Small-car automatics

Mr Benevolent

Just been flipping through Carzone and came across a few Micra and Punto automatics. Have just got the provisional and will take the test on a manual ,but I do like the autos. Does anyone have any experience with them? I hear the Micra CVT box isn't bad, what about the Civic or others? Not that many people with automatics in Ireland!

L-M

Confab wrote: »

Just been flipping through Carzone and came across a few Micra and Punto automatics. Have just got the provisional and will take the test on a manual ,but I do like the autos. Does anyone have any experience with them? I hear the Micra CVT box isn't bad, what about the Civic or others? Not that many people with automatics in Ireland!

Ya i don't think i would go spending too much on a small auto car. The resale won't be as near as good as the manual version.
I know people who have gotten very used to driving auto cars, like one for example had a corsa, and did her test in it. Then when she wanted a bigger car she had to look at things like old merc's and the likes to get an auto. EVentually she found an auto astra.

Guy:Incognito

Limerick-man wrote: »

Ya i don't think i would go spending too much on a small auto car. The resale won't be as near as good as the manual version.
I know people who have gotten very used to driving auto cars, like one for example had a corsa, and did her test in it. Then when she wanted a bigger car she had to look at things like old merc's and the likes to get an auto. EVentually she found an auto astra.

He says he's doing the test in a manual so the boards anti-auto-dont-start-in-an-auto thing wont work here. :P

the missus sister has an old model auto micra. At the end of the day a micra is not bought for speed and is the epimtome of an a-b car, all of which should be autos.

L-M

Stekelly wrote: »

He says he's doing the test in a manual so the boards anti-auto-dont-start-in-an-auto thing wont work here. :P

LOl! I didn't directly say that, i was just hinting not too haha.

púca-mór

Small autos are quite uncommon in ireland... I think that's probably because the auto boxes in small cars back in the day used to be pretty bad, and they will give less mpg.

I'm not sure how the modern dinky cars are with autos - i'd imagine they're much smoother.. wouldn't be entirely sure though.

I'd definately opt for auto these days.
It is much more relaxing to drive in an auto...

RobAMerc

First thing I would suggest is to not listen to what your told on boards - just go out and try and buy what you like.

Secondly - 85% of Irish people should be driving automatics - as 90a% of Irish people can't drive a car and an auto would at least make it easier on them.

Now sorry for the rant - to answer your question.

My wife has been troubled by driving about the city for a while - as she finds it a bit too much to think about everything at once - while having a morbid fear of getting lost, so she bought a Fiesta Durashift

What a difference it has made to her and her driving - now rather than avoiding going places she's only too happy to take the car, as she finds she has more time to think about lane position and read signs etc without having to worry about what gear shes in.

I am not going to plug the durashift too much as we are selling it ( gonna buy one auto between us rather than 2 cars )
But you could do a lot worse.

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=61512&cat=2

Anyway - its got to the stage that if I am going into town - I take the fiesta as its much nicer to drive in town than my BMW.
It can also be driven as a clutchless manual (tiptronic) - its really good fun, it wont let you stick it in the wrong gear and will choose the right one if you forget at lights etc

itarumaa

Limerick-man wrote: »

Ya i don't think i would go spending too much on a small auto car. The resale won't be as near as good as the manual version.

Thats just strange, since last time when I was checking car prizes automatic Micras were much more expensive than manual ones,

Alanstrainor

itarumaa wrote: »

Thats just strange, since last time when I was checking car prizes automatic Micras were much more expensive than manual ones,

+1, i dont know where he's getting that from

_Kaiser_

I had 2 automatic 1.3 Mitsubishi Mirages (hatchback and coupe versions) and found them a great car. Reliable, nippy enough in most cases and the only reason I got rid of the 2nd one was because I needed a diesel for all the mileage I was doing.

If only the first Passat (also an auto) I bought had been as reliable.... :mad: But that's what I get buying from a cowboy. The newer one I have now is flawless and has a full 12 month main dealer warranty - moral: it pays to pay a bit extra upfront.

Saruman

automatics are a little more expensive... however they are less desirable since people prefer manuals... and i think Irish people prefer manuals because of some ingrained stereotype of how unreliable they were before i was even born

I drive an auto now, i got it because of my American wife who can not drive manual but its very nice to drive, especially in bumper to bumper traffic.

The newer Yars has a multimode option. You can either use it as a manual (no clutch needed ) or put it in full auto mode.

RobAMerc

one thing to note though is auto still saps a bit of power from the engine so I would if possible try buy something with a slightly bigger engine than the 1.0 Yaris or Micra - they are truly slow.

itarumaa

RobAMerc wrote: »

one thing to note though is auto still saps a bit of power from the engine so I would if possible try buy something with a slightly bigger engine than the 1.0 Yaris or Micra - they are truly slow.

Even "better" is Chevrolet Matiz 800cc auto, 0-100km/h 21.6 seconds:)

Mr Benevolent

Thanks guys, must say I'm surprised at the lack of automatic-bashing! Fair point about the power, 1L might be a bit wimpy for an auto. Will give the 1.2/1.3 a look. It'll be strictly short-range hops (<50km) and in Dublin, so it's better (for a new driver) to concentrate on the road rather then the feckin' gear lever!

RobAMerc

Confab - don't foget the wonderful fiesta !

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=61512

carlson

I have always driven an auto - did test in one too

When I was selling my last auto a while back it was hard to shift/get a good trade in cos it was small but had a big engine (cos it was an auto) people are less likely to buy a small car with a big engine because of insurance costs that is why you may not get as good a re-sale on it - well that is what the guy in the garage told me. An auto is great - like a friend of mine says an auto is like using a remote control to change channel and a manual is like getting up off the sofa to change it....why would you bother? The whole world seems to drive autos except us

RobAMerc

carlson wrote: »

people are less likely to buy a small car with a big engine because of insurance costs that is why you may not get as good a re-sale on it - well that is what the guy in the garage told me.

yes and dealers will always tell you the truth

Dealers will always tell you what you have is less desirable unless you are buying exactly the same from them.

One guy told me Mazda rx8's don't depreciate because they are a sports car ! - needless to say that was one he was trying to get rid of !

Saruman

I had a dealer tell me recently when i was looking at a Brand new Yaris that i was better off getting a 1L rather than a 1.3 as they are more popular so easier to sell and so the trade in when i come back to him with it would be better with the 1L. He also told me i would be crazy to get a Diesel version as no one wants them so he would not give me as good a trade in next time.

Since the 1L costs a lot less than the 1.3 to buy, he was telling the truth and not trying to shift a more expensive car.

Mailman

The Dualogic in the small Fiats is not a bad design.
It's about 2MPG more efficient than the manual and shifts faster than the Manual too. It also shifts cleanly so the clutch should last longer than in a manual. Best of all there is no weight penalty.
It is an automatic clutch design rather than a true auto so you don't get the benefit of creep but otherwise it works well.

With the Japanese cars you need to pay attention to whether the car is a japanese domestic model or built for the European market. A lot of the cars for the JDM will have conventional autoboxes as opposed to clutchless manuals or CVTs.

RobAMerc

Saruman wrote: »

I had a dealer tell me recently when i was looking at a Brand new Yaris that i was better off getting a 1L rather than a 1.3 as they are more popular so easier to sell and so the trade in when i come back to him with it would be better with the 1L. He also told me i would be crazy to get a Diesel version as no one wants them so he would not give me as good a trade in next time.

Since the 1L costs a lot less than the 1.3 to buy, he was telling the truth and not trying to shift a more expensive car.

I don't want to go off topic but -
there is nothing to say that just because a car costs more the dealer is going to make more on it ( taxes etc ) - often 1.0 or 1.3 makes little difference to manufacturing costs.

I imagine the 1.3 is a far nicer car to drive and ownership experience has to come into it somewhere, no mater what the dealers opinion on resale might be.

LFCFan

my wife drives a 1.2 Auto Corsa and it drinks petrol like a parched alcoholic in a brewery. It does drive a lot better than small autos used to but I'd still much prefer the manual version. If I ever went for an Auto it would have to be in a big car. I think they are more suited to Autos and are a lot smoother.

mumhaabu

If you go for an auto go for a barge, the bigger the better and safer too. Small autos defeat the purpose completely. Get a minimum 2.2l or 3.0litre ideally. Plus engine size is now irrelevant under co2 taxation, Diesel Autos can get from 45 to 55MPG so it makes perfect sense, the days of Manuals (tractor style) are outnumbered here as people move away from the tin can Nissans and Toyotas.

My company fleet will be replaced in Jan and as I have to OK the decision and the release the funds for it, I will probably order a nice E90 320 or 330 Diesel auto. As I am slashing the fleet size and moving from the Toyotas of my predecessor to BMW, Opel (for the plebs) and Mercedes for those the old fellas. The only way you could get me behind the wheel of a Merc is if Megan Fox was waiting for me! I have €400,000 to toy with so it will be fun, Promotions FTW!

Saruman

Nah you do not need a min of 2.2L
My scenic auto is 1.6 and its perfectly fine. I average 32mpg but if i kept it to 85kph or so instead of 130kph on the motorways it can do 39mpg. I know that because my friend picked it up in cork for me and drove it up. When he arrived it had done 39mpg on thr trip up because he is light with the foot.

Eoin

mumhaabu wrote: »

If you go for an auto go for a barge, the bigger the better and safer too. Small autos defeat the purpose completely.

The point for a lot of people is that you don't have to bother changing gears manually, so they don't really miss the point at all.

Wibbler

mumhaabu wrote: »

If you go for an auto go for a barge, the bigger the better and safer too. Small autos defeat the purpose completely. Get a minimum 2.2l or 3.0litre ideally.

I've just ordered a Golf 1.4 TSi with a DSG Auto'ish gearbox. I test drove one before I ordered and found it to be an excellent drive. Very responsive with very smooth shifts.

Modern auto transmissions like the DSG really bear no relation to the slush boxes of yore. The DSG sold itself on the basis of better fuel economy than on the equivalent manual, better emissions and so only €150 a year to tax. Also, with the recent VRT changes there wasn't a huge difference in price on the DSG over that of a manual.

Rovi

We installed our mother (aged 74) in a Suzuki Swift automatic earlier this year, and it's revolutionised her driving career.
It's a conventional slushbox, so there's bound to be some fuel penalty, but the 1.5l engine propels the whole show along nicely, and to be honest, I couldn't give a feck about the extra bit of petrol it uses: it keeps her mobile and independent.

She's giving out that we should have 'made' her drive an automatic years ago.

I've been driving autos for years and sing their praises to anyone who'll listen.

L-M

Wibbler wrote: »

I've just ordered a Golf 1.4 TSi with a DSG Auto'ish gearbox. I test drove one before I ordered and found it to be an excellent drive. Very responsive with very smooth shifts.

Modern auto transmissions like the DSG really bear no relation to the slush boxes of yore. The DSG sold itself on the basis of better fuel economy than on the equivalent manual, better emissions and so only €150 a year to tax. Also, with the recent VRT changes there wasn't a huge difference in price on the DSG over that of a manual.

Ah ya but what brake is that? I wouldn't generally consider that car to be a "small" car. I can see a reason for an auto box in them, especially the dsg. I think the thread is directed more to the likes of the Fiesta's, Micra's Corsa's of this world. Great buy btw:D

Eoin

Limerick-man wrote: »

Ah ya but what brake is that? I wouldn't generally consider that car to be a "small" car. I can see a reason for an auto box in them, especially the dsg. I think the thread is directed more to the likes of the Fiesta's, Micra's Corsa's of this world. Great buy btw:D

A lot of the people on this forum seem to think that everyone who buys a car wants the quickest one they can get. Some people just want a car that will get them to the shops, school, work or wherever with a minimum of fuss - and this can often mean a small automatic car is their best bet. As far as I can see, the only relevant downside for this market is that automatics cost more - any other downside (perceived or real) isn't a factor.

RobAMerc

mumhaabu wrote: »

If you go for an auto go for a barge, the bigger the better and safer too. Small autos defeat the purpose completely. Get a minimum 2.2l or 3.0litre ideally.

Wow.

This post shows exactly why boards "info" is so dangerous.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Wibbler

Limerick-man wrote: »

Ah ya but what brake is that?

The smallest, at 122bhp. I'll grant you that this isn't all that small.

Mr Benevolent

The reason I posted about small cars is because I won't have more then €3000 to spend, and after that the insurance is going to be a minimum of €1400 on a 1.3L. I don't care about speed or acceleration, situational awareness (e.g. no fumbling with gears), safety and comfort are what I need.

Just an example on the awareness thing:

The car I'll be taking my test in (a Meriva) has both steering wheel and panel controls for the radio/CD (like most newer cars), yet everyone who drives it uses the panel controls. How's that for awareness?

_Kaiser_

Well as I mentioned earlier in the thread, I'm onto my 4th auto now and wouldn't ever go back to a manual.

I've currently got a 2.0L 140BHP DSG TDI Passat and a full tank will get me around 1100km/683 miles (I do mostly N/M-road driving) and you certainly couldn't accuse the car of being sluggish - thing takes off like a bullet when overtaking

Autos ftw!