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[Kate]

Hello everyone.

I just got my fourth mig which is an automatic.  I've always driven manual cars so now I've got a few questions.  I hope you can help!

1. Is it ok to leave the car in drive all the time when you are out or should you put it in neutral at traffic lights etc.?
2. Are automatic gearboxes as reliable as manual ones?
3.Do you still have to get your clutch replaced when it wears out?
4.How is acceleration affected?
5. How is mpg affected?
6. Do you need to top up gearbox oil or anything like that?
7. If the gearbox fails is it economically viable to replace?
8. Is it expensive to replace?
9. Is it a massive job to replace?
10. Are automatics aimed at the older driver?

Thanks for your advice and opinions!

[Andy B]

Hello everyone.

I just got my fourth mig which is an automatic.  I've always driven manual cars so now I've got a few questions.  I hope you can help!

1. Is it ok to leave the car in drive all the time when you are out or should you put it in neutral at traffic lights etc.?
2. Are automatic gearboxes as reliable as manual ones?
3.Do you still have to get your clutch replaced when it wears out?
4.How is acceleration affected?
5. How is mpg affected?
6. Do you need to top up gearbox oil or anything like that?
7. If the gearbox fails is it economically viable to replace?
8. Is it expensive to replace?
9. Is it a massive job to replace?
10. Are automatics aimed at the older driver?

Thanks for your advice and opinions!

1 Yes!
2 Pretty much so
3 No - to all intents
4 Slightly slower on paper but in the real world not really      that noticable .... (dons coat waiting for all those whoe want to be in control  )
5 Worsens it a bit - depends on how heavy your right foot is. 
6 See maint sections - you need to crawl underneath it with spanners
7 Not too bad with a second hand unit
8 see 7
9 Not particularly easy
10 NO!  :-?   

[Mr Skrunts]

Hello everyone.

I just got my fourth mig which is an automatic.  I've always driven manual cars so now I've got a few questions.  I hope you can help!

1. Is it ok to leave the car in drive all the time when you are out or should you put it in neutral at traffic lights etc.?  I leave mine in drive at the lights, but put it in park during traffic hold ups.

2. Are automatic gearboxes as reliable as manual ones? With an oil and filter change if small problems start to develop then no reason why not

3.Do you still have to get your clutch replaced when it wears out?  They dont have the same type of clutch as a manual, they do have some type of clutch but have no human intervention as such for changeing gear.

4.How is acceleration affected?  Bit slower, but then if you put it in sport mode and boot it it can still get good results.

5. How is mpg affected?  Depends on driver, I tend to be a more sedate driver with an auto.

6. Do you need to top up gearbox oil or anything like that?  Generally. No.

7. If the gearbox fails is it economically viable to replace?  See the lads that break them for spares.

8. Is it expensive to replace?  If wearing your bikini whilst haggling, then no. 

9. Is it a massive job to replace?  Dunno, but dont want to find out either. 

10. Are automatics aimed at the older driver?  Not at all.

Thanks for your advice and opinions!

All so a few points to note.

Forget using your left leg as a temptation to brake as some do.  Some people I kmow use the throttle and brake at the same time to manouvre, (not good for the box)

Be carefull if rolling and dont be tempted to whack it into park.

Also make sure the car is allways stionary whilst moving through reverse into drive or park.

If you want decent acceleration, just check there is no play in the throttle and kick down cables.

and most of all, welcome to the world of auto's, hope you learn to enjoy them. 

[KillerWatt]

4 Slightly slower on paper but in the real world not really      that noticable .... (dons coat waiting for all those whoe want to be in control  )

I'll agree with that, except to add if you drop it in to sport mode then they do move pretty quickly considering their size & weight.

As for having a bit more control, I'm afraid you only get that with a manual.
However, an auto box in a big motor is very nice.

[Andy B]

.....
As for having a bit more control, I'm afraid you only get that with a manual. .......

Not wishing to get into the .... which is best argument discussion.     
Just how much more 'control' have you in a manual than an auto? Manuals can slow down on the gearbox and brakes, so can an auto, both cars have a go-faster pedal. And I do drive a manual every day, but much prefer the auto Omega

[I_want_an_Omega]

I've had about a doze Omegas over the years and all but one have been auto.

Very relaxed way of driving and you can also get it to change gear when you want bu adjusting the RATE at which you apply the throttle.

The only think to watch out for, in my view, is that in sow mode the transmission oil will heat up and eventually take the car out of snow mode whilst displaying a fault message.

Apart from that, and being careful in the snow & Ice - enjoy.

[waspy]

An answer to your question one. If your sat in traffic for a long time & not really moving much, it's a good idea to select neutral or park (especially in hot weather). The gear oil will get too hot & this won't do it much good.
As for KW's control aspect, in slippery condition like snow for instance, auto's are better. (before some one pipes up & says blah blah. Remember JC in Iceland on the glacier with Icelander's )

[waspy]

I've had about a doze Omegas over the years and all but one have been auto.

Very relaxed way of driving and you can also get it to change gear when you want bu adjusting the RATE at which you apply the throttle.

The only think to watch out for, in my view, is that in sow mode the transmission oil will heat up and eventually take the car out of snow mode whilst displaying a fault message.

Apart from that, and being careful in the snow & Ice - enjoy.

Oink Oink. Sorry I couldn't resist

[Andy H]

As for having a bit more control, I'm afraid you only get that with a manual.
However, an auto box in a big motor is very nice.

I had a 2.5 manual for 6 years. Three months ago I changed it for a 2.6 auto.

It is less tiring in stop/start traffic.

It is quite good on flat roads but absolutely infuriating on hilly roads (like we have in Cornwall). It can't make up its mind what gear to be in. Often you will be climbing a hill in the 'right' gear at about 3000rpm and it changes up, the revs drop to 2000 and you slow down. As you apply more throttle it changes down 2 gears, the revs rise to 4000rpm and takes off so you ease off the throttle it drops back one gear and back to 3000rpm for a while and then the cycle starts again.

I don't want a 'sporty' button I want a 'stay in this gear' button.

[TheBoy]

1. Is it ok to leave the car in drive all the time when you are out or should you put it in neutral at traffic lights etc.?
2. Are automatic gearboxes as reliable as manual ones?
3.Do you still have to get your clutch replaced when it wears out?
4.How is acceleration affected?
5. How is mpg affected?
6. Do you need to top up gearbox oil or anything like that?
7. If the gearbox fails is it economically viable to replace?
8. Is it expensive to replace?
9. Is it a massive job to replace?
10. Are automatics aimed at the older driver?

1) Yes, though if stood for more than 20s or so, i knock mine to N, and apply handbrake like a good little boy
2) No
3) No, it doesn't have one
4) Generally lower from standing start, but due to different gearing, may beat manual at certain other speeds
5) Generally much lower around town, often same ballpark on a motorway run
6) Ideally replace oil every 50-75k
7) With OOF, yes, viable! Otherwise, no
Breakers on OOF will sell then for £75-£120. Recon from specialist will be £500+
9) Difficult to do on your own
10) Not really.

[Kevin Wood]

Worth mentioning that the Omega's autobox is improved by a gearbox ECU update if you're not running the latest.

You have to consider that a driver's choice of gear is based on a number of factors. Some of these are "visible" to the auto gearbox ECU (engine speed and load, vehicle speed and load, throttle and brake pedal state), and can therefore be used to influence the ECUs choice of gear, and some aren't (road conditions and layout ahead, likely level of traction available, gradient, level of driver "red mist") so an autobox will be a compromise.

In addition, an automatic gearbox is a totally different animal to a manual box because the gearbox ratios are fewer in number, their relationship is less ideal and they are therefore supplemented by a torque converter to "fill in the gaps". This is why a well driven manual car will generally outdrag a similar auto off the lights.

Ultimately a manual gearbox will always be best from a driving point of view, and trying to control an automatic box manually is the worst of both worlds IMHO.

Better, IMHO, to get to know how your autobox shifts and drive accordingly. If you know it's about to shift up a gear and you don't want it to just give it a little more gas. If you want to avoid it downshifting under load, ease off the gas a little.

There are a few occasions when an auto box needs manual control because it can't select the correct gear (e.g. negotiating a mountain pass).

In all other cases I leave it in "D" and enjoy the one great advantage of an auto box, and the reason I have one in my daily driver - they are much less tedious to drive in traffic.

Kevin

[cruisetopoland]

Useful thread-this is the first auto I had owned and I find it is surprisingly good at selecting the right gear without hunting-even in our hilly area-if I use throttle control.

Only thing is that it holds the gear when cold (as stated in handbook) which makes you look like you are over-revving when first setting off from cold, and also the box jumps down unnecessarily on a slight incline when using cruise-mine will go down two gears in quick succession, then change back up after a few seconds rather than building back to the desired speed more gently. (NOT in Sport mode)

May try the ECU/box updates when possible.

If faced with choosing between two identical cars, one manual, one automatic-which would I choose?
I think the auto box suits the softly sprung cruiser Omegas and the manual suits the MV6 best.
The combination of auto and cruise control in a comfy car works very well and this would be my choice again 

[ENFIELD_MV6]

i take it the miggy box wont take the abuse my volvo one did then ( i.e running it up the drag strip) at the lights on the strip engage 1st and sports mode T/C off, left foot on brake hold at 3500rpm when green let the brake go

[TheBoy]

i take it hte miggy box wont take the abuse my volvo one did then ( i.e running it up the drag strip) at the lights on the strip engage 1st and sports mode T/C off left foot on brake hold at 3500rpm when green let the brake go

It handles it fine. Apparently   (only the stall speed is less, around 2.5k seems to be ideal. Apparently )

[ENFIELD_MV6]

i take it hte miggy box wont take the abuse my volvo one did then ( i.e running it up the drag strip) at the lights on the strip engage 1st and sports mode T/C off left foot on brake hold at 3500rpm when green let the brake go

It handles it fine. Apparently   (only the stall speed is less, around 2.5k seems to be ideal. Apparently )

hmmmm not sure wether to try it now then or not lol, best not for time being till i get use to it, dont wanna be picking bits up of the autobox of the strip