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Shifty McShift Face - the automatic gear-stick celebration thread (potential for Junkman approval?)


rantingYoof

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Mr Yoof just reminded me that I took this photo of a Nissan Figaro upon his request back in November at the NEC.

 

post-19977-0-04251800-1518029125_thumb.jpg

 

The labels are because it was a display model for a company that specialises in restoring / upgrading Figaros.

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The Volvo cube-on-a-stick levers are great. Nice things to hold and (at least on the 740) you can activate the button on top with your palm really easily, so it’s almost like it’s not there at all.

 

The parents of a schoolmate used to run a 760GLE Auto Estate in the mid-1980s. His Ma in particular had a distinct way of using the cube stick - she would hold its underside, with two fingers either side of the stem, then use her thumb to press the button on top. I've adopted that method for use on manual gearsticks. It works.

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The parents of a schoolmate used to run a 760GLE Auto Estate in the mid-1980s. His Ma in particular had a distinct way of using the cube stick - she would hold its underside, with two fingers either side of the stem, then use her thumb to press the button on top. I've adopted that method for use on manual gearsticks. It works.

Exactly same way as I used the selector in the 340 I had.
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Has anyone ever driven an automatic with the +\- ‘manual’ mode and it not been utterly dreadful?

No. They're completely ridiculous.

 

I've tried it on a Seat Alhambra, a couple of VWs and a Merc C-class. All are totally pointless and should be left in automatic mode.

 

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

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Has anyone ever driven an automatic with the +\- ‘manual’ mode and it not been utterly dreadful? Obviously I exclude proper ‘dual clutch’ transmissions from this.

 

 

 i used to do this when i had a cvt nisssan primevil- was jolly fun for having a hoon cos it even gave the engine barking thing that you dont expect to be there on a badermatic

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Not that using an automatic for heavy towing is a brilliant idea, but if it's what you've got...

 

Trudat - I used to use my Mk3 Granada for towing and frankly it was awful, it had plenty of power and only broke down once...but it always felt like it was going to explode at any moment - it was more of a confidence thing knowing that the A4LD doesn't have a great rep for longevity at the best of times.  I can't wait to go back to a manual for towing this year, they're far better at taking the punishment.

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Proper autos should have T-shifters, anything else just looks odd.

 

My contribution: the Eagle Premier, a septic Renault 25. All auto but you could have a normal floor-mounted T-shift like so:

1990+Eagle+Premier+Interior.jpg

 

Or this weird vertical column shift. I'm not sure how it was supposed to work but much of the time it didn't because French

20676530004_large.jpg

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Has anyone ever driven an automatic with the +\- ‘manual’ mode and it not been utterly dreadful?

I hired a Kia Soul in Alberta last summer. It had some sort of petrol 4 cylinder, and a 6 speed auto box. If I left it in full-auto it would scream its tits off with the slightest provocation. The manual mode was only not dreadful because it allowed me to stop it doing that all the time.

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As I've mentioned previously, I'm currently in MotherYoofs 2008 Astra 1.8 VVTi with its wonderful 4spd automatic illustrated thusly:

 

attachicon.gifAstra Auto Shift.jpg

 

Now, I maintain putting the 140hp 1.8 into the Astra was a great decision m9, but as you can see with no overdrive/kick-down/SPORT button or anything getting it to kickdown basically requires stern verbal correspondence coupled with brisk movements of the right foot.

 

While a bit awkward, you can obviously put it in 2nd or 3rd yourself, and the acceleration is astonishingly brisk and it tends to be joined by a rather marvellous noise for a smallish 4 pot.

 

However, this engine+gearbox combo combined with an annual mileage of around 800 (although it's barely moved this year) and an average journey length of around 2 miles means fuel consumption in this particular model is, well...

attachicon.gifAstra Fuel Consumption.jpg

 

I have got 43 out of it on a longish run. I imagine the manual is a bit better on this front. :)

 

See the Sport button in your last pic? that Sport button does kickdown the auto box amongst other things. 

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