As you say, BBD, the problem mainly is that unless a prospective buyer knows every previous owner and how the drove/maintained the car, or they're buying a new car and their driving pattern (for dual clutch gearboxes) does not engender significant wear on the clutch pack, realistically on TC autos or non-Jatco CVTs are realstically the way to go to reasonably ensure long term reliability.

I also agree with Adam in part that a thorough test drive (in different road types/driving conditions) is a must, as what appears to be similar 'auto' gearboxes (even of the same sub-type) can in practice work much better in one car than one from another make, or may suit one person's driving style/pattern far more than another.

With the OP's low annual mileage, the differences (about 5-10%) in mpg between the best (CVTs and dual clutch units) and worst (TC) are relatively minor for non-performance/large cars, and thus reliability and its operation really are the main factors worth considering.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 30/10/2022 at 13:20