Drove an auto today....

_Kaiser_

Regarding the use of the gearbox: Once you get used to it, you can easily control what gear it's in, and personally I don't see what's so great about having to do all the work manually - especially in Dublin commuter traffic, or even the open road. The automatic is a lot less stressful too I find.

As far as the correct usage of the box goes, I generally leave mine in D all the time, and N when stopped at lights. I wasn't given any guidance when doing lessons as to the "right" way to do it, but this work for me. She's also a lot quicker off the line than most manual cars which can be useful too - for example when crossing a busy junction on an N-road.

ninty9er

rocky wrote:

True story

I too drove an auto today for the first time. Granted it's a 1L micra :eek: :rolleyes: , I don't think it would be much 'livelier' in a manual. very very confortable in traffic and even on open roads. Stick it in D and bob's your uncle.

I've heard about 'kickdown' before, I just thought there was the transmission that 'felt' you put the pedal to the metal and just changed down a few gears (this micra, when I do this , likes to send me in all I can describe as 1st gear , because she's revving over 5500 RPM... ). Anyways, I didn't realize there is a button (under the pedal I would presume?) that actually does that... unless you are all joking

Now I'm drooling after the DSG, get me some pover and such a box. :eek:

Well there was definitely a b utton in the Beemer, kick it and come back off, when I tried a second time when picking up speed to merge onto a dual carriage way the revs went to 6k rpm as I didn't come off fast enough....

rebel.ranter

I agree with GTC about autos going into corners, in manual for some corners you tend to gear down before hand where as with an auto you go barrelling into the corner in the gear the car decides on, only gearing down when it senses it needs to. Hence that uneasy feeling at the back end, especially when doing some enthusiastic driving.
I also notice that the brake pedal has to get a lot more use in an auto, I am a fan of the engine/gearbox braking. It comes from driving cars like the original VW Beetle/Mini where drum brakes all round were the order of the day.

On the cost/value of an auto, I always found that puzzling it costs you more to get it but it will devalue the car when it comes to selling it on 2nd hand??? I for one would insist that any luxury saloon has an auto box but I would turn my nose up at a small car with an auto. Have we all been brain washed into thinking these notions?
As regards when to put the car in N or D at the lights etc. I'm still a little grey in that one. I suppose being used to a manual would make you inclined to put it in N. In the handbook fo rthe car it says to leave it in D for brief stops, butto put it in N when you are going to be stopped for longer periods. How long is longer periods? I see others just leave it in D all the time which is probably incorrect to. Is there a definitive length of time that is best?

GTC

You can leave the car in D for prolonged periods if you like, it won't damage the car. The issue is that people forget they're in D, and release the brake pedal, and the car creeps forward and dings someone in the rear.

N is good if you're sitting in a snake of traffic waiting for traffic lights. I used to put the old camry in N if I was in the middle of a queue for traffic lights.

GTC

Oh, and on the manliness issue of the auto box, ditto with bigkev, it looks less masculine alright. Unless you drive a big car like a Lexus LS400 or a GS300 or similar Merc or Audi etc.

mike65

The Atheist wrote:

I've been driving an auto for about a month now and love it. It's a 70's SL, only three speed, but smooth as you like. AND it's got a kickdown button which really does give you a kick.

Whats a 3 speed box like at say motorway speed? I have this image of the engine at 4000 rpm!

Something I've found since I went auto is that small roundabouts are much more fun! Whereas in a manual your have to be at the right speed to change down as you keep an eye on the traffic from your right then change up again as you go through out the exit, with the auto its brake then P-WHAR ON! And you fly out the other side leaving all an sundry in your wake.

Mike.

rebel.ranter

Another thing, I know 0-60mph times are always shown to be slower for an auto. But as Mike65 says you definitiely feel like you are progressing a lot faster in an auto. I drove an auto equivalent of my manual and it definitely felt faster.

OH was thinking of doing this conversion:

http://e46.mit.edu/PaddleShift_Retrofit_Project.htm

More for the novelty of doing the project than any gains I would get from having it. What do you reckon?? I probably would not use it after the first week!!

milltown

On the 0 - 60 point, the figures stated for the manuals are reached with something less than mechanical sympathy and depend on the clutch being dumped at the right time to balance wheelspin with power and all the upshifts being timed just right. In the auto you can just plant the right foot an go, go, go. Or if you really feel the need to match the manufaturers figures, hold it on the brakes and rev it to 2 - 3000 rpm, then release.

nialler

For those of you used to engine braking (which I learned from an american car which suffered horrendous brake fade) autos do eat brakes, specially big autos. Though I'm not sure that engine braking is that common any more as most modern engines cut the fuel supply when hitting the brakes are slowing down making them much more fuel efficient, where if you engine brake you're popping the revs through the roof burning up fuel in the lower gears (I'm I correct in my thinking).

Anyway you do use brakes a lot more in an auto.

DubTony

This thread's definitely improving

A couple of things. I'm in total agreement with Ste regarding "choosing" a gear. after years of driving an auto it becomes second nature. However, since buying the Beemer I've noticed a couple of differences. Firstly the Beemer's a 323Ci and with 170+ horses it's sometimes not easy to tell what gear I'm in. (I've driven in manual mode a few times and tipped along nicely for over a mile in third). I imagine I'll get used to that in time, but if I'm unsure I slap the stick across and do it for myself. Somebody pointed out that cornering can be a bit hairy, especially if the car decides to change down at the wrong time. This happened to me at the end of January on an R road and unfortunately the back of the car did it's own thing. I ended up in the ditch. Anyway, I realised a couple of weeks after I got the car back that I'd been a bit ambitious on the bend and went into it at quite a bit more than optimal speed. The Beemers the first RWD car I've owned, the only thing previously being a Lite-Ace in the mid 80's. So the whole thing was quite new to me. It won't happen again.

N or D at lights? I don't have a lot of choice with the Beemer. Most autos I've owned allow you to change between N and D simply by pushing the lever. In the BMW I need to press the brake pedal before the car will go into D so I'm pretty much a fan of the brake and stay there technique. I was told a few years ago that leaving an auto in D will wear down the clutch quicker than changing to N when stopped, but another argument was put to me that moving between N and D all the time wears the clutch even quicker. So who knows?

Lot of talk here about the button under the accelerator. It's not on all autos. The Beemer's my first car to have one. It's the business. But I'm not using it at all. That thing will do some serious damage to your bank account, especially if it's a big engined BMW. In a tiptronic / steptronic / triptronic (take your pick) BMW in order to overtake there's very little reason to put the foot down much. In auto in 5th gear, slap it into sport to drop a gear, then pull back to drop another. By then you should be well on the way without any additional wear on your right ankle. If thats not enough, putting it into 2nd will bring those revs right up to the limit. It's a nice controlled way to do it without relying on the auto box. As for an auto box dropping a gear like a manual. I've never found one that did, but I'd be inclined to think that the better the car the closer you'll get to it. Te Beemer can seem slow changing down sometimes, but does it quicker in sport mode.

Sorry if I've rambled, I'm just off a 13 hour shift.

rebel.ranter

I'm just curious why you think using step down (button under accelerator) will cost you money? It was designed into the car and therefore it is there to be used.
Interesting point about the N/D at the lights debate.

Guy:Incognito

rebel.ranter wrote:

I'm just curious why you think using step down (button under accelerator) will cost you money? It was designed into the car and therefore it is there to be used..

Brcause If your accelerating hard enough dfor the pedal to be on the floor your revs will be high and you'll be using as much petrol as possible. Plus when it does drop the gear the revs will stay up and again, feul cinsumption will be high.

rebel.ranter

Fair enough, I thought you meant it would cause excessive wear on the engine or something. The reason I would say use it is because it gves the the most amount of power available at the most important time, i.e. when you are overtaking etc. It is really only used instantaneously so in the grand scheme of things I don't see that it will massively afffect the comsumption to such an extent that prevents you from using the facility.

DubTony

rebel.ranter wrote:

Fair enough, I thought you meant it would cause excessive wear on the engine or something. The reason I would say use it is because it gves the the most amount of power available at the most important time, i.e. when you are overtaking etc. It is really only used instantaneously so in the grand scheme of things I don't see that it will massively afffect the comsumption to such an extent that prevents you from using the facility.

It'll cost you a bloody fortune if you use it constantly. In a 323Ci it's like somebody sticking a rocket up your arse and sending you off. The acceleration is incredible. Like Ste says, you'll be dropping into 2nd gear at a point where the car is already being pushed. I'm not using it at all anymore, preferring the more controlled (I feel) option of changing down manually. But if you've never done it, you've got to try it at least once. (Empty motorway only please )

ninty9er

Am I correct in thinking that it's(the kickdown button) only to be hit and then lifted off...or do you floor until passed the dreaded slow coach in front???

rocky

ninty9er wrote:

Am I correct in thinking that it's(the kickdown button) only to be hit and then lifted off...or do you floor until passed the dreaded slow coach in front???

In my experience if you lift off the button the revs won't increase anymore -> no [quick] progress/acceleration

milltown

Keep the foot planted until you've passed. It will keep the 'box in the lowest gear possible without damaging the engine, keeping the revs up and the power flowing.

Mitch Connor

drove my brothers 1.8 auto A6 yesterday - freakin loved it. has got me looking out for an auto as my next car.

rocky

viva la revolucion!

Guy:Incognito

Have to say , I greatly enjoyed my trip to Newry on saturday, trundleing all the way up with cruise control.

Gatster

Big fan of autos, even thought I haven't got one anymore, but I do miss it. As for the auto vs. manual and which is faster, I read somewhere that the M5/M6 drivetrain and subsequent 0-60 time is only really achievable in Auto mode, trying to do it manual/tiptronic mode will result in a slower time. So in fact, a manual can be slower than an auto if it's done right.

rebel.ranter

DubTony wrote:

It'll cost you a bloody fortune if you use it constantly. In a 323Ci it's like somebody sticking a rocket up your arse and sending you off. The acceleration is incredible. Like Ste says, you'll be dropping into 2nd gear at a point where the car is already being pushed. I'm not using it at all anymore, preferring the more controlled (I feel) option of changing down manually. But if you've never done it, you've got to try it at least once. (Empty motorway only please )

I have a 2002 525iA Sport (5 speed auto/tiptronic), it does feel like you are being pushed along nicely. You definitely hold it down until you hit the desired speed, then ease off. I have noticed that you can actually go down two gears if you really need to. You might as well use it now because there wil be no fuel at all in a few years!!! I have a BMW cabrio as well, pulled into a petrol station two days ago, guy at the counter says to me "see you're ready for the global warming?" Thought it was funny coming from a guy selling fuel...

mike65

Tauren wrote:

drove my brothers 1.8 auto A6 yesterday - freakin loved it. has got me looking out for an auto as my next car.

Is that an early non turbo A6 or the latter models?

Mike.

Mitch Connor

its a 1999 one, and it don't think it has a turbo (don't know if you could get one on a 99er), he got it second hand about 9 months a go. I only got my full license a month ago myself, so it was the first chance i had to drive it myself. Beautiful to drive - felt a lot different to my current car, a lot bigger, but it was just so nice to drive. too easy to speed in though - if i owned it i would have no end of speeding tickets.

mike65

All 1.8 A6 after 1997 (the C5 platform) are turboed. About 150 bhp.

Mike

Mitch Connor

well - thats what he has so - bloodt lovely car, would get one myself if it wasn't quite as big, don't think i'd have much luck parking it. really did love driving it.

glynf

DubTony,

Just to clarify, is yours a steptronic with paddles or without?
also what model is it, E46 or E90?
Currently looking to change from a 05 320D E90 manual to a 07 330D with steptronic.
Apart from a yank-tank on hols years ago, the only auto boxes I have driven were a skyline R32 (which had some sort of kickback button on the stick, but no paddles), and a 2l Saab 93.
The Saab had paddles-pointless as it took a few seconds to decide wheather or not to change pure gimmick..

The 330 should be in by the end of the week, just curious about the response time re. the paddles, I like the idea of an auto with a proper 'manual' setting-esp. combined to a 230 BHP lump-when its in sport/manual I want the thing to respond accordingly.

OP, Appologies for sidetracking the thread,imo this question does not warrant a seperate one.

Thanks.

DubTony wrote:

This thread's definitely improving

A couple of things. I'm in total agreement with Ste regarding "choosing" a gear. after years of driving an auto it becomes second nature. However, since buying the Beemer I've noticed a couple of differences. Firstly the Beemer's a 323Ci and with 170+ horses it's sometimes not easy to tell what gear I'm in. (I've driven in manual mode a few times and tipped along nicely for over a mile in third). I imagine I'll get used to that in time, but if I'm unsure I slap the stick across and do it for myself. Somebody pointed out that cornering can be a bit hairy, especially if the car decides to change down at the wrong time. This happened to me at the end of January on an R road and unfortunately the back of the car did it's own thing. I ended up in the ditch. Anyway, I realised a couple of weeks after I got the car back that I'd been a bit ambitious on the bend and went into it at quite a bit more than optimal speed. The Beemers the first RWD car I've owned, the only thing previously being a Lite-Ace in the mid 80's. So the whole thing was quite new to me. It won't happen again.

N or D at lights? I don't have a lot of choice with the Beemer. Most autos I've owned allow you to change between N and D simply by pushing the lever. In the BMW I need to press the brake pedal before the car will go into D so I'm pretty much a fan of the brake and stay there technique. I was told a few years ago that leaving an auto in D will wear down the clutch quicker than changing to N when stopped, but another argument was put to me that moving between N and D all the time wears the clutch even quicker. So who knows?

Lot of talk here about the button under the accelerator. It's not on all autos. The Beemer's my first car to have one. It's the business. But I'm not using it at all. That thing will do some serious damage to your bank account, especially if it's a big engined BMW. In a tiptronic / steptronic / triptronic (take your pick) BMW in order to overtake there's very little reason to put the foot down much. In auto in 5th gear, slap it into sport to drop a gear, then pull back to drop another. By then you should be well on the way without any additional wear on your right ankle. If thats not enough, putting it into 2nd will bring those revs right up to the limit. It's a nice controlled way to do it without relying on the auto box. As for an auto box dropping a gear like a manual. I've never found one that did, but I'd be inclined to think that the better the car the closer you'll get to it. Te Beemer can seem slow changing down sometimes, but does it quicker in sport mode.

Sorry if I've rambled, I'm just off a 13 hour shift.

hobochris

The one reason why i would be against an automatic is a gear box related failure... If that happens in a manual you can put it into nuetral(force it if needs be) and then the car can be towed.

When an Automatic's Transmition dies thats it, your ****ed!

Esel

hobochris wrote:

The one reason why i would be against an automatic is a gear box related failure... If that happens in a manual you can put it into nuetral(force it if needs be) and then the car can be towed.

When an Automatic's Transmition dies thats it, your ****ed!

You can tow an auto for a limited distance as normal. Longer distance you have to have the driven wheels off the ground. Not a reason to go manual really - how often have you needed a tow in the last 5 years?

ninty9er

On that note...is it possible to push start a dead auto as you can with a manual. I have no desire to know how difficult it is thank you, but just if it is possible.