Automatic vs manual
Discussion
My brother in law is looking for a defender for offroading and he reckons he will be better with an automatic because it will save his clutch from getting knackered every 5 minutes. I reckon a manual is best for control over the car.
Which is the better idea for a beginner to offroading? I can see where he is coming from as a beginner, but i think he wont learn offroad clutch control and will one day want to upgrade to a manual.
Which is the better idea for a beginner to offroading? I can see where he is coming from as a beginner, but i think he wont learn offroad clutch control and will one day want to upgrade to a manual.
I have both at the moment - auto in a 3.0 LWB Shogun, and manual in an old SJ413.
The auto is completely point and squirt. Low ratio and L will get you pretty much anywhere. The Zook takes more thinking about, partly due to the manual box, and partly due to having much less torque. You will never stall an automatic!
The one concern I had before taking the Shogun off road was with regards to engine braking, but this was a misplaced concern, as it really is good at it.
The auto is completely point and squirt. Low ratio and L will get you pretty much anywhere. The Zook takes more thinking about, partly due to the manual box, and partly due to having much less torque. You will never stall an automatic!
The one concern I had before taking the Shogun off road was with regards to engine braking, but this was a misplaced concern, as it really is good at it.
he's coming round in a couple of hours so ill show him your posts, thanks for the advice.I really prefer autoboxes for off road work. Point at stupidly steep slope, floor it and it'll take you up there effortlessly. No riding the clutch on slow technical sections either. Plus, you can override all autos so that they don't select above a certain gear anyway. As for engine breaking, if I put my V8 Range Rover in low range and put the autobox in 1st, then the car will crawl down a 20 degree slope at no more than walking pace.
As for mods, put some decent AT/MT terrain tyres on there and that will make for a very competent vehicle. There's no need for anything else until you start getting stuck, or found you've reached the vehicle's limits - then you can determine where your money would be best spent upgrades wise.
As for mods, put some decent AT/MT terrain tyres on there and that will make for a very competent vehicle. There's no need for anything else until you start getting stuck, or found you've reached the vehicle's limits - then you can determine where your money would be best spent upgrades wise.
Edited by wiffmaster on Saturday 31st January 19:05
Having driven both auto & manual offroad I firmly believe auto is good for most situations. I had heard that engine braking is less with an auto but it has never caused me any problems. I love the equisite, low speed control you get with an auto box coupled to a big, torquey diesel engine.
Another one for the auto here. Perhaps there is an element of skill required to control the power delivery through the clutch.
But there's a greater element of smugness selecting (1) in difflock low and letting the car cruise up a set of bedrock steps pretty much by itself.
I guess it depends on whether you want to learn to master your vehicle, or whether you want to just overcome obstacles and know you're gonna get home!
Either way, under off roading conditions, whatever you've got, ideally you should be as mechanically sympathetic as possible. You never know when that half shalft is gonna tear in half...
But there's a greater element of smugness selecting (1) in difflock low and letting the car cruise up a set of bedrock steps pretty much by itself.
I guess it depends on whether you want to learn to master your vehicle, or whether you want to just overcome obstacles and know you're gonna get home!
Either way, under off roading conditions, whatever you've got, ideally you should be as mechanically sympathetic as possible. You never know when that half shalft is gonna tear in half...
I've actually never had a problem with stalling my 110 on an ascent, more running out of revs when accelerating up a slope and wishing I could change from 2nd to 3rd or something but knowing even the split second it takes to disengage drive and select the new gear will lose traction.
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