Manual or Auto? (1 Viewer)

[TheCaller]

I've yet to be fully convinced of the use of cruise control - I know most people love it and maybe when my licence business is all sorted out I will be able to get out onto public roads where it will be of use.

You'll need to drive a fair way from your house to get a lot of use from it!

Everybody is different, but I reckon cruise control only really comes into it's own in the UK on dual carriageways & motorways with relatively light traffic - depending a bit on what speed you want to set it at. Can be useful in long roadworks stretches too. Works better with an auto box.

It's quite handy on a long straight French 'N' road too.

 

[mikebeaches]

We have changed from 6-speed manual to a comfortmatic, but with the 130hp engine, pulling 3,500kg. The semi-auto is a massive improvement over the manual gearbox. And the power is adequate for our needs.

Good luck with your new van.

 

[PeteH]

First, A caveat, I have currently just (re) taken possession of my 2007, Fiat 2.3 6 speed after a complete gearbox rebuild following the demise of the gearbox!. So some prejudice?.

I have never driven the comfortmatic? But have had many years driving various Auto Box vehicles. The older "slush box" variety are fairly robust (which is as well as they are expensive to refurbish!), and suffer Losses due to design, but are wonderfully comfortable to drive!.

Something which IMV cannot be said of the current generation of microprocessor controlled (and often dual clutched) 6+ gear "Auto`s" the type of which we are now on our 5th? Some good some bad. Best being our last Chevrolet Orlando, (AKA GM Korea) The current Ford B Max is currently giving issues and is in the process of being "assessed" by Ford (warranty), the Renault (Scenic) had 4 repairs and a new Gear box (warranty). The Nissan (Note) was exceptionally greedy on fuel and noticeably jerky on change up and down. The gear changes can be quite noticeable on all these cars (note:- NOT Motor-homes). They have what is termed a "Learning feature" which adapts to YOUR driving, BUT if like us you swap drivers regularly? this means it is re-learning on a multiple basis!.

Now to the comfortmatic. Being a FIAT design, I personally would NOT have it at the top of my list!, But as I said in my first paragraph, that has more to do with issues over potential Fiat reliability than anything, and would prefer to see at least 5 or six years of actual usage without issues, before it worked it`s way up the list! After all the 6 speed was the "bees knees" when first introduced, but there are a lot of us 2nd and 3rd owners out here who have been (expensively) "stung".

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[ABZSteve]

Thank you to everyone for your responses to date and thank you also for the warm welcome to the group. We were already sure we prefer auto in a car, but not sure if it was a preferred option in a Fiat based MH. We have two vehicles to choose from, an auto and a manual and needed to make a decision, thanks again everyone, we're going for the auto and 150bhp upgrade. I'm sure I'll be back soon in need of advice, now to read up the variou articles and opinions posted on Fun, about MH alarms and general vehicle security. Getting excited, looking forward to taking delivery next February!

Good choice, we went for the Auto and 150BHP also. I hired a van (manual box) before buying our MoHo and although easy to drive, one trip from Perth to Oban showed me that Auto was the way to go for a relaxing drive. We have also been looking at the 680G so will be interested in your story once up and running. Good luck

 

[Hughman]

As per most other replies - comfortmatic, 150 bhp, cruise. You can use the gearbox in manual mode if you wish; power is alwayd useful, even if it's only there in reserve and you're not caning the van most of the time; cruise is invaluable on long motorway or A road stretches, especially the ones with average speed cameras where it's very easy to get caught out. We've done 43,000 miles in three and a half years with this set-up and it's just the job.

Good luck

 

[buttons]

Gearbox is personal preference but I would go for more bhp every time.

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[vin.egan]

I have an Ixeo 726G with 3.0 160 manual, love it, also have a Mercedes vito 2.1 160 auto, love that too, would consider an auto on my next MH but would want a decent test drive first, BHP for me is the big one, the more the better, as much for a relaxing drive as anything, the world is flat in the Ixeo, fully loaded pulls on a whiff of throttle.
Manual or Auto, as with everything else in life its just a personal preference.

 

[teddybear]

Às been said , it is all down to personal preference . I like manual boxes.Lot better control Even drive the Smart which is semi-auto in manual mode most of the time

 

[glenn2926]

I notice a lot have 150bhp 2.3 fiats. My 2.3 fiat is 130bhp. The question is can mine be remapped to 150bhp, is it a big job, is it expensive and is it worth doing.
Thanks in advance Glenn.

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[vin.egan]

I notice a lot have 150bhp 2.3 fiats. My 2.3 fiat is 130bhp. The question is can mine be remapped to 150bhp, is it a big job, is it expensive and is it worth doing.
Thanks in advance Glenn.

Don't know about your Fiat, but I am going to get my Vito remapped from 160 to 200 in the near future, theres a crowd that does it properly, rolling road, direct ECU remap, printout etc for about £350, the Merc Vito group I belong to have a couple of members who`ve had it done.

 

[two]

(Someone mentioned cruise control)
New Fiats with cruise now also have a (variable) speed limiter. Do not overlook this asset. It works in any traffic - just drive according to the circumstances and the limiter will stop you breaking the law (so long as you've set it correctly). It's also a useful way to overcome the appalling (non)display of the speedo, as the set speed is illuminated in the matrix panel (you may need to sit back to avoid the steering wheel obscuring the view).
I use the speed limiter all the time (you can even change it to kph when abroad) but hardly ever use cruise.

 

[Lenny HB]

I notice a lot have 150bhp 2.3 fiats. My 2.3 fiat is 130bhp. The question is can mine be remapped to 150bhp, is it a big job, is it expensive and is it worth doing.
Thanks in advance Glenn.

although it could be remaped the result would not be the same the Fiat 150 has a different turbo I think it is a variable vane one, it improves the response and the torque.

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[peterc10]

I have had auto cars for the last 20 years or so. All types including "proper" torque converters, gearbox with clutch and electric autochange and CVT. All have been OK. I now have one with the Fiat comformatic and that is good to. Especially with cruise, which I use as often as I can. No more aching right foot.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I had a Transit 6 speeder transit on my previous van, it nearly crippled me when I got caught in the mother and father of a jam going from the M3 to the M25. Stop start stop start for two hours. I could not stand on the left leg when I stopped for a fairly long time., let alone walk on it. I do not have arthritis but it was an awakening.
Looking to a new van, I wanted an automatic as a number one demand. However the automised manual box did not appeal as they still have a clutch which is even more likely to get abuse than a manual change. In the end I got a MB sprinter based Hymer that cost loads more than I wanted to spend but it is a true automatic with the tiptronic box. Really good but not quite as economical as the others. I love the ease of driving.

 

[two]

But Tiptronic is an automated manual box. Perhaps you didn't mean that?

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[Ksagic]

Previous MH was manual ummed and ahhed about the Burstner with Comformatic , best move we ever made and as mentioned previously for the 'inching' moves, you become quite adept with the right foot...!!

 

[GWAYGWAY]

But Tiptronic is an automated manual box. Perhaps you didn't mean that?

No it is the 7speed automatic with manual overide to change up or down. 7Gmatic

 

[nigel smith]

We had the 150 with an auto box and have no complaints at all .We never use the manual side of the box why have an auto?
But the fiat box is great.

Nigel

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