fait 3000cc x250 on 5000kg m/h (1 Viewer)

Scout

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what would better, in all aspects

on a fait x250 with the 3l engine 6 speed manual or the outo box

age around 2007- 2012
 

Abacist

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I have the 3 litre manual in my 2010 AT Savannah with a weight of 4,500 Kgs. I have never driven the Fiat auto box. Over my lifetime I have not had many autos. I had the auto box on a Merc 250 Turbodiesel Estate which was really excellent with smooth changes and no turbo lag and towing the caravan was effortless. I had the auto box on a BMW 120 Sport diesel and was disappointed and it had terrible turbo lag.

Cruise control is a great help to enable me to ease and relax the legs whilst driving. The 3 litre has bags of power and is easy to drive and I have a gut feeling that I wouldn't like the auto but that's just me. It cruises quite adequately at 60mph on about 2,000rpm. I have been up and down some serious alpine passes with no problems. Also I gather that the box is not a true auto but a manual box robotised. I've never driven one of those either and maybe I'd like that more than a true auto as you're really only removing the clutch pedal but still changing gear when you want to rather than when the box decides to change.

I suppose you make do with what you've got but I think that really I prefer manuals whilst my health is good and I don't need an auto. Which do you prefer and maybe that will guide you.
 
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Scout

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I have the 3 litre manual in my 2010 AT Savannah with a weight of 4,500 Kgs. I have never driven the Fiat auto box. Over my lifetime I have not had many autos. I had the auto box on a Merc 250 Turbodiesel Estate which was really excellent with smooth changes and no turbo lag and towing the caravan was effortless. I had the auto box on a BMW 120 Sport diesel and was disappointed and it had terrible turbo lag.

Cruise control is a great help to enable me to ease and relax the legs whilst driving. The 3 litre has bags of power and is easy to drive and I have a gut feeling that I wouldn't like the auto but that's just me. It cruises quite adequately at 60mph on about 2,000rpm. I have been up and down some serious alpine passes with no problems. Also I gather that the box is not a true auto but a manual box robotised. I've never driven one of those either and maybe I'd like that more than a true auto as you're really only removing the clutch pedal but still changing gear when you want to rather than when the box decides to change.

I suppose you make do with what you've got but I think that really I prefer manuals whilst my health is good and I don't need a manual. Which do you prefer and maybe that will guide you.

I cant really say, I havnt driven an aotu box in 30 years to be honist, but somebody sais the other day that the the 3.0l is better with an auto box when pulling a heavy vanwith a tag axle. maybe it was just prefferance rather than need? I would amagian cruise would help on long journeys but thats more or less stanard fit on newer stuff.

thanks

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Imbiber

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We have the manual 6 speed 3L with 160bhp on a 2009 plate tag axle 5000kg Ducato.....pulls like a train!

Had the old 2.8 jtd in our previous Burstner Argos tag axle and there's no comparison. Not driven an auto so sorry can't comment on that.
 
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Scout

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We have the manual 6 speed 3L with 160bhp on a 2009 plate tag axle 5000kg Ducato.....pulls like a train!

Had the old 2.8 jtd in our previous Burstner Argos tag axle and there's no comparison. Not driven an auto so sorry can't comment on that.


not that it really matters too much, but the ones Ive been looking at are the 160 phb modles hows your MPG
 
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icantremember

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Our last moho was 3L manual 4250kg 160bhp which was good but we now have 3L auto 189bhp 4200Kg and I would not go back to a manual.
The auto takes a little getting used to but is so much more relaxing to drive.

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Many other threads on here discussing this issue. My previous van and this one have the 3.0 litre engine with robotised gear box. The previous one was 2008, 4250 kg, this one is 2010, 5500 kg tag axle (in the avatar). They are both lovely to drive, plenty of power, no strain. I wouldn't go back to having a clutch pedal.

Some of my previous posts contain more detail abut its operation.
 
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Scout

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Many other threads on here discussing this issue. My previous van and this one have the 3.0 litre engine with robotised gear box. The previous one was 2008, 4250 kg, this one is 2010, 5500 kg tag axle (in the avatar). They are both lovely to drive, plenty of power, no strain. I wouldn't go back to having a clutch pedal.

Some of my previous posts contain more detail abut its operation.

thanks, just to change the supject a ilttlw hows your frankia? what layo=out is that?
 

Imbiber

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not that it really matters too much, but the ones Ive been looking at are the 160 phb modles hows your MPG

To be fair I don't pay much attention to mpg, but the last I looked on the trip computer it was low 20's! Ours is a big 3.3m chunk though and I think if you drive steadily at circa 2000rpm you'd hit mid twenties.

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Apr 10, 2010
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thanks, just to change the supject a ilttlw hows your frankia? what layo=out is that?
I'm very pleased with it (them - the previous one was a Frankia, too). Have had a few niggles with it but it's now in good order as it's had some TLC since we bought it used from Southdowns. Southdowns provided some of the remedial TLC, so don't take that as criticism of them.
It's an i840 FD with the French bed and washroom across the rear. We love it.
 
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Scout

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To be fair I don't pay much attention to mpg, but the last I looked on the trip computer it was low 20's! Ours is a big 3.3m chunk though and I think if you drive steadily at circa 2000rpm you'd hit mid twenties.


Its more or less the same as my 2.8 then, theres no cheap way to drive a brick is there...
 

dave newell

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Having driven plenty of Fiats with the 3.0 litre donkey, both in manual and Comfortmatic form I'd say neither is "better" than the other particularly, especially out on the open road. The auto is a delight to drive although you do need to get used to the slightly ponderous gear changes, the manual is the same box but without the robot to select the gears for you. One area where I find the manual is better is slow speed manouvering, especially driving up levelling ramps (I've not actually driven one onto levelling ramps but I have had to drive plenty onto my lift at work which is up a similar incline to typical ramps). With the manual box I can gently slip the clutch at little more than idle speed and get them on the lift but the auto is not as easy to get smooth control at low speeds.

D.

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Techno

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I average 27 now running at a little over 4 ton.
I have made engine mods that facilitate this.
My comfortmatic has now done near 51k and I loved it from the off near 4yrs ago.
Slow speed manoeuvring does become really very easy despite auto when you are accustomed to how much boot to give it.
 

Techno

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I agree with Andy, it just takes a little practice.
Yes without having any clutch control at all it's a case of becoming accustomed to the reaction you can reliably expect from the right foot. Initially I struggled with ramps as I feared it would go over the top but eventually I nailed it every time to the top of millencos.
Some people say there is too much lag between first and second gear but that is usually because drivers tend to lift the foot off slightly during gear change. If you keep the foot down through the change and trust the robot it will suffer no lag but nail you to the seat back.

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two

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Comformatic should be little different from the straight manual – you could ‘take over’ and use it manually if you really wanted. What the auto bit gives you is less to think about, which can be very useful when touring in strange places and needing to take more in (sights or special road circumstances).
 

Techno

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As for the other question. My comfortmatic has cruise control but I've only used it once and did not like it.
The weight of my right foot equates to 60mph without effort so that's generally how I play it.
I advise that if using cruise that you switch the box to manual as in AUTO it will be up and down the box like a nutter and use excessive revs. Locking it in 6th gear on cruise would be fine, only disengaging when the terrain clearly dictates.
 

two

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Better than cruise is the speed control on 2016 models, once you've learned to master it.

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