Manual or Auto

[Davy_5075343]

I have this weekend managed to burn out the cluth on my 520 beemer. This is the second time I have done this and it is always when I reverse up a slight gradient. Is this normal? Could it be caused by resistance from the over-ride not working correctly or what. It is a problem that is difficult to avoid as I have to reverse the van up a small incline everytikme I park it at home and most times you can smell the clutch burning. I am thinking of changing my car, should I be looking at an automatic?

 

[Mike_5041089]

Davy - we tow with a 525d Touring auto - I would never go back to a manual, it's so much easier with an auto. You're always in the right gear and slow maneovering is so much easier with an auto. Having said that, your clutch shouldn't have burnt out unless your van is exceptionally heavy or there's a fault with the brakes when reversing. Has your car done a very high mileage?

 

[GrahamF.]

Davy, most certainley an auto if you can. BMW's Steptronic is superb. I tow with a 530D Tourer and it's "spot on", the real plus with Steptronic is that you can also manually select gears as required. On down hill sections it wll also automatically change down if you are on overun and touch the brake pedal. Of course the other plus is heavy traffic..... no more riding the clutch just to keep moving.

Regards

Grahah F.

 

[Clubman1]

Auto, Auto, Auto all the way and preferably in a Volvo V70!

 

[david_5074577]

Davy - we tow with a 525d Touring auto - I would never go back to a manual, it's so much easier with an auto. You're always in the right gear and slow maneovering is so much easier with an auto. Having said that, your clutch shouldn't have burnt out unless your van is exceptionally heavy or there's a fault with the brakes when reversing. Has your car done a very high mileage?

Mike,

Yes it has done 115000miles so i suspect it is due. Incidentally I have since noticed that the brakes may be coming on due to the overun not been site right. I am going to check this out

Davy

 

[Yomper]

Davy, most certainley an auto if you can. BMW's Steptronic is superb. I tow with a 530D Tourer and it's "spot on", the real plus with Steptronic is that you can also manually select gears as required. On down hill sections it wll also automatically change down if you are on overun and touch the brake pedal. Of course the other plus is heavy traffic..... no more riding the clutch just to keep moving.

Regards

Grahah F.

Is overun the same overdrive? All my past 35 years driving has been in USA/Canada and almost all vehicles have o/d now and it needs to be switched off on hill climbs to prevent in and out and burnout.