I found that if I keep my car in 3rd gear and there is not much traffic in town, I can easily cover a long distance without ever changing gear. Most roundabouts can be easily maneuvered using 3rd gear (4th possible but sometimes car stalls).
On motorways [excluding M25], it is easy to cruise at gentle speed on 5th.
Changing the gear itself takes at most 1 second.
So, the auto really shines when it is complete stop-start traffic.
Probably it is better to say that autos are relaxing to drive in congested traffic. Otherwise manual is as much relaxing.
Last edited by: movilogo on Wed 12 May 10 at 12:47
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Absolutely, Movilogo - one argument among many for using third rather than fourth in town. You'll also wear out your brakes less rapidly, since the natural engine braking in third is enough to let you regulate speed with the accelerator in most conditions. And you will have less to fear from speed cameras and the like, because the engine note will warn you if you're creeping past 30.
Someone may be along in a minute to protest that third gear uses more fuel than fourth because it's lower, but this is complete rubbish and you should ignore it.
}:---)
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I don't think it's a good idea to drive to the 'gearbox', rather than the conditions.
That is, you could quite easily find yourself compromising driveability and/or manoeuvreability
for the sake wanting to prove you can do it all (or nearly all) in one gear.
Of course, you'll respond that you don't & drive quite comfortably etc. etc., but the tendency once one gets an idea like this is that it can become secondary to all else - including safety & mechanical sympathy.
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It should be possible for any reasonable driver to drive to the gearbox as well as to the conditions K.
Look at it this way, we need to push both ourselves with powers of observation and the vehicle we drive to gain that extra bit of experience.
It's a myth that the human brain can't process more than one thing at a time, and I'd far rather have an alert 'experimenting' driver than a bored one, on the same road as I'm on.
Pat
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I used to be pretty darned good at changing gear without using the clutch.
I now drive a proper automatic!
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What do you do when 3rd wears prematurely ?
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Use 4th and ride the clutch....
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"Ride"? D'you mean "slip the clutch"? If not, this is a usage I haven't heard before.
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I'm Scottish. We talk funny.
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I'm not Scottish, though half Irish and i talk rubbish all the time...
Slipping the clutch sounds like a fault or accidental misuse as against the usual deliberate misuse by riding the clutch...i wonder if regular (white van man) abusers do the same to their own vehicles.
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I hired an old Pug 106 in Gran Canaria the other week, it had got 150K KM on it.
If you've ever driven the interior of the place you'll know most of the driving's done in third, because of the gradients and hairpins.
The gearbox showed no signs of wear whatsoever. I was impressed, but I suppose it may have been changed.
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>> What do you do when 3rd wears prematurely ?
People drive on 5th on motorway. Does it wear prematurely?
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>> It's a myth that the human brain can't process more than one thing at a
>> time
Correct. I can stand at the bar & drink beer whilst chatting up the gurl who's buying a round for a table of similar while planning my route home. Easy peasy.
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>> Probably it is better to say that autos are relaxing to drive in congested traffic.
>> Otherwise manual is as much relaxing.
>>
No, autos are always more relaxing to drive than a manual, in all driving conditions. Of course, not everyone wants a relaxing drive.
When I was younger I used to think that autos were for old gits who had lost al interest in driving (like my father-in-law).
I now drive an auto. :-(
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>> When I was younger I used to think that autos were for old gits who
>> had lost al interest in driving (like my father-in-law).
Just shows how different we all are, i had auto's in my late teens early twenties and i loved every one, i was a regular banger racer and auto's made the best tow cars bar none, and excellent bangers too...Zodiac auto's being capable of around 60mph in reverse... when all forward gears gave out i completed most of a race in reverse with a mk3 Zody.
I then turned to Diesel cars (mostly) from my late twenties unfortunately auto's rare as hens teeth, now i'm past it and auto Diesels finally available back to auto's again.
TBH i've always thought autos were best, leave the car to drive itself whilst you concentrate on more imortant things.
EXCEPT in trucks which usually have automated manuals and like their car counterparts are as much use as a chocolate teapot.
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I honestly don't think I mind whether a car has an auto box or a manual gearchange. I use one of each and can't say I really think about it much. Auto is marginally nicer in London for example and manual is probably more suited to hilly A & B roads maybe but I really can live comfortably with either in any situation. Don't like clutchless manuals though, they're just silly.
To stumble back the OP. Cortinas and Sierras with 2.0 engines could more or less do anything in third except go backwards. ( unless you pulled the handbrake on.....)
:-)
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I was shuffling the cars about last week, out the BMW just into the golf, whacked the wee golf straight into reverse last week without clutch (luckily my foot was on the brake so it just stalled with a loud crunch). Felt pretty stupid.
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I've been trying to tell her just how in awe i am but swmbo doesn't get it...am i right or was it nothing.
Daughters 106 broke down yesterday about 50 miles from her home...no breakdown cover despite mine and everyone else's nagging (duaghters can be a pita), sounded like gearbox had gone kaput but no one where she was seemed sure, including a garage that recovered it to their local premises.
Anyway i finished work at 4pm, picked up swmbo and shot up to drag the car back.
I tried it when we got there, deff not the box it feels like either the release bearing has broken up or the arm broken, so clutch and gearbox fine but locked on.
Anyway 5.15pm leave north of Coventry and swmbo drove that 106 back without a clutch without a hickup mixture of motorway A and town roads in heavy traffic....not bad until you know that it's two years since she drove a manual and she's never driven the 106 anyway.
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Given this and your graceful tribute to your wife on your profile, GB, we'll quickly put aside any ungodly thoughts that that's how she always used to drive a manual.... and compliment her. Not easy to do.
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Driving manual like an auto? - WillDeBeest
