Auto or manual?

Haitchjay

Haitchjay

Free Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Posts
157
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Location
Hants/Wilts border
Funster No
45,730
MH
Pilote G740 fgj
Exp
Since 2016
The majority of both new (stock) and used MH’s seem to be manual. We currently have an auto so when looking at bigger MH’s have been sifting out the manuals but as there seem to be so many of them, they must be popular. Comments much appreciated on fors and agains for both. TIA
 
Autos are more expensive, so new build, they will be less prevalent. Historically autos were perceived by many as luxury, at the expense of fuel consumption. Purist drivers would argue manual is better as it offers greater control.
 
Before I purchased mine I took various MHs out for test drives. I had thought, given the larger (non-sports) cars I've had have been auto, that I would prefer the auto box but I didn't. Went with the manual box and have never regretted it. Def agree that cruise control is worth having, especially for foreign tours.

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The Fiat (not available on Peugeot or Citroen) ComfortMatic robotised autobox has been around since about 2008. It is a bit Marmite but you get used to it and it is relaxing to drive. There is no fuel consumption penalty because apart from the robot actuator bits it is essentially a manual box with a clutch. Fiat's now available 9 speed auto with torque converter should be nicer if you have the funds to buy new.

If you are looking at the longer and heavier MHs, some say that the ComfortMatic was designed for Ducatos up to 4,200 Kg MTPLM. That didn't stop the converters offering the ComfortMatic option on heavier MHs.

I got the impression that dealers rarely hold anything except the manual box versions as new stock. Too conservative. Used MHs for sale with the ComfortMatic box also don't seem to be common so maybe the owners are holding on to them. I couldn't find one so I had to buy new.

The Renault Master and Mercedes Sprinter base vehicles with auto box are also worth investigating. A couple of years ago the Transit became available with a torque converter auto. VW campers with autoboxes are widely available.
 
Auto always for me, having driven a lot miles in a lot of vans at work, I would not consider a buying a manual for my own vehicle, with the exception of my dream car.
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Auto every time, I can't stand the awful manual changes you get on van due to the dash mounted cable operated gear change.

It seems to be a Brit thing when you look on the German sites most of the vans are Autos but I only look at A Class vans.
 
Keep it simple KISS. Manual every time.

You don't see many overland vehicles equipped with auto transmission. I can see the attraction of auto for cars but not for "go anywhere" vehicles, unless you have a disability.
 
Ours is 4500 kg with Fiat comformatic box I don’t think I would go back to manual again it works well even when towing a car trailer.😊👍
 
Wagoneer said:
Keep it simple KISS. Manual every time.

You don't see many overland vehicles equipped with auto transmission. I can see the attraction of auto for cars but not for "go anywhere" vehicles, unless you have a disability.
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Most of the military vehicles in service these days are autos.
 
Auto is our preference.
9m meter a class with a drivers chair thats like an armchair coupled with a Comfortmatic gearbox you have a very comfortable drive.
 
I have a ComfortMatic in my latest Ducato and struggled to start with. As has been said, it is a robotised manual and left in fully automatic it decreases the revs when it intends to change up. Unless you accelerate very gently it ‘lurches’ forward as it changes. However in manual I love it! Changing up just requires a quick decrease of the throttle and a flick of the gear stick (no clutch obviously). It changes down automatically even in manual.
I have had three manual Ducatos previously but am much happier now.

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Briskdub said:
I have a ComfortMatic in my latest Ducato and struggled to start with. As has been said, it is a robotised manual and left in fully automatic it decreases the revs when it intends to change up. Unless you accelerate very gently it ‘lurches’ forward as it changes. However in manual I love it! Changing up just requires a quick decrease of the throttle and a flick of the gear stick (no clutch obviously). It changes down automatically even in manual.
I have had three manual Ducatos previously but am much happier now.
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Fiat have finally got rid of the Comformatic box and now have a torque converter.

The torque converter auto in our Ford is superb, and with 30+mpg does not seem to affect fuel consumption much. You never notice it changing gear, you just see the revs change on the dash.

For many years now we have had torque converter auto cars, and even towing a caravan never needed to use the paddle shift to manually change gears. I simply don't understand those that claim a manual gives you more control. Even in deep snow the auto is fine.
 
DBK said:
Most of the military vehicles in service these days are autos.
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Don't see trucks with manual boxes either.
Briskdub said:
Unless you accelerate very gently it ‘lurches’ forward as it changes.
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On our second van with a Comformatic box never had that I would say the current van (2017) is slightly better than the previous one (2014).
Sounds to me that you have a fault, might just need a software update.
 
Speve said:
Ours is 4500 kg with Fiat comformatic box I don’t think I would go back to manual again it works well even when towing a car trailer.😊👍
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Ours is too. Thought I would really miss our previous 3ltr manual - I don’t. The great asset is the magic hill climb button, brilliant just takes you up without having to worry about anything. 2.3 Ltd engine. Size isn’t everything I have learnt.
 
Full auto , or full manual are better suited to low speed maneuvering , as the robotised manuals can over heat quite quickly , bit like a badly driven manual . The downside on some full autos , is they dont handle overloading for the size of gearbox especially when operated in high ambient. Full autos can make better drivers . I find having an auto (Allison, the gold standard) really suits the vehicle I drive .
 
I prefer manual in both cars and motorhomes although the merc torque converter auto on our 2004 Hymer was nice.

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We had a manual on our Kontiki and it was fine. We now have a Fiat comfortmatic on our Burstner and am very happy with it. Much more relaxing to drive..
 
Thank you for all your responses. I think it’s fair to say that it’s a personal choice. Our 1st MH was a manual 7.5m and hubby was adamant that he didn’t want an auto yet here we are with one.
Guess our next one could be either 🙄
 
It might depend on what chassis you are looking at, Front or Rear wheel drive? if it was an older IVECO chassis the Agile robotised gearbox does not have the best ruputation and the clutch has a habit of overheating if you are doing a lot of manoeuvring so I would go for manual on that one, the later ZF boxes are full auto torque converter and finding a manual option would be virtually impossible.
 
All my motorhomes have been manual which I prefer, my last car was auto and that was OK. I am quite happy with automatic, if its a proper torque converter but I would not pay extra for it.
 
traded in a VW 190bhp for a 2013 comfortmatic 130bhp - salesman kept saying -it’s a van don’t expect to be first away at the lights - but the Motorhome bits of the fiat are what we wanted - so all is well. Ken gets a bit irritated but I just bumble along at 50-60-ish annoying all the cars building up behind me - lol- when I go to daughter in Devon I pull into uphill lay-bys a lot to let them pass 😄
and we used to have an Akita
 
Auto for me, even though it’s a ComfortMatic. No issues at all with it and, both my other vehicles are auto and always will be in the future. This is the 21st century you know, you don’t have to do everything yourself.
 
Auto provides one less thing to think about when travelling in strange places, so more time to enjoy the view or concentrate on unfamiliar road conditions.
I now have Fiat Comformatic and, even though I hate most things about the Fiat, that is one thing I can recommend (just don't expect it to work well with the speed limiter, if there is one).

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