Thread: Auto or Manual

Also depends on motor chosen.
Ive always prefered manuals,BUT autos are a hell of a lot better than people give credit to off-road.
With the diesels I think there would be a big improvement with an auto,they are a small motor hauling a big load.Once the turbo is spooled lag would be alot less so better performance.Not driven an auto diesel but notice the shortcomings in the manual I have.
With a V8 manual for sure,nothing like pushing a V8 thru the gears,especially with a nice divorce pipe
Andrew

Before I get started Im against autos...

IVe done lots of posts on autos. including how they work their advantages disadvantages.

For me the biggest killers for most of them is temp, water ingress, and oil loss/contamination.

If you loose all the oil (split cooler line lets say you staked it offroading) once all the oils gone the auto picks nutral, twice.!.! once as there is no fluid to make the TC do its thing and again as theres no oil to allow the brain to tell which clutch packs to engage(or brake bands) no tow starting on most of them and those that can must be towed at a minimum of 20-25kph to get a started. how fast can you push when the batteries just not quite cranking it or the batteries flat..

looky...

The Grey Box of EVIL.. (aka autotransmission)

I have 2 bad knee's but I still would rather drive a manual than auto.

BUUUUUUUUUTTTTT the Td5 auto disco has a truck load of get up and go compared the the manual ( maybe different comp settings)

Still nothing beats a V8 when changing back down through the gears

Offroad I would rather a manual than auto its just better set up


Adam

auto's rule on sand.

I use my TD5 D2 auto for work and play, around town nothing beats the auto for ease of use through traffic. Offroad the auto is fantastic for uphill work, downhills though are another story. But thats where T/C and Down Hill Assist come into their own.
Lower ratio tranfer gears in low range would help enormously.

after 20 years of 4wding with manuals, I swore by them. But last year, I did a 4wd course thru work and drove an auto Prado. I now own an auto Disco and love it. For three reasons

1. around town, it is a breeze to drive in traffic and just gives a smooth ride.
2. in the bush, there is no more juggling of clutches and making sure you are n the right gear, you can lock it in 1st or 2nd and just use the accelerator to adjust your speed. It just takes the fuss out of things and you can concentrate more on your line etc
3. in the soft sand, theres no lag between gear changes which means you can 'keep on top' of the sand and I found you dont get bogged down so much when changing gears.

the down side
1. no clutch starting as aleady said
2. the gearbox relies on fluid pressure for operation so it is essential that fluid levels are maintained
3.down hill descents require a bit more preparation by locking it in low low and sometimes just riding the foot brake to maintain speed or using the handbrake carefully to also help with speed. Its a skill but can be done.

hope that helps

Actually I am a fan of both depending on what you are doing ( does that make me a fence sitter?)

I've been driving 4wd's for over 30 years so most of it has been in manuals due to my age. out in really serious isolation where a breakdown could result in a fatality - yours, I would go for a manual, they are relatively straight forward and simple and you can almost always limp home in one .

In town, towing, sand or mud and extreme 4wding autos rule supreme but they cost more to fix can be tempramental bloody things and did I mention they are costly to fix?

I have a DI 3.9 V8i auto and dont really like the auto as I have killed too many of them BUT mostly because of me not the box ( time out - if not pushed they are a lovely box). If it was a manual I bet it would still be the original. I am upgrading both the engine and and the gearbox when I kill then next bit and I will be putting a bigger V8 and auto back in the old girl just stronger ones next.

Blythe