Manual or Automatic,thoughts please.?

[Nopedigree]

4 hours ago, Jack.P said:

Hi yes it’s a 99model .only been driving it 3 months but seemed ok in the summer 

seemed a good buy for not much money with only 35k and very up together .but mpg terrible and even driving it ultra smooth still only gets 26 mpg.normal driving is low 20s

probably selling it in January with a new mot 

 

 

 

So it’s a mk4, so happens I’ve got a 97 model, assume it's petrol, even so that is crap consumption as mine has done 140k from new (when I bought it) and still gives me 60 plus to the gallon on a run, it’s a diesel though and pulls like a train.

 

NoPedigree 

[Jack.P]

19 minutes ago, Nopedigree said:

So it’s a mk4, so happens I’ve got a 97 model, assume it's petrol, even so that is crap consumption as mine has done 140k from new (when I bought it) and still gives me 60 plus to the gallon on a run, it’s a diesel though and pulls like a train.

 

NoPedigree 

Yep ‘tis the 8 valve 1.6 petrol model .nothing mechanically wrong just seems as though I bought the worst engine variant.the tdi 1.9 diesel is probably the best in that car 

 

 

[Stihl123]

Personally have a 2018 auto wildtrak and tows a dream

Now I've had an auto, wouldn't go back 

[5 shires]

Right so my quotation is...if I brought a 3.2 Ford Ranger Wildtrak Automatic and have a tipper conversion on it would it tow 750kg and a box full of would chip as good as a manual in any terrain?i need to get it right because once I commit there is no going back.🤔👍

[maybelateron]

I have no doubt it would be fine. The power of the 3.2 is plenty. What is far more important in my experience off road than auto versus manual is the tyres you are running. All terrains on my Disco 2 (auto) cope fine on wet grass with a heavy trailer. When I bought it, it had so call M+S tyres on. After a white knuckle drive home pulling a 500kg empty trailer on snow I changed to the all terrains (had them on previous disco) and have pulled out numerous vehicle stick in snow.

In the 90's I had a Land Rover 110 that came with Cross Plies fitted, Avon Rangers they were, with good tread - I could not get up a side street and the loaded milk float did! Changed to radial mud terrains and never looked back.

[Paddy1000111]

22 minutes ago, 5 shires said:

Right so my quotation is...if I brought a 3.2 Ford Ranger Wildtrak Automatic and have a tipper conversion on it would it tow 750kg and a box full of would chip as good as a manual in any terrain?i need to get it right because once I commit there is no going back.🤔👍

Depends what you call "All terrains" Unless you're climbing over rocks or descending downhill a lot it won't make much difference. Only thing you really lose in an auto is the engine braking which is useful on descents. Autos can be better for rock crawling though because it's not on/off like a clutch and you don't burn the clutch up. Lack of engine braking why they started fitting them out with hill decent control which automatically applies brakes for you but it's not the same and in my experience the hill decent cut in sort of suddenly then I lost traction because it wasn't a smooth brake like engine braking in low range (2.2 ranger) 

[JaySmith]

I have a manual 2015 L200 and when it was being repaired I had an auto L200 and auto ranger wildtrak on loan. The 2015 l200 auto always felt it was ‘hunting for a gear’ when cruise was set to 70mph on a long run. It was a shame as I’m a big fan of the l200 otherwise and have had 5 years of hassle free motoring with the Mitsubishi. Thinking of changing my manual for an auto soon and would deffo drive one to see if the newer one had the same issue.

I also had a 2016 Ranger wildtrak auto on loan, I loved the truck it was silky smooth and just felt more robust and complete than the l200 I had at the time. The 3.2 was a bit juicy but decent on a longer run. I only ever towed a sub 750kg trailer on road behind that one but you hardly knew it was there and the vehicle towed nicely. I really like the wildtrak’s but they are dear in comparison to the new l200 and what you can get for your money, but on the other hand the wildtrak has a decent spec

[Big J]

One thing that is worth noting is that the auto boxes fitted to pickups tend to be pretty basic compared to those fitted to less utilitarian vehicles. There are obviously better ones and worse ones. I test drove an auto Navara a year and a half ago and it wasn't great. Nor were the Ranger 3.2 (with the 6 speed auto) and the Ssangjong Musso. I imagine that the VW Amarok is better and the 10 speed auto in the newer Rangers too. 

That said, the Touareg's auto box is pretty slow to respond in normal mode, but it's snappy in sports mode. The DSG gearbox in the Seat we have is miles better though.

 

But just to be clear. I would never buy a manual again. I love driving. I regard myself as being pretty good at it and enjoy it as a hobby (just not in the West Country with the stupid f*cking farmtrack-esque, covered in mud/cow shit/potholes/ice/standing water, ridiculously narrow, pointlessly indirect 18th century lanes) but modern autos make driving an alltogether more pleasant experience. 

[tree_beard]

1 hour ago, Paddy1000111 said:

Depends what you call "All terrains" Unless you're climbing over rocks or descending downhill a lot it won't make much difference. Only thing you really lose in an auto is the engine braking which is useful on descents. Autos can be better for rock crawling though because it's not on/off like a clutch and you don't burn the clutch up. Lack of engine braking why they started fitting them out with hill decent control which automatically applies brakes for you but it's not the same and in my experience the hill decent cut in sort of suddenly then I lost traction because it wasn't a smooth brake like engine braking in low range (2.2 ranger) 

Strictly speaking, diesel engines by their nature are not capable of engine braking. What youre thinking of as engine braking is mostly friction in the transmission and back pressure in the exhaust system. 

Just to be a derailing pendant... But it was a facepalm moment for me years ago when Reuben( the engineering wizard) explained how I was misusing the term

[trigger_andy]

Got a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee with an 8 speed auto. Great for normal driving, great for towing and supposedly great off-road too. 

 

I do like my manuals though. Converted my 1971 Valiant Charger from a 3 Speed Auto to a 4 speed manual. A V8 and a LSD really deserves a manual box.  Was a £10k conversion but worth it.