Auto or Manual

[SaffaBrit]

Hi All

firstly, I do apologise if this has been asked before, but I'm new and have not figured out search function yet.

I'm about to by an XC90. Now I've always driven manual cars so this would be my first automatic. I was always under the impression that automatic gearboxes are more prone to go wrong with bigger price tags for repairs as well. This might still be the case or it might not be, I don't know.

If anyone can shed some light on the running cost for auto vs manual that would be a great help!

Thanks

[oragex]

The automatic had problems at the solenoids because the oil was never changed. So drive the car until the transmission has warmed up and pay attention to how it's shifting. As for the manual it was sensible at the slave cylinder and even more costly to repair. Google up about these.

The AWD was also a big problem failing often times before 120K miles.

[SaffaBrit]

Originally Posted by oragex

The automatic had problems at the solenoids because the oil was never changed. So drive the car until the transmission has warmed up and pay attention to how it's shifting. As for the manual it was sensible at the slave cylinder and even more costly to repair. Google up about these.

The AWD was also a big problem failing often times before 120K miles.

Thanks for the reply. With regards to shifting once the transmission has warmed up, what should I be looking out for?

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by SaffaBrit

Thanks for the reply. With regards to shifting once the transmission has warmed up, what should I be looking out for?

Watch out for rough shifting, banging, grinding noises
A good XC90 shifts nearly butter smooth

My MY2009 shifts as follows:

1st to 2nd: slight feel of a shift - this is the most noticable shift
2nd to 3rd: need to concentrate to notice it
3rd to 4th: smooth
4th to 5th: smooth as silk, you don't even realise it changed
6th to 7th: so smooth it's impossible to tell it shifted

[owenfackrell]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

Watch out for rough shifting, banging, grinding noises
A good XC90 shifts nearly butter smooth

My MY2009 shifts as follows:

1st to 2nd: slight feel of a shift - this is the most noticable shift
2nd to 3rd: need to concentrate to notice it
3rd to 4th: smooth
4th to 5th: smooth as silk, you don't even realise it changed
6th to 7th: so smooth it's impossible to tell it shifted

Think you mean 5th to 6th swiss 😊otherwise your right it’s impossible to tell it’s gone from 6th to 7th in a 6 speed box 😂

[colinbos]

SwissXC90 can make his car do ANYTHING !

[SwissXC90]

I appear to be good at lots of things except counting!

I will sign off now ... 3... 2... 4... gone.

[60041]

I would agree with Swiss; the gearchanges are silky smooth and once you have experienced a good auto box, you will not want a manual again.
I have had an XC70 and now have an XC90 while my wife has an auto V40; I don’t envisage either of us ever going back to having a manual.
As others have said, it is good practise to change the transmission fluid before it deteriorates. There is a small fuel consumption penalty over a manual and the cost of occasional fluid changes, but they are insignificant when compared with the cost of replacing a failed slave cylinder or dual mass flywheel on a manual.
One automatic to avoid is the V8 petrol; these were fitted with a GM sourced gearbox and are known to be weak, but the Aisin Warner gearbox fitted to all the other models can be very reliable if looked after.

[Father Ted]

What these have all said.
I didn't even consider a manual. Mine was bought to tow a caravan.
Auto is simply lovely to drive and for what it costs to look after the oil, it's hardly a consideration.
I don't do a full flush. I remove what I can the first year of ownership and replace fresh. Then do 2 litres each year after that. Done this with my last 4 cars now: all auto. My last car (V70) had gearbox flare on shift from 1 to 2. This method cured that and it was fine after that.

Swiss is right though. The shift into 7th is soo smooth!
7th to reverse is a bit rough,though!

[Moose Test]

Originally Posted by 60041

One automatic to avoid is the V8 petrol; these were fitted with a GM sourced gearbox and are known to be weak

This isn't so. All V8 models were fitted with the 6-speed Aisin Warner, the same unit as the later D5 models. The 4-speed GM sourced unit was fitted only to the T6, which is indeed, to be avoided. The received wisdom is that the GM unit wasn't inherently flawed and was successfully deployed in other (non-Volvo) vehicles, it was just a poor match for the torque output of the T6, leading to premature failure.

The V8 is a marvellous variant to drive, IF you can tolerate the 17 mpg average economy.