I took a test drive of a new 1.2 Corsa with Easytronic g/box.( arthritis dictates I need a auto)
and found it a very good car indeed. Enough to satisfy my driving needs. My only query is the reliability of the Easytronic g/b.Has anyone had any experience with these.
{edited to use make/model drop down boxes as this links to other parts of the site - DD}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 31/10/2007 at 19:03
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We had one of these as a courtesy car for a couple of weeks; I can't comment first-hand on long-term reliability but for what it's worth I do recall reading somewhere that the gear selection and clutch actuators are basically modified electric window motors, so reliability and spares might be OK - make of that what you will, a Google search will probably throw up some more info. As I understand it, the transmission is a conventional 5-speed 'box so no specific reliability issues there, plus you have some confidence that the box hasn't been crunched up by people not disengaging the clutch properly when they change gear, or hammering straight down into second, that sort of thing. If an actuator does fail, chances are the bit that needs fixing will be on the outside of the transmission.
I quite liked the EasyTronic for A-road driving but it didn't seem best suited to stop-start traffic - no matter how I drove it, I couldn't get a smooth change from 1st to 2nd. Did you have more luck?
It had a few pecularities that took some getting used to - for example, if you roll up to a junction in "manual" mode it will downshift for you as you decelerate, but it won't automatically start upshifting for you when you accelerate. That said, it was kinda neat, and very well suited to brisk A-road driving where you're shifting between 4th and 5th.
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I only had the car for 30 min. But I found the gear changing quite smooth. I did try a Yaris semi auto and it was horrendous.It seemed to take a few seconds for each change of the gears.
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I believe the Vauxhall Easytronic is the Fiat/Alfa Selespeed gearbox, one of the remaining parts of the ill-fated GM/Fiat buyout.
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I believe the Vauxhall Easytronic is the Fiat/Alfa Selespeed gearbox one of the remaining parts of the ill-fated GM/Fiat buyout.
If it is the same or even just similar to an alfa selespeed box i'd be wary - the actuators on these are prone to failure and replacement isn't cheap - your looking at £800 plus VAT for a new one.
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I have no reliability information, anecdotal or otherwise, but in general the reliability of 'automated manual' transmissions has not been good. They tend to be efficient, but there are a lot of sensors and actuators on these systems. There is also the issue of having a technician available who is able to diagnose and repair faults (these guys are in short supply nationally!).
If you are the kind of person that worries about reliability then go for a small Japanese car with a conventional fully-automatic transmission. May not be the ultimate in economy and driving performance, but will be reliable and easy to llive with.
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Try some close manoeuvering and hill starts before you sign on the dotted line.
The reliability issue isn't that good on trucks always electrics/sensors make of that what you will.
Had in interesting discussion with a sales chap after i delivered another makers cars with the similar gearbox, he told me they were a lovely box on the motorway....i couldn't work the logic out on that either.
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i second that.. also the easy tronic box dosent last, . ive just changed back to full auto. wish i had read the last post before i had bought the easy tronic
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Thanks for the info everyone. It has confirmed what I suspected. I'll go for a Jap or Korean with full auto
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"I believe the Vauxhall Easytronic is the Fiat/Alfa Selespeed gearbox, one of the remaining parts of the ill-fated GM/Fiat buyout."
That is quite incorrect...
Edited by Botchit, Sodden & Leggit on 01/11/2007 at 12:47
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We've had 4 Corsas with the easytronic option, my wife is disabled and has always had to have an automatic transmission vehicle. All of our cars were/are the SXi variant and ALL have been superb. My wife's latest is the diesel easytronic which gives us a genuine 14 - 15 miles per litre on a long run and invariably doesn't need to be fuelled(light on) at less than 500+ miles, my car, the manual SXi diesel doesn't even approach that excellent economy. For those of you who have driven the conventional automatic(Borg Warner fluid flywheel type) and are used to a lower than manual m.p.g., this type of box is more economical. This is because the unit has a clutch and gubbins just like a manual gearbox but the Easytronic KNOWS when to change gear and it's clutch work is infinitely better than yours or mine almost eliminating the little puff of unburned fuel which normally occurs with a human touch.
My ONLY complaint after probably 80,000+ miles with is model of car is that Vauxhall no longer appear to make the diesel easytronic car. This, in the present climate of green motoring is crazy - and the full year's road tax for this car is only £35 - yes thirty five pounds for a year.
SNIPQUOTE!
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/02/2008 at 12:51
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After having normal automatic cars in the past (BMW CSA, Chevette, Carlton 3000GSI, Corsa 1.4), my wife & I bought a brand new Corsa 1.2 SXI Easytronic in 2001 and ran it for 4 years and 59000 miles. There were no problems whatsoever with the easytronic transmission and once you get used to the slightly different mode of operation it is much better than 'conventional' autos which use more fuel. I would always drive in 'manual' mode, my wife always in 'Auto' mode.
We liked the easytronic so much, we traded the Corsa in for a brand new Astra SXI Sporthatch Easytronic in March 2005 and have run this for 3 years and 30,000 fault free miles.
We are trading the Astra in next month and are currently awaiting delivery of (yet another) easytronic - this time another Corsa!
We definitley recommend the Easytronic - they have been totally reliable in our experience - some of that driving being quite enthusiastic to say the least...
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hi be carefull with the easytronic gear box i had the f display come up on my dash i took it to the local vauxhall dealer who told me i had a gear box fault and it was going to cost me £1000. to repair being a lgv fitter i took the car away spend 45 quid on a obd 2 code reader downloaded the fault codes and found that the crank position senor was at fault and not the gear box as i was told spent £ 23 on a new sensor and car was fine but hey ho since then the gear change actcuator has gone cross eyed and now its looks like its going to cost me a grand to repair have heard and read lots of horror storys about the easytronic gear box and now i find they are commin true for my self.
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I bought an easytronic corsa in May 2008 which was and still is in a beautiful condition both inside and out. The car drove really well, albeit with all the usual easytronic drivers general critizitisms as seen on this sight as well as all the others - but otherwise it was great. That was until last month - June 2009 ( a year and a month after I bought it ) when without warning, just seemed to jump out of gear whilst I was driving it at around forty miles an hour. Cut a long story short - the gearbox had gone. My garage assured me that it couldn't be the gearbox and carried out a diagnostic which required a new pedal assembely. After this was fitted the test diagnostic failed. My garage took the car to the local Vauxhall dealer who diagnosed the car needed a new gearbox £3500. Yes. £3500. My garage said that they could arrange a re-conditioned replacement at approx. £1800/2000. My garage gave me a bill for £224. They also gave me my corsa which now wouldn't start because it has a F the garage informed me. So I have a bill for £224 and an easytronic corsa that can only be moved on the back of a tow-truck.
The garage kindly offered to buy the car from me for £300. The garage kindly insisted that I pay their bill. £50 for a 2002 corsa in fantastic condition, albeit without a gearbox. ( I will not take the garage up on their offer to buy but I am open to offers).
Haha, I hear you laugh, it would never happen to me - well, be wise and be warned!
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I am sure you could probably get a second hand one for much cheaper. There are lots of these older Corsa C's now which have accident damage etc, you could even buy a working one so you can test drive it first if you can find one with a lot of cosmetic damage/maybe a duff engine etc to make it cheap enough.
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Haha I hear you laugh it would never happen to me - well be wise and be warned!
Oh DB, i do feel for you....no tittering here from anyone i guarantee, but appreciate your openness, though thats probably of little comfort at this time.
The costs quoted are simply ludicrous.
Rattle may have a point, maybe a used gearbox is the only way out of this for you.
The very best of luck getting it sorted.
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best selling it spares or repairs for $500 i reckon
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Once bitten, twice shy but I've learned my lesson the hard way. Thank you for your support and helpful suggestions though.
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