So whats auto like?

Just wanted to ask all auto owners what they think of auto box compared to the manual box,does it still have a sporty feel,whats it like round town,can you control the power well with it?

feel free to post away i would like to hear from anyone

They can be quite nippy dude

Dude:flame Dev

Originally posted by dude

They can be quite nippy dude

 

Dude:flame Dev

If your car was as fast as your mouth, you'd be able to compete with the top fuellers

Rob, it's a question that always gets asked, and the only real answer is that you need to drive them for yourself mate, do a quick search on the subject and you'll see what I mean.

Originally posted by Rob22

Just wanted to ask all auto owners what they think of auto box compared to the manual box,does it still have a sporty feel,whats it like round town,can you control the power well with it?

feel free to post away i would like to hear from anyone

Hello m8! I'm looking at getting a import TT, and this was one of the questions I asked a while ago, check this thread (it's got some good info):

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23774

Also do a quick search on auto's you'll find loads of other stuff!

thx m8 very helpfull iam a bit like most people having driven a few auto's and found them boring or anoying as they change gears to much as manual doesnt have the problem and is more fun when your right foot gets heavy i just want the car to move when i say move and not have to wait for it to start working when you need it most.As for J-spec iam shying away from those as iam a young driver and i like the better spec of the u.k model with bigger brakes e.t.c might hold out for a u.k manual but ive been told there very rare so its looks like the auto route at the moment.

Dont be put off at all by an Auto. The box in the Supra is brilliant! This is the first auto I've owned and I love it. I've never driven a manual Supra but I've been in a couple and to be honest, I prefer the smoothness of the Auto, its like constant acceleration without the jerky gear change of a manual.

having been in both manual and auto tt's last night. i would say that the auto box definitely gives you the edge in street racing as

1. you can have both hands on the wheel and not concentrate on up/down shifting.

2. if you are not superfast at gear changes, the auto will again edge you, especially if you over rev or miss a gear.

3. from a standing start, unless you drop the clutch at the right revs in the manual, the auto will have you again.

on the plus side of the manual, it does give you the ability to control when the 2nd turbo kicks in to a certain extent.

Originally posted by Rob22

As for J-spec iam shying away from those as iam a young driver and i like the better spec of the u.k model with bigger brakes e.t.c

I always end up saying this when this particular bit of misinformation comes out, but not all J specs have the smaller brakes. They were standard on facelift (i.e. > 95) RZ models, which were all manual incidently, and optional on other models. Same goes for quite a few other things.

Shaf has got it spot on. Oxy and I were racing around Bracknell. I've got a 6speed Manual ... his is an Auto.

For braking - I was going down the box as well as using the breaks ... which the Auto does for you. I over-rev-ed twice last night and missed 1 gear change.

Only once did I pull out quicker than Oxy ... that was I dropped the Clutch at 4.5K at traffic lights.

However, a Manual imo - is more fun!

Originally posted by shaf

having been in both manual and auto tt's last night. i would say that the auto box definitely gives you the edge in street racing as

 

1. you can have both hands on the wheel and not concentrate on up/down shifting.

 

2. if you are not superfast at gear changes, the auto will again edge you, especially if you over rev or miss a gear.

 

3. from a standing start, unless you drop the clutch at the right revs in the manual, the auto will have you again.

 

on the plus side of the manual, it does give you the ability to control when the 2nd turbo kicks in to a certain extent.

Originally posted by shaf

on the plus side of the manual, it does give you the ability to control when the 2nd turbo kicks in to a certain extent.

Plus robs less power than the auto, is more economic and around a track allows you to use the correct gear for the corner and maintain an even throttle without it changing up or down and getting you in trouble.

EDIT: Forgot to say also, not all the autos had the limited slip diff (it was optional), and that does make a difference as it gives you loads more grip out of corners (plus allows proper donuts innocent:), so worth checking. It's the last letter on the axle code on the VIN plate, A=standard diff, B=Torsen LSD)

Let me take you for a spin in my 'auto' mate. That'll learn ya :flame Dev

Originally posted by SimonB

the limited slip diff (it was optional), and that does make a difference as it gives you loads more grip out of corners

How does it work - the slip diff ? Without getting really technical. Just curious.

As has already been said you need to test drive both an auto and a manual to see which you prefer.

When I was looking for my car I only wanted a manual and didn't test drive an auto, I regret this after reading the good things said about the auto box. Sometimes I think I should have got an auto as much of the driving I do is in the city, which can be VERY tiring depressing a twin plate clutch when you are stopping and starting so often.

Saying that I do like the manual box when it is time to have some fun:flame Dev

It's funny - nearly all the downsides of the auto (apart from robbing that bit of power) that have been highlighted so far can be easily overcome

MANU

It's the best of both worlds, the auto is fantastic for day to day travel, it's capabe of high speed just as it's capable of turning the car into a smooth Lexus-like panther. Flick the switch when you arrive at the track and you gain control for keeping the turbos on song and you get awesome engine braking when you need it - I was really impressed with mine when I took it on track.

I've driven a few auto and manual Supras and while it's fair to say I spent months looking for a UK manual I don't regret getting the auto one bit, in fact I'm glad I did

It's basically a personal choice thing at the end of the day, and lets face it, although I don't like autos in general, I'd much rather have an auto Supra that a manual pretty much anything else!

As for the LSD, what basically happens with a conventional diff is that if one wheel loses traction then it becomes easier to turn than the other and all the engine's power goes to that wheel rather than the one that still has grip. When you power out of a corner, the inside rear wheel has much less grip than the outside one because all the weight of the car is on the outside wheel and the inside one has very little weight on it. With a conventional diff that inside wheel will spin as you put the power on. An LSD limits the difference in speeds between the two wheels, so instead of the wheel with the least grip getting all the power, the wheel with grip also gets some. That means you can power out of corners much faster. It also means that should you break traction with the rears they will both go rather than just one.

If you do a donut in a car with a normal diff, the inside rear wheel will spin on its own and the car will turn in a circle. With a LSD both wheels will spin which will pitch the car round the front wheels like a pendulum.

It's a fair bit more complicated than that as there are several different types of LSD that work in different ways, but that's the basic idea.

Originally posted by mcanny

It's funny - nearly all the downsides of the auto (apart from robbing that bit of power) that have been highlighted so far can be easily overcome

 

MANU

 

 

It's the best of both worlds, the auto is fantastic for day to day travel, it's capabe of high speed just as it's capable of turning the car into a smooth Lexus-like panther. Flick the switch when you arrive at the track and you gain control for keeping the turbos on song and you get awesome engine braking when you need it - I was really impressed with mine when I took it on track.

 

I've driven a few auto and manual Supras and while it's fair to say I spent months looking for a UK manual I don't regret getting the auto one bit, in fact I'm glad I did

All so true, people hear AUTO and think, lazy old mans car, but it's just not the case, the auto box will change quicker than anyone in a manual, and will never fluff a gear change.

Was about to answer the LSD Q's but Simon's beat me too it

Thanks for the answer guys ... The LSD sounds little like the skylines on board computer.

I would love to have a bash in Skyline - just to see this fancy computer thing working. With me at the wheel - the skyline's computer would work overtime Hehe!

thx for the replies guys makes it easier choosing auto over manual when you hear so many good comments only really want auto as manuals are so hard to get hold of and i waited over a year to find the car i wanted and i gave up because it took so long so i dont want to do the same with a supra as iam really lovin them more and more each day just goota make sure i get a decent one

Thx again

The ultimate decisive answer......

You need both! - Both are really good, yet, both can have their anoying quirks. The auto makes for a lovely relaxed drive, and gives you instant power at the push of the throttle, it's generally quicker on the strip too.

However, you can catch it out at certain rpm points where where the rpm's are too high to kick down to the lower gear, yet too low to open the 2nd turbo...

The manual definatly gives a more involving drive, as already stated, you do get a little more control on the car...

However, being a 6 speed, you do need to change gear quite a lot. It also takes time to learn the correct gear to select if you want to overtake something from a cruising speed.

I've owned both, and if I was starting again, I'd have no quarms over either.

One thing Ive noticed from reading the bbs, is that there certainly seems to be more auto boxes that either die, or give their owners a worry that they are about to die.

The 6 speed seems bombproof ?

Agree Gordon, the manual box does seem bombproof, it's the clutch that can be a problem though on the manuals when you start to up the power. The standard clutch doesn't seem to last too long at higher hp (I went through 2 in just over 40,000km.)

I own and auto, I test drove about six cars three of each. I chose the auto because I like the effortless release of power. Since owning my car I have driven a couple of manuals and they were fun to drive, but I always appreciate my auto afterwards. It is easy in a hurry to mess up the gear changes in a manual, but never in an auto. I tend to us the manual mode quite a bit as I prefer to make the decision when to change gear. I had a standard diff when I got the car and with in a few month I had replaced it with and LSD it totally transformed the car. The auto box in the MKIV is very strong, just do regular fluid flushes and it should be fine.

You must drive both and make up your own mind, but try to get and LSD on an auto if you decide on an auto. The decision must be yours

As for J-spec iam shying away from those as iam a young driver and i like the better spec of the u.k model with bigger brakes e.t.c might hold out for a u.k manual but ive been told there very rare so its looks like the auto route at the moment.

J specs are available with almost the same spec as the UK cars, save a few minor things like glass headlights.

The main benefit of getting a UK spec is insurance.

As for LSD's I believe all UK cars have one as standard.

No way would I have a manual. With one hand on the gearstick and one on the wheel I'd have nothing free to hold my bum cheeks together to stop seepage when I put my foot down...

do all auto's have this manual overide option ? how does that work ? like the tiptronic I assume ? could someone elaborate ?