How bad are automatic transmissions?

[thisisntjared]

wait wait, i think it depends on the transmission and company. some companies make good auto trannies, like audi/vw and their dsg or bmw's smgII.

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by DaX

...for fuel economy...not your leg.

AMEN to that!

[red91sit]

Interesitng bit of info, almost all Hyundais' (that i've looked at) get better highways mileage in the automatic form :S The only reasonable explanation i have for this is lower final drive, or 4th-5th gear ratio's

[kps]

Originally Posted by red91sit

The only reasonable explanation i have for this is lower final drive, or 4th-5th gear ratio's

Yes; it's so people using cruise control don't have to wake up and drive if they encounter a steep hill.

[AlexK]

I have the manual trans Yaris and my friend has the auto. His spins 3000 RPM at 70 mph and mine spins about 3150 at 70 mph. We think the auto gets better highway mpg because of this but my manual trans is definitely better in the city. The funny thing is our cars are both EPA rated 36 mpg in the city but the auto is 39 mpg highway versus manual at 40. From our experience the opposite is true.

I wish Toyota would have made the manual higher geared than it is.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by AlexK

I wish Toyota would have made the manual higher geared than it is.

I think we all have the same wish, about evey auto manufacturer

[lovemysan]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I think we all have the same wish, about evey auto manufacturer

I actually feel my car is overgeared for the loads that it generally has to deal with. Driving alone its fine but when loaded it can get very tedious climbing hills at 45mph on the interstate. I've often wondered if I could acheive better economy with slightly shorter gearing.

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by lovemysan

I actually feel my car is overgeared for the loads that it generally has to deal with. Driving alone its fine but when loaded it can get very tedious climbing hills at 45mph on the interstate. I've often wondered if I could acheive better economy with slightly shorter gearing.

My gearing is so much longer than yours, and my engine much less powerful, and I once had the same question, so I treated my 2nd like 3rd, 3rd like 4th, and 4th like 5th. The difference was pretty big, ugly FE,

[psyshack]

automatics SUCK!!!!

[zpiloto]

Originally Posted by psyshack

automatics SUCK!!!!

I agree. Not just in FE department but also in cost. It's hard to find a MT anymore unless you special order it. There's a whole generation of kids growing up that can't drive a stick. I figure I'm giving up 20-25% on my FE with the auto. There is just so much more flexibility with a MT.