Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones?

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 10:25
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - ken345

Hi,

My wife has an automatic-only licence and does about 24,000 miles a year. Until now we've had Petrol 1.6L cars like the Astra, Focus etc. We buy used (2-3 years old) when the car's done about 20,000 miles & px it at 100,000. Our usual budget is around the £7-£8k mark.

All our cars have had conventional 'torque converter' auto boxes and have been fine but they're a dying breed as car companies try & switch to more efficient unconventional designs like computer controlled manuals (Toyota MMT), DSGs (VW DSG & Ford Powershift) & CVTs. Over the last few years it seems that all of these unconventional boxes have had quite severe problems, all of which sound like design faults that no amount of software updates and clutch replacements will ever sort out - the driver's just expected to put up with them when they're really not safe.

Our 2011 Focus (that has a torque converter gearbox and has been faultless) needs replacing soon with another auto capable of reliably (and safely) getting to 100,000 miles but no suitable options spring easily to mind so I thought i'd ask here for ideas.

The car needs to be petrol and I'm quite open to having an unconventional auto IF it behaves safely & predictably and its capable of reliably covering the mileage. Has anyone got any suggestions for a small-ish auto for us to try (maybe even a little smaller than the cars we've had in the past)??

Thanks

Ken

Edited by ken345 on 21/02/2017 at 10:30

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 10:46
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - John F

We have similar thoughts - our 2000 1.6 auto Focus 120,000m with bombproof 4F27E Ford/Mazda box is beginning to look a bit tatty at the edges. I am thinking of the Peugeot 2008 with the Peugeot/Aisin EAT6 box for long term ownership, because the C-Max, which we also fancy, is apparently not available with the 6F35 box.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 10:53
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - heartattakjoe

my step father has a bmw 5 series with a zf box, its a gem. they porbably do them in the 3 and maybe 1 series petrols too. likewise mercedes auto boxes are exceptional i hear, but audi/vw tiptronics can give trouble

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 10:59
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - Vitesse6

Honda Jazz CVT. Have put 15,000 miles on mine without problem. Our previous jazz CVT is still on the road at 14 years old.

They don't drive or sound like a 'normal' automatic, but if you like them and don't mind the difference they are excellent.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 11:12
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - ken345

Honda Jazz CVT. Have put 15,000 miles on mine without problem. Our previous jazz CVT is still on the road at 14 years old.

They don't drive or sound like a 'normal' automatic, but if you like them and don't mind the difference they are excellent.

What year is yours - didn't they switch to their i-Shift gearbox after 2008 or there abouts, have they gone back to CVT?

I've always liked the Jazz

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 12:38
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - Vitesse6

It's a 2012 and a CVT. I think the i-shift was phased out in 2011.

CVT's need a fluid change at 25,000 mile intervals.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 11:05
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - gordonbennet

Honda and Toyota CVT's seem to be doing the business without trouble, Toyota's hybrid drive seems to be as reliable as any transmission made anywhere if one of those might be considered.

Whatever you end up with i believe its worth applying a bit of old fashioned common sense to looking after your gearbox, same as you would other moving parts especially those under pressure, can only help towards a long trouble free life, so i'd expect to treat the box to some fresh oil at say 40/50k miles.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 11:12
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - Avant

As Vitesse6 suggests, CVTs haven't had as many problems as dual-clutch transmissions. I can understand your not wanting a used diesel, but with 24,000 miles a year to drive, your wife might like to look at a Toyota hybrid - the Auris is the nearest in size to your Focus. Despite their complexity, Toyota hybrids seem to be as reliable as other Toyotas (i.e. very).

I think that the Hyundai i30 and Kia Ceed also have conventional torque-converter automatics.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 12:13
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - colinh

Another vote for the Auris hybrid - you'll easily equal a diesel automatic's fuel consumption. Easy to drive - servicing costs reasonable

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 13:28
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - ken345

I think that the Hyundai i30 and Kia Ceed also have conventional torque-converter automatics.

I looked into the Kia Cee'd a couple of years ago. They've started fitting a DSG type gearbox (they call theirs DCT i think) to the petrol version but the diesel has still got a conventional torque converter 'box (I assume the DCT couldn't handle the torque)

I hadn't considered the I30, mmm........

Thanks for all the replies so far!

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 12:53
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - expat

We have a2009 I30 automatic. It has been totally reliable and I can recommend them.

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 13:29
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - SLO76
Only two I'd be looking at would be the Honda Civic 1.8 with 5sp conventional auto or the Toyota Auris CVT possibly even the 1.8 hybrid which uses the same running gear that has been tested to destruction by Prius driving taxi drivers accross the globe. Both should be fit to hit 100k but high mileage autos tend to be worthless so it may make sense to keep the Focus til it explodes depending on how much you're offered for it.
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Tue 21 Feb 2017 13:41
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - ken345

When did Honda see the light & ditch the i-Shift gearbox and go back to the torque converter box for the Civic???

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Tue 21 Feb 2017 14:47
Auto gearbox - any reliable unconventional ones? - SLO76
2012 MK 9 onwards seen the back of the I'm-s*** automated manual. Though it seems rare, I've never even seen one in the metal

Edited by SLO76 on 21/02/2017 at 14:52

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