No disagreement but has anyone else noticed that auto boxes on cars are
starting to be quoted with better MPG than the manual! Perhaps it's just
because the autos now have more gears? I think Mercedes are now using seven
speed auto boxes in cars and many auto boxes are 6 speed.
Malcolm Bagley
Stafford, UK
1975 FJ45 Pickup (In Work)
_______________________________
_____
From: [Email address removed] [mailto:[Email address removed]] On
Behalf Of Christopher Bell
Sent: 28 May 2006 11:18
To: [Email address removed]
Subject: RE: [ELCO] Hello, help buying - auto or manual ?
Poppy
This is a frequently raised issue, and as far as I can see it comes down to:
Autos:
* Are easier to drive in town or general stop-start traffic (less wear
on the old left leg)
* Are better for hill climbing off-road, especially sand dunes (you
can get a faster run up as they will then change down under power)
Manuals:
* Give better fuel economy (about 2 to 3 mpg in the 4.2 litre 80
series, don't know about the LC4 series)
* Offer more control when descending hills off-road (low range + low
gear = descent control)
* In my opinion are better for heavy towing (particularly down steep
hills, using engine braking)
I have a manual (I bought it mainly for towing), but I'd be the first to
admit that the 80 series gearbox, which is derived from a bus, is very
clunky. I believe the LC4 box is miles better.
I think the reason that most UK vehicles are autos is that Toyota have aimed
for the luxury market here, where an auto box is practically mandatory.
Ultimate reliability in the desert or distant mountain ranges, far from
civilisation, is not - realistically - an issue for 99% of those who buy
them from new in the UK. For the most part they are buying for "lifestyle"
reasons, not for a definite purpose. Those who just need a work horse,
particularly for towing, would buy something cheaper like a Land Rover.
Another thing you might want to consider is 2nd hand value. Obviously if
you plan to keep it for a long time this isn't an issue, but if you buy
something out of the ordinary in your locality you can suffer financially if
you sell within (say) five years. Have a look at the 2nd hand prices of
these trucks in Spain, and see if there is a marked difference in price
between auto & manual.
Finally what about maintenance and servicing? If you live in the boondocks,
or the standard of local mechanics is a bit basic, then a manual might be a
better bet: what they are used to seeing, less to go wrong, less sensitive
to high ambient temperatures and much easier to change the oil!
Just my opinions! No doubt others will chime in and disagree.
Christopher Bell
Devon, UK
1996 1HD-FT
Hello,
I am planning to buy a new Land Cruiser (the spec I have looked at and can
afford is LC4 5DR D-4D 8s) but I am stuck on the deciding between manual or
automatic.
Auto seems to be popular in UK but I am based here in Spain and manual seems
to be more favoured and when I asked the dealer about auto he just shook his
head and muttered 3 / 4 months for delivery - I can wait, that's not a
problem.
I will use the car off road to get to some of the more remote places and
beaches. Rough unmade tracks/terrain, no real steep hills. I go to
Fuerteventura often on the ferry and there the tracks are soft sand. Day to
day I will be rural road driving, no motorways here.
I have owner auto and manual transmission cars and quite happy with using
either.
Should my decision just be personal preference or are there other factors I
should consider? What are the advantages/disadvantages of the two?
Thank you
POPPY
Lanzarote, Spain
Buyer
____________________________________________________________
Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup business
systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses