How auto gearboxes went from zero to hero

justplain said:
Sad thing is some cars should have manual options, let the customer decide. The Golf GTI for example will no longer have a manual option in ZA.
In terms of outright performance and efficiency, ""auto/pdk/dsg"" are better than manuals.
Sometimes though, YOU as the driver want that interaction and the ability to do the shifting using your left foot and the gear lever. It's often a personal thing..
I've had 3 manuals and now a 3'er with the 8sp ZF. (I have the paddles on the wheel and those are sure fun!)
In daily traffic the auto is fantastic, you dont think about stalling, no stiff leg from pushing in the clutch, no 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd etc.
I dont miss the manual gearbox in my car. When I drive a car with a manual I'm reminded of the fun factor...it's great. When I go back to my auto, it's a joy to sit and let the car do the work.
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After a long day at work, worst is to get home with a sore left leg. This morning in traffic this dumb blonde keep on taking her manual out of gear when we were crawling through traffic. Sometimes it's so fustrating driving behind manual gearbox drivers. Not to mention when the stall.
 
supersunbird said:
What sucks about automatic is when watching game in Kruger, you have to go through all the rigmarole of an automatics start up each time you stop and turn the engine off*

*obviously not an issue if the vehicles has stop/start tech
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what rigamarole? press START button...engine on
 
supersunbird said:
What sucks about automatic is when watching game in Kruger, you have to go through all the rigmarole of an automatics start up each time you stop and turn the engine off*

*obviously not an issue if the vehicles has stop/start tech
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I don't follow. How is game driving in an automatic more work/different from doing do in a manual?
 
Hamster said:
I don't follow. How is game driving in an automatic more work/different from doing do in a manual?
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Think SSB is drunk. When driving in the Kruger in an auto you can hold your beer in one hand without spoiling it.
 
konfab said:
You have just contradicted yourself.
If my manual gearbox breaks, it will be cheaper to fix as it has less parts is less complex than an auto gearbox. This is why automatics always cost more.
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I don't know why you highlighted that part as I was referring to the prices of cars not gearboxes. Manufacturers were taking advantage of people that couldn't drive manual as those that could always went with manual anyway. It doesn't relate to the cost of a gearbox which you were referring to. This was 10 years ago though so a lot has probably changed.

As for the cost of fixing it it's rare that an auto gearbox completely breaks so it's usually possible to just fix it for MUCH less and prices are also coming down. In contrast it happens more often that someone breaks a manual box or clutch because they don't shift correctly.

Hamster said:
I don't follow. How is game driving in an automatic more work/different from doing do in a manual?
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You have to move to neutral/park instead of putting foot on a pedal.
 
Swa said:
You have to move to neutral/park instead of putting foot on a pedal.
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You mean to say one can't just put one's foot on the brake pedal of an automatic and make it stop? No wonder people are ditching autos. They're a real pain in bumper-to-bumper traffic :rolleyes:
 
Hamster said:
I don't follow. How is game driving in an automatic more work/different from doing do in a manual?
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When you have turned of the motor off at sighting to get rolling again. It's just unnecessary hassle to me, over a manual. And I am talking bout the normal run of the mill automatic, nothing fancy like all you millionaires would drive...
 
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I would not go as far as calling an auto a hero. I have driven a variety of them from old corona 3 speeds to the latest from PlayStation inspired German offering, and still enjoy going back to my manual box.
I say again type of gearbox is a personal choice based on driving style. This topic can start the same arguments as what’s the best bakkie. All very much a personal choice.

Personally my reason for choosing a manual is that a manual is much more fun and more of a driver’s car. Auto is a very lazy relaxed driving style. They ok for commuting traffic. I do rush hour every day and never had a sore leg or got tired of shifting. It’s all part of the drive.

Yes the dsg is quick 0 to 100. But my 17 year old manual car is still quicker than many of these autos today. A proper driver would still shift on par with a dsg and the split seconds difference on gearbox shift time makes no difference as it’s the engines output that makes the difference.

The big difference shows when they get driven hard or tracked. A manual car gives more control in shifting weight entering and exiting corners. A manual follows drivers input with no ecu overriding input. The manual gives more control with engine braking. The auto on track does as programmed and still override drivers input. Heard many complaints as the car would not shift at the time the drives gives input. Yes not everyone tracks a car.

I also have a concern with the over complicated electronic auto boxes. Experienced shudder on pull off and difficult gear changes on modern auto boxes and then the box needs a software calibration to compensate for wear. The selector module on a Polo gti dsg is about 35k and is known for early failure. Even the dsg clutch unit replacement is R60k and up depending on car. All well and dandy when you buy a new car every 2 years and live with a full maintenance plan.

But what happens to the poor sod that buys a 2nd hand car and ends up spending more on the gearbox repairs than what the cars is worth.
Again its personal choice. And yes I like living in the stone age where I decide what gear lol.


I chuckle when someone mentions DSG as it always make me think of this. And I heard this comment before. "The auto frees up my hands to do other things". like what? your makeup while sipping coffee and eating breakfast watching your infotainment system lol?

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supersunbird said:
When you have turned of the motor off at sighting to get rolling again. It's just unnecessary hassle to me, over a manual. And I am talking bout the normal run of the mill automatic, nothing fancy like all you millionaires would drive...
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Jirre ***, life must be really hard for you.
 
qscwbt said:
I chuckle when someone mentions DSG as it always make me think of this. And I heard this comment before. "The auto frees up my hands to do other things". like what? your makeup while sipping coffee and eating breakfast watching your infotainment system lol?
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In a properly fast car it means your hands are always on the wheel which means you have more control.

Which is exactly what you want, especially when it lets loose.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Jirre ***, life must be really hard for you.
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It really isn't :crylaugh:, it is just more of a drag than starting a manual in the same situation, stop/start technology combined with automatic obviously makes it no drag and even better than manual, when the elephant suddenly charges you can just put voet in die hoek and shoot off.

I was just mentioning a little itty bitty irritation, ya'll want to blow it out of proportion.
 
SauRoNZA said:
In a properly fast car it means your hands are always on the wheel which means you have more control.

Which is exactly what you want, especially when it lets loose.
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In rush hour or at legal speeds it should never "let loose" with all the traction / abs / stability etc. control. and if it does happen due to road or environmental conditions few people can correct under or over steer even with 2 hands on the wheel.
More got to do with driver experience, than how many hands on the wheel.

Problem is the average driver not needing to shift gears use this freedom to text, call, eat.
 
Texting & eating. One sees plenty of that with the "free hand".

Not seen anyone eating a curry or bunny chow while driving though.
 
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Hamster said:
There's a big N on the auto gearbox that solves that issue. Unless, of course, staling your manual is part of the "Kruger Experience".
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No need for that in my auto.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWTF-80_SC
One aspect of the advanced nature of the electronics is at idle (along with required foot brake depression on e.g. Opel Astra), it automatically selects neutral gear to reduce internal temperatures and improve fuel economy.
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