Manual or Auto?

Hi guys,

Hope everyone is good!

I've recently been tempted away from my current car (350z) towards something i've always loved, the Supra. I've spent some time looking around at what is for sale, but one thing that struck me as odd was the amount of fairly high powered supras running an auto gearbox.

Is there a reason for this? Are the gearboxes able to handle more power? Or is it just a case that the auto was a more popular option in the UK, so are more likely to be auto?

What I was originally looking for was something twin or single turbo'd, manual, that had been tuned. But I'm starting to wonder if I should broaden this by looking at autos too?

Thanks in advance,

I think a lot of the high powered autos have a built box, and i think most run the strip, so an auto is good for keeping times down as no need for gear changes. Most auto owners will tell you that the box is great, but i have a manual so wouldnt know. Sure some auto owners will turn up soon to answer your question more fully.

Oh, and welcome

A stock auto box will handle 450-500bhp...500bhp would be pushing it. Dont be put off by the auto box its one of the best boxes made just plant your foot on the throttle and hold on for your life .

BPU is a good starting point and will put most cars to shame.

Welcome to the club pal

Cheers for the quick replies guys.

I guess what I was trying to say really was, which is better?

I've spent years buying different cars and ploughing thousands into them; but if I was to make a step into the Supra world I would want to make sure I got something decent that I would be happy with (So something in/around 450-500bhp, but that ran well and didn't need thousands more ploughing into it)

Thanks in advance,

Cheers for the quick replies guys.

 

I guess what I was trying to say really was, which is better?

 

I've spent years buying different cars and ploughing thousands into them; but if I was to make a step into the Supra world I would want to make sure I got something decent that I would be happy with (So something in/around 450-500bhp, but that ran well and didn't need thousands more ploughing into it)

 

Thanks in advance,

Depends if your looking to drive the car daily or just for abit of weekend fun. If your looking for a daily runner i would go auto because its easier in the traffic.

If your looking for the weekend thrills go for a manual.

450-500bhp your best bet is a small single turbo setup.

Welcome!

The debate over auto vs manual has been covered many times; if you use the search function then you'll be able to find countless threads on the subject. Basically stock auto tt's are the cheaper way to go, but as mentioned, you will be limited to what power/ torque levels you'll be able to apply to it. Six speeds are generally more expensive but the box can cope with monstrous amounts of torque

Auto and Manaul (6speed) they both great boxs.. So for me 6speed is better but still automatic good.

Who says the box holds 500 only? just wondered if you've seen it fail at this level alot?

Who says the box holds 500 only?

Everyone that's blown them up!

The discussion has been done a few times in the past and it sort of boils down to a few things. Mainly personal preference.

For me, an auto disconnects the driver from full control over the car, and therefore I could never live with an auto.

Even if I lived in a city centre and was always doing 5mph between traffic lights, I'd still want that clutch pedal. But like I say, its mainly personal preference.

The reason why there are so many autos on the market is because Toyota made many more of them than they did manuals (for some reason). I guess they did their market research and all that, but I often see many more people approaching this forum looking for manuals than I do autos as their preffered option. (Until they see the price difference and then let their expectations drop and opt for the cheaper autos)

Manual

The simple reason why there are so many autos in the UK is that back in the day when we were exporting them from Japan the prioce difference between manuals and autos was much less in the UK than in Japan. Hence it made sense to ship the autos out and only send the manuals to order.

Drive an auto you might just like it!!

i love the auto box, a manual would be better for large amount of track days though, my auto box has done 160kmiles and about 70k at bpu and 2-5k single at 522 bhp and 510lb still alive and kicking if your upping the power add a cooler.

i have driven both but liked the auto more as well i got lazy with the auto a high power maunal can be a pain

You need to be taken out in an auto

I used to own an auto but now a 6 speed. As mentioned above, the preference is personal. I loved how the autobox drove & purely opted for the 6 speed if I wanted more power.

I have drove my dads brand new Audi Q7 with its auto box and i thought that was really nice and smooth, but then i got my supra, for a car of its age the japs were really ahead of time, the auto box is one of the best if not the best i have ever driven, the drop down and double drop down are so reactive its unbelievable, then the overdrive off button helps out alot too, and you have the 2nd gear option too, it may aswell be a manual haha

And kickdown in BPU is savage

You need to do some research and read up on the boxes. I have never drove a manual supra but i love the auto and its savage in BPU when i test drove a few. I have just had my car mapped with a single turbo and stock TT box

final outcome for the car is 558bhp 500ftlbs - 446.7 whp @ 1.6bar

Put some big coolers on the gearbox and it will be fine, loads of people put big power through a stock auto and had no problems for years.

A stock auto box will handle 450-500bhp...500bhp would be pushing it. Dont be put off by the auto box its one of the best boxes made just plant your foot on the throttle and hold on for your life .

Whaddya mean 500bhp? I'm happily running 580

I've spent years buying different cars and ploughing thousands into them; but if I was to make a step into the Supra world I would want to make sure I got something decent that I would be happy with (So something in/around 450-500bhp, but that ran well and didn't need thousands more ploughing into it)

Have a look in the for sale section - I may be biased here as I have a single-turbo auto for sale which has had all the thousands ploughed into it already

Who says the box holds 500 only? just wondered if you've seen it fail at this level alot?

Everyone that's blown them up!

It's one of those things that we have to start dispelling on the club I think. Just as when single-turbo people were questioning back in 2006-ish if 500bhp was good for the stock engine - which we generally know it exceeds if maintained properly. 450-500bhp on an auto is now not the 'munching it to bits' limit.

I'm running a stock auto box with stock UK cooler setup with 580bhp. How? Simple... advances in mapping. It was the torque at shift which was killing autoboxes, so now you can have your ECU momentarily hold back some of the torque at WOT at the shift point, then ramp it back up when gear is fully engaged. Trust me a 0-60mph WOT pull on a stock auto feels very very impressive when you can get the traction!

Mine's only running 580bhp @ 1.6bar due to the turbo size and stock cams rather than the box. Mapped to 1.8bar safely but just losing efficiency.

You need to do some research and read up on the boxes. I have never drove a manual supra but i love the auto and its savage in BPU when i test drove a few. I have just had my car mapped with a single turbo and stock TT box

 

final outcome for the car is 558bhp 500ftlbs - 446.7 whp @ 1.6bar

 

Put some big coolers on the gearbox and it will be fine, loads of people put big power through a stock auto and had no problems for years.

Ditto, 580bhp/560ftlbs @ 1.6bar

I've only owned a 5-spd NA manual, I liked it but have no experience of BPU, nor 6-spd.

Edit : owned my auto now for nearly 6 years, all the time it's been single. I think looking at the ECU register it's the most powerful stock autobox in the club (but Ryan may know otherwise!)

I have drove my dads brand new Audi Q7 with its auto box and i thought that was really nice and smooth, but then i got my supra, for a car of its age the japs were really ahead of time, the auto box is one of the best if not the best i have ever driven, the drop down and double drop down are so reactive its unbelievable, then the overdrive off button helps out alot too, and you have the 2nd gear option too, it may aswell be a manual haha

IIRC ze germans made the gearboxes.

I only have an auto bpu but was having major traction issues until I got some R888's on.

Complete transformation, best mod on the car.

Try both gearboxes but for me as a daily an auto is prefferable

IIRC ze germans made the gearboxes.

 

I only have an auto bpu but was having major traction issues until I got some R888's on.

 

Complete transformation, best mod on the car.

 

Try both gearboxes but for me as a daily an auto is prefferable

I'm sure I must have issues with my bpu TT, traction is never an issue and have only has bridgestones and dunlops on, I can lose traction from a standing start on a damp/wet road after 100yds or so, but never on a dry road.

Cheers for the replies guys. Makes sense a little more now why there are so many autos around.

I have to be honest, I've never really driven an auto with any kind of power, so I might have to give it a try, although am still pushed towards a manual. I guess it feels like i'm drivng it rather than the car, but I could be easily swayed.

Cheers for your help, and I'll keep Supra hunting!

I'm sure I must have issues with my bpu TT, traction is never an issue and have only has bridgestones and dunlops on, I can lose traction from a standing start on a damp/wet road after 100yds or so, but never on a dry road.

I've tried yokos, dunlop sport, avonzz3's and falkens. Traction issues on dry roads, when no2 tubby fires in first and second gear. Stupid of me to keep using budget tyres.

Zero slip in the dry with R888's and lateral grip vastly improved too.

They give me a lot more confidence, watch out for a " There goes another Supra to the wreckers" thread;)