I have lined up TC, DCT & CVT based on my (somewhat subjective) parameters

Type | Reliability | Fuel economy | Complexity | Sportiness

TC | high | low | low | low

CVT | high | high | high | low

DCT | OK | high | high | high

Other than (somewhat perceived) reliability problem of DCT, it scores high on fuel economy and sportiness.

The reliability issue can be mitigated by a long warranty.

Hence I drive Kia DCT :o)

Honda 1.8 iVTEC hooked up to the 5-speed TC. Bombproof. That in a Civic Tourer is all the car most people need. It's great in our FR-V

I'm fine with it Metropolis!.

It is interesting though that the info all seems to be from the states. Were US cars fitted with a different type of auto gearbox?, seem unlikely, but the UK equivalents of all the cars mentioned seem to have a fantastic reputation for reliability regardless of whether they are manual or auto. Surely if UK cars suffered from problems of the scale those links portray we'd have heard about it?.

I do often browse Ebay and Autotrader, and particularly like finding odd or obscure Japanese imports. One of these has been the Honda Mobilo Spike and when i looked up online for some kind of roadtest or review, i did come upon a piece warning of gearbox problems with them. They were produced between 2002 and 2008 and had a 1.5 Vtec along with a CVT auto. Other than that, i have never been aware of any issues of Honda auto's, well apart from those highlighted by Metropolis. And its also fair to point out that it seems to be a problem on cars from 1999 to about 2006.

movilogo, i don't know what experience you have of CVT's, but i'd have to conclude that it has not included the stepped version fitted to, amongst others, our Jazz. In sport mode using the paddles to shift, the reactions are very quick indeed, near instantaneous, so if you like to drive in that manner, i'm not sure why you feel a DCT would be sportier?. Just a few days ago i took my parents home after a meal. It was late and i had to get up early, so the Jazz got a real roasting on the 30 miles of single carriageway A and B roads back home after i dropped them off. And that was not using the paddles, most of the time i just used drive, only slipping it into sport on twistier sections to hold a lower ratio. So while the Jazz CVT may not be fast enough for some (which is a different thing), the CVT (well the type in our car anyway), can do 'sporty' with the best of them!.

Is this link any help with your question, Engineer Andy?

www.greencarcongress.com/2011/08/mazda-20110808-1....l

Edited by John Boy on 11/01/2019 at 17:06

Does anyone know who makes the current 6 speed TC autos found in Mazdas?

Aisin. MX-5, 5,6, CX-7, CX-9. And probably 3?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aisin_transmissions

Honourable mention goes to the Astra H, which had a wonderful design whereby the automatic transmission cooler pipes are directed through the main radiator for cooling. Inevitably these crack or corrode, mixed fluids = bye bye gearbox! and that was an Aisin unit!

That's the same problem many Mercedes owners had with the dreaded Valeo radiator - nothing much wrong with MB or Aisin gearboxes, but none work well with watery additive.

You are not alone. Australian Ford Falcons have the same set up resulting in the same problems. This is with both BTR and ZF boxes. The answer is to fit an after market transmission oil cooler. It costs but it is money well spent if you are intending to keep the vehicle. The cooler is a separate radiator which keeps the coolant and the transmission fluid totally separate. No chance of the dreaded milkshake.

Forgive me for asking - are you THE Honest John, given on early posts on this website the 'real' HJ posted under the name 'Honest John' and always put 'HJ' as a 'signature' at the end of his post. Just so we don't get confused.