Advice about Automatics

catbear

Hi all, first time poster on this forum so be gentle if I state something stupid.

I have a relative who comes over from the states two times a year for a month each time. Each time they're here they pay a lot for hiring an Automatic so recently we thought about splitting the cost of a car, we'd use it as our second car when our relative isn't using it.

I need your opinions about Automatics as I've never owned one although I've driven them before.

My main concerns is maintenance, what's a good Automatic to maintain. Are there cars i should avoid. We have a volvo S40 and I would not be opposed to an automatic but don't know if Volvo are a good Automatic.

I have searched threads on this forum but there's not much about best type of Automatic.

Preferably no bigger than a 1.9. Are smaller engines better than big engines in automatics?

Sorry if these questions are a bit simplistic but I'm not a petrol head and any consensus on the topic would be great.

There seems to be a lot of cars available on carzone and donedeal and we've budgeted for 3k-4k.

Thanks in advice

Catbear

1948Wolseley

Toyota, Nissan or Honda are the best bet for reliability and ease of maintenance. If you don't want to go over a 1.9, look for a Corolla, Almera or Civic. You can get smaller cars, such as a Micra, with automatic transmission but from what I've heard they're best avoided.

In terms of maintenance, automatic transmissions have a dipstick for checking the transmission fluid level. The fluid usually only needs to be changed when the car reaches 100,000 miles.

When you're buying, check the colour of the transmission fluid on the dipstick. Red means you have a healthy transmission, brown less so and black means trouble.

GTE

Sounds good as long as you will be using it as a second car.

VW automatics are meant to be dodgy but a little Golf could be nice. (That goes for Skoda and Seat too). A bit of research there would be handy.
I hate my mams toyota corolla auto. Acceleration is on of off.

C class?
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/C-Class/200-C-20/201023198370683/advert?channel=CARS

Maintence is probably not the best and those C classes may be prone to rust. Im not too sure but it would be a nice second car and a nice car for the relations to drive too.

catbear

Thanks for the feedback, there are a few nissans and toyotas with half the millage of the Merc although the comfort would be nice bbk.

Thanks for the info on the dipstick wolseley, that's good to know that type of thing when viewing one.

Any thoughts on Saabs, Volvo and Ford?

GTE

catbear wrote: »

Any thoughts on Saabs, Volvo and Ford?

All nice cars. The autos should be good.
With regards to the C class that was one randomly picked from a carzone search. I think there are 41 in your price range and the a page worths out of that which are autos.

Mr Benevolent

OP be advised that most automatics are not as nice to drive on a small engine. Avoid engines below 1.6 if you're getting an automatic.

catbear

Thanks again for the feedback folks. I had a suspicion about smaller engined automatics as there were very few below 1.6.

Thankfully we're in no hurry to buy at the moment.

I'm going to try to concentrate on Estate models as my relative always brings more luggage than they need!

GTE

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/E-Class/200-Hear/200816188596232/advert?channel=CARS



http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/C-Class/C-180-T-/200842190519031/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volvo/V40/1.8-AUTO/200930194667216/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/230/T-ESTATE/201017197827524/advert?channel=CARS
Feckin love the old old Mercs.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results?nParam=200590%2B102549%2B285%2B322%2B200389%2B200429%2B200254&sortby=p_VehiclePriceEUR|0&channel=CARS&currency=EUROS&searchResultsView=THUMBNAIL&maxrows=10&page=3&lastFeaturedAdvert=201015197614385&tab=1#nParam=200590%2B102549%2B285%2B322%2B200389%2B200429%2B200254&sortby=p_VehiclePriceEUR|0&channel=CARS&currency=EUROS&searchResultsView=THUMBNAIL&maxrows=10&page=1

catbear

LOL at the hearse.

Some lovely mercs there, I going to be doing a lot of test driving.

Pkiernan

With automatics, you tend to have a little less performance and fuel economy.

However, on modern cars this difference is not as great as you might think.

Modern autos are also very reliable, and remember that you never have a clutch to replace.

Remember also that the majority of cars sold in the Western world are automatics (US and Canada).

I love autos, and I don't see myself buying a car with a manual transmission again.

holly_johnson

I drove an automatic Volvo S40 for 4 years, until this time last year. Loved the car. Never had a reliability problem.
The only thing I'd say about it was it was very thirsty. I reckon I got just shy of two weeks out of a tank of petrol.

I upgraded to a 2 litre petrol Chrysler Sebring Sedan last July (not automatic) and I get almost 3 weeks out of a tank driving in & out of town every day.

Before I had the Volvo I drove a VW Passat 1.8 petrol manual and it was far more economical too.

But, if it's for an occasional second car, I'd say go for it. Mileage woldn't matter too much then.

john hanrahan

i have this for sale
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1386764

thanks

Tea 1000

Plenty of variety out there. Here are a few clean looking ones that should offer no problems if they're the genuine low milers they're advertised as:
Accord 1.8
Old Shape Jap Camry
Subaru Forrester
Saab 95 Estate
Toyota Avensis 1.8

Barr

Stay away from Audi Multitronic - absolute crap realibility.

catbear

Thanks again for all the advice, we went for a Saab 93 by private sale.

Stayed within budget, low millage for the year, NCT for the next two years, very nice car!

We went for a cruise today and while it's not economical in town traffic, it is surprisingly good on the motorway.

Transmission fluid is red and car solid in every other way (point of view of non mechanic head, very happy punter)

One thing I will say for anyone buying an automatic is that the dealerships in this country have really shot themselves in the foot.

I haven't had to buy a car in a long time so when I went to a few dealerships I was really pissed off to find that it was hard to get anything in my budget as the scrapage scheme had removed what had previously been my pool of potential buys.

These dealerships got their bailout but it is the consumer who funds the government which granted the bailout who benefits the least. I will be boycotting Irish dealerships from now.