Thread: Disco TDI Manual v Auto

Heavy clutch? I live in Sydney and don't commute daily, but I have done my fair share of traffic and I've never come home with a sore leg or anything. Don't even notice the clutch 'heaviness'.

But then I've never driven other manuals to compare to - when my brother in law drove it, he goes "heavy clutch, hey?"...(his comparison would have been to a Corolla).

Either way, it has been interesting to read this thread because I bought a manual 300Tdi 4 years ago because the NRMA review of them said "we found the auto to be lethargic and the manual more responsive"...or something like that.

Clutch weight depends on what you are used to. I used to have a VH Commodore and if my Mum borrowed it she would always complain of the heavy steering and clutch. I always thought she just liked complaining
However when I bought a manual Nissan hatchback I drove the Commodore for the first time after about 2 weeks of not using it and the steering felt like the lock was still on and the clutch had a brick under it!

After the hatch I bought my Rodeo and thought it had a heavy clutch. Now I'm test driving Discos and when I get back into my Rodeo I have zero pedal feel as it is so much lighter than a Disco. It is embarrasing getting back into my own car and stalling it straight away after driving a Disco

However my Wife had some trouble driving my Rodeo so if she ever needs to borrow the Disco she wouldn't be able to push the clutch in at all I think (she is a lightweight). Now I think about it.............maybe I should get a manual!

I have a 97 300Tdi Auto, now lets see........

Up hill better


on sand better

across country better

in city better

towing better

and when you have front and rear lockers and the centre diff locked as well, down hill nil problems.

Not that I do this every hill but if you are desending a steep hill and there is a possablity that skidding may occur, lock the whole lot up, then if one wheel stops, all stop!....

I have seen manual Patrols that have to change up gears going down a slippery hill as the car locked up under compresion. The driver had to change thru angle gear to achive this and lost his seat covers in the process. The auto had nil problems as I could control the brakeing better.

So the main tip

AUTO"S BETTER

The only down side that I have found is whel the car is cold, on a steepish hill it doesn't want to move until it stalls up against the torque converter.

As for drags try this in town, pop it into low range for a sprint from one set of lights to the next, Boy does that throw the cat amounst the pigens

Personal preference I guess. We bought the manual 97 TDI Disco in 98, and its never let us down or been in issue. My wife drives it more than I get to, running the kids around etc, and never has complained about it. She might be just used to it). I drive a variety of vehicles for work from 110's, 6*6 to heavy rigids etc so I guess it also depends on your perspective....But my personal preference is for the manual.

When I did my Landie club of vic driver training, they got the auto drivers ( there was only a couple them thar days) to put it in reverse on the steep hills.
There is plenty of comments about how the auto's are not much chop on steep descents but no mention of this technique ???
Apparently it does no harm and works well.
I have never asked anyone I go 4wding with what they do now that I have read these pages

It is a good technique BUT u wont catch me doing it with 35" Simex tyres on!! They have a lot of traction on very slippery surfaces....

Mick

You can put your auto in reverse on steep ddescents, but it will creat a lot of heat in the transmission. It is not something that I would recommend doing regularly.

I always use reverse in my auto to go downhills and I have yet to encounter any problems. I agree with Discodan though, autos ARE beter overall. Also my philosophy is 'why change gears when you don't have to'.

I've killed an auto in Aquarangie, but it had 300K on it and it wasn't well looked after prior to my ownership (always serviced it in my ownership). Probably driver inflicted as well .

Trav