Manual or Auto for high powered diesel

mass_debater

I'm looking to get something decent. Have my eye on a 175 brake 131 Mazda 6. The big question is should I get manual or auto? I'm edging for auto, letting the CPU sort out the horses but my wife is completely against the idea saying it's a boring way to drive. I've tried to explain to her that all the bigger modern cars are now auto as it's more efficient. What is the general consensus? Convince me if I'm right or wrong. What other points can I make.

Soarer

You're the man of the house?

TinCool

Soarer wrote: »

You're the man of the house?

I drive a 530d auto and can't imagine what it'd be like as manual. Not sure whether it's more/less economical but either way it's my car so was my decision

koutoubia

I have a 3ltr Merc E Class.
It's got both Auto and Tiptronic ( or whatever its called)
I barely ever use the Tiptronic and just love the Auto.I find it so responsive. As you said ...let computers sort of the horses and enjoy the power.

mass_debater

Soarer wrote: »

You're the man of the house?

Yes, but she drives it much more than me. I'm on the road in a van all week and usually jump in the van if I nip to the shops. If we go anywhere at the weekend she usually drives. We live in a rural village 8 miles from 3 bigger towns so our lives involve lots of driving.

TinCool

mass_debater wrote: »

Yes, but she drives it much more than me. I'm on the road in a van all week and usually jump in the van if I nip to the shops. If we go anywhere at the weekend she usually drives. We live in a rural village 8 miles from 3 bigger towns so our lives involve lots of driving.

In that case get an auto. All those winding hilly rural roads would benefit from an auto.

mass_debater

TinCool wrote: »

In that case get an auto. All those winding hilly rural roads would benefit from an auto.

Not that rural, just in between towns

Blazer

Auto by far...once you go auto it's very hard to go back to manual. It's just a frakking PITA unless you're driving something like a M2 etc. Its not as you're going to be throwing the car around bends etc.

as Harry Enfield says..
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z6unh

FishOnABike

The dual mass flywheel would usually benefit from an auto rather than a manual gearbox.

Leonard Hofstadter

I'd say on a car like the Mazda 6, very few will be interested in the auto when you want to sell it. Although I agree with those who say an automatic is much better with a diesel, it's something to bear in mind if you're planning on changing the car in a few years time. Also, the automatic is likely to be more expensive on motor tax, which again will make it less desirable second-hand.

Actually OP, I really don't think you should be getting a 6, I don't believe the infamous problems that blighted earlier Mazda RF diesels have been resolved for these new Skyactiv diesels, they still manage to get diesel contaminated in the oil as far as I know.

I'd say look at an automatic diesel from someone else to be honest.

Soarer

mass_debater wrote: »

Yes, but she drives it much more than me. I'm on the road in a van all week and usually jump in the van if I nip to the shops. If we go anywhere at the weekend she usually drives. We live in a rural village 8 miles from 3 bigger towns so our lives involve lots of driving.

Well if she's gonna be driving it more than you, you may as well get her what she wants. You'll never hear the end of it if she doesn't like it.

That said, Mrs. S never wanted an auto until I bought her a Prius. She wouldn't go near a manual now. I know that's technically not an auto, but it's the same premise.

grogi

Soarer wrote: »

Well if she's gonna be driving it more than you, you may as well get her what she wants. You'll never hear the end of it if she doesn't like it.

That said, Mrs. S never wanted an auto until I bought her a Prius. She wouldn't go near a manual now. I know that's technically not an auto, but it's the same premise.

Do you shift gears? No... So its an auto...

mass_debater

captainspeed wrote: »

Actually OP, I really don't think you should be getting a 6, I don't believe the infamous problems that blighted earlier Mazda RF diesels have been resolved for these new Skyactiv diesels, they still manage to get diesel contaminated in the oil as far as I know.

I've not heard they're any worse than other manufactures, don't VW TDIs suffer from the same fuel dilution issues? I'm aware and prepared that they need more regular oil checks.

Summer wind

I'd go with the auto. Maybe call to a Mazda dealership and ask can you have an extended test drive of the auto. They may give you a car for 24/48 hours and then you and your wife will have a good while to see what the auto is really like.

Comhrá

Summer wind wrote: »

I'd go with the auto. Maybe call to a Mazda dealership and ask can you have an extended test drive of the auto. They may give you a car for 24/48 hours and then you and your wife will have a good while to see what the auto is really like.

+1. Has your missus driven an auto or a dsg car previously? If not, maybe as others have suggested, get her to a Mazda or even a VW, Skoda or Seat dealer where she could have a drive in an auto.

It's possible she doesn't realise how nice and easy the driving experience will be, and she may be instantly converted.

bazz26

My main concern would be how reliable the SkyActiv diesel engine is rather than which gearbox. There are still alot of question marks around Mazda's ability to design and build a reliable diesel engine.

Trojan

tippman1 wrote: »

get her to a Mazda or even a VW, Skoda or Seat dealer where she could have a drive in an auto.

It's possible she doesn't realise how nice and easy the driving experience will be, and she may be instantly converted.

This is the way to go. Soon as I started driving the auto I was converted.

R.O.R

mass_debater wrote: »

I've not heard they're any worse than other manufactures, don't VW TDIs suffer from the same fuel dilution issues? I'm aware and prepared that they need more regular oil checks.

The Mazda 2.2 SkyActive isn't the most reliable engine - we've had numerous issues with them. Most are driven how diesels are supposed to be driven, and we've cut service intervals down to 15k rather than the recommended 20k, but even that isn't solving the many issues that engine throws up.

I'm pretty sure that the 175ps version was only available in Ireland in the Platinum Auto, so that will solve the problem if you are looking at Irish cars. Not sure whether it was offered with the manual box in the UK.

We've 1 175ps Auto on fleet. Camshaft and Turbo replaced at 34,000km. Recovered to Mazda garage at 56,000km but no further info on what happened. Nothing since then though - last time it was in was August this year with 112,000km on.

Shefwedfan

Going away from conversation on reliability etc. If just looking at question about auto or not I would highly recommend going with auto.

My wife was the same. She bought her car and went manual. She wanted a manual. Anyway I needed to swap and was getting the "family" car so decided on SMAX and went out of my way but got a auto. All the time she was saying I should just buy the manual and stop messing around looking for auto.

About 1 week after buying the auto was asking if we could change her car and get auto as well

declan123

captainspeed wrote: »

I'd say on a car like the Mazda 6, very few will be interested in the auto when you want to sell it. Although I agree with those who say an automatic is much better with a diesel, it's something to bear in mind if you're planning on changing the car in a few years time. Also, the automatic is likely to be more expensive on motor tax, which again will make it less desirable second-hand.

Actually OP, I really don't think you should be getting a 6, I don't believe the infamous problems that blighted earlier Mazda RF diesels have been resolved for these new Skyactiv diesels, they still manage to get diesel contaminated in the oil as far as I know.

I'd say look at an automatic diesel from someone else to be honest.

I'd agree, and I can confirm from personal experience that the oil contamination issues haven't been resolved in the skyactivs.