Manual or Automatic... What's your preference?

[Maverick]

This has been my first automatic, and the major difference is I drive slower. Whenever I drive a manual I'm constantly flicking through the gears so I'm in the right gear for the drive out of corners, as such my speed increases. Whereas with the auto box you have to drive through corners on a steady throttle. Towing is delightfull as you don't lose drive when the vehicle needs to change down a gear, and offroad it means all I have to think about is how much to push the loud pedal.
I hate the delay when trying to do a quick pullaway at a junction, and the reduced control when driving, but love everything else, so I think for now I'll keep the auto. Maybe next time thou...................

[Deviant 1]

Always had manual boxes until Surf. Toyota automatic gearboxes are known for their Reliability and Indestructibility. I'll be sticking with one from now on ! I actually enjoy driving around at the speed limits and i never thought i'd ever say that !!! Plus the smooth gear change. Some Auto's i've been in feel like the old WHIP ride going round a corner when changing it's ratio.
(WHIP - A ride That used to be in Blackpool Pleasure Beach)

[dirtydog]

if it was a fast car and great handling I'd prefer a manual for sure but as it is the auto is lovely for towing and around town too.
and yes... makes me driver slower too sometimes

[firefly]

ok my two penneth
i have a citroen Xantia the wife has the surf
i drove down to devon two years ago in Xantia 5 hours manual gear box
i was knackered...
drove down again last year this time in surf towing a caravan took 6.45 hrs auto box, was as fresh as a daisy when we arrived it really is that simple and easy to use....

[Snoop]

Being a bit of a driving nut, I love manual boxes as I like to feel I am in control of everything, usually I am in fast cars and use a combination of downchange engine-braking and braking to set the car up for whatever I am approaching.

This is also the first automatic I have owned but have driven lots of auto saabs in the past which I hated as I didn't like not being in control for overtakes etc. However, with the surf if it was manual I think it would drive me mad as it's so torquey lower down, I'd be constantly between 1st and 2nd.

Doing runs from the South to Heathrow and all the stop/start involved, the auto is an absolute god send. So I'd go for auto for things like the Surf but definately manual for a B road blaster.

[filgreen]

There is another consideration, I have only had automatic cars since 1972 after using them in Canada. In all that time, and certainly in excess of a million miles, I have never paid a penny in maintainece/repair costs related to transmission for all those vehicles. Not a penny, there is no doubt in my mind that autos are prefereable, for use and serviceability. It's a fact that you pay a small penalty in economy and performance, but it is far outweighed by the ease of use and reduction in fatigue.

[laser_jock@work]

....in excess of a million miles, I have never paid a penny in maintainece/repair costs related to transmission for all those vehicles....

Prior to owning the Surf I had a string of autos- two of which failed on me resulting in £700 rebuilds. First was a Volvo 760 then a Rover 216 (yuk!). That said, neither car was particularly well maintained (compared to my much loved Surf) and they rarely even got an oil change. Then I got a Toyota Camry estate auto which did me well for 200K miles and convinced me of Toyota's general reliablity. Surf's (being one of the few Toyota models still actually built in Japan) ought to be even better (the Camry's are US assembled).

So- all autoboxes can go wrong but Toyota's units are probably more reliable than the Rover ZF's.

Nevillef

[NeilT]

Not in the sahara??

if you wanna be recovered on a cross coutry trip across the sahara ...yeah right!......manual.

What's wrong with an auto for recovery in the sahara? Thinking I'll be taking mine at least to Morocco. I was just there last autumn in a Renault 19 see some pics of taking the piste in it here On the piste in a pile of Sh!te That was something else but was assuming the Surf would be the nuts. Is there some basic thing I'm not knowing about auto boxes?

Totally recommend Morocco by the way! Very safe, lots of big empty country with all sorts of terrain and only 2 days away!!