Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: sotmh on 05 January 2011, 13:49:01

Title: auto box
Post by: sotmh on 05 January 2011, 13:49:01
May sound daft question but been looking to replace current mig but have found there are an awful lot of autos up for sale. Maybe i'm over thinking this but is there any possible rhyme or reason?

I've always perferred manuals and never driven auto,but finding it difficult to source. May have to bite the bullet.  98%  of my driving is urban. I know their generally more thirsty.  But how much of differnce is that?

any help appreciated?  :-?
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Elite Pete on 05 January 2011, 14:03:01
Depends what your looking for but most of the bigger engined Omegas were produced with an auto box
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Andy B on 05 January 2011, 14:05:44
auto's were standard on V6s while 3 pedals were a no cost option for those that 'wanted to be in control'  :-X
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: RobG on 05 January 2011, 14:13:10
If you find an auto that fits the bill a conversion to manual would only cost about £100 for the bits
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Cliffo B on 05 January 2011, 15:56:32
I always was a manual gearbox fan in fact I remember when my twin son's started to learn driving skills they commented on how I never stopped gearchanging.A few yrs back I lost my manual MV6 to a full grown stag on a long straight country road(it jumped the hedgerow direct in front of miggy)could I get a 03 3.2 manual? No! it wasn't for not trying,I finished up with my present miggy and she's converted me in to an auto fan especially in town traffic, in short, smooth silent power instantly! She really can do the biz,Ithink it's the combination of 3.2 V6 power, coupled up to a good autobox that is the winning combo,but lets not talk of economy!! Now going to have to consider LPG :y
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: geoffr70 on 05 January 2011, 16:25:01
Quote
May sound daft question but been looking to replace current mig but have found there are an awful lot of autos up for sale. Maybe i'm over thinking this but is there any possible rhyme or reason?

I've always perferred manuals and never driven auto,but finding it difficult to source. May have to bite the bullet.  98%  of my driving is urban. I know their generally more thirsty.  But how much of differnce is that?

any help appreciated?  :-?

I once would only drive manuals. Then over a period of a few years I had to drive many different types of vehicles at work, all with autoboxes.

Now I think autos are better than manuals, as Cliffo B says, smooth silent power. But forget economy!

To give you an indication of economy, my two have exactly the same engine, but one manual, one auto. The manual gives 26 ish mpg, The auto gives 18-20 mpg, both urban. I get 35 mpg from them both on a run at 75-80mph.

As for the control issue, well i just think Omegas aren't rally cars so it doesn't really matter that much. Once you get to know the car you will know what the box is doing and what it is going to do, and can tell exctly when it's going to change down ready for leaving corners etc.

Edit to add

I'm talking proper autoboxes with torque converters, not these esaytronic ones, they're horrible IMO
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: mrgreen on 05 January 2011, 18:00:45
Quote
Quote
May sound daft question but been looking to replace current mig but have found there are an awful lot of autos up for sale. Maybe i'm over thinking this but is there any possible rhyme or reason?

I've always perferred manuals and never driven auto,but finding it difficult to source. May have to bite the bullet.  98%  of my driving is urban. I know their generally more thirsty.  But how much of differnce is that?

any help appreciated?  :-?

I once would only drive manuals. Then over a period of a few years I had to drive many different types of vehicles at work, all with autoboxes.

Now I think autos are better than manuals, as Cliffo B says, smooth silent power. But forget economy!

To give you an indication of economy, my two have exactly the same engine, but one manual, one auto. The manual gives 26 ish mpg, The auto gives 18-20 mpg, both urban. I get 35 mpg from them both on a run at 75-80mph.

As for the control issue, well i just think Omegas aren't rally cars so it doesn't really that much. Once you get to know the car you will know what the box is doing and what it is going to do, and can tell exctly when it's going to change down ready for leaving corners etc.

Edit to add

I'm talking proper autoboxes with torque converters, not these esaytronic ones, they're horrible IMO
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dead right there true auto boxes with torque converters are the way to go my mazda has a self learner but it doesn't learn at all and doesn't react the way it should, i must say after driving the auto for a year it will be quite the shock to go back to a manual, i do love an auto as long as it has enough power to push it along!
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: sotmh on 05 January 2011, 18:09:31
It appears from comments autos usually found in bigger engined cars and there is a conveniencce factor whilst driving in town. The latter of which would be my only reason for choosing.

However, is there an advantage for having it in smaller enignes e.g 2.0/2.2.

Any disadvantages in any size :-?
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Andy B on 05 January 2011, 18:30:22
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...

Any disadvantages in any size :-?

Oooer!  ;)

You'll find that overall fuel consumption of the smaller engined cars is not that fantastic compared with the V6s,  they still have the same weight to lug around but with less power to do it.
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: sotmh on 05 January 2011, 18:37:56
Thanks all for usuall standard of help, really appecciated [smiley=dankk2.gif].

Andy thats what i've thought and am now considering larger engines as at a standstill its not the quickest.  But never bought it for that, but now feel need to up it a bit.  but have to consider a varity of factors. ::)  PM  on the way.
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: geoffr70 on 05 January 2011, 18:38:47
Quote
Quote
...

Any disadvantages in any size :-?

Oooer!  ;)

You'll find that overall fuel consumption of the smaller engined cars is not that fantastic compared with the V6s,  they still have the same weight to lug around but with less power to do it.

And you don't get the V6 roar!
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Webby the Bear on 05 January 2011, 19:05:13
hahahaha ye olde auto vs manual debate. lol  ::) ::) ::)

firstly mate, the reason most of them are autos because they're big executive cars and they have auto boxes for comfort and 'ease'. manuals are relatively rare i think.

the mpg will be affected but think of this as the cost for extra comfort by not having to constantly change gear in urban areas.

finally as for performance..... some peeps will disagree but there's absolutely no performance difference at all. stick it in sports mode and it will fly. the original literature said there was a 0.5 second difference in 0-60 time between the manual and the auto (in favour of the manual) but come on if you're really going to notice that you need to get a hobby lol

 ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Auto Addict on 05 January 2011, 19:09:34
What's a manual? ::)
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: geoffr70 on 05 January 2011, 19:11:36
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hahahaha ye olde auto vs manual debate. lol  ::) ::) ::)

firstly mate, the reason most of them are autos because they're big executive cars and they have auto boxes for comfort and 'ease'. manuals are relatively rare i think.

the mpg will be affected but think of this as the cost for extra comfort by not having to constantly change gear in urban areas.

finally as for performance..... some peeps will disagree but there's absolutely no performance difference at all. stick it in sports mode and it will fly. the original literature said there was a 0.5 second difference in 0-60 time between the manual and the auto (in favour of the manual) but come on if you're really going to notice that you need to get a hobby lol

 ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

My auto feels alot faster than the manual, unless I launch the manual from 1st
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Webby the Bear on 05 January 2011, 19:15:39
haha  ;D ;D ;D

call me american but why anyone would want a manual for i dont know!!!
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Cliffo B on 05 January 2011, 19:57:03
Another factor greatly in favour of the auto which is mostly overlooked, the autobox looks after the engine, ie like for like I'd always choose an auto as against manual when S/hand
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Webby the Bear on 05 January 2011, 21:39:15
is it still right that it wud cost an arm and a leg to replace an autobox tho?
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: geoffr70 on 05 January 2011, 21:41:02
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Another factor greatly in favour of the auto which is mostly overlooked, the autobox looks after the engine, ie like for like I'd always choose an auto as against manual when S/hand

Why? Is it because of the over rev protection in the gearbox?
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Webby the Bear on 05 January 2011, 21:43:42
i presume its cos for normal driving it will only rev up to 2500rpm???
 :-?
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: geoffr70 on 05 January 2011, 21:47:08
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i presume its cos for normal driving it will only rev up to 2500rpm???
 :-?

It's definitely not that! :-/
Title: Re: auto box
Post by: Andy B on 05 January 2011, 22:00:40
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is it still right that it wud cost an arm and a leg to replace an autobox tho?

it would if you went to an auto specialist, but you could replace it with a known to be OK second hand box for a couple of hundred quid at the very most.  :y