[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Wagon R is rumored to have an autobox sometime in the not-too-distant future.

We already have an auto WagonR. Check this WagonR

Originally Posted by rr_zen

But the low prices of fuel is for sure a predominant factor for people to opt for an automatic in the US besides the convenience aspect.

So I was right.... I saw gas prices for a gallon was USD 2.76 in San Antonio, Texas. That translates to Rs 29.9 for a litre. Thats dirt cheap.

[1100D]

Automatic transmission, although a boon for most, is rather a huge waste of energy when we talk of bread-and-butter cars that the public at large use. Perhaps good for a nation that prides itself on their glorious excesses but not for a country like ours with vehicle density within the city limits are reaching alarming portions, the losses would just be proportionate.

What we need is convenient modes of public transportation and leave the private cars to enthusiasts.

[rr_zen]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

We already have an auto WagonR. Check this WagonR


So I was right.... I saw gas prices for a gallon was USD 2.76 in San Antonio, Texas. That translates to Rs 29.9 for a litre. Thats dirt cheap.

@ajo: There is also a flip side to the story here. The fuel prices are seasonal and are less during winter and high during spring and summer. To quote, the fuel prices in Kansas City, MO during Oct 2006 was $2.03 and now during May 2007 it is $3.29 !! But there again, it doesnt burn a hole in your pocket for sure ! (The prices I have mentioned are for a gallon of 87 octane gasoline.)

[aaggoswami]

Personally even i dont prefer the AT. Its really not something preferred in an automobile. US is a developed country where even when the fuel cost reached $3/gallon i.e. approx 3700ml., people still were buying SUV.
Although that SUV craze is reduced, but even the engines in cross overs is a hefty 3000cc plus.
What I am trying to say is that we simply cannot compare US and India.
If a small engine has AT then on the highway it will run out of steam quickly. But in big engines, they can cope with AT.

Now about CVT. I think that only Audi CVT has STEEL DRIVE BELT and other CVT still uses regular belt. So when a small engine is given a CVT then it is not advicable to run the engine at high rpm for long distances. This is true for NHC.
Now about the RUBBER BAND EFFECT. This effect is felt even in Adui and is more felt in smaller cars like NHC. And just think,you are about to overtake and a truck is coming for you, you press the pedal and you face rubber band effect. This is not a good situation.

Regarding regular AT, when it runs properly, its good, but when it is damaged, its sure to be more expensive to reapir than MT.

So the best for india is MT.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by rr_zen

@ajo: There is also a flip side to the story here.

plus govt does not need to tax cars and fuel as much because it gets reasonable amount of revenue from honest tax payers.

[amit]

Arey baba what inconviniance and conviniance in driving manual and automatics? As long as drivers/chauffers are avaliable for cheap, why should anyone bother about a automatic?

Indians have the ultimate automatics. At least the yankees steer the car, our automatics, thanks to drivers, enable the sahebs to sit in the back seat and read newspapers or talk/play on the mobile.

[aseem]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

So the best for india is MT.

Your views dont constitute whats best for India. For me the convinience of my dad is more than the repairing cost of an automatic or 2 kmpl less mileage. I have driven over 100,000 km in automatics, and overtaking is not as complicated as you make it sound. Just press the pedal to the floor and the car would downshift...
If only there were more optins available in India for automatics...

[raajks]

The term automatic..sometime back was a preset gear change control system. In the present with CVTs, Dynamic gear shift ratios and sportronic gear shift mechanisms... It is a whole new ball game.

If you like to be in control, Use the paddle shifters...if you lose ur focus and want to relax..let the automatic piece do the shifting...

I see, ATs altleast in the US with its available options to be as fun to drive..as MTs

[aaggoswami]

Your views dont constitute whats best for India. For me the convinience of my dad is more than the repairing cost of an automatic or 2 kmpl less mileage. I have driven over 100,000 km in automatics, and overtaking is not as complicated as you make it sound. Just press the pedal to the floor and the car would downshift...
If only there were more optins available in India for automatics...

Now I know that when we press the pedal down in an automatic transmission car, then the autobox will shift down. This is called KICKDOWN. But this takes place when you give serious inputs and subsequently loss and waste of fuel.

I have driven Santro of my friend(now is Canada) with AT. Now we were travelling on NH8. Remember this is not Expressway where the chances of head on collosion is very less, its regular highway where most of the fatalities happen because of head on collosion.
Here i had to apply really huge amount of input to do proper overtaking . The MT Santro would have done these tasks with almost half the input given proper gear changes.

So even though what you say is correct and you are also correct that india needs high tech AT, but right now MT is better. I know its not matter of 2-4kmpl for most, but its affordability. Every time if one wants to kickdown, he/she has to simply give more that reasonable amount of throttle and that does waste fuel, which obviously most of the people cannot afford.
And reagarding maintainence, again its matter of affordability and quality of repairs. Many people even at the service centres cannot properly treat AT, but they can easily manage MT. This definatley affects the AT.

When in OCT 05 we were looking for 7.5-8lakh car, Honda city AT(or rather CVT) did strike us, but again on the highways its not advicable to drive at high speeds for long distances, and also the rubber band effect coupled with high maintainence kept us away.

Again i agree with you that India needs better AT, but before that we need better driver discipline and proper roads...
Till then MT rules....

[subscrive]

I have put that semi auto clutch system in my 800.
Worth every penny. Especially in that horrendous traffic near Pune Univ.
The system can be removed and applied to any manual vehicle.
So when I buy a new one sometime later, I can easily get that thing removed and fitted on the new car for jst Rs1000 to 1500/- (labour charges).

[sri]

Originally Posted by subscrive

I have put that semi auto clutch system in my 800.
Worth every penny. Especially in that horrendous traffic near Pune Univ.
The system can be removed and applied to any manual vehicle.
So when I buy a new one sometime later, I can easily get that thing removed and fitted on the new car for jst Rs1000 to 1500/- (labour charges).

1. how much does an auto clutch cost?
2. what kind of an attachement or modification is it?
3. does it have any negative effect?
4. how reliable is this piece?
5. so the left foot can now rest in peace

[sri]

1. FE of santro automatic
2. FE of wagonr automatic
3. which one is more technologically more advanced?
4. any known problems with these version?

[vikrantw1]

[quote=sri;448482]Today in the less than 10 lakhs segment i think only Santro and NHC are available.

1. Can the experts add on if more cars are available right now apart from the above?
2. Are there any more auto transmission cars being launched in the next 6 months?

it would be good to see swift,swift-diesel,spark,fusion to be coming out with auto transmission.

Also if there is a review of the above pls post the link.[/quote
Hmm even I would want to know more about this - one had wished that Maruti would launch an auto variant of the sx-4
Truly a decent auto transmission car with abs and airbags is not available in India under 10 lacs ( Maybe the NHC will have the ABS/airbags available soon - being discussed on another thread - on its CVT model)
and from what i see in the mags - there are not many candidates - maybe the Fabia - but i doubt it
The Fiat Linea, Punto etc are all due next year and will likely have only the manual transmission
Bummer!

[HSV]

The Fabia has a 1.6 L Petrol as the only variant with 6 speed tiptronic (auto). This particular variant is NOT going to be launched in India as per few reports in the near past. Dunno if the company shall change its mind in the end.

[sbasak]

India should have more AT cars available. Nowadays many people are willing to buy AT but not been able to because majority of cars don't come in AT mode.
Auto boxes usually last lifetime of the car and unlike manual, they are less prone to misuse (you can't over rev engine and can't ride clutch).
Also, in city traffic, they are much easier to drive with (no more constant fighting with clutch/gear). Women can also master them easily.