Manual or automatic?

[saint-spoon]

What is you preference for a tow car, manual or automatic and why do you have that preference? I ask because I am eyeing up my next tug and as a manual car sort of person I see that a lot of folk tow with automatics and that opens up a much wider range of vehicles in my price range.

 

[bertieboy1]

Our current car is automatic (our first) - not bought for being automatic.It works very well,has manual override and is excellent when in a traffic jam.

 

[swpostie]

Our current car is automatic (our first) - not bought for being automatic.It works very well,has manual override and is excellent when in a traffic jam.

You took the words right out of my mouth - I was about to post almost exactly the same words!!

 

[swpostie]

I've towed with both and really can't say that one is better than the other for towing.

Automatics are easier in a traffic jam, as Bertieboy said, and work better with cruise control - but neither of those are towing-specific reasons.

Go with what you like - the vast majority of the time that you're behind the wheel you won't be towing.

 

[saint-spoon]

Very true and I suppose that with an automatic you don't have to worry about the clutch going.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Very true and I suppose that with an automatic you don't have to worry about the clutch going.

Not quite right, there are several DSG type gear boxes that uses physical clutch plates, and even torque converters can wear out, so its not entirely without worries, but most auto's are prestty well sorted these day (With the exception of CVT boxes)

If you are considering a brandnew car then this point is irrelevant, but autos are by their nature less prone to having been abused, which should give longevity to both gear box and enegines, so second hand Autos's are often a better buy than manuals.

 

[Parksy]

A lot depends on how often you tow and what other purpose the car will be used for. If the car is used almost exclusively for towing an automatic gearbox will make reversing easier, and will fit the bill in all respects.
If the car also has to be used for regular short trips to shops, schools etc a manual transmission should deliver better fuel economy for comparable models.

 

[Hutch]

I am the same as Parksy, but my last four cars have been Autos, I like the fact that with the auto you dont roll back on hills,

 

[Thingy]

Auto for me. Im bone idle these days. I have towed with both and find the drive with the auto so much more relaxing. I am a bit old school though, always felt an auto should be hooked up to a torquey engine, the bigger the lump the better.

Only thing to watch out for is models that require an oil cooler. Fewer and fewer these days, but its still a point.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Don't forget to consider Vehicle Excise Duty. For my Insignia with a 2 litre engine:

manual - first year £0, then £30 per year thereafter

automatic - first year £130, then £130 per year thereafter

quite a difference. hmy:

 

[Hutch]

Thats a good point WC, never thought abought it. But I like my SantaFe for the Coachman, my old 3 litre Vectra was Really great. but the weight ration was high. Went off GM as my last two had fuel control unit problems at 60K miles. I liked the insignia with the 4 wd. If thats the correct term.

 

[Dustydog]

The modern auto is a delight and does of course have the manual over ride option for decent or just because you want to go manual.
I prefer the conventional torque convertor to DSG.
The downside is the road tax. £500 in my case. :woohoo:

 

[saint-spoon]

At the moment my budget doesn't reach to anything newer than around 06 so they will be on a flat road tax anyway. My 53 Terrano is a manual and will probably see me for a year or more but it's a bit of a crate and I want something a bit newer and in better nick. I'm looking at a shogun or grande Cherokee or something similar.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

this should be a automatic tow car thread, I only towed with a automatic back in the 80's didn't like it at all, it was forever kicking down, when it felt the weight of the van, fuel consumption was horrendous also.
I know the modern ones are better but never tried one, hmy: so I stuck with manuals,

 

[DrZhivago]

Automatics ......... work better with cruise control

???????

 

[ProfJohnL]

The modern auto is a delight and does of course have the manual over ride option for decent or just because you want to go manual.
I prefer the conventional torque convertor to DSG.
The downside is the road tax. £500 in my case. :woohoo:

I have towed with manual and automatic versions of many makes of petrol and diesel cars, inc 4x4 and it certainly used to be small petrol engines coupled to auto's (torque converters) were pretty thirsty and did hunt between gears a lot. Meatier engined petrol vehicles were better, and diesels were often not available with auto boxes until the 1980's

My preference, if I were towing as much as I used to, would be diesel auto, but nowadays, the petrol engines with turbos, are producing impressive torque and so could be a realistic alternative to diesels.

There are an increasing number of cars that use VW DSG type gear boxes with auto shifts with physical clutch plates, They are definitely more economical compared to the older torque converters, and they are building a history good reliability.

The biggest problem these days is trend for car manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight which in turn affects good matching characteristics for larger caravans, so it's forcing caravanners when changing cars to look at bigger vehicles.

The vehicles are there, obviously in the s/h market, but also in the new and you don't always have to go for large 4x4's. There are some very competent estate based vehicles. Unless you are constantly caravanning on muddy wet fields, you don't really need a 4x4, but that can give feeling of security with the extra traction they offer. But I am inclined to look for Auto's every time now.

 

[Martin24]

No choice here as a disabled driver with electronic hand controls I have to have automatic.

 

[swpostie]

Automatics ......... work better with cruise control

???????

What I mean is, when using cruise control an automatic will obligingly change gear for you when you get to a hill!

 

[RayS]

Assuming you are looking at diesel power, automatic can reduce the stress of many gearchanges when you encounter a string of roundabouts - and at low revers there may be significant turbo lag with older cars.

For many years I was dyed in the wool manual man but having replaced an early Disco with an MB 270 auto I am now totally converted. The autobox with Tiptronic or Sport Mode or whatever they call it is even better than simple auto, as you can 'go manual' at will, very useful on long down gradients and on hairpin up hills.

The fuel cost difference is probably not too significant and an auto may make things easier for a relatively inexperience tower.

 

[JonnyG]

the wife drives an Alfa guilietta fitted with a semi auto/dual clutch bla bla bla basically.. its an auto it has only 2 pedals so for me that makes it an auto and it works amazingly well instant response every time also CO rating is lower than that of the manual gearbox equivalent which apparently is the norm for cars fitted with this type of so called dual/clutch system . frankly its the best of both worlds ,when its time for my 6speed insignia to go whatever replaces it will have this type of semi auto box.

 

[SirRogerFFS]

For some years now I have towed our vans with a BMW X5. Its a 3ltr Diesel My choice would always be automatic.I have towed with a manual vehicle but I feel with the auto I have better control especially when reversing. The X5 has the Triptronic gearbox which I find very useful.This 3ltr turbo diesel gives me approx 25 mpg towing but ours is a big twin axle caravan.Of course as another poster has said no worries about burning your clutch especially if your vehicle has a dual mass fly wheel that is massive numbers if your clutch goes. Well this is my opinion only its a matter of choice to the individual

 

[Chrisjkerr]

I've towed a couple of vans with both manual and auto transmissions and I do prefer towing with an auto. As already stated above, it's great in traffic, no roll back if not used with hill hold. They're lazy, but I like them

The Audi A5 was nice to drive solo but towing I was always shifting through gears at islands and through traffic and me left leg ended up aching after a while. The Touareg was ok but sometimes changed up too early for my liking and then decided to change down when it realised I was on an incline.

I've got the 8 Speed Tiptronic on the A7 BiTurbo now and It's wonderful. Various settings for shift response and can be used in manual mode which only shifts up at the rev limiter if required.