towing with automatics

[john_374419571]

am thinking of a new tow car isuzu rodeo or nissan navara does anyone out there tow with a automatic one would like some info feed back,good or bad thanx

 

[RogerP]

Hi John

automatic all the way for me.

I've been driving them for over 10 years now and wouldn't go back.

I've towed with 3 autos (Merc ML , Freeland 2 and Discover 3) and non have ever missed a beat when towing. All very capably.

I find that journeys are stess free , especially when you're in traffic or unfamilier areas. Not having to worry about gear change means you can give more of your concentration to the road ahead and what your outfit is doing. Thus avoiding problems enroute.

Since changing to autos any long journeys are I do now I arrive fresher and less tired.

 

[Heethers]

Towed with both ,got to agree with Roger got be Auto, less stressful, might use a little more juice but well worth it.

NigelH

 

[Mr C]

We tow with a Honda CRV Auto, petrol version, the drive and ease really make a difference but as with all good things in life , it costs a bit more .

 

[emmerson2]

Automatic, having driven that way since I bought a new Ford Zodiac auto in 1962. Why work harder than you need to?

BTW, someone said they're more expensive, but over high mileage, the auto is actually cheaper, as you don't have to replace clutches and gearboxes.Over 180,000 miles taxi work in a Peugeot 504 auto I was hundreds of pounds better off than my mate with an identical manual car.

 

[otherclive]

Fully agree that for towing an auto makes life very easy. Howver I'd always go for the conventional auto with a torque convertor as the CVT/DSG types are not so reliable. DSGs are more a gearbox with the clutches actuated by servo rather than by your left leg.

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[DJP]

Hi John,

I have owned and towed with both of these vehicles over the 2-3 years, both being auto.

The isuzu was better on fuel, even though it was a 3.0TD, against the Nissan being a 2.5TD. I Would suggest you try to get one with the isuzu power up-grade kit as this makes a lot of difference to the performance and more fun to drive. The Nissan was 'softer' and easier to live with, more like a 4x4 than truck, but fuel consumption was poor. It was more powerful and quieter than the Isuzu, but I still prefered the Isuzu out of the two as it has some character. I still regret selling the Rodeo, and would highly recommend one as a tow vehicle. The ride quality of both improves when you have some weight on the back.

Hope this helps

DJP

 

[colin(bridgend)]

In days of Emmerson with his Zodiac it was necessary to have an oil cooler fitted to the auto box when towing - is this still the case. Nothing personal Emmerson as my first car was a 1959 Zephyr convertable (manual with overdrive) bought in 1966 - fantastic car.

 

[emmerson2]

So, Colin, not only do we both live in GoC, but we had the same taste in cars!

Most modern autos now have a gearbox oil cooler fitted as standard, frequently combined with the radiator.

 

[RayS]

Having towed on and off since the 1960's I too would go for automatic every time. Particularly true for diesels which may have some turbo lag at relatively low rpm, meaning that you need quite a lot of gear changing on occaisions e.g. when going through a "necklace" of roundabouts which seem increasingly common instead of proper bypasses. Auto sorts this out for you, leaving you to concentrate on the other traffic.

only down side is that some autos seem to be "sealed for life" and do not call for the transmission fluid to be changed regularly. This is particularly true of the Tiptronic boxes - otherwise excellent with manual over-ride for hill descent etc. but failure of which can be seriously expensive. There was a thread a few months ago about the mercedes ML with this problem, but it also applies to BMW Audi and any make using this sort of box. A quick check is whether the gear box has a visible dipstick. Kia Sorento does but ML270 does not.

 

[WilliamLX]

I would not buy an automatic for driving solo never mind towing. Their greater mechanical complexity make them more prone to go wrong. When I have been stuck with hire car automatics they never seem to change gear quickly enough and I am sure this along with the energy needed to actually work the automatic gear box is what contributes to their poor fuel economy compared with the same car with a manual box. I also believe that towing put extra strain on an auto box making automatics particularly unsuitable for caravaners. Finally I am one of those who enjoys driving, so I like to have fuller control over my vehicle. My worst experiece of an automatic was a Pugeot 7 seater MPV. Unless you were doing at least 50mhp, if you so much as touched the brake pedal, you ended up being nearly thrown through the windscreen - down right dangerous.

 

[emmerson2]

Like everyone, William, you are entitled to your opinion, but in my experience of over forty years auto driving, all of your criticisms are completely unfounded.

 

[Robert_374373903]

Like everyone, William, you are entitled to your opinion, but in my experience of over forty years auto driving, all of your criticisms are completely unfounded.

I see William knows nothing about VG dsg boxes where they have the same mpg as manuel. I would not go back to manuel.

 

[Ivorwetwun]

I have to agree with william.

If you are lazy - get an auto.

If you enjoy driving - get a manual.

I have also been driving for over 40 years both here and overseas, with experience which includes large V8's. Give me a manual everytime !!!!

But I dare say that this thread will go on for a while, each to his own.

 

[xtrailman]

robert

In the article i read in what car, the same car, with the same engine, was tested, one was manual the other had the two clutches DSG box, The DSG was an amazing 5mpg higher on consumption.

The conclusion was that the auto did not suit that particular car. Sorry i cant remember the exact car, but i do remember the test result.

I have only ever driven two autos, one a merk in the 80's, the other a primera in the 90's, wasn't impressed with both, the nissan had no engine braking, in the end i drove it in manual.

You pay more for the auto, you pay more for the VED, and as a sweetener you get less MPG. So no thank you.

If i was city driving in a small car, then perhaps i would consider auto.

 

[RogerP]

if driving an auto is lazy then I'm lazy.

But I dont have the luxury of affording more than one car - one for city driving , one for towing and one for fun.

I spend 2 hours a day on my daily crawl to work and the constant operating of the clutch pedal aggrevates a lower back and leg injury. So auto for me.

I've driven many sports cars that are auto and to be honest you notice very little difference at 150mph (on a test track) against a manual.

I also once owned a Selespeed Alfa 156 and that was definately fun to drive.

Some cars are ment to be auto , others are not - the wifes Focus is definately one that is not. Awful car

 

[Hamer_5041128]

John,

Have towed with autos for 20 plus years. The last 3 being Shoguns.

If you really want to get a move on then slip the auto into Tiptronic, the same system as Rally Drivers use. In Tiptronic you do not lose revs when changing gears as you do with a manual.

You have the best of both worlds in one gearbox.

I have never had a problem with an auto box.

Having said all that most of the time i just leave the Shogun in auto and relax.

Hamer

 

[Sedo]

Hi John

We've switched to a Sedona TS auto about a year ago for various reasons.

I must admit though for towing it's great, relaxed isn't the word for it and that's besides the ease of manoeuvering.

Yes it's a bit thirsty, but it's many pro's we feel outweigh it's cons.

I've switched to manual to try it, when towing on occasions but found it wasn't really of any benefit, the auto's just so relaxing.

Best regards

Tomo

 

[Guest]

We have 2 cars that can and have both towed the van, I prefer the Auto knowing I can use Tip if I feel the need, but the Mrs prefers (her) manual.However fuel economy is better with the auto TDI than with the manual petrol so the auto gets used more,Im not bothered using the manual at all but prefer the auto, its simply easier.

 

[Ivorwetwun]

read with interest the reply by rogerp. I totally agree that at 150 mph on an oval track there is no diference beween a manual and auto (except fuel economy) but when you get to the first corner......

By the way the flappy paddle gear change is invariably a manual 'box with electronic clutch(s)

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Just about every fire engine in this country is fitted with an auto gear box. We have to drive them to the limmit on every occasion so they are well thrashed, my brigade have very few problems with the gear box.

The only reason I have a manual box in my 4x4 is because I have just paid

 

[otherclive]

I would not buy an automatic for driving solo never mind towing. Their greater mechanical complexity make them more prone to go wrong. When I have been stuck with hire car automatics they never seem to change gear quickly enough and I am sure this along with the energy needed to actually work the automatic gear box is what contributes to their poor fuel economy compared with the same car with a manual box. I also believe that towing put extra strain on an auto box making automatics particularly unsuitable for caravaners. Finally I am one of those who enjoys driving, so I like to have fuller control over my vehicle. My worst experiece of an automatic was a Pugeot 7 seater MPV. Unless you were doing at least 50mhp, if you so much as touched the brake pedal, you ended up being nearly thrown through the windscreen - down right dangerous.

The Sorento has a higher towing load with the automatic box than the manual. And if you tow a lot, or use it in adverse/extreme conditions you can still cahnge the oil easily which is recommended by Kia.

Regarding reliabilty a fullauto should be less troublesome than a clutch/manual set up. Also some years ago the Swedish national police were so bothered by gearbox/clutch failures that they moved all of the SAAB 9000 fleet to auto. Result was that total running costs reduced, fleet availabilty went up and surprise, surprise time to accelerate to high speed went down!

 

[RogerP]

read with interest the reply by rogerp. I totally agree that at 150 mph on an oval track there is no diference beween a manual and auto (except fuel economy) but when you get to the first corner......

By the way the flappy paddle gear change is invariably a manual 'box with electronic clutch(s)

Kelvin,

I've driven cars on tracks , including testing at Millbrook proving ground on all its facilities , and private airfields.

I've personally found that (by my driving style) I can drive Aston Martin DB9's , Bentley Continental GTs , Porsche 911s and Cayennes , along with Volvo's , Ford's, Audi's , VW's , Lexus's and Toyota's (and many other makes) just as fast , if not faster in Auto mode as I can in manual (true Stick shift as Americans would say).

Now that may be down to me and I'm slower shoving the clutch pedal in and waggling the gear leaver around but having left Lamborghini's in my wake in a much slower DB9 I cant be doing too bad.

 

[John_374422434]

We tow a twin axle with a 97 Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0TD Auto; the most capable vehicle I have ever owned. Just keeps going and going and going, never breaks, never gets stuck.

MPG in the order of 20 but cheap to insure, service etc.

 

[CHRIS_374420046]

We tow a twin axle with a 97 Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0TD Auto; the most capable vehicle I have ever owned. Just keeps going and going and going, never breaks, never gets stuck.

MPG in the order of 20 but cheap to insure, service etc.

I have never been a fan of auto boxes, as my perevious cars always seemed to rev and not go anywhere, and I've always preffered diesels too - BUT last year I bought an Amercian 4X4 which is auto and petrol (now LPG) and the auto box is superb! It makes life so much easier when towing, and changes gear when I would do with a manual.

I'll be sticking to autos for my tow car from now on!