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First ever automatic box

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Old Oct 12th, 2018, 21:22   #11
SteEnt
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I had an auto V40 for a courtesy car last month and honestly, I wished I could've kept it.
It's amazing how much nicer they are to drive over a manual.

Hill starts: The car will never roll back and will stay still if the hill is steep enough, if not that steep then it will start to move by itself when you release the brake.

Don't put handbrake on while in drive at lights as it will try and move forward and put strain on the brakes, the footbrake holds the car with more force than the handbrake does.
Always put in neutral or park when using the handbrake.
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Old Oct 12th, 2018, 23:22   #12
volvo always
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On my 240 and 940 auto, I always put it in "D" and just used the brake pedal to stop at lights and hill starts and just accelerate and go once lights changed.

For parking put in "P" and handbrake on.

I like automatics but do use my Diesel Lexus which is a manual. For everyday use auto!

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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 00:17   #13
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On the topic, what is best practice when going down steep hills, being an auto its easier for the car to run away with itself it feels and you don't get that engine braking so much, best just to let the gearbox do its own things and use the brakes, hoping not to cook them?
Or knock the lever over into 's' and using manual override to pick a gear to get some engine braking effect?
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 01:45   #14
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That's a good point actually. The handbook says it can only be towed at a maximum of 10mph - but if you're on a downhill stretch, isn't that the same as being towed?

It really takes some getting used to. Around where I live it's fantastic not needing to shift gears twice for every speed hump every fifty yards or so. But today, on a long 30mph stretch through several small towns and villages on the A62, I once or twice caught myself accidentally at 40mph. I've always been acutely aware of the vehicle's speed just by gear ratios and engine rpm. It took an enormous amount of concentration from the road to constantly monitor the speedometer.
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 02:37   #15
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The only auto I've owned was an 850 between a manual 850 and the present manual V70, so observations from then-
It was quite easy to get up to and over the 30mph limit, press the 'go' pedal and off it went.
With engine noise and revs, it always seemed to rev more than I would do in a manual but it was limited not to over-rev into the red line, I possibly don't rev the manual enough as the optimum power doesn't come in until the revs go up.
I found in Drive on level ground it would start to move forward without any throttle if the brakes were not on and it would hold itself on gentle slopes. You should get used to it with time but if you're in doubt, you can brake with the left foot while giving it a little throttle to ensure it does move off on a steeper hill.
Drive or Neutral at the lights? That's a bit like with a manual box, do you sit at the lights with your foot on the brakes and clutch? In theory no but a lot of us do it, in either case the damage and wear will be over the long term.
The lack of engine braking can be an issue if you're used to using the gears to slow down, my father never really managed to get used to that.
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 12:03   #16
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Hmmm... handbrake or footbrake when stopped?

The convention that used to be taught (may still be by some instructors?) was that "If the pause becomes a wait, use the handbrake." And that was the convention for auto and manual. But not because of laziness or causing dazzle; it was in case your foot on the footbrake slipped.

Dazzle? Red light doesn't dazzle! That's why the use it in areas where night vision needs to be preserved (submarines etc.). Brake lights might be distracting; but they don't 'harm' night vision.

Personally, I drive an auto and use the convention of "If the pause becomes a wait..." day or night. Purely because it means I'm still thinking about my driving, even though I'm stationary, and not just doing things by rote. Though If I'm at the back of a queue and I see something whipping up a bit quick behind me, I'll use my brake lights as a warning!
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 12:12   #17
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The latest modern cars have LED bulbs (and lenses to cater for them) so they are naturally brighter.

As long as you have not got your fog light on - don't worry about whats behind you.
Well if i'm behind you , you will get 400 watts of main beam in your face !
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 18:08   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dhr90 View Post
On the topic, what is best practice when going down steep hills, being an auto its easier for the car to run away with itself it feels and you don't get that engine braking so much, best just to let the gearbox do its own things and use the brakes, hoping not to cook them?
Or knock the lever over into 's' and using manual override to pick a gear to get some engine braking effect?
I use the 'box manually when descending longer hills to get engine braking. This is the first auto 'box I've had where the torque converter free-wheels below a certain speed & gives zero engine braking, whereas a Merc I used to have detected when you were descending a hill & automatically selected a lower gear to provide engine braking. Someone on here said the free-wheeling is for "emissions reasons" although I find that difficult to comprehend.
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 18:53   #19
MikeGMT
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Quote:
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That's a good point actually. The handbook says it can only be towed at a maximum of 10mph - but if you're on a downhill stretch, isn't that the same as being towed?
Generally speaking with a conventional auto box the engine needs to be running to pump the transmission oil, hence the maximum distance and speed a automatic can be towed. Otherwise the driven wheels need to be lifted.
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Old Oct 15th, 2018, 21:39   #20
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I think all cars with auto boxes can be towed it is just the distance/speed that can vary.I can't recall just now but my Omega auto can be towed either 40mls @ up to 50mph or 50mls @ up to 40mph[one or the other]without lifting the wheels/disconnecting propshaft and without damaging the box.Other cars will have shorter/slower limits while I understand others have greater limits.For hill descents in mine I just knock the selector back from drive to one of the numbered gear selections.
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