I'd be interested in a more complete explanation. CVT is what the particular manufacturer I'm considering calls their transmission. And, yes, you can get paddle shifters if you want.
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Can you drive a stick shift car?
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I'd be interested in a more complete explanation. CVT is what the particular manufacturer I'm considering calls their transmission. And, yes, you can get paddle shifters if you want.
A CVT is simply a transmission with no fixed gear ratios. It can have any gear ratio between a set minimum and maximum, it has no "steps" like "1st gear, 2nd gear". In other words, it's a transmission type where you could theoretically have the engine spin where it produces the most power (let's say at 5000 rpm) all the time while accelerating. In reality, car CVTs do still have gears, like the Honda Fit which is a 7 gear automatic CVT transmission.
CVT, DSG or the traditional fluid type are all automatics. They just differ in their inner workings. What you're talking about has nothing to do with the inner-working, the paddle like shifters or + - gates on the shifter is simply an interface that lets you override any of the automatic transmissions and select your own gear.
A distinction to make. You could technically have a CVT transmission that you put in "drive" and drive off and you could have a traditional automatic with paddle shifters. Both are unrelated in their function.
Kinda. They are manual gear boxes with no clutch pedal. Shifting is either automatic or manual.So are their manual gearboxes.
Technically, it's a manual gearbox...
If this sounds strange, I had an old Beetle with a stick shift automatic.
Dale
DSG isn't an automatic gearbox by the standard of Torque Converters or CVT.
It uses two banks of gears and two clutches.
My friend had a Citroen C2 with a Tiptronic gearbox. This is an automatic with flappy paddles on the steering wheel. That was an automatic (Torque converter) that just changed the way the automatic gear selector layout to a stick with Park, Drive, reverse and if you flicked the gear selector to the right, you could use the flappy paddles.
The differences with this Automatic and DSG, was that in the Citroen, when you flicked up, you then had to wait more than a beat for the gear to change up. You had to wait more than a beat for the gear to change down, and if you went too far out of rev range, it would change up or down without your input.
On the DSG, in manual mode, you still have control over the gears and revs, just the clutches are controlled by computer, which can disengage the clutch and engage the other clutch (with the next gear) in a flash.
It uses two banks of gears and two clutches.
My friend had a Citroen C2 with a Tiptronic gearbox. This is an automatic with flappy paddles on the steering wheel. That was an automatic (Torque converter) that just changed the way the automatic gear selector layout to a stick with Park, Drive, reverse and if you flicked the gear selector to the right, you could use the flappy paddles.
The differences with this Automatic and DSG, was that in the Citroen, when you flicked up, you then had to wait more than a beat for the gear to change up. You had to wait more than a beat for the gear to change down, and if you went too far out of rev range, it would change up or down without your input.
On the DSG, in manual mode, you still have control over the gears and revs, just the clutches are controlled by computer, which can disengage the clutch and engage the other clutch (with the next gear) in a flash.
I drive a 2011 Toyota Venza, but it has the manual option to upshift and downshift, with no clutch, which is fun
Although I do know how to drive stick, the logic is easy once you get the hand of it....
Driving stick in traffic especially in LA is horrible!!
Although I do know how to drive stick, the logic is easy once you get the hand of it....
Driving stick in traffic especially in LA is horrible!!
It is... or perhaps more specifically semi-manual/semi-automatic of course. Though I think of it as a manual and not an automatic.
The legendary semi-automatic Beetle... they were brilliant, clever for the time. IRS too... which eliminated the normal Beetle's tendency to tuck a wheel during cornering.
IMO, if a gearbox has a setting where it will automatically shift gears for you and you don't have to touch it, it's an automatic gearbox.
Sure, some auto gearboxes (DSG) are better than others (torque converter) but they're still automatic.
Sure, some auto gearboxes (DSG) are better than others (torque converter) but they're still automatic.
What if it's not actually an automatic?
Seriously though, I do wonder if people take little things like this (being able to drive a stickshift) and pump up the importance of it, just to get some extremely minor satisfaction out of being "better" than other people.
Also, google "money shift" for the downside of having "full control."
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I don't think people are pumping it up at all. I personally think that people who can't drive a standard transmission, are just lazy (and that goes for my mother, and her habit of doing her makeup while driving). People only get autos, because they don't want to have to "inconvenience" themselves with pushing down on the clutch and throwing the car into the next gear; because doing so requires them to stop shoving food down their face, or to get of the damn phone. I also hate to hear people moan about how inconvenient a standard transmission is during stop and go traffic; I mean it's not that bad, and I recently took my standard transmission accord to chicago and drove in stop and go traffic for over two hours, and it was not as annoying as some would make it out to be. People are just too willing to sacrifice the fun of driving for convenience.
-Don
dealing with it once is annoying but if you have to deal with that traffic every day you start to really consider going automatic. While I lived in Dallas and driving threw morning and evening rush hour every day in my manual I really was debating about giving up the manual and going auto because it was annoying putting up with it every day. Once or twice a week I would never of considered it but dealing with it every day I would go to work really made me consider it.
I was honestly shocked at myself when I realized that when I love driving a manual and have been driving one since I was 15. I was around 25 at the time. That should give you some reason.
My brother gave up an manual to go auto because he was dealing with traffic around his school and lot and just did not want to deal with it. he has no regrets about it. Of my family only my sister never learned out to drive a manual tranny and she has zero interest in wanting to do it.
As for me I still am driving a manual and I am pretty sure I will try to make my next car a manual tranny as one thing I can not stand is lazy automatic. I like being able to drop to a lower gear for more power when I want to. It makes passing a hell of a lot easier.
With the exception of about two years, I have been driving manuals for about 20 years. I don't know how much longer I will be driving one, as the selection is getting limited. Also, most of the models I have been considering are auto-only, or only have a manual available on the absolute cheapest models (2012 Ford Focus, for example). Also, I have a nagging back injury that that flairs up every now and then. Driving in very heavy traffic in my current car can cause some pain. A couple of years ago, I got caught in a nasty jam in Dallas and I could barely walk the next day. It sucks.
Edit: Forgot to mention this Cool Story, Bro: To show how much I like manuals, when looking to buy a Mazda6, I hunted for months to find the ever-elusive V6/Manual tranny combo. I was looking at used models, so I was at the mercy of the market. I always seemed to miss them when I would find one. I really wanted the car, so I had finally resigned myself to getting the auto, when I stumbled across one by accident. I was at the dealer to look at at an auto model, when I happened to walk by a hatch with the manual. The thing had literally been rolled out to display that morning. After a cursory test drive, I bought it.
Edit: Forgot to mention this Cool Story, Bro: To show how much I like manuals, when looking to buy a Mazda6, I hunted for months to find the ever-elusive V6/Manual tranny combo. I was looking at used models, so I was at the mercy of the market. I always seemed to miss them when I would find one. I really wanted the car, so I had finally resigned myself to getting the auto, when I stumbled across one by accident. I was at the dealer to look at at an auto model, when I happened to walk by a hatch with the manual. The thing had literally been rolled out to display that morning. After a cursory test drive, I bought it.
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Interesting, even for someone not real mechanically inclined, such as myself. And yes, the CVT on my soon to be new vehicle can be placed in "regular" drive and it behaves as a normal automatic. You can also use the CVT without the paddles, using the shift lever instead. In fact, you can get one that doesn't even have paddles. The ones that do also allow you to use the shift lever to "change gears".
I mean their manuals.
(Not the VW Autostick or any of their other manumatic stuff.)
It's interesting that Europeans embrace manuals, while Americans don't. Also, Europeans favor driving experience over comfort. Is this somehow related to gasoline prices?
I've driven a friends Passat with DSG and it's better than a conventional automatic, but still meh as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps it's faster to 60 and more efficient but I don't care.
My reasons for preferring manual are:
1. Engine always feels connected to the wheels. Yes the DSG helps with this.
2. I'm always conscious of what gear I'm in without having to look down at the indicator.
3. In an AT car when driving around town (~35-40 mph) in full auto mode, it's going to be in top gear so any time you want to speed up even a little you have to give it more gas, then wait for it to decide to downshift before you get any response. And if you've given it enough gas to do that it usually slams into the new gear and you get a jerk instead of a nice smooth pull.
4. Manual shift paddles can help with this, but now you've got to drive in manual mode all the time which I find a PITA (see #2). No easy access to N for coasting etc.
5. Just feel more connected to the machine.
I even got my wife to like manual when she was driving my old Mazda3 while her car was in the shop. We now own two MINIs both in 6-speed manual.
I drive in Chicago traffic all the time and in fact hate having to stand on the brake in an AT all the time. The clutches in most smaller cars (e.g. our MINIs) are light enough it's really not that much work.
My reasons for preferring manual are:
1. Engine always feels connected to the wheels. Yes the DSG helps with this.
2. I'm always conscious of what gear I'm in without having to look down at the indicator.
3. In an AT car when driving around town (~35-40 mph) in full auto mode, it's going to be in top gear so any time you want to speed up even a little you have to give it more gas, then wait for it to decide to downshift before you get any response. And if you've given it enough gas to do that it usually slams into the new gear and you get a jerk instead of a nice smooth pull.
4. Manual shift paddles can help with this, but now you've got to drive in manual mode all the time which I find a PITA (see #2). No easy access to N for coasting etc.
5. Just feel more connected to the machine.
I even got my wife to like manual when she was driving my old Mazda3 while her car was in the shop. We now own two MINIs both in 6-speed manual.
I drive in Chicago traffic all the time and in fact hate having to stand on the brake in an AT all the time. The clutches in most smaller cars (e.g. our MINIs) are light enough it's really not that much work.
more it used to be manuals would get much better gas mileage over automatics and gas prices there have always been a lot higher in then in the US. This pushed manuals to become very popular over there.
Now days there is no gain in mpg of going manual or automatic. Hell autos are starting to get better gas mileage than manuals because of computer controlled shifted and CVT. That combo is pretty much making the biggest reason why manuals took off there a non issue any more.
Also back to the gas milage thing. Small cars/ engines also suffered a lot of power going automatic as it took way to much power over head to run it so the cars were sluggest getting off the line and picking up speed. Again that is becoming less and less of an issue. In large cars there is no big power loss in going automatic and the engines have so much to spare that is a none issue.
So again with today automatic transmitions that take less power to run than old ones and engines that can produce more power it is less of an issue.
Those facts above is one huge reason why autos took off here in the states. Gas prices were a lot lower and our cars were larger and had bigger engines here in the states. WHich again was because gas prices were lower.
Manual trannies are going to be a dieing bread world wide as time goes on.
Or is it a manual gearbox capable of automatic shifting?
If that was actually the case, diesels wouldn't be so popular.
But to be fair, it is still more though then pressing a brake pedal isn't it?
Wow, here in New Zealand you never see new manual cars (unless they're some sort of heavy duty utility vehicle or a utility van). Regular road cars are all automatic now...
That explains a lot. being 16 means he has very little real experience in driving and a pure rookie at it. The joy of driving is still in his system. Now days most of the time driving for me is a way to get from A to B.
Driving in traffic every day like i said really made me consider going Automatic. hard to do a low speed crawl in a manual.