X250 auto: Love it or Hate it

[Judge Mental]

Have been offered a PX on a van I am interested in but it has the auto X250 box.

I have never driven one so would be interested in opinions from both sides please

 

[Techno]

No brainer ! buy buy buy

BTW that is more than a 1.5k£££'s upgrade at point of order these days

 

[DBK]

Wouldn't be without mine. The economy of a manual with the convenience of the automatic.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I've heard varying stories about low speed manoeuvring but certainly it is the one big option that we would have had if not buying a stock van. Worth having IMHO

 

[Jaws]

I would have one like a shot.. Driven a couple and very nice too !

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[Electraglide]

Have been offered a PX on a van I am interested in but it has the auto X250 box.

I have never driven one so would be interested in opinions from both sides please

Thank you starting this thread, we will have to make the choice next year.

 

[Techno]

The comfortmatic user manual seems to have disappeared from FUN resources??????????????

You can however download it from me if you want to become familiar with it
http://www.mediafire.com/view/r4e186d7pa6ssm6/Comfortmatic.pdf

 

[DBK]

Yes, it is one thing you would be advised to read the manual for - otherwise you will never get moving without the wretched thing beeping at you. I didn't learn how to deliberately put it into neutral while waiting with the engine running and for starting until I had had it 6 months. You don't have to put it into neutral before starting, but it is recommended. Ditto, putting it into neutral while idling - if you don't it is like sitting with your foot on the clutch with the engine running in a manually.

The slow speed manoeuvring issue is only a concern if you are on a slope I have found. The problem is you have no direct control over the clutch so if you are inching very slowly up a slope there is a danger the clutch will be slipping. The answer is to a bit more bold with the throttle so it actually drives up the slope in gear and clutch fully engaged. You get a smell of burnt clutch if you don't - but you can get that with a manual as well if you try.

 

[Jaws]

Ditto, putting it into neutral while idling - if you don't it is like sitting with your foot on the clutch with the engine running in a manually

Actually it is the same for ALL automatics.. right back to the old Borg Warner 20x range ( yes, even the ones like the Smartie that are actually a manual box electrically controlled )

I had to virtually beat Woman over the head with a torque converter before she got the message !!

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Surprised there aren't more answers to this. The Comfortmatic box isn't that uncommon

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[DBK]

Surprised there aren't more answers to this. The Comfortmatic box isn't that uncommon

Folk with it are happy.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Folk with it are happy.

I'd have one like a shot

 

[Mel]

Fantastic box .
I have heard many a negative comment over this box.
Usually by people that have never driven with it but they heard it from a friend of a friend.

Mel

 

[Gizmouk]

I love ours - makes driving the MH so much easier.

 

[jhorsf]

Had mine 5 years now and I would not want the manual

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[Judge Mental]

I always thought autos really for city driving...a motorhome that spends most of its time on the open road cruising ..what's the point. But I'm open to having my mind changed

 

[Techno]

I always thought autos really for city driving...a motorhome that spends most of its time on the open road cruising ..what's the point. But I'm open to having my mind changed

Wait until you hit a 10 mile tailback! no more left ankle ache

 

[Judge Mental]

Wait until you hit a 10 mile tailback! no more left ankle ache

Got the answer for holdups.....swap with the wife and have a snooze


Does it labour in the gears...does it feel like it's in the right gear most of the time, so to speak

 

[Techno]

The 3 litre has so much torque that it doesn't change much but not having to even think about it makes a more relaxing drive.

If you drive in France much on D roads you'll not often go more than a couple of miles without a roundabout again and again and again

 

[Judge Mental]

The 3 litre has so much torque that it doesn't change much but not having to even think about it makes a more relaxing drive

Thanks that's helpful but it will be the 150 bhp in a panel van camper. Would find it frustrating as I actually enjoy driving 6 speed box when run in, if it felt like it was not in the best gear for the job..suspect it would drive me nuts.

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[Techno]

You can switch it to manual mode and make the decisions yourself but still without a clutch to depress.
In the two years I've had it I have never encountered it in the wrong gear on any terrain up or down.

 

[Judge Mental]

Thanks Andy..that's the kind of info I want

 

[DBK]

It's not often I find it necessary to change gear manually, but if you are say driving along a flat road and need to turn off onto another road which you can see is a very steep climb, which might need first gear, it is smoother if you slow right down and knock it into first gear just before you encounter the hill. If you don't do this it will perhaps go into the hill in second and then have to change down to first on the hill - and this can be a bit heart stopping and on a wet road will get the wheels skidding for a fraction of second in my experience. The point is though the 'box will react to changing road conditions it can't really anticipate a sudden incline or descent and in those circumstances it can be smoother to make it change before the transmission comes under increased load.

But it isn't essential. You can just put it in auto and sit back and relax.

 

[Judge Mental]

I see said the blind man.......this is really all very helpful.

(when it was discussed elsewhere war broke out)

 

[DBK]

War? Breaking out here? I don't believe it....

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[dave newell]

I've driven several comfortmatics now and I have to say on the road it is fantastic. Not quite as keen for low speed manouvering, especially in tight spaces. In edit: in fairness I feel the same about the "Sprintshift" from merc, "quickshift" from Renault and "Durashift" from Ford when they did it.

D.

 

[Hughman]

We had one on our old Burstner and on the current Possl, also the 150 bhp version. As others have said, as you have option of auto or manual usage you've got the best of both worlds. We've been up and down Alps and Dolomites in ours and rarely needed to go into manual mode, except sometimes coming down really steep asses where you want to make sure you've got the engine braking effect. Driving in towns or in traffic jams, auto is a no-brainer.
I'd go for it every time.

 

[rolandrat]

I have a 3 ltr Comfortmatic and they are brilliant. My next motorhome is going to be a 3 ltr Comfortmatic. I wouldn't consider anything else.

 

[TheCaller]

Yes, manoeuvring at slow speed on a slope is more difficult than with either a manual or a conventional automatic. There is also a big gap between first & second & you can't rush the auto change, as it waits for the revs to drop before re-engaging drive. That can cause some heart-stopping moments as you pull away onto a roundabout until you get used to it & allow for it. You need a bigger gap before you pull out into traffic because of the slow change. You can make the change happen a little faster in manual mode, but not much. That's more a criticism of the ratios than of the automation, as I assume the ratios are the same in the ordinary manual & the only way to speed the change in the manual would be to drop the clutch without waiting for the revs to drop - with the accelerated clutch & box wear that would result.

There is a button next to the gear selector labelled UP, which sets the box to make changes at higher revs in the lower gears to cope with steep hills, so as long as you know you are about to turn up a steep hill, it's not a problem even in auto mode. Or you can just stick in manual, which is only a flick of the lever.

But overall, it's great. In any normal driving situation, you just never have to think about it. It's very good at being in the right gear at the right time - better than most auto boxes, especially when going down the box. You get intelligent engine braking, something very rare on an auto. Only a very dedicated driver of a manual would change gear as diligently as this box does. It's also very biddable - it follows your right foot very closely. You do need to drive it for an hour or so to learn how to get the best out of it, but when you do, it just does what it should when it should. And even in auto mode, you can just flick the gear selector up or down if you decide you want something different.

Mine is in a 3.5t panel van with the 150bhp engine.

 

[ABZSteve]

I always thought autos really for city driving...a motorhome that spends most of its time on the open road cruising ..what's the point. But I'm open to having my mind changed

I hired a manual MoHo in April and drove over to the West coast of Scotland. Now, if that wasn't enough to convince me to buy the Auto then nothing would have; more gear changes that a fashion show but with better scenery . Get mine in March/April and at only £1500 quid above the manual, it's a bargain, go for it.

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