Manual or Autmatic better and why

[Mont5.0]

Originally Posted by arronm

ZF is 1000 times better than BTR.

thanks captain obvious

[DOC]

Purchased the BA V8 auto in 2005, have always driven it hard (but respectful) in manual mode and have never driven it in auto mode once in 15 years.

[mick taylor]

JC That's right a auto normally has a safety point to save the auto from being destroyed, so it will not let one drop back to 1st say at to high a speed, not to mention that this maybe a safety setting for your average driver, who could loose control or be overwhelmed if the auto kicked back to 1st say esp on a wet road.

My wife had a VS V6 Commodore the auto did everything fine, but not for me I could not live with that myself as I want a gear I demand it to be so.

So if I had to drive a VS V6 or V8 auto myself I would have to modify the auto and the only thing that I would change with that type of auto is I would leave all alone bar for when I use the T Bar, so that it will go back to 1st under 60KM/H such will not harm the auto at all but give me total control over the car as I will be happy with, I do not know how many times I would try and make a manoeuver only to be greeted with 2ed gear at say over 45KM/H and I would be like FFS ! bloody autos are a pain ! and this is the key point of total hatred for the auto that will over ride your demand.

If I held the T Bar in 1st it would change up to 2ed regardless, I was fine with that, because it needed no more that 5500rpm anyway.

[Syndrome]

20 years ago I would select a manual over an auto any day. The autos were slower, sluggish and usually in the wrong gear.

These days with modern electronics autos are superior to manuals. The dual clutch autos are fantastic and with paddle shifters make driving fun.

The last manual I enjoyed was my AU. Full mechanical setup meant it was easy to drive. The BA and to a lesser extent the FG X are nowhere near as good and I believe it is due to the poor calibration of the 'drive by wire' systems these two cars have.

The ZF 6 speed auto I had in previous Falcons is a good box and superior to the BTR 4 speed auto. But it is a generation behind the latest autos.

Dual clutch auto > manual > torque converter auto

[4.0i OHC]

I don’t care how good the auto is, I like manual cars.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

20 years ago I would select a manual over an auto any day. The autos were slower, sluggish and usually in the wrong gear.

These days with modern electronics autos are superior to manuals. The dual clutch autos are fantastic and with paddle shifters make driving fun.

The last manual I enjoyed was my AU. Full mechanical setup meant it was easy to drive. The BA and to a lesser extent the FG X are nowhere near as good and I believe it is due to the poor calibration of the 'drive by wire' systems these two cars have.

The ZF 6 speed auto I had in previous Falcons is a good box and superior to the BTR 4 speed auto. But it is a generation behind the latest autos.

Dual clutch auto > manual > torque converter auto

Having driven plenty of AU manuals incl T3's (and further back) can't agree mate, re when driving my manual 6speed Sprint for ease of shifting up or down through the gears.
The main issue owners have with the FGX manuals is the "launch" possibly due to drive by wire as mentioned but just as it was with all manuals before comes down to the drivers feel and ability.
I find driving from my experience a peace of pi$$ but thats me.

As for modern day autos, yep I can't deny the smooth quick seamless shifts. its amazing. I'm no drag or track race user or looking at time slips so the tenths I loose against them on the street is no where near the "engagement" I feel shifting the old slow way.

It all comes down to choice thats what good I guess.

[roddy1960]

When I traded my AS Telstar ( AS series was the 2nd rebadged Mazda 626) on my next car I bought a 1996 EF Futura . The Telstar Ghia was the five speed manual too with the 2.0 engine . Later ones went to 2.2 litres and also a V6 2.5 litres .

The Futura was one of the fairly hard to find five speed manuals too. It was a pretty good box for the four years I had the car . I remember it not being quite as notchy as the Telstar on changes but there was often a judder in first gear and reverse but everything else was fine. Just got used to it. Somewhere or other I recall a mention of all Falcons from the EA onwards were 90% autos but wondering if anybody else has ever heard similar .

Going back a while now of course but I think the EF at 100 kmh in 5th was just under 2000 rpm . The AU that replaced it in 4th was 1850 rpm .

My other Falcon prior to all that was an 84 XE with 4 speed manual .

I love my FG XR6 with the ZF but always wondered how many FG's ran the 6 speed manual . Probably not too many other than some of the XR's and GT's via FPV I suppose. Anybody know ?

Years ago most base model cars were manual and the auto was an option. I guess it's gone the other way nowadays and a manual is the option .

[nitro50th]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

Somewhere or other I recall a mention of all Falcons from the EA onwards were 90% autos but wondering if anybody else has ever heard similar .

I worked at BTR/ION/DSI through the AU to BF period and up until it's closure in 2014.

Through those years there were on average a peak of 200 or so auto's going down the assembly line per shift (which obviously dwindled once ZF and the 5 speed auto's came along, at which point 4 speed auto's were only offered on gas cars).

At the same time there would have been about 20 manuals being assembled on a good day, more often than not less.

There were up to 30 operators on the auto transmission main assembly line per shift (not including sub-assembly lines) and 1 or 2 on the manual line.

I guess demand just wasn't there for manuals anymore, sadly.

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by DOC

Purchased the BA V8 auto in 2005, have always driven it hard (but respectful) in manual mode and have never driven it in auto mode once in 15 years.

Exactly the same as me....ha (BA Turbo)

It's like I'm in "Automatic" as I do seat belt, turn engine on, switch to manual and take off.

I always was respectful too but Ford stuffed up the Turbo line badly......never had a problem when Earls fitted.

[Ben73]

No right answer, but I prefer auto most of the time. If I had a sports car/weekender/track car it would be manual. Daily I'd pick auto

[MITCHAY]

I'm still in the manual camp. Although these days I'd would like an auto for driving to and from work which is a 60km round trip. Only really a few slow points though around here.

Autos don't have the negatives they used to. Better economy, better performance, and smoother, but I just prefer being more engaged using clutch and a shifter.

I will only have one car for the foreseeable future and since manual will be on the way out soon, I see myself having a manual car for a long time.

I feel that when I get clear road on the weekend, I can deal with the downsides during the week for while yet.