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My father has a 1.6 petrol Meriva 08 Automatic. I have not driven another auto in this model & the dealer doesn't have another auto to drive but I have to ask do they really drive that badly ? its all or nothing when you go to pull away & does so with a jerk and is so indecisive when changing gear! even when driving on light throttle it won't change unless you lift off the throttle & then it jerks in!. I have had auto's & so my Dad but he just thought he was getting old with this one but I'm thinking surley they can't be this bad. He has done 6000 miles with it now, & its never improved.He had a 1.6 astra auto before & the gear change was faultless.
Edited by Pugugly on 16/06/2009 at 18:26
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Is this the steptronic auto you're talking about?
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Itsa chronic Easytronic - not strictly a Steptronc ... basically a manual box controlled by a ECU ... ghastly thing - yuk!
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My FIL drives a normal auto but just had a Citreon Picasso with both electronic gearbox and handbrake while on holiday in Spain
He thought both systems on their own were ridiculous - combined, he said there were many occasions where they were downright dangerous.
He's a mechanically minded and capable person but he said it was an absolute nightmare to drive. The gearbox was slow-witted and extremely jerky, and the car really needed to be manoevered using left foot braking - not something to take up lightly for an older person under some pressure in a strange car in a strange place.
He also thought that simply being handed the keys, pointed towards the car park and left to get on with it must surely cause many people severe difficulties.
Edited by Bill Payer on 15/06/2009 at 10:44
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Hired one of these in the Netherlands once. Reasonably perky, fairly smooth (but slightly ponderous) gear changes. Actually thought it was OK overall.
That said, this particular example was spanking new (100 odd km on the clock).
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Thank you Perro, chronic easytronic sounds about right. Its awfull, he has had it from new but was off the road a while because it rolled away due to no park & the diabolical handbrake system. It actually managed to demolish a garage.
We now turn it off whilst still in gear! ( how carp is that )thanks to recommendation from Dave ( I Think )
DP, was the auto aceptable in the hire one ? my dads is almost undriveable ! if you don't lift off the gas it will rev between 4-5k at least before it changes & when it decides to change the power goes right off & then back on with a lurch! ooh its horrid
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From what you're describing doc, I'd rather drive a manual - and I've driven auto's for decades now!
If I was your pa, I'd out the critter before he comes to grief.
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Sounds nasty, I drove a VXR one last year btu that was a manual, i still don't see the point in these 5 seater "MPV's" My wifes volvo estate has far more space pace and grace and is a dam site cheaper and if you want maximum MPG why aren't you buying a normal supermini instead of a stupid tall thing which still has a tiny boot and no space in the back?
hmmm actually a better example would be my cordoba Vario 1.9 TDi I can't think of anything the mevira does better (space, comfort, MPG, performence, price, hmmm possibly safety)
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>>> aren't you buying a normal supermini instead of a stupid tall thing <<<
Some people require a stupid tall thing as they are easier to get in and out of - like my bro - he's 6ft 4" and has back probs ... so he drives a stupid Agilla :)
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So in other words only really tall people with back problem buy them?
Whats up with a proper MPV? or dare i say it a SUV?
I assume a mondeo/volvo etc are too low to get in?
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I honestly don't know Pizza, but what I do know is that they don't appeal to me - its classed as a mini MPV, like the Fiord Fusion I suppose, and this is what Top Gear says about e ~
A bad case of answering the question nobody asked, the Fusion is nothing more than a Fiesta with a high ride height. It might be easier to get into if you?re old, but we haven?t met any old people who wanted one either.
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