Five(or six)speed stick v's Auto

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Surely it also depends on the car? If you have a big 'un, like a 90 or 166, you really don't want to be rowing it along.

Huh?  The 90 is a pretty small car compared to cars these days.  It's pretty much exactly the same size as an Alfetta sedan, smaller than a 156, and reasonably light.

I always found it strange that even though the 90 was pitched as the "executive" model, and the 75 the sporty sedan, the 90 never got an auto but the 75 did.  Love the Alfa logic.

I usually find autos incredibly boring, but there are exceptions out there.   My Dad has a Porsche 928 with an auto.  I've driven it quite a lot, and it's just fine as an auto.  Like most GTs, it's designed for covering huge distances in minimal time and effort, so the auto is perfect for that.  It's even pretty good on twisty NZ roads, as if you get caught behind slower traffic, even at 100kmh one decent prod of the throttle and it will kickdown to 1st!!  That gets your attention pretty quickly.  Dad had originally been looking for a manual version, but a really good auto became available.  And after driving it for a couple of years he concluded that the auto is probably the best transmission for that car.

So yeah...   I always concluded that an auto is really only any good if it's behind a pretty big engine, and you don't intend on doing anything too sporty with it.  Manual will always be the most fun, let's just hope they don't die out altogether.

[poohbah]

I take your point on a 90 being small compared to comparable models these days - that pretty much applies across the board these days. I always find it amusing that when someone pulls alongside my 81 GTV in a modern "Mini" they are looking down at me...

[kaleuclint]

No clutch pedal -- no purchase...

[alfamisa]

Pretty simple really (if you have a brain) why choose to go slower? Sequential manual (no clutch pedal) is the only choice. Unl;ess you want to be slower.

[poohbah]

Well I can now make a real life comparison, having just purchased a 99 156 V6 Q-system auto. My preference was to find another 6sp manual like I owned previously, but simply couldn't find one.

I've had the auto for a week, and while I feel like I'm cheating and that I sort of have to put in a (split second) request for oomph - rather than the  instant response you get from the 6sp - the Q-system is pretty good. Especially as I have to do a fair bit of peak-hour, stop start driving that previously left my left calf very well developed when I had the manual V6.

I'm still getting the hang of using it in manual mode - it seems odd and counter intuitive to change gear with your foot flat to the floor, and weird not having a clutch to balance it - but it certainly moves its arse very nicely indeed.

I actually prefer leaving it in auto and sticking it in sport - which I reckon feels closer to the response of my old manual - and then flicking it back into city mode once I'm up to cruising speed.

So my verdict is - I would still prefer the manual, but the Q-system is a very civilised alternative and practical for my usage to boot. Plus I still get to fang my 5sp '81 GTV when I want.

[alanm]

Our 156 V6 Q 5 year ownership experience has been excellent. Very enjoyable and supremely reliable car - my only criticism (small one) is the city mode is too cruisey and the sport mode is too aggressive. Could use the Q system manual shifting but I tend not to. Got other cars for that.

My best S1 156 tip - go easy on the window switches, they break easily!

I am sure you will enjoy the car!

Cheers Al

[poohbah]

Too true Alan, but fortunately I still have a bunch of spare window switches left over from my first 156. Also lucky that the prior owner only recently replaced the window motors in both back doors, which cost him a pretty penny!