Auto or manual

Caporegime
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ok....


Yes but they are boring, some people actually like the analogue feedback a manual transmission provides.

I see no one answered my last question about the most expensive cars sold and what they had in common -- for sure it was not an automatic transmission, yes? That should be telling itself
And some people prefer good automatic boxes. Why can’t you respect that.

The only thing we are discussing here is shift times but you still think a manual is faster for some unknown reason.
 
Associate
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And some people prefer good automatic boxes. Why can’t you respect that.

The only thing we are discussing here is shift times but you still think a manual is faster for some unknown reason.

well me and others, like this chap below prefer a good manual. If you go to Specsavers and call back here and go through the posts again you will see I said manuals are FAR better to drive - unless you get kicks from pushing buttons and letting a computer do things for you. Some people actually like driving. Autos are good for city driving or if you have arthritis or some health condition and cannot drive a manual box

jameswillard11 year ago
As the new owner of a 2020 M2 Competition with DCT I can safely say with confidence to BUY THE MANUAL! I wish I would have
 
Associate
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Yes, "ok...." is right. ;)

High end exotica having automatic transmissions is telling of what exactly? To me it further proves that they are better, faster, more capable, more suited to extremely high end performance cars.

I'm sure it means something totally different to you though, some consipracy or something. :p

You're really flip flopping between "manuals are better/faster" and "manuals are more fun" - which is it? One is subjectively true. The other is objectively false.

bla bla bla....
 
Soldato
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Not really, maybe this has improved on more recent or expensive DCT boxes but in the wifes Skoda there can be a noticeable delay between requesting a shift & it actually carrying it out, not always mind you.

I've been out in the car to do a bit of shopping this evening so I thought i'd let my phone record wide angle so you can see the rev counter & shift lever, the lag sometimes is massive, enough time to have my hands both back on the wheel before the shift commences. There is also a pretty good clip of me trying to go from 5th to 2nd with 3 quick shifts which results in the car going to 4th and then a big enough delay for me to think it's missed my instruction entirely after me putting my hand back on the wheel so i have another go for 3rd at least at which point it decides to comply & change to second just as I grab the shifter.

It feels so sloppy & disconnected.

Not quite the point we were making. There have been people in the thread criticising autos for being dull and choosing completely the wrong gear at the wrong times. But any modern auto will usually have a manual mode to overcome this. It being sloppy or disconnected in your Skoda is neither here nor there...it still allows you as much "control" as a manual, and even though you may have to anticipate the time it takes to change due to an inherent lag, this is really no different to how you have to anticipate the physical time to shift gears in a manual - if you anticipate that the manual override in your automatic is a bit slow and sloppy, and use it with that in mind, you still have as much control over the selected gear, even if you don't feel it actually improves the speed of shifting.

I'm guessing in your case the manual override is on the shift lever, as opposed to paddles? So I can see how that might be slower, but then again, that's probably indicitive that it's not to to serve as a replacement for the automatic function. We have a similar setup in my girlfriends car, but really it's only there to force an override when needed (ie when descending hills or something), its not really intended to be used in manual mode consistently (torque convertor). The argument is more about having full control when driving spiritedly, but I imagine any automatic with that in mind will have paddles and a more sprightly shift anyway.
 
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Caporegime
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No chance can an auto box match the swift response you get from a manual,

This 'swift response' in the clip below - unless you are used to driving manuals cars you wont get it.

The video clip was a very good example of a manual transmission having the edge over auto boxes...

most of the ones he overtook would be autos

before you even move you are at a disadvantage over a manual

Why are you so confident that the DCT would still be faster?

bla bla bla....

I get what you're trying to say, but what you are trying to say and what you've actually been seeming to allude to, several times, are two different things.

It is quite astounding how many people you have confused and provoked with your badly worded posts. Its rare that I of all people get to say this to someone else but, maybe read what you've written before posting?

I think you'll find many people in here do actually agree with you that a manual gearbox makes a car more engaging to drive, which is according to you all you've been saying all along, except its not. :p
 
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Soldato
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Not quite the point we were making. There have been people in the thread criticising autos for being dull and choosing completely the wrong gear at the wrong times. But any modern auto will usually have a manual mode to overcome this. It being sloppy or disconnected in your Skoda is neither here nor there...it still allows you as much "control" as a manual, and even though you may have to anticipate the time it takes to change due to an inherent lag, this is really no different to how you have to anticipate the physical time to shift gears in a manual - if you anticipate that the manual override in your automatic is a bit slow and sloppy, and use it with that in mind, you still have as much control over the selected gear, even if you don't feel it actually improves the speed of shifting.

I'm guessing in your case the manual override is on the shift lever, as opposed to paddles? So I can see how that might be slower, but then again, that's probably indicitive that it's not to to serve as a replacement for the automatic function. We have a similar setup in my girlfriends car, but really it's only there to force an override when needed (ie when descending hills or something), its not really intended to be used in manual mode consistently (torque convertor). The argument is more about having full control when driving spiritedly, but I imagine any automatic with that in mind will have paddles and a more sprightly shift anyway.

But that is no good. You need to be able to change gear instantly to react to changing situations. Especially on a track.

That's like saying 1000 ping in an online game is fine, just plan a bit further ahead :/
 
Caporegime
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well me and others, like this chap below prefer a good manual. If you go to Specsavers and call back here and go through the posts again you will see I said manuals are FAR better to drive - unless you get kicks from pushing buttons and letting a computer do things for you. Some people actually like driving. Autos are good for city driving or if you have arthritis or some health condition and cannot drive a manual box

jameswillard11 year ago
As the new owner of a 2020 M2 Competition with DCT I can safely say with confidence to BUY THE MANUAL! I wish I would have

I own an S2000 and an M3 DCT. I don’t need to be told which I prefer
 
Soldato
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But that is no good. You need to be able to change gear instantly to react to changing situations. Especially on a track.

That's like saying 1000 ping in an online game is fine, just plan a bit further ahead :/

So how do you change gear instantly in a manual? You've missed the point entirely.
 
Caporegime
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I own an S2000 and an M3 DCT. I don’t need to be told which I prefer
Lol, mic drop. :p
So how do you change gear instantly in a manual? You've missed the point entirely.
You need an old Subaru with a missing turbo to be able to pull off such a feat!

In seriousness though I think he means the delay between pulling the paddle or pushing the button and "something actually happening", whereas with a manual, when you start to change gear you start to change gear. More of a 'feeling' thing than a sciency timey wimey thing. :p
 
Soldato
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In seriousness though I think he means the delay between pulling the paddle or pushing the button and "something actually happening", whereas with a manual, when you start to change gear you start to change gear. More of a 'feeling' thing than a sciency timey wimey thing. :p

It doesn't matter. We were discussing the lack of control in automatics. The point was, when you change gear in a manual, you factor in the physical time needed to change gear. If I need to shift down for a corner, I don't wait until I'm there before I start to press the clutch. The claim that you can't do that in an autonatic is rubbish because they almost all have some way to select gears manually, and they will on the whole be faster than a manual. And if they're not, because your automatic isn't very sporty, then just like with a manual, you account for the physical shift time.

Ironically, Nasher now saying "but you need to change gears instantly" only backs up the argument for an automatic...because if you really do need to change gears that quickly, then extending your finger to flick a paddle is always going to be quicker than manipulating a manual :p

Note, I'm not getting into subjectivness. I've already said I prefer a manual myself. It's just mental reading all these lame attempts to claim their objectively superior. There's no need, it's fine to just say "I prefer a manual" and be done with it.
 
Soldato
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I've been out in the car to do a bit of shopping this evening so I thought i'd let my phone record wide angle
did you post the video ? couldn't see an attachment

There have been people in the thread criticising autos for being dull and choosing completely the wrong gear at the wrong times. But any modern auto will usually have a manual mode to overcome this. It being sloppy or disconnected in your Skoda is neither here nor there.
it is a bit self-defeating if the auto mode that jo public is using is not providing the control+safety of manual,
and, as discussed, has to be supplemented by the gps based roundabout approach mode, active cruise wil probably help avoid mistakes too - remedial technologies.
maybe the thread title should be auto manual or flipper override?

the standard of driving on roads does seem to have declined (but maybe objective accident stats don't show that) as the driving skill is dumbed down to leave people with head space for other distractions - phone calls, multi-media - so, a millenium redefinition of due care and attention.
 
Caporegime
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I have no blanket preference myself, depends on the car and what I'm doing with said car. :p

I wouldn't want an LS400 with a manual gearbox.

I wouldn't want an MX5 with an automatic gearbox.
 
Soldato
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It is a bit self-defeating if the auto mode that jo public is using is not providing the control+safety of manual,

Let's get real. How often are people finding their automatic gearboxes completely flummoxed to the point that they feel they're out of control of the vehicle because of it?

I've been driving an automatic regularly for about 4 years, a torque convertor auto attached to a diesel SUV, so nowhere near the standard of most modern auto boxes. I can remember only once where the car selected the "wrong gear", and it was my fault when at a junction I accelerated hard, then came off the throttle and the suddenly accelerated hard again and the gearbox obviously didn't know how to respond to my ham fisted inputs. Otherwise, I can't remember once approaching a roundabout, junction, slip road or overtake and finding the autobox incapable. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've needed to override the automatic selection, and that was only because of descending a long incline whilst towing.
 
Man of Honour
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Don't recognise half the posts in this thread LOL - if I have a bit of unpredictable conditions and then decide to quickly overtake I don't have any problems with the auto dithering about a bit and taking a second to find the right gear/power output, etc. without even having to resort to kick-down.

Even my truck pretty much just goes - don't even have to mess around with kick-down or manually changing ranges in most cases - I didn't get on the power until I'd nosed out to double check it was clear.

https://youtu.be/p2GF8XeegFE

(Sounds much less like a diesel in person compared to the dashcam for some reason)
 
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