Team-BHP - Tips on driving an Automatic

Quote:

Originally Posted by suhaas307 (Post 3815915)

The biggest issue I had while switching from a manual car to an automatic was my twitchy left-foot.

As many have said, this is THE big thing. Big enough to cause an accident. I did just this the first time in a automatic, in the first ten minutes. Fortunately I was driving around lanes getting the feel of one at the time. And the left foot is accustomed to pressing the clutch pedal quickly, unlike what the right one does with both accelerator and brake.

I never did that again. What works for me is mind games. Anytime I switch to one, I park my left foot on the dead pedal, close my eyes and command myself - Do Not Move This Foot Whatever Happens.

You could sit on it, but that will get uncomfortable, very fast.

As someone who switched to an automatic over 5 years ago (after 19 years of driving manuals), all I will say is that the left foot problem is probably overstated here, and won't be an issue for more than the first 5 minutes. The bigger challenge will be shifting back to driving a manual (especially one with a hard clutch like the Rapid diesel) after spending some time driving the Q3. Have fun.

I totally agree with Hayek saab. I too first drove an automatic Toyota Tercel (that too on foreign soil) after 13 years of driving manual transmission gears. The initial fears should disappear after a few kilometers of driving.
Fortunately for me switching back to the manual transmission was not much of an issue as I was driving an Innova on return (which incidentally has one of the smoothest clutch pedals)

SO JUST GO OUT AND ENJOY YOUR DRIVE!!!

Regards,

Samish

Here is another first hand experience with VAT. Soon after bringing my ANHC VAT home from the showroom, my good friend (who never had any problem with any type of vehicle! but no experience with an AT) got on the Driver's seat to try out and I was standing outside the car. P, D, N, R positions were explained to him. Well, he started the car, shifted to D position, but the car wouldn't move and i can hear him throttling the engine, but still the car wouldn't move. Putting my head inside, checked the hand brake, okay, it was released. Soon it was found that his left foot was on the brake and the right one on the accelerator! :Shockked: Still don't know how he managed to get his left foot on the Brake pedal! and the brake pedal is as soft as a clutch pedal. Besides, there is no Dead Pedal on the ANHC VAT.

In my opinion, for a first timer the awareness that the car will move by itself (without giving any acceleration) in D, S & R positions is the most important piece of information. A simple thumb rule is to have your right foot on the brake before you do anything on the shift lever, while starting, stopping or parking and this theory works out well.

Getting used to an AT, is exactly a piece of cake, but after enjoying the AT for sometime, getting back to MT is a little difficult. On a MT vehicle, I tend to forget that there is a clutch and a gear lever fitted in! :eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaSing (Post 3815987)

Thank you guys. I now have a little more confidence.Looking forward to it.

Dear RaSing, I have driven only manuals for past 14 years. Last month I bought an Automatic and did a drive of 80 kms straight out of the showroom. Just read about how to drive an automatic, be calm and only concentrate on using brake pedal using right foot. No big deal and if you are a good driver it will be very easy. NEVER PANIC. All the best and have fun. Mind you,this drive will have some damage to wallet ( you will be tempted to buy an Automatic)!
The Rationalist.

Quote:

Originally Posted by philgrac (Post 3816206)

Getting used to an AT, is exactly a piece of cake, but after enjoying the AT for sometime, getting back to MT is a little difficult. On a MT vehicle, I tend to forget that there is a clutch and a gear lever fitted in! :eek:

If you drive both all the time, the confusion just goes away. Since I drive both AT & MT all the time since forever, I don't even think what transmission I am driving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai (Post 3816363)

If you drive both all the time, the confusion just goes away. Since I drive both AT & MT all the time since forever, I don't even think what transmission I am driving.

Yes, that's exactly the problem and I fully agree with you. But, I hardly use a chance to drive another MT vehicle:D

I am also using both Manual and AMT frequently. Even back to back but never found any problem switching over. Initially it will be difficult but your brain gets used to it and there is no more confusion. problem will be if you use automatic for long time and switch to a manual, you will struggle.

Best practises - shifting the AT gear lever

Assume one is driving in normal conditions with the gear lever on D position. In case one has to park the vehicle, switch off the engine and get off - I have found the following steps have a lot of advantages

1. Stop the vehicle completely, brake pedal is pressed
2. Shift the gear lever position to N
3. Engage the auxillary brake (hand brake or foot brake what ever the case may be)
4. Release the brake pedal (this transfers the load of the vehicle onto the auxilary brake.
5 Press the brake pedal again and shift the gear lever to P

The advantage of this procedure is, the gearbox is not loaded - the entire load of the vehicle is on the auxilary brake resulting in smooth shifting from position P to R or D when one has to drive off again.

I have noticed, if this procedure is not followed, specially when parking the vehicle on slopes (many people tend to stop the vehicle and move the gear lever from D to P, subsequently engaging the auxillary brake which results in loading the gear box), this results in shifting from P to D or R difficult and in some cases an unpleasent 'khat' sound

While idling an AT, should I be on P or N? Does it make a difference?

I use "P + hand brake" for both cases - while warming up before drive and while cooling down after the drive. In case if it matters, the transmission type in question is a torque converter (Creta). Should I be engaging "N + hand brake" in any of the cases?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohu9 (Post 3881951)

I also leave it at P when idling before starting and after stopping. I guess this is fine under controlled conditions like home parking.

But at a signal or in situations with traffic all around you better to be N + Handbrake. Reason is that when in P, the car is held in place by a 'parking pin' ( dont recollect the actual name). The gearbox is engaged and in the unfortunate event of getting rear ended, you can end up damaging the gear box. In N this problem is not there.

Most Honda's will not start unless the Brake is pressed as well. The difference between P & N is that in the former a mechanical 'pawl' is engaged inside the box, while in the latter there is no such device. Some cars even tend to creep in N. Strictly, the use of the handbrake is almost redundant in the P position.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgiitk (Post 3881995)

Strictly, the use of the handbrake is almost redundant in the P position.

:Shockked::Shockked:
No sir, there have been many cases of the Pawl breaking and being difficult, expensive and time-consuming to replace in an Automatic car. This happened to my Uncle's used Accord in SFO.

It's recommended that the handbrake is the primary stopping device, whereas the pawl is secondary. Brakes are cheaper and easier to replace.