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[familyman]

I don't miss the manual box as most of the time carrying wife and kids, and auto's make light work of today traffic driving, but i think you need a big engine to appreciate the auto.I think an auto in my wife's fiesta would be a nightmare, besides in a little car with buzzy 1400 engine the manual just feels right.

any way If i want a bit of self indulgent nuttyness i jump on the bike  

[Admin]

I am going to have to adjust back to a non manual and it does not fill me with joy!

Non manual boxes are effective with larger engines, and are definitely a bonus in city driving.
However I prefer to decide what gear to be in at any particular time.

[Pitchfork]

Why waste energy playing tunes on a gear-bag?

[Martin_1962]

Well the V6 & Auto works very well.

You miss a manual less than you appreciate an auto.

A hire Saaab I had for a little while last year had tittronic and it was hopeless

[x25xe]

Auto is growing / has grown on me.  The Omega is my first Auto car and in the town it is a real boon.  I always worried that I would not be able to back to a manual but the Cavalier is manual and so are the two minibuses and van that I have so this has not proved to be a problem.

The only thing that I find with the auto box is that it never gets to top gear (or lock up) after just prior to 50MPH.  When in a manual, I tend to engage 5th gear at around 40MPH.  The other thing I find is that even now, when coming off the motorway, I still try and depress the clutch and I find my hand sliding to the gear lever - old habits I guess.

As an aside, I am still amazed at how smooth the auto box is.  You can just feel it changing when cold but, when warmed up, the only way you know that it has changed is by the engine note or looking at the rev counter.  It is especially impressive when engaging top gear.

Rant over!!

[Taxi_Driver]

I am going to have to adjust back to a non manual and it does not fill me with joy!

Non manual boxes are effective with larger engines, and are definitely a bonus in city driving.
However I prefer to decide what gear to be in at any particular time.

Have you driven a 2.2 auto LB? Power is amazing esp on lpg  

[Andy B]

.....
However I prefer to decide what gear to be in at any particular time.

Me too! I just put it in 'D'!!  

[Dan McIntyre]

My Omega is an auto, mainly because I can't physically drive a manual anymore, but.....

My 1st Vectra back in 2000 was also an auto and I loved it.  When I had to get rid I got a manual but swore I wanted another auto again.

They're just so easy (lazy perhaps...) to drive and I have yet to find someone who can drive a manual car (any manual car) as smoothly as a good auto.  

In addition (not that I'm a boy racer) it will accelerate faster than most things off the line - I simply pull my lever whereas the driver in a manual has to faff about with clutch and accelerator and gearstick.  I have surprised many cap wearing teenagers in little shopping trolleys making a lot of noise.  Especially when they pull up behind me at lights, see the "I drive on Bekker hand controls" and "I use a wheelchair" stickers in the rear window and think that I'm gonna slow them down, so they then pull into the other lane ready to make an easy killing and I leave them for dust.

The ones that have their mates in with them are the best cos they always look really embarrassed to have been beaten by a disabled guy in a large estate car lol!!

[Dan McIntyre]

As an aside, I am still amazed at how smooth the auto box is.  You can just feel it changing when cold but, when warmed up, the only way you know that it has changed is by the engine note or looking at the rev counter.  It is especially impressive when engaging top gear.

Back in around 2000 I think it was Autocar magazine did a comparison/test of auto boxes from Vauxhall, Ford, BMW and Mercedes and the Vauxhall one came out on top as the most reliable and the smoothest.

[MartinP]

Voted yes, as I have thought recently that I would really like a manual box...
But ONLY at play time  

Last four cars have been autos, and for general driving I really like them.

But with the Omega it would be nice to stir the box.

[Auto Addict]

I think it was back in the 60's Rolls Royce stopped making their own auto boxes and started fitting GM boxes as, quote 'They were the finest in the world'.

[tyreburner]

i would have preferred maggie ( my elite) to have been a manual as i like to keep full control but the auto as stated is so much easier and better off the lights

also i drive dennis dart buses and the auto on them means i can too beat the little chavs off the lights    ( bit embarrassing when i forgot about the passenger standing at the front wiaitng to get off and they ended up at the back  ) but the auto boxes in them change down the gears aswell!!!!! took a hell of a lot of getting used to that when i am slowing down, the box knocks the gears down ( bit jerky at first ) and nearly put some poor bugger through windscreen ,as i was stopping at the last moment it dropped into first and came to an abrupt halt!!!!

[Auto Addict]

My days of racing around everywhere are mostly over, so auto suits my needs better...

Oh I see, so driving mine around doesn't count then........

[highmiler]

Bought my first Auto in 1989 never going back to changing gear ever again.
Highmiler

[bob.dent]

I've had auto's and manuals over the years and I think preference depends on the type of car. My Omega is manual and I've got to say thats's what I prefer on this sort of car. Pushing it through the gearbox can be very exhilarating on certain types of road. 8-) Driving to Barnstaple this weekend you come off the M5 onto the A361, which is a fantastic 40 mile stretch of road with lots of hills, straights and some mild bends. Dropping into 3rd gear and planting your right foot on some of the hilly sections really is a blast - just have to be careful of the odd speed camera. The only time I really miss an auto is in heavy traffic.