Just wondering which one is better for off-roading.
Personally I have done real offroading only once - during Land Rover experience day.
It was an auto Freelander and in spite of being a total novice I could achieve quite some tricks off-road (the instructor was advising me though).
If it were a manual car, I'd probably stalled it several times!
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Don't think it would make much difference. Manual would probably be the default choice, but i'm not aware of many techniques that wouldn't be possible in an auto anyway. Unless some of the newer autos are the automated manual variety that might complicate things, but slushbox auto would be fine.
Auto might make some tasks easier (descent of a stepped hill).
Can imagine some of the hardcore guys decrying autos for the added weight, and the autobox oil heating up without effective means of cooling it again.
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never been offroading but surely a manual gearbox ratio choice in a sticky situation has to be preferable to a choice defined via a slush box
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I'm in a car club that specialises in trials. I was marshalling a green lane when several 4X4s came down it. They were overheard on their walkie-talkies saying things like 'I'm in low ratio with diff-lock engaged'. My KIA Pride was parked in a gateway facing up. I had no problem going out.
It's all a matter of ability.
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Not sure BB.
I've done a couple of courses, but they weren't that great for the real hardcore stuff -- they all revolved around trying hard not to get stuck rather than tricks for getting unstuck.
The only time we used an auto was a land cruiser but you could override the gears to choose what you wanted. It was the nicest offroad machine i've ever driven right enough, although stuff crawling under that to change a bent wishbone while the rock sliders sitting on top of a rock though! Really heavy (or at least felt that way).
In the manuals we never used the clutch for anything other than changing gears, you weren't allowed to coast or slip the clutch for anything.
Hardest task was recovering a broken down 4x4. We had to drag the dead disco (which is really heavy!) along a "track" running at a ~35 degree camber and the exit was about 200 metres along this bank at the top of it, didn't have the traction to power up the hill at the gate (and you're not allowed to destroy the fence) so you had to drive along the slope while turning downhill everytime you start to topple on the undulations, but not turn down too much because you can't get back up at the gate. Guy in the dead disco's having to do the same, so when he turns down, you also have to turn down even though you're not about to topple, wasting height.
Good fun, dead interesting. Totally recommended.
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im probably too used to diesels stuck in a traffic queue feet up on dash as i have a coffee tootalling along at 1 mph
nice post though CraigP thanks for the insight even though i dont understand most of it (my fault i may add)
guess i need to have a go sometime, but i said that about going up in a glider too
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Both have their good points, i'd happily use either but low ratio box is a must and an engine capable of still pulling at stall speeds make for the most capable imo.
Nothing worse than an engine that won't lug in bad conditions, clutch won't last long.
The old manual landcruiser was a superb off roader (quite good at high speed steel railings removal too..;) without any trick traction systems, low gearing wide and axle articulation but the engine that you simply could not stall made it, would take any course on tickover.
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Off-roading - manual or auto? - Skoda
