3200 Auto question

Ian3200

Ian3200

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847
I highjacked someone elses thread earlier... should have satrted a new one... here's what I said...
I have to have an auto... no choice unfortunately, but I'd love engine braking... I feel I'd have more control if I could control the revs more, at high revs, if I back off and come back on the loud pedal, I'd like more feeling... difficult to describe, on the right roads, it's marvellous, but in Sport, the change up is high enough that unless you are going all out in a straight line, it holds on to the high revs, which would be great if I got the engine braking, but without, it feels really odd... even changing down manually, it's the same... maybe there's something wrong with my gearbox? Up changes are very quick though if going all out...

If I've made any sense I'd like people's opinons...
 
Ian3200

Ian3200

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847
Maybe this sounds normal to people? thing is I have driven many autos over the years and this offers the least engine braking of any I have driven... am I alone?
 
Ian3200

Ian3200

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847
... and there's me thinking I might get a sensible answer... hey ho... if you are serious Dem, look at your spelling...
 
Contigo

Contigo

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Autos unless having a mechanical clutch ala Cc or SMG don't give the best engine breaking.
 
Ian3200

Ian3200

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847
Contigo said:
Autos unless having a mechanical clutch ala Cc or SMG don't give the best engine breaking.
Click to expand...

OK Dem... it's the way in which the engine offers some braking on coming off the throttle... so Phil, I'm fully aware of that, the thing is, all autos I have driven offer something in the way of a feeling of slowing, such that the revs reduce with speed... my original Mk1 Golf was like driving a manual... I could change down coming up to roundabout and drive it in that gear and feel what was going on, in the 3200, I can do the same in terms of change down, but have no sense of what is happening when I'm off the throttle, only when I get my foot back on it... it's different from any other auto I've had.
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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14,150
I think getting down the box quicker might resolve this issue, when you see the speeds you can achieve in each gear going up the box, replicate them coming back down..??
 
Ian3200

Ian3200

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847
hodroyd said:
I think getting down the box quicker might resolve this issue, when you see the speeds you can achieve in each gear going up the box, replicate them coming back down..??
Click to expand...
I will try that... I'm maybe being too careful with the changing down and need to be more brave...
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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It might seem a bit drastic changing down to 2nd at 70mph ish, but if 2nd will achieve 70 going up, it will coming down..!!
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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You don't get exactly the same result as a manual, due to torque converters and such, but you should get engine braking..!!
 
macaroni

macaroni

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227
Don't do that in the wet on a corner...

I know what you mean, but I have adapted my driving accordingly. Sport mode works better as it changes down earlier.
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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Goes without saying in the wet, or we should hope it does..!! Sport works really well..!!
 
W

wink

Junior Member
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85
Mine's the same - in D there is virtually no engine braking at all. Sport mode improves things as it changes down earlier, and you feel some engine braking. You can get the same effect if you manually change down to 3 or 2. I just got used to it really. Basically it's a car that doesn't like going less than 60 mph IMO :).
 
davy83

davy83

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2,827
you need to use the gear selector to drop it down approaching junctions and corners, in normal auto mode it does not do this on its own very well. But if you start working the box it is very good. It's worth getting the manual and looking at the speed ranges for the gears, its fairly interesting. I don't have the workshop manual to hand, but my memory says 1st 0-55mph, 2nd -90mph, 3rd 120 and 4th 170 ish. The most fun you can have is dropping into 1st at 30 mph. (be careful in the wet,snow, gravel, pretty much anything!!!) prepare to grin a lot!
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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14,150
I agree with that, if you want to push on through bends etc, use the gearbox as a manual for engine braking..!!
 
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