Jethro_uk wrote:
On Tue, 07 Jun 2016 15:35:20 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:


In ,
wrote:

On Saturday, 4 June 2016 17:04:45 UTC+1, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In ,
wrote:

The obvious cultural difference that I think of is automatic vs
manual transmission

Not really these days. Most larger cars tend to be autos. So probably
a cost thing rather than cultural.


More likely that the hydraulic gear change is so much more reliable
these days.

Decent autos - ie the epicyclic type - have been more reliable than a
clutch/manual gearbox combination for a pretty long time, in the hands
of an ordinary driver. Far more difficult to abuse. But cost more and
likely have an MPG penalty.


And how many drivers would actually notice ?

FWIW changing from dual-clutch auto to "classic" auto on a 1.6 diesel
Citroen C4 I went from 45.5 mpg to (currently) 47.8 ....


IME all non torque converter gearboxes roll back on slopes.