iain cooper wrote:

I've been driving for over forty years and always had manuals as I still enjoy driving.

when I am no longer able to use the clutch with my left foot or change gear with my left hand or too deaf to hear the engine revs, or just can't be bothered driving the car, then I may consider an auto.

until then and I hope it's a long way off !!..............manual is best

Iain

ps changing gear is a huge part of the pleasure in driving a car and without it would be very mundane and just a means of going from A to B.

Good point well made Iain  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

The Doctor wrote:

iain cooper wrote:

I've been driving for over forty years and always had manuals as I still enjoy driving.

when I am no longer able to use the clutch with my left foot or change gear with my left hand or too deaf to hear the engine revs, or just can't be bothered driving the car, then I may consider an auto.

until then and I hope it's a long way off !!..............manual is best

Iain

ps changing gear is a huge part of the pleasure in driving a car and without it would be very mundane and just a means of going from A to B.

Good point well made Iain

Agree completely with the above. The only thing I don't like with my manual is the green light that insists it's time to change up - any way to turn it off or should I get out the masking tape?

I had an RX-8 that had a little buzzer to let you know to change up which was actually quite useful. Mind you, it was at about 9.5k rpm.

blackthorn wrote:

Agree completely with the above. The only thing I don't like with my manual is the green light that insists it's time to change up - any way to turn it off or should I get out the masking tape?

Spot on blackthorn. The green light is irritating because the thing about driving a manual is you get to know the car. You are at one with the machine . I could practically drive the car using the force

Anyway, the point is that we know what gear is best for what speed the light is trying to save fuel but when you get to 50mph in 5th it says change up but that labours the engine (more so up hill but the light still says change), stupid thing.

I came from FL1 ownership but prior to that I owned a Fiesta ST and I was amazed by the similarities with the FL2 gear change. Very short throw change, smooth and the stick itself is short and sporty rather than the more agricultural style gear stick in the FL1 manual.

LR did a sound job  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

iain cooper wrote:

I've been driving for over forty years and always had manuals as I still enjoy driving.

when I am no longer able to use the clutch with my left foot or change gear with my left hand or too deaf to hear the engine revs, or just can't be bothered driving the car, then I may consider an auto.

until then and I hope it's a long way off !!..............manual is best

Iain

ps changing gear is a huge part of the pleasure in driving a car and without it would be very mundane and just a means of going from A to B.

Just for a balanced opinion couldn't disagree more.
The auto is superb, it lets you concentrate on driving, especially off road, where you need to be concentrating where the wheels are rather than worring about frying the weak pathetic clutch.
Used to drive 45k a year, only manage 30k now as work gets in the way, love driving, will never go back to a manual FL.
Left knee is shot so clutch work hurts, but the initial reason for going for the auto was changing clutches on our original FL1 in the rain outside the house.
Told you it was a balanced relpy  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

Andy131 wrote:

iain cooper wrote:

I've been driving for over forty years and always had manuals as I still enjoy driving.

when I am no longer able to use the clutch with my left foot or change gear with my left hand or too deaf to hear the engine revs, or just can't be bothered driving the car, then I may consider an auto.

until then and I hope it's a long way off !!..............manual is best

Iain

ps changing gear is a huge part of the pleasure in driving a car and without it would be very mundane and just a means of going from A to B.

Just for a balanced opinion couldn't disagree more.
The auto is superb, it lets you concentrate on driving, especially off road, where you need to be concentrating where the wheels are rather than worring about frying the weak pathetic clutch.
Used to drive 45k a year, only manage 30k now as work gets in the ON way, love driving, will never go back to a manual FL.
Left knee is shot so clutch work hurts, but the initial reason for going for the auto was changing clutches on our original FL1 in the rain outside the house.
Told you it was a balanced relpy

I'm not even disputing that on some cars manuals are better - I like a good manual and to feel as one with the car when driving but what I am saying is that the auto better suits the FL. Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

So where are we? Auto or Manual?

Auto is definitely best for off roading or towing but other than that its manual everytime. Much more controlled and refined than having to put up with jerky gearchange of the auto on kickdown and it feels more settled in top gear. Plus diesels dont rev when accelerating like a petrol does but the auto holds onto gears for too long when accerlerating quickly. Nice short throw on the manual too.

Its weird though, I hear all this praise for the auto and when mine went in not long back for a dashboard problem, I thought the time had come to sample the auto again and this time I would see what the others saw, high quality surely....

WRONG!

I was clock watching until they gave me my manual back! LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

The problem with the manuals, they suffer from dashboard problems

Captain Worm wrote:

What ratios did you use to calculate it? When I looked at it it definitly came with the manual reving lower - although if you can prove it does - then thats another one up for AUTO's

Used the diesel ratios from the AUS MY11 brochure (assuming they are correct) and 235/65/17 tires (2316mm circumference) which shows:-

manual 6th - 0.540, final drive ratio - 4.53
auto 6th - 0.686, final drive ratio - 3.329

rpm @ 100km/h:-
manual = 1760
auto = 1643

I have had both manual and auto The manual I covered about 60,000 miles if I remember correctly, and the auto I have covered 28,000 so far.
I also have a manual MX5 and a manual Mini cooper
My car usage pattern has not changed significantly since 2006 i.e. pre freelander so I feel I am in a position to give my opinion on the relative merits of auto and manual in the freelander 2
I do not drive off road except on campsites etc, I tow a caravan about 3,000 to 5,000 mile a year I have a mixed road use of Motorways, A and B roads and have short commutes and long trips.

Overall fuel economy with the manual was about 38mpg best ever on a tank was 42mpg. With the auto I get about 35mpg with a best ever of 38mpg over a full tank.

The auto is, for me a more relaxing car to drive on all types of journey, but especially on long trips on the Motorway, and in stop start traffic.

The manual was a little smoother to drive as I changed gear at lower revs than the auto does

The auto is a lot quicker at the lights

The auto is a far better tow car

The auto is far better in snow

The manual was quieter, probably due to lower revs

The wife preferred to ride in the manual as she finds the auto " whirrs a lot"

The auto is easier to control at low speeds when manoeuvring with the caravan

I would buy another auto rather than a manual, but am about to buy another manual MX5

I would add, that it would appear that more people switch from manual to auto than vice versa in the freelander 2

fujifreel wrote:

Captain Worm wrote:

What ratios did you use to calculate it? When I looked at it it definitly came with the manual reving lower - although if you can prove it does - then thats another one up for AUTO's

Used the diesel ratios from the AUS MY11 brochure (assuming they are correct) and 235/65/17 tires (2316mm circumference) which shows:-

manual 6th - 0.540, final drive ratio - 4.53
auto 6th - 0.686, final drive ratio - 3.329

rpm @ 100km/h:-
manual = 1760
auto = 1643

There we go fact! not only AUTO's quicker to 60, rev less at 70, more refined, easier to drive, more relaxed, better off roading, better towing (not that I care ), more reliable (no clutches to replace), have better status, easier to sell, higher residual (I might have made this up ) and overall - just better

The only thing I can see not in its favour is cost... but then if you factor in a new clutch every say 60k miles??? I wonder what happens to the TCO then?

Also - when it comes to something as subjective as this, IMO cost becomes a mute point Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

Sorry Captain Worm you are way off the mark, the other guy came up with figures that showed the manual revs less and I have driven both so I know it does.

Who cares about minor difference to 60?

The manual is way more refined, doesn't have the stupid and irritating jerky kickdown, £1500 yes £1500 less to buy, cheaper to tax and fuel.

Auto = Better status

OVERALL MANUAL IS MUCH BETTER.

Being as I don't do major off roading and towing, there is nothing at all in the autos favour.

Auto
Manual  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

The Doctor wrote:

Sorry Captain Worm you are way off the mark, the other guy came up with figures that showed the manual revs less and I have driven both so I know it does.

Who cares about minor difference to 60?

The manual is way more refined, doesn't have the stupid and irritating jerky kickdown, £1500 yes £1500 less to buy, cheaper to tax and fuel.

Auto = Better status

OVERALL MANUAL IS MUCH BETTER.

Being as I don't do major off roading and towing, there is nothing at all in the autos favour.

Auto
Manual

A well thought out and reasoned response again, does using capital letters make an opinion a fact

As I haven't any idea what revs a manual does I can't compare, but these are the details from my TD4 auto:

At an indicated 60 mph it is doing 1,600 rpm and at 70 1,800. It changes up at 2,000 rpm. Andyfr