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Thread: SUVs 20 years later

  1. #11
    To be fair automatic transmissions have come a LONG LONG ways in the past 20 years. I remember when manual trannies did get better mpg by a mile or 3 but with the development in how tough auto trannies have gotten I support the lack of the manual option with one caveat. You need to either be able to paddle shift or sport shift through each gear.

    As an example of how tough automatics are now they are making an impact in the truck shipping industry. For a transmission to handle 80k+ loads and get competitive gas mileage is quite a feat.

    Don't get me wrong I love my manual but if I scored a d4d I would aim for the auto vs the manual.
    98 3rz 4x4 5spd- Monstalined, 99 Talls, 4.30 E-locker, Extra Lights
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  2. #12
    From a technical standpoint, yes, they are better. But I have a 1.5 year old Acura in the garage and it's paddleshift automatic is just as boring to drive as anything. I know I'm very much in the minority here, but I just don't enjoy driving cars with automatics. I'll even add that the Leaf has no transmission (it's a 1-speed), and I like that WAY better than an automatic.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by paddlenbike View Post
    From a technical standpoint, yes, they are better. But I have a 1.5 year old Acura in the garage and it's paddleshift automatic is just as boring to drive as anything. I know I'm very much in the minority here, but I just don't enjoy driving cars with automatics. I'll even add that the Leaf has no transmission (it's a 1-speed), and I like that WAY better than an automatic.
    I can see that. They are fun to drive. What I like best though is being able to hold the vehicle in any gear I choose.

    When I hate having a stick is in the city or LA traffic. That's when I would love to have an auto or hybrid.
    98 3rz 4x4 5spd- Monstalined, 99 Talls, 4.30 E-locker, Extra Lights
    In Progress:
    Tundra/Rear Disc Brakes w/parking brake
    Roof Rack/Rear Ladder
    Sliders
    1st Gen Rollbar Shelf

  4. #14
    When it came down to it, the car my wife and I wanted was not available in a standard transmission anyway, so we had no choice but go auto. As you said, one advancement the new autos have is gear-hold. For example, the Acura knows when we are going downhill and if you ride the brake for more than a second or two, it will automatically downshift with no user intervention and hold that gear until you accelerate. If you are in drive, you can still use the paddle shifters to make temporary transmission changes, like a downshift, for example. For complete control you have to put the floorshifter in Sport mode and then the paddles will let you do most anything that won't break the car. (The Acura has a fun 7400 RPM redline.) But it's still an automatic and not nearly as much fun to drive as the manual transmission version. (To clarify, the 2013 TSX sedan is available with either transmission, but the wagon version that we got is auto only. Boo.)

    What I like about the LEAF transmission (or lack of transmission) is the regenerative braking. I work in congested downtown stop-and-go traffic and I can drive the car just using one pedal as the regenerative braking starts as soon as I left off the accelerator. It is strong enough that the friction brakes are only needed to get the car from that last couple of MPH to a complete stop. By comparison, any other car, auto or standard, seems like more work to drive.

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