Automatics - best practice?

[Pot Bellied Fool]

With a smile on my face (and hopefully without snow on my bonce) I set forth tomorrow to pick up my new blurter (V70 T5 estate), but they appear to have left part of the gear box out as the stick only moves fore & aft

Although I've driven plenty of autos, I've never actually owned one & lived with one long term so gratefull for any advice on how best to drive/make progress with an autobox. I'd rather not be one of those people that simply stick it in D for all occasions without giving it some thought.

I'm aware of selecting an overide to get at least some engine/transmission braking for steep hills, likewise if it's hunting between ratios on a climb.

Did I see someone saying that selecting 3 or L can be a good idea around town to make for smoother travel?

And reading around, I'm seeing sites saying that at lights for example, it's less wear on the box to keep it in D (with handbrake on to prevent creep) rather than shift to Neutral? Comments on this? This would be the hardest thing I suspect to get into the habit of and if it is indeed best practice, under what circumstances would neutral then actually be used?

Cheers - PBF

[rsvmilly]

www.ridedrive.co.uk/tipoffs06.htm

Read from about halfway down.

I've followed this advice in an auto Galaxy and it made it (almost) bearable to drive.

>> Edited by rsvmilly on Friday 25th November 16:28

[camel]

There's a bit of advice over at the ROSPA site, they recommend leaving it in D when stopped at lights etc:

www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/driving/automatic_gearboxes.htm

[fcukruss]

stick it in D,plant throttle and go to sleep with the boredom.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

russ said:

stick it in D,plant throttle and go to sleep with the boredom.

I've done the first two bits and went "Corr... ain't that scenery moving quickly..."

Still playing, still getting used to it - and current weather is no time to be exploring quirks of grip/transmission - particularly when you're still learning to 2nd guess when the thing's going to change gear on you - midway round a bend could be unfortunate.

I like it enough to keep the car ( ) but need to work some on getting the best out of it. Think I still prefer manuals though, but this one'll do nicely for now.

It 'feels' a lot harder work to hustle it through the twisties than the old 850 but I suspect part of that is simply because I'm actually going a sight faster - it doesn't rattle & creak the same way the banger did and gets there a lot quicker.

[dilbert]

Tuck your left foot under the seat, for a while at least.

Don't do like I did, and try to change gear like you do in a manual. Don't get me wrong, I knew it was an auto, but old habits die hard!!!

You don't half stop quickly.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

dilbert said:

Tuck your left foot under the seat, for a while at least. Don't do like I did, and try to change gear like you do in a manual. Don't get me wrong, I knew it was an auto, but old habits die hard!!! You don't half stop quickly.

Yup, done that the first time I hired an auto in the States but not too bad this time, just kept an eye on myself for the first few junctions & growled if my left leg twitched!

Abso-bloody-lutey typical though. It'd been valeted just before I picked it up & they must've had fans/lights etc on & pretty well drained the battery. Needed juice urgently so stopped at garage about a mile away & then restarted & parked in the adjoining Sainsbury's carpark to get some bits. But that was the last straw, would it restart? Not a chance.

So there I am, having driven about 2 miles in my new motor, and it won't start thanks to a flat battery. I'm even parked on a bit of a slope that would've been enough to get me going in a manual.

Fortunately, able to bribe a nice AA guy who was stopped having his brew. Better that than wait while I call GreenFlag out so on the way 5 mins later. 130 mile home soon charged the battery I'm glad to say.

[Big Fat F'er]

Pot Bellied Fool said:

And reading around, I'm seeing sites saying that at lights for example, it's less wear on the box to keep it in D (with handbrake on to prevent creep) rather than shift to Neutral? Comments on this? This would be the hardest thing I suspect to get into the habit of and if it is indeed best practice, under what circumstances would neutral then actually be used? Cheers - PBF

Great stuff, another fat un.

Keep it in drive at lights, 'cos the torque converter can handle it, and reacts better.

Also dont, definitely DON'T, think that as it's been a long journey and the left foots cramped under the seat, it would be a good idea to perhaps use it to brake with, to give it excercise. I once did it. Once!!!!!!

[53chevy]

I use my left foot for braking when I drive automatics. I started doing this when I had a '51 Mercury that didn't have a choke. I would give it just enough revs to stop it cutting out with my right foot and brake with my left. I have used this method ever since, whatever auto I'm driving. Then when I go back to a manual, I brake with my right foot as usual. I don't have to think about it, it just happens naturaly now.

[aeroresh]

The volvo Auto in the T5 is pretty good to be fair, I used to have a C70 T5 Auto some years back which was brilliant.

Top Tips - Knock it into 3 or even 2 during bends just to balance the car as you would with a manual. The Volvo box is a bit slow on manual downchanges so gives you time to "blip" the throttle yourself in between to smooth things out a little.

Dont bother with E mode, keep it in S and leave it in D at the lights with the handbrake applied.

Easy peasy!