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Girella
01-12-2004, 08:58 AM
I'm considering buying an auto Grand Vitara.

Are there any drawbacks with autos when it comes to off-road ?

Glug
01-12-2004, 11:22 AM
Only really bad thing is autos tend to lack gearbox breaking going down steep slopes or rock steps so you have to use your brakes more but lots of people still prefer autos to manuals. Once you get into Traction control and ABS braking you may as well go auto any way.

Lucky_Phill
01-12-2004, 11:43 AM
Auto is great ! had it on a Jackaroo.

to get down those steep hills, drop it into 1st, or low range 1st or 2nd.

BUT, with a lot of hard work ( soft sand or hill climbs ) it would pay to have a Transmission cooler fitted,. I did this for towing, specifically, as the fluid can get hot, and let the bands slip.

Cheers Phill

Big_Kev
01-12-2004, 04:40 PM
The auto is more driver friendly off road than the manual.
It shouldn't be a worry if you are the type of driver that likes to drive an auto in normal driving.
Good advice from the lucky one with regard to cooling. If you work it hard upgrade the tranny cooler. Makes for a longer living trans.
I wouldn't want to be forking out for a Suzuki slush box. :) Gotta hand it to the Japs they love there money for the bits.

skippa
01-12-2004, 06:08 PM
We've got a little Grand Vitara auto and she works fine for us, but I guess it depends on what you use it for. We mainly use it for beach work (in the off road sense), whilst not giving it a flogging, I find the auto on the beach is great....... but then I'm a lazy driver as I've had my share of driving manuals.

Only do about 7 or 8 beach trips a year, the rest of the time it becomes 'mums taxi'.


Cheers,
Tony 8)
PS Phill, good tip on the tranny cooler.

Girella
02-12-2004, 02:34 AM
Thamks fellas, great feed-back.

Thebuffalo
02-12-2004, 05:15 PM
Luv my auto behind the 6.5 Chev. All valid comments, downhill braking is the one I relate too the most, however L4 with pushbutton auto 4wd does the job. I like being able to jam the left foot on the break during hillclimbs etc when I get wheelspin. Bit like traction control but not as expensive. I think you will love the auto.

paz
02-12-2004, 05:47 PM
all of the above......got one in my '56 willys behind a 351 clevo......absolutely love 4x4ing with it,,,,very controllable and can creep as slow as i want......
paz

Hobes
03-12-2004, 08:51 AM
two words, AUTOS ROCK!!!

MTpockets
03-12-2004, 09:58 PM
The one thing I like about my auto is
1) I am never in the wrong gear
2) I cant stall it
:)
cheers
Les

kleiny
14-12-2004, 12:15 PM
i have had manual 4 X 4's & now have a auto patrol, i will never go back to manual it's so much better for off road, you can steer with one hand & a beer in the other if that's what you like ;D

kleiny
14-12-2004, 12:19 PM
i have had manual 4x4's & own an auto patrol now & they are awesome i will never go back to manual after taking it off road. you can steer with 1 hand & have a beer in the other ;D

cooky
15-12-2004, 07:21 PM
my Hilux SR5 is the first Auto I've ever had - had it for over 18 months from new now and really like it. I still enjoy manuals for fun, but really like being able to have one hand on a cold beer :-X while navigating the tight stuff - I always spilt them in the manuals :'(

Towing the boat is a bit of a pain though on the highway - slightly too high a gear at 100 and seems to either be too low a gear or too high - but I put up with it.

It does get very hot in deep sand and I have had the OIL warning light suggesting I stop (only a couple times).

Best thing about autos in sand is the limited lag between gear shifts at low speed.

GBC
25-12-2004, 03:57 AM
I'm with cooky - got a v6 auto lux, and used it to tow my 550 outsider up fraser a couple of times - no brains required. also use the vehicle offroad a bit (ie not on the beach). L1 isn't as low as a manual, however once everything is in 4wd, try putting a couple of notches on the handbrake - rears can't lock up as they are connected to the fronts as well - works well.

cooky
25-12-2004, 08:31 AM
GBC - do you have the same problem on the highway? at around 100ks - seems like it's geared too high or something. My boat is similar size 5.4m glass cuddy cabin.

Big_Kev
25-12-2004, 03:43 PM
Purhaps this thread should be THE ADVANTAGES OF AN AUTO 4X4.

And the Lux Spec Engine just don't have the go on the road Capt Cook.
You can have the motor uprated to a Prado spec and it will have more go. Or you can go for the real 4X4 thing.
Cheers Kev.

Brett_Hoskin
27-12-2004, 01:21 PM
Haven't driven an auto 4by but are they able to be driven slow?
I have had Troopcarriers for the last 20 yrs and find that even on rough tracks in High range I am able to drive the car slow. I drive a TD Hilux now and find I cannot drive this slow unless I drop into low range. Would an auto be worse than the Hilux characteristices as opposed to that of the troopcarrier.

Does any of this make sense....I have had a few xmas rums today. hhahahaha

petelaska
30-12-2004, 01:30 PM
I bought an 86 range rover auto 1 year ago and will never buy another manual. In the sand you can drive anywhere towing camper trailer (with tyre pressures let down) and up in the hills and bush it seems to climb anywhere smoothly using low range and locking in desired gear.
Peter

cooky
31-12-2004, 09:33 PM
And the Lux Spec Engine just don't have the go on the road Capt Cook.
You can have the motor uprated to a Prado spec and it will have more go. Or you can go for the real 4X4 thing.
Cheers Kev.

Kev - as far as I know the engine in the 3.4L Hilux Sr5 is the same as the superseded Prado. Is this not correct?

I've put an aftermarket (K&N) airfilter and larger exhaust with sports exhaust in an attempt to get more go. I enquired about chips, turbo, etc - to no avail. I would be interested in anything that gives me more power. Not saying it doesn't have much, will smoke up my coopers (not that I've ever done it ;)).

and what's the 'real 4x4 thing' - i've had a few 4x4s and for what's available these days (tree huggers closing everything) I think it does pretty damn well. Of course I abuse machinery so I'd be likely to get a Holden Barina some scary places....

Big_Kev
01-01-2005, 10:45 AM
What size are the coopers Cooky?

cooky
02-01-2005, 09:15 PM
i'd have to go outside to check - whatever the largest is legally - which isn't much bigger than the standard tyres. Nice tyres though - I'm very impressed - the A/T ones

Big_Kev
03-01-2005, 03:54 AM
I was just thinking that if the tyres are larger in diameter then the standards it will have an effect on the gearing.
265/70/16 has the standard diameter from memory.
I run 33/15's on my cruiser and this had a big effect in the gearing from the standard 32 inch diameter.
Looks much better and is much better for off the road stuff. ;D

skippa
04-01-2005, 03:31 PM
From a female perspective I love my auto Suzuki Grand Vitara. It's a 98 model (had it about 18 months) and it just keeps going and never gets bogged. I am so addicted to beach driving now. As a novice 4wder it takes all the guesswork out of which gear I should be in, making life a lot easier for me. Means I don't have to listen to Mr Skippa telling me what to do. ( But don't tell him I said that) #:-X
Cheers Mrs Skippa.

Hey, I heard that ;)

FLATHEAD1
04-01-2005, 06:38 PM
I had an auto maverick which I thought was great for off roading. All the purists tell you that you need a manual. You are never in the wrong gear and you can ease the power on. Hill starts are easy as.

The only problem is that it tended to run on on steep decents even when locked in 1st/low becuase of the taller gearing and the fact it was a petrol.

This was not really a problem as with 4 wheel disc brakes it was just a matter of feathering them occassionally.

Cheers
FH1

striker
06-01-2005, 04:05 PM
Have been the proud owner/driver of one 04 Challanger for the past 7 months,auto trans and transfer case doing fine. After two trips taking in Tewantin to Rainbow and all over Frazer its [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] for the Auto. Four adults fully loaded for the trip doing slaylum around many bogged rigs cutting through at Indian head sold me. The AT feature is worth its weight as it will not allow the Auto to find first gear when engaged .

All Units in trouble were above sea level surrounded with enough man power to push em out. [smiley=whip.gif] [smiley=whip.gif] [smiley=whip.gif] [smiley=whip.gif] [smiley=whip.gif] [smiley=whip.gif]

Big_Kev
07-01-2005, 07:25 PM
[quote author=cooky link=board=4X4;num=1101791088;start=10#18 date=12/31/04 at 00:33:20]

as far as I know the engine in the 3.4L Hilux Sr5 is the same as the superseded Prado. #Is this not correct? #

A- No the Prado did have more power and torque.

Coke
11-01-2005, 06:07 AM
Has anyone had experience with Land Rover Discovery?

Big_Kev
11-01-2005, 01:11 PM
Has anyone had experience with Land Rover Discovery?

Stop trying to make trouble Coke. LOL

bugman
12-01-2005, 09:58 AM
Don't you listn to him Coke - he's just warped from birth because his parents never had a landy.

What motor are you talking about with the discovery - I've got a defender TD5.

Bugman

stevo
12-01-2005, 12:02 PM
For those that have put a transmission cooler on, is it in conjuction with the radiator or now a seperate system alltogether? As mine does get hot in the soft sand working hard(the 4x4).Any idea of cost aswell.thanks. [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]


stevo

Big_Kev
12-01-2005, 01:51 PM
Don't listen to Bugman Coke, he dosen't understand. :P