So many import cars are automatics-Why??

paddy147

Why are so many of these used car garages selling jap imports that are "automatic"??

I was having a look at 2 particular garages today and allmost all of the jap import cars on sale were automatics.:(

WHY?????

Thjis isnt "Americaland",this is Ireland where we can actually drive manual gearboxed cars.

Eric Cartman

because automatic gearboxes nowadays euqal or surpass manuals.

the SST box in the mitsubishi evo allows you to shift faster than can be done with a manual box ,

the fuel economy difference is now almost negligable.

Especially for city driving automatics are very handy.


They were obviously imported because the importer thought they would sell. If your preference is for a manual your search will be hard but if you really want the specific model of car Im sure you could find one.

ShadowHearth

paddy147 wrote: »

Why are so many of these used car garages selling jap imports that are "automatic"??

I was having a look at 2 particular garages today and allmost all of the jap import cars on sale were automatics.:(

WHY?????

Thjis isnt "Americaland",this is Ireland where we can actually drive manual gearboxed cars.

well, in the rest of the world people like their cars to be loaded. it means as much as possible extras. auto box is an option and looked at as an extra. If its a non sport car, then automatic is grand for any car.

paddy147

Well all those 5-7 year old automatic Cubes,Yaris,Notes and Micras are still sitting on the forecourts several months later and also at stupidly high prices too.

unkel

ShadowHearth wrote: »

If its a non sport car, then automatic is grand for any car.

For sports cars it's even more important that they are automatic

All Ferraris from now on are automatic only. The vast majority of Porsches sold today are automatics. Need I say more?

Eric Cartman

paddy147 wrote: »

Well all those 5-7 year old automatic Cubes,Yaris,Notes and Micras are still sitting on the forecourts several months later and also at stupidly high prices too.

I dont know why people would import those cars, theyd be as hard to sell in manual too

paddy147

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I dont know why people would import those cars, theyd be as hard to sell in manual too

Thats what I dont understand myself.

Its like as if the garages didnt do their reserach and just bought them in for the sake of buying in stock.

ShadowHearth

unkel wrote: »

For sports cars it's even more important that they are automatic

All Ferraris from now on are automatic only. The vast majority of Porsches sold today are automatics. Need I say more?

well true, modern sports car do shift to auto/triptronic stuff, but lets be honest - how many of us mortals will drive porsches? real world sports cars for mortals are always better in manual. More fun.

Daniel S

I don't consider paddle shifters to be automatic, semi-automatic at most. And I bloody hate automatic. Half the fun in driving is going through the gears.

Stinicker

Because Manuals are for gombeen farmers and boyracer idiots. Looks out the window at my Automatic import complete with the extras not found in a paddy spec VRT special.

Daniel S

Stinicker wrote: »

Because Manuals are for gombeen farmers and boyracer idiots. Looks out the window at my Automatic import complete with the extras not found in a paddy spec VRT special.

Wrong. :mad:

CL7

I bought my first automatic a few weeks ago. So much nicer to drive, especially in traffic. Can't see myself going back to manual now.

ShadowHearth

Stinicker wrote: »

Because Manuals are for gombeen farmers and boyracer idiots. Looks out the window at my Automatic import complete with the extras not found in a paddy spec VRT special.

Just wow....

Bohrio

Hate tiptronic, took all the fun away whileroad testing an 996 turbo the other day... up/down shifting was odd.. wish it would have been manual..

Padraig Mor

Automatic Yarises, Notes and Micras? They'll be for the elderly with dodgy hips. Likely very few Irish ones around.

KindOfIrish

paddy147 wrote: »

Why are so many of these used car garages selling jap imports that are "automatic"??

because 95% of cars in Japan are automatic.

aujopimur

All cars will be autos in a few years.

Daniel S

aujopimur wrote: »

All cars will be autos in a few years.

Never!

bazz26

Large parts of Japan are urban, automatics make more sense around big cities with slow moving traffic jams.

Our man in Havana

They are handy for those that could never drive a manual.

Bohrio

Our man in Havana wrote: »

They are handy for those that could never drive a manual.

True everyday there are more women drivers out there...:p

The average Joe has enough to be doing steering a car when pushing on abit, the average Joe also usually reckons the manuals are so much better as they're a second or so quicker to 60 on paper. I've owned and driven both manual and auto cars, for and against both and I wouldn't be biased towards either.

Some of the anti auto chat is fairly amusing though at times

101sean

Automatic Yarises, Notes and Micras? They'll be for the elderly with dodgy hips

Later to be bounced of numerous parked cars or through a fence when the elderly owner hits the throttle instead of the brake :rolleyes:

Mo60

Bohrio wrote: »

True everyday there are more women drivers out there...:p

Even more some that cannot drive at all - namely men

paddy147

Mo60 wrote: »

Even more some that cannot drive at all - namely men

So thats why more females fail their driving test than males do.;)

Mo60

paddy147 wrote: »

So thats why more females fail their driving test than males do.;)

So passing a driving test makes someone a good driver? Not in my experience.

Anan1

And there you have it - sexists prefer manual.

paddy147

Mo60 wrote: »

So passing a driving test makes someone a good driver? Not in my experience.

Dont you have to pass a driving test in the 1st place though???;)

Mr Benevolent

I love autos now that I have a bit of experience with them. Automated manuals are the future. Far less rowing, same fuel consumption. Kickdown is surprisingly fun, too.

So thats why more females fail their driving test than males do.

Bull.

Anan1

I've a friend who refers to manuals as 'student gearboxes'.

Mo60

paddy147 wrote: »

Dont you have to pass a driving test in the 1st place though???;)

Yes very true, but passing a driving test does not necessarily make someone a good driver. Same as someone passing Law Exams does not necessarily become a good lawyer.

unkel

ShadowHearth wrote: »

lets be honest - how many of us mortals will drive porsches?

You can buy many different and well sorted Porsches for a lot less than you paid for your Nissan Skyline

Anan1

Mo60 wrote: »

Yes very true, but passing a driving test does not necessarily make someone a good driver. Same as someone passing Law Exams does not necessarily become a good lawyer.

That is true, but failing the test does make someone a bad driver.

GarIT

There is some irony in people saying manuals are faster than automatics. The idea that manuals are faster doing 0 to 60 is wrong for the common driver. If you are a fully trained racing driver that knows exactly when to change gears (I know a lot of people that think they are) it will be quicker to drive a manual but for average Joe 9 out of 10 times you probably change gears at the wrong time for fast acceleration. Every car and every different gear in that car has a different sweet spot where it is best to change, its probably only within the space of maybe 100 revs, the automatic wont get it exactly but its getting better and its better than many average drivers. Some men think there just kings on the road.

IsaacWunder

Anan1 wrote: »

That is true, but failing the test does make someone a bad driver.

That's nonsense. You could just be unlucky on the day, the examiner could be a prat, someone could crash into you, etc. I'd consider something like getting the Ignition test as an indication of whether someone's a good driver, rather than passing a test drawn up when the future of motoring was the Ford Anglia.

Anan1

IsaacWunder wrote: »

That's nonsense. You could just be unlucky on the day. The examiner could be a prat, someone could crash into you, etc. I'd consider something like getting the Ignition test as an indication of whether someone's a good driver, rather than passing a test drawn up when the future of motoring was the Ford Anglia.

The test is pretty basic, and it's simple enough that a competent driver won't fail it. You may not like to hear that, but it's the truth.

GTDolanator

ive driven both,some auto's are absolutley hopeless!some are good but i would always lean towards manual

Mr Benevolent

Anan1 wrote: »

The test is pretty basic, and it's simple enough that a competent driver won't fail it. You may not like to hear that, but it's the truth.

I failed it. Still driving without accident on a permit. Not bothered. Been stopped 5 times unaccompanied (tax/NCT checks), not one Garda commented on my illegal status as an unaccompanied driver. I haven't damaged myself or any other road user in the 15 months I've been driving and don't intend to.

Don't worry, I'll get it done eventually. In the meantime you can fume about it if you wish. I've been advised by Gardai and senior examiners that it's of no relevance as long as I drive safely, and that's what I do.

IsaacWunder

Anan1 wrote: »

The test is pretty basic, and it's simple enough that a competent driver won't fail it. You may not like to hear that, but it's the truth.

If that's supposed to be an insinuation that I failed, not a hope. Passed first time and it was a piece of piss. Doesn't take away from my point that one can fail it because of luck - i.e. one can be a good driver and still manage to fail it due to circumstances beyond your control. The very fact that in different test centres there can be as much as a 30 percent difference in pass rates is conclusive proof that failing the test is often more to do with arbitrary factors such as the attitude of the testers or the routes chosen in that test centre than any sort of difference in the capability of new drivers in different parts of the country.

Pottler

IsaacWunder wrote: »

That's nonsense. You could just be unlucky on the day, the examiner could be a prat, someone could crash into you, etc. I'd consider something like getting the Ignition test as an indication of whether someone's a good driver, rather than passing a test drawn up when the future of motoring was the Ford Anglia.

I've tested hundreds of drivers(heavy machinery/excavation plant) and an awful lot of wether someone passed/failed had to do with the humour of the tester on the day, wether the tester liked the candidate, did the candidate bore the tester, etc etc. Tests conducted by humans have a basic flaw - the human involved. Also, from personal experience, a lot of testers may well be crap drivers themselves(I tested a lot of "instructors" and "testers" and about 50% were muppets, doubt if car testers are any better, probably a lot worse)

GarIT

Anan1 wrote: »

The test is pretty basic, and it's simple enough that a competent driver won't fail it. You may not like to hear that, but it's the truth.

I don't think that is true at all, humans aren't an exact science, the drivers or testers, all sorts of errors have to be allowed for.

Confab

Confab wrote: »

............ I haven't damaged myself or any other road user in the 15 months I've been driving and don't intend to..................... as long as I drive safely, and that's what I do.

Didn't you almost lose the Corsa on a roundabout?
You reckoned the 156 you had was very bad for understeer, you don't really appear to be an overly safe driver tbh from your posts.

Anan1

IsaacWunder wrote: »

If that's supposed to be an insinuation that I failed, not a hope. Passed first time and it was a piece of piss.

Good for you.

IsaacWunder wrote: »

Doesn't take away from my point that one can fail it because of luck - i.e. one can be a good driver and still manage to fail it due to circumstances beyond your control.

A bad driver could get lucky and pass, but a good driver won't fail. If you can't deal with a narky tester then you can't deal with all the other distractions that drivers face every day either.

IsaacWunder wrote: »

The very fact that in different test centres there can be as much as a 30 percent difference in pass rates is conclusive proof that failing the test is often more to do with arbitrary factors such as the attitude of the testers or the routes chosen in that test centre than any sort of difference in the capability of new drivers in different parts of the country.

No it isn't. That 30% could easily be accounted for by some centres passing more drivers who should fail than others.

kerten

Anan1 wrote: »

The test is pretty basic, and it's simple enough that a competent driver won't fail it. You may not like to hear that, but it's the truth.

I know where you are coming from but I disagree with generalization.

Irish driving test is like playing a role in theatre. There are scripted moves you need to do during test to prove you are competent. I failed two times in test after 10 years of driving experience. First one was my fault as I coast safely for comfortable driving and didnt know it was a fail item. Even instructor said I was perfect except coasting, fair enough. Next test, I drove same way without coasting and failed with 15 marks everywhere like slowing down too much on speed ramps, not being able to use 4th gear in 8.30am traffic in finglas,etc. He just wanted to fail me. Third one in naas and empty sheet. I could have past first time if I had a pre-test and learn script properly :-)

IMO, irish driving test isnt consistent due to human factor and failing it doesnt show lack of skill straight forward :-)

Mo60

Anan1 wrote: »

Good for you.
A bad driver could get lucky and pass, but a good driver won't fail. If you can't deal with a narky tester then you can't deal with all the other distractions that drivers face every day

Who is the better driver? One who passes 1st time and has one or more accidents within the 1st year, or someone who has to take the test 3 times before passing but has 20+ years of accident free driving.

..... at fault accidents?

Mo60

RoverJames wrote: »

..... at fault accidents?

Yes.

Esel

Daniel S wrote: »

Wrong. :mad:

Boy racer, then?

lau1247

back to topic, a lot of asian cars are auto, rarely manual

auto is definitely handier for day to day driving but one thing I don't like about auto is that on changing terrain condition (like uphill), it changes down gear unnecessary sometimes and stay there for a while. In the manual I would have changed up quicker when suitable (maybe that is down to the specific car manufacturer auto box + ecu design??)

The Bishop Basher

lau1247 wrote: »

back to topic, a lot of asian cars are auto, rarely manual

auto is definitely handier for day to day driving but one thing I don't like about auto is that on changing terrain condition (like uphill), it changes down gear unnecessary sometimes and stay there for a while. In the manual I would have changed up quicker when suitable (maybe that is down to the specific car manufacturer auto box + ecu design??)

Nice one. The pissing competitions on this thread are a tad boring, My willy's bigger than yours and all that.

Anyway, auto is getting more and more popular because put simply it's better. I rarely hear of anyone who buys an auto and goes back to manual. We just seem to have a thing about it here.

Having said that...auto on a 1.4 micra - no thanks !!

Anan1

kerten wrote: »

I could have past first time if I had a pre-test and learn script properly :-)

Exactly.;)

kerten wrote: »

IMO, irish driving test isnt consistent due to human factor and failing it doesnt show lack of skill straight forward :-)

Any competent driver who's properly prepared will know what's expected of them during the test and will be able to deliver it. Coasting during a driving test is, i'm sure you'll admit, unprepared.:)

Mo60 wrote: »

Who is the better driver? One who passes 1st time and has one or more accidents within the 1st year, or someone who has to take the test 3 times before passing but has 20+ years of accident free driving.

Assuming the accidents are at-fault, i'd favour the second. Although what this has do do with the subject at hand is beyond me, as both drivers passed the test.