I wish I never drove an Auto...

[Bailes1992]

Latley I've been driving my fathers 320d Auto, and I've been swanning around in a Prius with a CVT box.

I'm now angry every time I get in my Mondeo because I have to change gear

Kicking myself for buying a manual

[Roylewaa]

I know that feeling autos do make you lazy as you just push the throttle and go

They make you lazy though and I don't know about you but I felt quite detached from the driving experience of going up and down the gears, my mate's 323 coupe was a semi auto and that was cool to drive

[Bailes1992]

I'm not a fast driver anyway. I'm very chilled out. Quite happy to do 30 in a 30, quite happy to do 40 in a 40 but generally don't speed.
I tend to sit at 60 behind the lorries on the motorway and watch my MPGees climb. I can drive fast and now and again I do get my foot down but most the time I am very laid back. Auto suits my driving style down to the ground!

[steve_earwig]

I love driving autos, I prefer one over a manual any day. Face it, these days it doesn't pay to go from a to b as quickly as possible, so you may as well make it as easy as. I know most people don't like them but they can keep waiving their sticks about.

Also, modern auto boxes don't necessarily suck fuel, some are cars are even more economical with one.

Sadly, they're still something else to go expensively wrong

[Bailes1992]

My fathers 320d. 0-60 in 7.5s, 145mph and I filled it up yesterday and worked out it had done 62mpg
And that isn't taking it easy either!

Modern diesels are cracking but I also think that sooner rather than later they will become nonviable to own. They cost too much to maintain and repair. I think small turbocharged petrols combined with plug in hybrids will be the way forward.

I like the Vauxhall Ampera. Drive to work on electric (50 miles range from a full charge - £1) and drive home on petrol once the leccy has run out.

[lozz]

Iwouidnt have another Auto car,

there ok for motorways,
but when the Boxes go wrong its cheaper to bin the car,

Manual boxes are best ithink,

Auto boxes where a Great invention for those with disabilities tho so icarnt realy say there a bad idea, just too expensive when things go wrong,
if you havnt got deep pockets id deffo avoid them,

[lozz]

Irember my 1st automatic car, Vauxhall Carlton, big powerfull thing, lovely to drive,

My Mrs asked me to move it back abit on the Drive one day, icame out in a pair of steel toe capped boots as iwas building an engine in the Backyard,
stuck it in Reverse and got my boot stuck, sent it throught the wall and then through the Metal drive way Gates, caused a few quids worth of damage,
ikicked my self for months afterwards thinking it was only me that couid make this Mistake,

and then iwas at a car Auction one night, seen ayoung lad bringing a Big merc through the Block,
he did the same as ihad, and wiped out the Car in front of the lot, He went for the Brakes but got the loud pedal instead,
poor sod got dragged into the office, ibet he got a good kicking no doubt

[rwb]

I also wish I never drove an auto: they're d i a b o l i c a l !



If you want to accelerate quickly, then you have to remember to allow time for the autobox to get into gear. On the SLK I drove this is slower than the turbo lag on my 90.
So I thought I'd try the paddles (anyone remember hydra-shift ); they're better because you can at least advise it what to do (but it may disobey), but they turn with the steering wheel so when you've pulled out on a roundabout -- f*k knows which side is which.

[Doggy]

For me, it's a more fundamental choice - drive an auto, or a car.

[OdinEidolon]

For me, it's a more fundamental choice - drive an auto, or a car.

+1.
If you don't change gear, what fun is driving?

[trem1]

For me, it's a more fundamental choice - drive an auto, or a car.

+2.
I drive for a living and never get fed-up of changing gear

[plod]

For me, it's a more fundamental choice - drive an auto, or a car.

+2.
I drive for a living and never get fed-up of changing gear

I also drive for a living, and one of the worst things for me, was going to Newcastle for me, as once I hit the M69, I wouldn't need to change gear until I got off the A1 near on 200miles later. Sometimes used to slightly different way merely as an excuse to change gear for a bit of a change.

I did drive a Porsche 928 with 4.5l V8 and was fun with the auto, but couldn't imagine living with an auto on a daily basis

[trem1]

For me, it's a more fundamental choice - drive an auto, or a car.

+2.
I drive for a living and never get fed-up of changing gear

I also drive for a living, and one of the worst things for me, was going to Newcastle

yep it pizzes me off as well

[steve_earwig]

I like Marmite too

[FarmerPug]

I enjoy changing the gear and being able to have the car in just the right rev range at the right time, besides the 406 has a good gearchange its nice to use. Although my uncles old chrysler voyager v6 had an auto which was still good but i think that was because the engine had enough power to make up for the gearbox being in the wrong gear, the previa is a bit annoying to drive becuase it changes up too early so its left with no torque, and at motorway speeds it revs too high so its a bit loud and uses more fuel.