had been so slow to change gear it was unreal. It was mainly a Merc E Class.

I can honestly say that I may never buy a manual again as long as the autobox in future cars are as good as if not better than the ZF8. Next car will be petrol though.

Mad_maxx

NotToScale wrote: »

What was the hangup about avoiding autos in Ireland and Europe generally? Seemed to be all sorts of macho notions about them in the past.

I know they're a lot less inefficient these days and hybrids in particular render that argument completely redundant, but it always seemed to me that there was some nonsense 70s bravado notions about automatics in Europe in general.

Automatics were viewed as less suitable for narrow small roads and straight highways are a relatively new addition here

Having said that, we do still have a remarkable cultural aversion to automatic cars in this country, the percentage is still tiny relative to most countries, I hate manual myself

Mad_maxx

galwaytt wrote: »

should be no shortage of mid-size petrol VAG cars I'd have thought ?

Vast majority of VAG cars are diesel

Ford focus petrol automatic a better bet

DaveyDave

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Vast majority of VAG cars are diesel

Ford focus petrol automatic a better bet

The Focus wasn't available in auto petrol until this year, there's currently 7 autos on the road and 1,1467 manuals.

With the Golf there's 311 auto Vs 1,211 manual, similar numbers in previous year to date. 241 of them are standard Golfs, 70 are GTI/R.

creedp

NotToScale wrote: »

What was the hangup about avoiding autos in Ireland and Europe generally? Seemed to be all sorts of macho notions about them in the past.

I know they're a lot less inefficient these days and hybrids in particular render that argument completely redundant, but it always seemed to me that there was some nonsense 70s bravado notions about automatics in Europe in general.

I'm getting worried now .. maybe I should change my preference to an automatic as wouldn't want to be described as suffering from that horrible condition referred to above!

I know its all about conformity these days but seriously some people actually like driving a manual. No doubt an automatic is easier to drive but some people doesn't always opt for the easier option ... should we all prefer instant coffee to home ground coffee beans?

R.O.R

creedp wrote: »

should we all prefer instant coffee to home ground coffee beans?

Must be quite tiring to hand grind the beans. Never tried it myself, but they look like pretty hard little buggers to grind down to a substance you could make a nice cup of coffee with.

But, if you had some sort of machine to do the grinding for you...

Mad_maxx

DaveyDave wrote: »

The Focus wasn't available in auto petrol until this year, there's currently 7 autos on the road and 1,1467 manuals.

With the Golf there's 311 auto Vs 1,211 manual, similar numbers in previous year to date. 241 of them are standard Golfs, 70 are GTI/R.

The focus petrol has been available in automatic since the very start

R.O.R

Mad_maxx wrote: »

The focus petrol has been available in automatic since the very start

And the old 4 speed auto box mated to the 1.6i was a fine example of why Auto's weren't very popular.

MetzgerMeister

I detailed a 2012 Focus 2.0 diesel auto recently. It was a UK import but God it wasn't nice to drive. Whether you had it in normal or sport mode the gear change was terrible!

One of the best (if not the best) combination on the market today is the BMW N57 engine and the ZF8 gearbox.

creedp

R.O.R wrote: »

Must be quite tiring to hand grind the beans. Never tried it myself, but they look like pretty hard little buggers to grind down to a substance you could make a nice cup of coffee with.

But, if you had some sort of machine to do the grinding for you...

Sorry my analogy could be better but my argument that not everyone chooses the easier option still stands.

I have both an auto and manual car and have no problem agreeing that an auto is easier / more relaxing to drive especially in urban traffic bit I still prefer a manual gearbox.

Tazzimus

creedp wrote: »

Sorry my analogy could be better but my argument that not everyone chooses the easier option still stands.

I have both an auto and manual car and have no problem agreeing that an auto is easier / more relaxing to drive especially in urban traffic bit I still prefer a manual gearbox.

Think that's the main thing, some of us just like manual over auto.
I find auto's awful boring to drive personally, although one would be handy for my M50/M4 commute at times.