Manual vs automatic?

[L3nny]

I had an Audi TT with a DSG. Loved it at first but after a while began to miss having clutch control. Glad to be back in a manual.

[Red Herring]

I guess it comes down to what you want the car for. If you regard it as transport and want it to be a comfortable, relaxing and effortless place to be (why else would you want a 520) then probably best to go auto.

If you regard driving as an engaging activity that is rewarding when you get it right and want a car that will allow you to achieve that then I'd get the manual, and not the 520.....

Just got one of the slightly older 2004 530d auto tourings, with the 6 speed box.
Can't fault it at all. Brilliant to drive, very responsive. Only thing i have noticed is if you're doing slower motorway driving it does tend to drop a gear, reducing economy. I tend to throw it into 6th manually at that point.
My previous one was a manual. Would i stick with the auto? YES.

[ophic]

I've got an old 4 speed auto box on my 4x4. Didn't choose the auto and wouldn't have done but that model came up at the right price and it's only available as an auto. It's quite primitive compared to very modern ones but it's great, makes it very easy to drive and I don't miss a manual at all. Except when I first drove it and then you have to make a concerted effort to keep your left foot firmly clamped to the floor.

In stop-start traffic it's brilliant.

Now I might prefer a manual if it was a sports car and I was flinging it around a track, but it isn't and I don't. RH got it spot on imho.

Also turned out to be a lifesaver cos my mrs did her left knee in shortly after.

[dizzyblonde]

I only drive automatic cars, because I only have an auto driving licence. The other driver in the house is disabled, and we require an automatic car for his requirements, so there never has been and never will be a need for a manual car in the household.
We had a land-rover that had a dual box type, which every now and again he liked to play with. We also had a semi auto Citroën, which went wrong, and even when repaired by Citroën, actually wasn't. It would switch off auto, cut the brakes and dash, thankfully only happened with him driving, so he could retrieve control of the car into manual. Dangerous beyond belief. Got rid of that.

Two proper auto boxes on both Nissan cars since and they're a very strong type at that. Good job really as he has no feeling in his foot so he tends to rag the crap out of the revs these days. Cruise control is a godsend.

Even though we only have auto cars, he still has his hand on the gear stick ready to change gears in his head! Lol

[Littlepeahead]

Originally Posted by ophic

Now I might prefer a manual if it was a sports car and I was flinging it around a track, but it isn't and I don't. RH got it spot on imho.

Mine gets flung around the bends that some on here have ridden on Essex ride outs. It may say 730 on the V5 but you can drive it like a go kart.

The autopark function is good in traffic, it applies the parking brake when you come to a halt and removes it again as you touch the accelerator. Removes the annoying creep you get on automatics. Assume the model you are looking at comes with that.

[Trev B]

My brothers in London swear by autos if it's stop start every 20 seconds,nothing more annoying than having to change back into nutueral 5 times to travel 20 Yards or so,me I prefer manuals all day,but had a drive of a friends 3 litre v6 Ford Galaxy Ghia people carrier the other week and it was nice I must admit !!!

[Trev B]

Sorry,just found out it was a 2.8 not 3 litre....

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Mrs DJ Fridge

Well if you must buy a BMW all I can say is it is better than an Audi, surely whether you have manual or automatic depends on what you wish to use the vehicle for, auto if you spend hours on motorway and need cruise control, manual if short trips that you always want to annoy everone at the lights by being the first away, after the bike of course.

Motorway is the last place I reckon automatic is important, since you just leave it in top anyway? Especially with a big torquey 3l diesel in a small car.
And nowt to stop you getting a manual with cruise control.


Automatic is good because it's softer on driveline components and when you need to down shift on steep inclines it does it a hell of a lot smoother than you could ever do with a manual box, especially when you're concentrating on your line and not fookin it up and ending up upside down, which can let you keep traction a lot better.
However a grand touring executive armchair probably isn't the right thing for trying to spray mud over the roof. Although I would encourage that you try

On the other hand I really do miss double clutching shifting and generally carrying on with it. Then again mine's an old proper TDI with howling turbo and vibration and harshness and noise... I don't think I'd miss it on a modern smooth and anodyne engine.
I'm same as ophic, I would never have bought an auto.... except I found a discovery with no rust for right money. I was going to convert it to manual, still might, but it's grown on me cos it's so good in the mud.



BMW wise, my dad's got the L404 TDV8 and I think that's a BMW 8 speed auto, and I have to say it is an absolute peach. It is absolutely effortless fast and smooth. Quite unbelievable and a totally different animal to the old ZF4HP22 hydro-mechanical 4 speed in my disco (same as you would find in many many early 90's BMWs)

So don't let opinions of people who've only ever driven older, number autoboxes sway you too much as they have really evolved.

[Littlepeahead]

Never mind all this though - just check it's got heated seats because I always get a cold bum, and a secret sweetie compartment full of Haribo - they were my basic requirements.