Manual Or Autoatic-On The Verge Of Buying

[thediplomat]

We are on the verge of buying a six month old iQ2 auto as I believed it to be the best option. Now someone has told me to go for the manual box instead. One of the reasons we opted for auto was that two years ago I drove a basic iQ with manual box and it didn't perform well as in what I refer to very long gears - it took some time to wind up the car in order to change gears. We are mostly local town mileage. Any advice would be really appreciated thanks.

[s44gtw]

IMO the Multidrive (CVT) is wonderful, works very well with a 1.0 or 1.3.

My favourite Auto in any small car.

(i have one leg and have driven only automatics since 1977, and had or driven them all in all types i think,

even Daf Volvo CVT's back in the 80's,

7 speed DSG's are very good even in 1200cc cars, but some Fiat, Smart, small engine autoboxes are terrible. My 4 Speed Kia box is VG, but not a patch on the iQ's for doing the job properly)

Does the 'someone' drive a Multidrive , has driven a Multidrive or know anything about them or Automatic cars.

(do they know about other Toyota Autos, and are going by that, or from direct experience?)

I would think it is best to test drive a Multidrive and decide yourself.

george

[atkiman]

hi

I'm with george on that one, definitely try before you buy, and make sure you try it in a similar area to where you're going to use it. i tried a dealer (in northampton) , told them it would be mostly motorways and fast dual carriageway , and she insisted i drove it round the back roads off billing and cogenhoe.auto and towns is a good combination.

[chezwot]

I cannot understand anyone living in the UK wanting a manual gearbox! Go for the auto, as good as any I have driven and I've owned Mercedes and BMW's. it's quiet, smooth and on UK roads, far less stressful.

[Soeley]

Me personally will go manual every time, I just prefer them. Best is to try both and see which you prefer. I didn't like the auto when I test drove one.

[tonyishuk]

Depends wether you want Yahoo it around country roads (Manual)

or sit in Traffic crawling and getting cramp in your clutch leg (then Auto)

We have IQ3 CVT, docile little car, but plonk your foot down, wonder why the revs hit the roof and find you are doing 90mph as quick as most sports like cars.

If thats anything to go by I would image the 6 speed manual is a hoot to drive ! (around country roads)

Rgds

Opps forgot

Country road speed limits will be about 40 mph, back to the auto !

[Cyker]

If it's the MMT avoid it like the plague - It's unrefined and generally horrible to drive unless you have the god-like patience required to adapt your driving style to it.

The HSD is great but they don't make a hybrid IQ (...yet! )

The CVT I haven't tried, but my experience with CVT gearboxes has been pretty bad so I'd shy away from them too.

The manual is the safest choice, and unless you have a need to drive an autobox (e.g. only have an auto license) then I'd stick with the manual.

If you have the opportunity to test drive tho', do that and see how they feel - Give them a decent run in different scenarios and types of road tho', don't just have a quick run about and think that's it.

[s44gtw]

It is not a MMT in an iQ it is a CVT.

Very different from an Automatic or Automated or Robotised Manual.

george

[Mr Jones]

I find driving Manual fun, especially when it comes to changing gears. The iQ gear change is so much more fun than my previous Renault Clio, and better than the Aygo I test driven (the stick feels like it hovers on air!)

Auto isn't my thing, but I find changing gear fun - traffic or A roads. If you prefer to leave your left leg idle, then Auto all the way then.

[s44gtw]

You can drive and drive sportingly in a Multidrive while using the gearchange.

Infact it is a bit like using a sequential change if you want and provides engine braking, get increased acceleration and you can hold the gear ratios.

Thats why it has D & S, even B if you want.

Many Automatics are now user friendly as manuals and give you the option of full automatic or manual or a combination.

If your left foot feels unused while driving an automatic,

you can always try and use it for a while on throttle and brake and give the right foot a rest.

(moving a left foot up and down in a straight line to work a clutch is pretty over rated i think,

if you want exercise like that you might as well ride a push bike IMHO)

george

[chezwot]

I presume the 'manual' people feel it is less macho to drive an auto, there can be no other reason, "changing gear fun" maybe in a Ferrari but not in an iQ.

[Mr Jones]

Machosim isn't something to bring in on an iQ... Manual is fun, it's also good practice. I understand how easy Auto driving can be too, expecially when it comes to city driving.

I get a certain buzz when I can shift and drive smoothly, be it eco driving or heavy pedal around A roads...

[Soeley]

You can't beat dropping from 5th or 6th to 2nd for some good overtaking

[Cyker]

Bah, autoboxes are for disabled people and americans! :P

But joking aside, there are advantages to manuals so it's obviously not just an image thing (And seriously, macho and an iQ?!).

Maintainence on manuals is generally cheaper and can be done at any half-competent garage whereas autos require specialists. Autos are also usually more complicated which means there is more to go wrong, although there are exceptions (CVTs and the HSD for instance).

My own dislike of autoboxes is down to the fact that I don't feel entirely in control of the car in an auto. An autobox can't see the road ahead and can't anticipate what I am going to do - With a manual I can optimize my gear selection for what I am going to do and shift in good time but with an autobox you have to rely on it to do the right thing at the right time.

Generally they're okay but you always get a situation, sometimes when you need a fast reaction, and then it either goes to high and lags or it goes too low and revs the engine so hard it feels like it's going to jump out of the bonnet.

And aside from a HSD I've never driven an autobox that I felt I could safely do, say, a turn in the road on a really steep hill without being worried I'd fly up the curb and crash into a house or stall repeatedly, but that might just be inexperience

In a manual I can balance the power on the clutch but in an auto you have to do that with the brake so you're fighting the engine instead of working with it...

[s44gtw]

How many Multidrive iQ's in this forum have required work or any expenditure at 3 years old and how many manuals are going to be getting clutches very soon?

The 1.0 iQ loves to be revved and the CVT does not need to be screaming.

Maybe you need to learn to drive with one while nipping along , or with any automatic without needing to be on the brakes..

Many traditional 4 or 5 speed autos instead of dropping a gear by moving the shifter you switch on and off the Overdrive & decelerate that way.

Try a modern Autobox even.

M3's & M5's seem to do OK with DSG's now and that rear wheel drive.

Porsche PDk's, Audi S-Shift etc

Sebastian Loeb and all the rest appear to be able to have car control with sequential shifts,

and no clutch.

but they are obviously just out for a potter along.

george

[tonyishuk]

Proberly not relevent, but having an IQ auto, I am not worried by the curent Juddering thread running at present .

Rgds