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Sat 10 Jul 2010 21:06

All - Changing to Automatics - Stroudie

HJ seems to be fielding numerous questions in the DT Motoring Section and here about the new Jazz i-shift and people complaining about "jerky" gearchanges, and he is also advocating L foot braking for Autos.

I am afraid that I would suggest that the complainants are showing an unfortunate lack of mechanical understanding and sensitivity in their use of autos in general,and automated manuals in particular.

It would seem inadvisable for elderly drivers to change to autos as a result of arthritis or other mobility issues. They are likely to have problems learning the new skills required.

Let me tell you of my experience.

I have had autos since 1975,starting with a Renault 16TL auto when I was 30.

It had an odd carburettor fault which made it stall after a fast run when coming to a stop at a junction.I taught myself to L foot brake,but it took a while.

I had a 1926 Bullnose Morris for 9 years until 3years ago, which had a crash gearbox and centre accelerator.It took me about 18 months to get happy with it.In an emergency situation it was all too easy to hit the wrong pedal!

I now have a Jazz CVT auto, a Smart Roadster with 6 spd automated manual, and a Fiat Ducato camper with the Comfortmatic 6 spd automated manual.

They all have slightly different characteristics.I could drive any of them jerkily if I tried,but generally they are much smoother than it would be possible todrive a manual, and they change gear smoothly, and consistently, every time.Could you manual enthusiasts claim that?

Look at the nodding heads of your passengers when you change gear if you think you can use a manual box more smoothly.

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Sat 10 Jul 2010 21:51

All - Changing to Automatics - daveyjp

Agree Stroudie - some people believe an auto box means the whole issue of driving becomes automatic and there's no need to think about it. Stick it in 'D' and give it some gas.

I've had passengers ask why I move the gearstick when it's an automatic.

They don;t udnerstand that auto only means you don't have to use a clutch - at times you still have to intervene and select an appropriate ratio.

I managed the smoothest gearchanges in a smart by flooring the throttle as I changed gear!

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Sat 10 Jul 2010 22:34

All - Changing to Automatics - Dutchie

We had the honda jazz ctv nice to drive ,now drive a ford focus gear change enjoy it takes practice again to use the clutch without jerking the car.Time will tell.:)

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Sat 10 Jul 2010 23:00

All - Changing to Automatics - Avant

Stroudie, try a Corsa with the so-called 'Easytronic' automated manual, and I challenge you to make it change gear smoothly. I had one as a courtesy car and believe me I tried everything to avoid the sickening lurch between gears - to no avail.

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Sun 11 Jul 2010 00:51

All - Changing to Automatics - Berisford

I should imagine the Jazz CVT and your 2 other vehicles are a world apart.

I take it you've never had the pleasure of a Jazz i-shift?

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Sun 11 Jul 2010 08:36

All - Changing to Automatics - Talking Hoarse

I take it you've never had the pleasure of a Jazz i-shift?

Clearly not! I test drove one a few months back and found it intolerable, awful, etc. It jerked and lurched and pondered.

I have driven dozens of different autos over past 20 years as my own vehicles and as hire cars and have never come across anything close to being as bad as the Jazz i-shift. So I bought an i30 diesel which is rather good.

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Sun 11 Jul 2010 13:46

All - Changing to Automatics - corax

>> I had a 1926 Bullnose Morris for 9 years until 3 years ago, which had a crash gearbox and centre accelerator.

I think cars with manual transmission have ever so slightly improved since the above was designed. OK, your autobox may change smoothly, but I can change gear smoothly enough in my manual, and I can predict the outcome, some modern autoboxes are jerky and you have no control over them because they are electronically governed. Also, some of them have an iritating pause before they accelerate, Audis multitronic and Mercedes C class diesel (250TD) spring to mind, not good if you need a smart getaway.

I think you have to be careful when buying a car that the gearbox you choose has a good reputation, because some new cars come with sequential autos and no manual option e.g Seat Ibiza FR. Why? The road testers are already questioning that decision, and if the autobox doesn't prove itself at high mileage, it will become worthless. If I was buying a high mileage example, I would want a tried and tested manual.

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Mon 12 Jul 2010 18:01

All - Changing to Automatics - Collos25

The problem is that a lot of new small car autos are not really automatic but manual boxes with auto change.I had a Smart auto it was absolutely awful but a Mercedes box is like silk two completely different systems and it shows.The reason small cars to not generate enough torque for a proper auto box.

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Mon 12 Jul 2010 18:31

All - Changing to Automatics - pyruse

On the other hand CVT boxes work fine in small cars. We have a Honda Logo and a Honda Jazz, both with nice smooth CVT boxes.

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Mon 12 Jul 2010 22:13

All - Changing to Automatics - Avant

Does anyone know WHY Honda replaced the perfectly good CVT in the previous Jazz with the semi-automatic box in the current one which nobody appears to like?

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Mon 12 Jul 2010 23:27

All - Changing to Automatics - Tim16V

Test drove a Civic iShift at the weekend and the car actually slows down then lurches forward when changing gear, particularly bizarre when pulling on to a dual carriageway - how on earth did this get signed off for production?

The car is otherwise good though but they need to do a proper auto.

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Tue 13 Jul 2010 11:21

All - Changing to Automatics - Falkirk Bairn

The car is otherwise good though but they need to do a proper auto.

Honda make a good auto Jazz @ Swindon for export only - UK gets the lurching semi-auto which lacks any fans.

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Tue 13 Jul 2010 11:42

All - Changing to Automatics - mike hannon

Blame the need to get the wholly unrealistic official emissions figure (and hence the Road Tax amount) as low as possible.

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Wed 14 Jul 2010 09:45

All - Changing to Automatics - gordonbennet

Quite Mike, saving something like £20 to £50 a year over the extra cost and priceless driving pleasure of a proper auto pails into insignificance when the automated gearbox from hell goes wrong at 5 years old and the repair bill runs from £1 to £3K.

edit..pop onto technical and read of the joys of Focus Cmax ownership with one version of such hell.

Edited by gordonbennet on 14/07/2010 at 09:47

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