Thread: Manual to Auto - Is it worth it?

Stu, if you plan on keeping the disco for a while and are prepared to pay for the coversion then i would go ahead with it, mine is an auto and it is so much nicer to drive than a manual and even the wife after driving it for the first time last week liked it.

G'day 81stubee,

I recently converted my '94 300tdi 110 Defender from manual to auto, and so far I love it. I've driven up to Cape York and back to Brissie and she didn't miss a beat. With the cruise control added as well it made towing and all those long windy / hilly roads a breeze.

It really is down to personal opinion but if does make your driving life a lot easier, also helps to keep the engine in it's torque band because you don't lose all your revs when changing gears...

EDIT: Having said all that I have to agree whole-heartedly with loanrangie. As the conversion costs a bit (unless you plan on doing it yourself, and then you are still up for parts cost), then you should only really look at it if you intend to keep the vehicle for a while.

yep go the auto! when the 90's gear bag gives up im deffinatly sticking an auto in, though i dont know if i want to wait to 220 000k's are on my clock


phil

Sounds like you're going to spend money on the manual box anyhow.
And then there's the new clutch kit.

Auto....

Murphys law: second gear will let go the day after you put in the new clutch.

Cheers, GQ

You guys sound like you seem to think the box is on the way, how many kays do you reckon I should get out of an R380 Box, Its never had a clutch and didn't do much off roading until I got it, I think I'm heading towards the Auto though.

Does anyone know of anybody thats done one themselves?, If I was to do it, i would do it myself, as ritters wanted $7000 to do it.

To be honest, look at maybe finding a tdi auto unless you have spent a small mortage on the current rig. i could see that the cost blow out and theen you would be worse off.

Conversion, DIY you could probably do iit for about $1500-2000 tops. A good ZF auto gearbox for a tdi would at most set you back about $1K avg (maybe more) and them stuffing around with seals, a new output shaft (worth the $250-300 while your gearbox is on the floor in the shed), and a few other items.

Also you'll need the plate that mounts the hi-lo leaver for the suto as the manual is part of the gearbox set-up.

All I can say is cost it out and really research before blowing your money. Good luck with it, plus autos do rule

Trav

My 130 is auto and its awsome! Been told it cost lots to do though.

I'm going to feel like a loner here.....

Stick to the manual...

Autos are nice have their place and their advantages.... ID list em but im sure all your auto box lovers can quote em by heart.


Manuals when looked after have a couple of IMHO Major advantages over an auto box... from my experience.

1. if something breaks you can generaly field repair a manual, you may not get all the gears but you will get something. one set of stuffed clutch packs or selector valves generally=no go in an auto

2. if for some reason you hole the box or blow the seals a manual will stay in gear when the oils gone and in a pinch you can pack them full of grease/any kind of lube you have on hand to get home.

3. if your in way over your head, out of brakes and have to you can force a manual to engine brake by downshifting. if your over the downshift speed in an auto it wont go down....

4. if a manual overheats you can still use it and it will stay in gear.

5. while engine braking a manual wont upshift when you least expect it. (ok that one was my fault I had the shift select wrong, still scary tho)

6. in an emergancy you can creep your vehicle on the starter by leaving a manual in gear and turning the key.

7. manuals are generally lighter and easier to lift in and out

8. manuals dont usually have "pump losses" to worry about.

9. I can push start a manual if the batteries are having a bad hair day

10. no drive diagnosis is a lot easier on a manual.

If I ever got to design my "ultimate" gearbox youd get

A spur geared constant mesh dual layshaft 6 speed wide ratio box with 2 speed split and a planetry range selector driven by a torque converter with a manually operated lockup. IMHO that gives all the best of both worlds.

In theroy you could get 36 forwards gears and 12 reverse before the tcase without making the planetry a nightmare so keeping the engine on the boil wouldnt really be a problem.

The torque converter would take care of easy shifting moving off and the one foot operation the auto drivers love.

and the manual lock out would provide the advantages of a normal clutch when needed most.