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[i]The manual on mine recomends using 'N' and the handbrake at traffic lights. Quicker to change into drive from 'N' than from 'P', for that blistering acceleration from the lights [/i]
If anything like mine, after a period you'll need to put your foot on the brake to move the lever though.
[i]I simply can't get on with the lags when pulling away from junctions, when overtaking etc.[/i]
Which is why I didn't buy a VW a few years ago, press pedal and count to 2 - didn't know then whether it was just a DSG issue or DSG/diesel issue?
press pedal and count to 2
Had that on my old XC90 - sure sure if they fixed it with later models. It wasn't 'nice' but you got used to it.
Personal preference isn't it?
A lot depends on the car. An 'expensive' car is generally going to have a [very] much nicer auto box than a cheaper car.
After driving an auto car for the last 14 years the idea of pressing a pedal and then moving a lever to change gear seems pretty archaic.
Sundayjumper - thanks, wasn't sure exactly how it did it, just roughly what it did. Roughly 🙂
A lot depends on the car. An 'expensive' car is generally going to have a [very] much nicer auto box than a cheaper car.
Well mine is a pretty expensive car (new model A6) so if that is the best they can do in that, I can't imagine what a Ford Fiesta would be like...
More expensive!
Put it in neutral and put your hand brake on.
It's common courtesy.
Takes no more effort in an auto than in manual.
but but.... Bluemotion, like.
[i]Well mine is a pretty expensive car (new model A6) so if that is the best they can do in that, I can't imagine what a Ford Fiesta would be like... [/i]
As said, it's the type of autobox you've got.
Try even a Vauxhall (GM cars have always had decent autoboxes), it'll be better. 🙂
As said, it's the type of autobox you've got
Yeah I am aware that my particular box is renowned for being a bit laggy but it really has put me off autos altogether and still prefer the manual feel (ie, I don't just want it not to lag, I just like having manual control).
Nothing more laggy than a manual. The time it takes you to change gear is longer than an auto takes. It just feels longer in an auto because you're just sat there waiting rather than doing stuff.
Takes no more effort in an auto than in manual.
You've obviously never tried that in a V60 Geartronic with eDrive then. Simply not designed to be used that way.
Designed by ignorant and inconsiderate people then.
It really is a pain in the arse.
Nothing more laggy than a manual. The time it takes you to change gear is longer than an auto takes. It just feels longer in an auto because you're just sat there waiting rather than doing stuff.
I am talking mainly about pulling away at junctions.
Put it in neutral and put your hand brake on.
It's common courtesy.
Takes no more effort in an auto than in manual.
My beemer kicks in the eco system with my foot on the brake at the lights so doing that would not be as efficient. I'm led to believe this is how most of the stop starts work in autos.
[i]really is a pain in the arse[/i]
It's a little bit of brightness in the eyes 🙂
Used to annoy me when folk in front sat with their foot on the brake, but now I know why I just look elsewhere.
So many (manymanymany!) more annoying things happen on the road!
I used to have a Scimitar - Rear wheel drive, 3 litre V6 and auto box. Because the front discs were a lot bigger than the back you could sit at traffic lights with your left foot on the brake, press the throttle with the right and get wheelspin while standing still. Made for a sharp getaway and spooked bystanders.
The other Pro Tip for driving My First Automatic is to take your left foot and tuck it up under the seat / your other leg well out of the way. Otherwise the first time you stop you'll instinctively press the 'clutch' which is the other half of the brake pedal, and wonder why your head's just bounced off the steering wheel.
I only drive autos as rentals. I'm fine ignoring the clutch when driving but EVERY SINGLE TIME I parked the thing I'd slam on the brakes half way into the space.
I am talking mainly about pulling away at junctions.
Is this after you've come to a complete stop, or when you're still moving? I find that once you're completely stopped, it'll get itself into 1st and take off quickly, but if you're still moving, it'll still be in 9th gear for "economy" and will have to shift down if you boot it, with an annoying lag. Sadly auto boxes aren't great at predicting what you're going to do next.
I recently made the switch to an auto and am torn: it's beautifully smooth and extremely quick to change, but after years in a manual, I still find it frustrating when it's not in the gear I want it to be in and there's a lag whilst it shifts. Using manual mode obviously avoids this, but on an 8-speed it's too fiddly to do all the time.
Is it the S-Tronic dual clutch box, or the Tip-tronic auto that you've got?
really is a pain in the arse
I find that not parking up the chuff of the car in front helps. If you can't see their back wheels, you're too close.
On the pulling away at junction thing I guess it probably depends on the gearbox. My wife has an auto in her BMW 1 series (1.6 turbo petrol engine). I believe it is the 'old' style torque converter gearbox with 8 psuedo speeds. When pulling away at a junction there is a small lag between pressing the accellarator and it actually moving, but in reality its probably only about half a second - about the time it takes for you to lift the clutch on a manual. However if you put it in sports mode it's pretty much instantaneous and really goes. So if it's a busy junction and I expect to have to give it some welly then i'll put it in sports mode.
Is this after you've come to a complete stop, or when you're still moving? I find that once you're completely stopped, it'll get itself into 1st and take off quickly, but if you're still moving,
Either really - if I am at a stop it shifts into second almost straight away anyway (unless I have it in full manual mode). I just find that I can either pull away sedately or push the accelerator much harder and unleash all the demons in Hell right down the street (and with the 4x4 and 210bhp engine it does fly even when I really don't want it to if I am simply trying to nip out in busy traffic). It is the S-Tronic gearbox.
My BMW has 230bhp and 369lb/ft of torque.
Frankly, it 'goes' whatever gear it's in and there's no detectable lag at junctions.
Lots of talk on this subject eh.
I think it's quite simple (being an Auto owner in most cars I've owned and currently in 2 of the 3 I own now)
P = Park, thats simple enough to comprehend. If Parking, place in P and apply handbrake.
N = Neutral, that too is simple enough. If stationary for extended periods, place in N and apply handbrake.
N = Neutral, again simple enough. If stationary for short periods, place in N and apply either footbrake or handbrake to control vehicle.
D = Drive, simple enough. If driving choose D or you won't be going anywhere. If stationary for short periods leave it in D and apply footbrake.
I'm more interested in the yellow flashy things being used. You tend to find folks that drive Autos, tend to know how to drive Autos, they really are simple enough.
it seems too many wizardy involved in auto gearbox 😕
I think I am one of the old dogs which you cannot teach new tricks ..nevertheless, thank you all for the inputs..it kinda makes me think of going back to manual but i will see how it goes..
what is "standard" (if ever there is such) transition time from manual driver to auto to be confident enough?
about 10 minutes.
Going back involves remembering to press the clutch at junctions etc which can catch you out...
I don't have any problem going from one to the other but then I drive both regularly now.
However, three years ago and after driving an auto for the first time ever for three weeks travelling around America, getting back into my manual after flying from JFK in LA to Heathrow then driving back to Yorkshire in the middle of the night was rather amusing. This culminated in driving off a slip road on the M1 into some services and completely forgetting I was in a manual and managed to stall the car with a lorry rapidly coming up behind me 😯
Which is why I didn't buy a VW a few years ago, press pedal and count to 2 - didn't know then whether it was just a DSG issue or DSG/diesel issue?
You have to understand a bit about what it does.
If you are in any particular gear whilst moving, and you press the pedal hard, it'll change down to whatever gear matches that amount of acceleration. Sometimes this gear is on the same shaft, which means you get about a second delay (not two). Once you get used to it, you don't do it, and all is well.
Some people seem to have a tendency (in all areas, not just cars and not just on here) to deem something crap as soon as it annoys them. I make a point of not doing that, and learning to see the benefits of something. Once you realise that stamping on the pedal sometimes results in a delay, you don't do it, and then you learn to appreciate the benefits of DSG. Which are instant seamless gear changes up through the box in a way that is impossible with a manual. It's fabulous. That's it gets so much favourable press, and why VAG have rolled it out across the range.
If you have a delay from standstill when accelerating hard, you may need to reset the clutch adaptation. I used to have this but the reset procedure sorted it out, now I can pull away on boost.
Overtaking lag again is due to the kick-down. You can easily get around that by using manual mode, then it's better than a manual for overtaking. It'll automatically change up when you hit the red line too, even in manual model
Overtaking lag again is due to the kick-down.
How did you find that out? (-:
Driving an auto is easy. You've basically got two modes: Forwards and backwards. Stick it in D to go. Little more complex than a dodgem. Great in traffic. I miss mine.
Automatic gear is the way to go.
If you are driving pass the Toon (Newcastle upon Tyne) you will be glad that you drive an automatic coz the traffic jam is about 5 miles long. FFS! 😯
mikewsmith - Member
Weirdest thing when you get to a place with lots of Auto's is the crap yourself moment when the car in front's reversing lights come on in traffic (between D & Park normally)
Was following someone tonight who's car was doing just this. Every time they stopped, brake light then went off and the reverse light flashed on and off. Freaked me out a bit at first, then just irritating as they must have been shifting into P a lot or something and thus when the traffic moved off shortly after they spent ages shifting it back into D. Particularly annoying at traffic lights with road sensors that decide to change back to red when people are too slow to pull away.
Though I come across some people who just seem inept and moving gear levers. What seem to be manual cars and they seem to take ages to shift, sometimes hit reverse by mistake and then there are those who seem to knock their indicator while changing gear.
Have to say automatics work well in the US because everyone has one, they're all slow and the attitude to driving there is very casual and non aggressive. In the UK you need to be off like a shot or else people get pissed off or ram into you. I get pissed off even. I seem to switch to aggressive mode driving in the UK and an automatic would annoy me greatly.
I can't see me having a manual again for a long time, if ever.
I have two auto's - a 140bhp Passat Sport Estate 6sp DSG, which goes like stink and drives lovely (albeit it's parked on the drive awaiting MOT and selling) - also have a 3l V6 Navara, with a 7sp auto box from the 370Z. It was a tad temperamental with the standard map - hanging on to high gears on hills. Had it remapped to 270bhp/600nm, from 231/540 and it's sublime - pulls like a train (gear issues were pretty much due to the weight I carry), never has an issue pulling away at junctions - can leave most things standing. In traffic, it's a godsend.
Have to say automatics work well in the US because everyone has one, they're all slow and the attitude to driving there is very casual and non aggressive.
Are autos not compatible with aggressive urgent driving?
My DSG Golf doesn't have any fancy hill hold, but you just come off the brake and accelerate, failing to see the issue, it may roll back an inch or so, but there's a good chance a manual would anyway.
My manual doesn't roll back.
molgrips - Member
Are autos not compatible with aggressive urgent driving?
Not when it's V8 American autos. Foot down, nice growl, wait a minute and you might be up to 30mph. And then straight roads and cruise control.
Most the time I find out there you're cruising along town streets and seems like you're going fast but only doing 20 as everyone else is crawling along. But it's not bumper to bumper congestion like in the UK, just everyone is pootling.
DezB - Member
really is a pain in the arseIt's a little bit of brightness in the eyes
Yeah, bit dramatic.
😀
In mitigation:
16 mile each way commute, both ways in the dark.
Endless roadworks.
Unlit roads.
It's quite annoying when some inconsiderate knob makes 6am in February worse than usual.
It's the same people who never indicate or dip their headlights, leave dogshit everywhere, litter or vote Tory.
You know the type.
Not you lot with your 'computer says no', magic gearboxes btw, although if efficiency was your overriding concern, you'd have bought a Panda, wouldn't you?
🙂
My point about delays from a standing start are more about the lack of progressiveness of my auto box - it's either pull away sedately (which is often fine) or shoot off. If I find it shooting off too much and back off the accelerator then it dies altogether. I just find that the guesses an auto box (at least the VAG S-Tronic one) often don't match what I actually want the car to do.
[I]Once you realise that stamping on the pedal sometimes results in a delay, you don't do it, and then you learn to appreciate the benefits of DSG. Which are instant seamless gear changes up through the box in a way that is impossible with a manual. It's fabulous. [/I]
But 5h1t for an auto, which does everything you describe and you DON'T have to count to 2 when pulling off a dead stop.
[I] I just find that the guesses an auto box (at least the VAG S-Tronic one) often don't match what I actually want the car to do. [/I]
Yes, so now go and have a drive in a proper auto.
Yes, so now go and have a drive in a proper auto.
My experience has put me off them for life. I'm going back to manual.
But 5h1t for an auto, which does everything you describe and you DON'T have to count to 2 when pulling off a dead stop.
I don't understand this.
Does anyone else get a bit of shunt when being less than delicate with the accelerator? Sometimes when I press 'go' with a bit of urgency, there feels like a bit of drivetrain shunt as it gets itself going. Not really speed or gear dependant as far as I can tell though I've not taken a lot of notice.
I don't understand this.
Read it again then (and the full context) then it will make sense. Unless you are just being belligerent.
It doesn't. I said the dsg was smooth instant changes, and you said it was shit for an auto. Smooth instant changes are shit? Or are you saying a traditional auto is better?
And there's definitely no two second delay when pulling away with my dsg. I'll take a video when I get home.
Nor with mine. Once or twice, when ive tried accelerating onto a roundabout I have got it wrong and experienced a lag. But those were my fault.
Really, it just makes driving a more pleasant experience. And.. you can use your left hand for other stuff, like eating crisps, scrolling through the iPod or texting. (You can, obviously I wouldn't).