Alfa 159 Hire-mobile

[pompei]

I'm currently driving a 2.4 diesel auto (long story, too dull to go into)

 

Anyroadup, it drives pretty well except when you go into kickdown when the hesitation throws you forward in the seat and then the turbo kicks in which bounces you into the backrest. It's done 21k and I suppose, being a hire car, it's probably been abused to hell, but is this behaviour in modern auto turdblowers normal? It's a whole new experience for me.

[dollywobbler]

Dunno about diesel, but a Saab 9-5 Turbo Auto that I had the misfortune to drive last year was exactly like that. If you stamped on the throttle coming off a roundabout, it'd hesistate really badly, then drop a cog or two, then shred the tyres. It was very easy to confuse. At least I could over-ride it with the steering wheel buttons, though keeping up with them when you're on a roundabout was sometimes a challenge!

[Pete-M]

I find it to be pretty normal behaviour for most modern turdodiseasels.

 

Merc E220 CDi autos tend to be bad offenders in slow traffic. They'll change down to 1st when coasting towards lights or whatever if no throttle pedal is used. Brilliant otherwise.

 

I find most TD Autos to be disappointing. Lots of them go well, but the lag they suffer from is dismal. Funny really, as so many people think that a diesel auto should be the ideal combo - "Lots of low down torque, perfect for auto." when the truth is there's bugger all torque right at the bottom followed by a big turbo spike around 1500-1800 rpm when the turbo struts its stuff. If the turbo isn't wound up, they're gutless followed by a load of turbo torque, followed by bugger all again. A good auto box will mask the peaky torque, but only if the thing is being driven 'on boost'.