alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Took the Scoob to a local specialist for diagnosis of grumbling sounds from the rear.

He didn't have a ramp free, so asked me to leave it and lent me a Merc C200.

When I got in it was an auto-box, and I've never driven one before. It was on a little road that ran parallel to the main road, so I tried it and off I went.

How long, I wonder, would it take, for your left foot to stop twitching at every junction, brake application, etc

Alcazar

sti-04!!

It doesnt take long. The last manual car i had was scoob & that was back in 2004.

Auto all the way

EddScott

I recently bought a Jeep Cherokee purely on a whim thats an auto and its very odd and first. Keep waiting for it to change. Get used to it quickly and with cruise on its uber lazy!

Only thing is switching back to stick. I had to drive a stick this morning and I literally had to stare at the pedals and stick for a moment to work out the proper sequence.

Snug Rhino

Would never have another manual again unless its a PROPER sports car or has a tiny engine. Been driving autos for 5 years now, i wouldnt want manual windows so why have a maunal gear shift!

PeteBrant

I also had manual, and then a few years ago I bought a Jag, and it does take a little while to adjust (i.e. not doing an emergency stop as you go to push the clutch in, before realising there isn't one there and hitting the brake instead)

Once you get used to it, it is the easiest driving there is.

But... It is boring as hell. I purposely went out and bought a scoob because I missed changing gear.

Automatics are great for the daily grind of driving to work, but for actual involvment its got to be manual.

dpb

Last one i drove was a mates 230 te completly different to my xsara of the time.
Very comfortable ( but dear) way of getting about ,Felt very safe/smooth, the 'creep' was a bit strange tho you had to have your foot near the brake unless youre in park -easy way to destroy your average micra/fiesta in front

53

iTrader: (41)

And then remembering the clutch when you get back in a manual. Autos are great for motorways using the cruise control. Did a late night early morning 6 hour run and it was so easy in an auto. But so very very boring. Nice in traffic jams too

Shark Man

There's driving Autos and there's driving Autos


Once you figue out the basics, try and work out what throttle position and kind of movement you need to do to get it to change up or down a gear without touching the flappy/tiptronic bits or hitting the kickdown and still drive smoothly.

Old autos were great for this: back right off for upshift, quick prod for an downshift. Newer ones try and do it for you, but they never get it quite right

Now, turn off traction control, apply left foot on brakes...medium/hard, and floor the throttle with the right foot

davegtt

Autos are great if your driving a Saab or a Volvo but in something half sporty needs to be manual.

You'll soon forget youve got a left foot and you can have a **** with your left hand too whislt driving as theres no gear changes

Brendan Hughes

Been there, done that, rented car in the US. Almost broke my son's nose when pushing the "clutch" pedal all the way down when coming to a stop. He used the rear seat belt religiously after that

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

What do you mean when you are Driving a Saab or Volvo, they both do sporty models.

I was dring an Auto Mustang in the States, nice but the box was clueless, Mercs and Audi's have really good auto boxes and I switch between them without having to adjust.

davegtt

Volvo do sporty? who are you trying to kid Fair enough with the Saab Veegan (sp?) but generally you know what I mean

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I drove my mates new Range rover... big ****er too !!

dunno if it was the lack of pedals or the size that made me a bit worried driving it down normal streets !!

Leslie

Its so embarassing and alarming to use the brake pedal as a clutch by mistake though!

Les

sti-04!!

Do you have homosexual tendencies ??

speedking

Drove an auto for a fortnight in Florida. Then approaching the carpark barrier at Gatwick, judder, judder, stall, WTF! So I'd say much easier to go stick to auto than vice versa.

Jerome

I've never had trouble going from manual to auto and back again. Drove nothing but autos for a couple of years in Canada and had no probs getting back into a manual when I moved back to the UK.

However, IMO there are 2 downsides to driving an auto. Firstly the lack of control and involvment and, secondly, autos seem to provoke a much lazier driving style.

Not a big fan of autos and, unless I drove around central london all day, would never choose one. Even a Merc SL I drove last year was nowhere near as good as if it had a manual.

Not driven a paddle shifter yet so can't comment on them from experience, but suspect I wouldn't like them either.

Holy Ghost

... for diagnosis of grumbling sounds from the rear.


Alcazar[/QUOTE]

**

that's the exhaust, champ.

scoob_babe

Oh yes! done that too with the Outlaws' cars. This is the main reason I always insist on the dearly beloved driving in front of me so if I **** up and do an emergency stop by accident, he won't go into me!!!!!!!
I tend to keep my left foot right back out of the way so don't automatically use it. After driving an auto for 2 weeks, I then managed to stall manual at the end of our road as I totally forgot about the clutch!!!!

nooobyscoooby

BMW autos with steptronic are great boxes - very easy to use either as an auto auto or to stir the old bones both up and down the box - done nearly 500K in three and you can tap out the changes quick as a flash and easy as pie and very few car stay in touch!

If you are new to autos, then to avoid the "emergency stop" another poster mentions, use your left hand to hold onto to your left trouser leg below the knee to prevent the kneejerk move to dump the non-existent clutch!

Klaatu

I have gone auto, first time since 1994, because wifey can't drive a manual (Can't drive full stop!). But have driven a friends autos for a while and then getting back into a manual, wondering why the engine stalled with my foot on the brake. D'oh!

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

I have a feeling that anyone who claims not to have done this when moving between autos/manuals is a big dirty fibber

I've done both plenty of times - and felt like an utter pillock every time I've done it.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

They were in the BTCC for a while were they not, I suppose sporty may be the wrong word, fast may be better.

nooobyscoooby

Only ever done it once - 40 years ago when I drove the boss's brand new Roller for the first time with a work mate in another car behind.

How he didn't hit the back of me I'll never know.

When we got to our destination, he jumped out and asked "What the *uck were you playing at?"

"Didn't you see that big dog run across the road?" says I all innnocent!!

mart360

I have driven manual & auto vehicles since the age of 17,

just tuck my left foot out of the way, so i dont go for the non exsistant pedal

I remember once when i was in my first job after leaving school, we had a new guy working for us, and was driving the hearse for the first time

all was fine until we arrived at the crematorium, where he proceeded to left foot out as we approached the chapel of rest.

cue one hearse sliding to a stop in the gravel, and 4 pall bearers straining at there seatbelts. Not to mention my boss who nearly had kittens as the hearse nearly took him out as he stood in front of it.


Shark man.

nice technique, but never show an apprentice how to do it

i showed our new apprentice this technique with the limo at work (as you do )

came back from doing some other work, to find the garage looking a bit rearranged

on closer inspection, the limo had a very dented lower valance. further investigations revealed said apprentice had done the aforementioned technique, but missed the brake pedal and slammed into the back of the limo. Luckily he wasnt going that fast, those were the days

Mart

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

How weird is it seeing this thread...

My Golf (V6 4Mo) was in getting the front discs and pads (plus lower wishbones) replaced so my Mother In-Law lent me her 1.2 automatic Polo yesterday.

I got halfway down the road; stopped, got out and looked for the metal pole sticking out the back!

wwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnneeeeeeee.....b urp...... wwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhh.....

First time I've driven an auto in bleeding years and this thread pops up.

Oh, the very FIRST car I drove after passing my test, and on the morning after: a Ford Scorpio 2.8 Ghia automatic!!!! What was worse, my Mum was with me.

David Lock

I've had lots of autos and they are great for the big lazy cars and for major trafiic move-at-3 mph-jams for 10 miles.

Biggest fright I had when I needed to stop in a hurry. Banged the right foot down on the brake pedal and it didn't move

It turned out that I was wearing some fairly HD boots and my left foot was resting under the pedal and jamming the movement. Never did that again

apples24

iTrader: (1)

i find the bmw auto box's superb, got a 2001 coupe at the mo and the box is amazing, dont even have to put foot down at base of a hill to get it to change down it just seems to know exactly when to do it so i can be really lazy and just keep my foot on same position on throttle lol fantastic cars the e46's tiptronic is just a waste of time though never used it once

Eddie1980

Auto's are great in the same way that middle aged women think loose clothes and flat shoes are great.

Yet to drive an auto that does not **** me off in some way, the ones that allow you to interfere a little with the selection are generally the worst since they only allow you to make a change if its agreed by a very slow electronic committee.

My mate drove Route 66 last year, an auto box is great for that kinda long drive, until he decided to go up one of the high mountains only to find with the thinner air at the top it would not tick over properly instantly making it the most frustrating thing in the world to drive.

Might buy an auto one day, but there going to have to get WAY better first, and I have not even mentioned power losses and fuel wastage though the torque converter.