For the car fundis... automatic vs manual

giggsy

Can get the same make and model of car in automatic or manual... Are there and major differences in fuel consumption and servicing? Thanks forummers

VellaJ

Fuel consumption is slightly heavier in an automatic. I'm not aware of major differences in terms of service intervals, etc. Usually the Autos are more expensive to buy as well, though.

What car is it? I prefer manuals personally, but autos certainly have their pros...

giggsy

Thanks- its a Honda Jazz, not much difference in price and mileage between the two

DonovanB

Higher fuel consumption AND the inconvenience of not always being in control of what gear you're in with autos.

Manuals suit SA much better

VellaJ

Giggsy wrote Thanks- its a Honda Jazz, not much difference in price and mileage between the two

2nd-hand... Good man...

Main uses for the car? Town driving, shopping, etc? I think the auto wouldn't be a bad choice if that's the case. Highway driving, any kind of performance requirements, etc. manual is the way to go.

ActionArnie

The worse the traffic gets on my daily work commute, the more I wish I had an auto - my Astra has a particularly stiff clutch too.

What Jazz is it, does it have the CVT box? A mate at work has the CVT and its actually really nice once you get over the slipping clutch sensation.

Lord-Fraquart

Is it auto or CVT. My wife has the CVT Jazz, which I'm dricing around as my car consumes double the amount of fuel. I am consistently getting 5.9l/100km when I put my mind to it, but it can go up to 7l/100km with spirited driving. The CVT does have the added bonus of a flappy paddle gearbox where you have an option of 7 gears selected with the paddles behind the steering wheel. All in all a great car and super reliable.

If it is the normal auto, consumption should still be under 7l/100km. An auto in town driving is absolutely awesome.

IceCreamMan

Automatic for the win...i am not usually a fan of automatics with small engines but if its going to be a city car and mom's taxi then auto is the best...slight increase in fuel consumption but it is convenient.

takes a bit of getting used to and i will be down on power compared to a manual but those are minor trade offs for the convenience.

giggsy

Cheers all! Yeah, main purpose is town driving, maybe a trip to Sandton once a week - if it will do 250km a week that's a lot. It will be used as the second car, but mayvbe if the fuel consumption is better then we'll use it for all the short trips to school, the shops etc. Automatic is sounding like a viable option ? Oh, and its the standard auto

sharonzaz

its more and more a pain to own a manual car in SA, it wasnt like that 15 years ago
when the road was clear even at peak hours.

I am happy to trade off more fuel and less power these days... ?

flatfourfan

Firstly and most important, you buying used or secondhand, it sounds as if you're buying used........if so smart move.

Until recently I was a moderator and honda nut on SA's largest online Honda forum and I love the jazz and know quite a bit about the brand.

The new auto's are usually better on fuel than the manuals in fact. For traffic, you'll love an auto, if you fancy a bit of spirited driving them manual is the way to go.

Standard honda auto's are waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the CVT....google CVT + issues and you'll see what I mean.

My advice, if you're buying secondhand........nothing over 50 000kms and FSH is a MUST. Normal service items can be a bit pricey, brakes about R400-R500 a corner, tyres (akward size, not all places have it, upto R800 a corner). Make sure that the fluids in the gearbox are clean......honda reckons changes every 20-40k, I'd say every 15K.

If you still have a service plan, no problem, once it's out, find a private makkie. Only place for a Honda in Gauteng is JDM tuning. http://www.jdmtuning.za.org/. Owner is Jakes, give him a shout about anything Honda related, he can give you some good advice.

giggsy

flatfourfan wrote Firstly and most important, you buying used or secondhand???

Until recently I was a moderator and honda nut on SA's largest online Honda forum and I love the jazz and know quite a bit about the brand.

The new auto's are usually better on fuel than the manuals in fact. For traffic, you'll love an auto, if you fancy a bit of spirited driving them manual is the way to go.

Standard honda auto's are waaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the CVT....google CVT + issues and you'll see what I mean.

My advice, if you're buying secondhand........nothing over 50 000kms and FSH is a MUST. If you're buying new, no worries, just sell it by the time the warrantee runs out. Not cheap cars to maintain once you start having issues.

The right man to speak to then! Going the second-hand route - cant justify buying new for what will be the 'second' car and not sure I would even buy new anyways...

Auto sounding better and better, could also possibly save on speeding fines :-[

Finding something under 50000 in my price range might be tough - dont want to go over 90K - but will look around. Are second-hand car dealers up for a bit of haggling over price (will be buying it cash)? Sure that they must be but its not a market I have too much experience with.

flatfourfan

I just changed my post just as I re-read yours. Give JDM tuning a call. They in Pomona road and they are THE guys with regards to anything Honda related in South Africa. I only went to them to have work done. Also shun the dealers for services if you can, JDM tuning know more than Honda SA.

Second hand route is the smart option. My suggestion, go private. Don't buy from a dealer. Dealers will add at least 10-20K to the asking price and it will be a lower specc'd model. Just insist on FSH, you can be picky, there are a lot of jazz's on the market.

Gearhead

One of the main and often overlooked downsides to driving automatics is that you have to replace brake discs far more often. The discs warp because after heavy braking you tend to not disengage drive and hold position with the brake engaged. This cools the discs unevenly through the pads; the effect is progressive since the brakes will tend to stop in the same place more and more often.

Lord-Fraquart

Gearhead wrote One of the main and often overlooked downsides to driving automatics is that you have to replace brake discs far more often. The discs warp because after heavy braking you tend to not disengage drive and hold position with the brake engaged. This cools the discs unevenly through the pads; the effect is progressive since the brakes will tend to stop in the same place more and more often.

Although this sounds plausible in theory, my experience with automatics says otherwise. I had a Nissan Maxima 3.0 Auto. The front pads and tyres were replaced on 90 000km for the first time. Then again on 175000km. I sold it with the second set of disks on 220000km and the original factory fitted disks

My Pathfinder auto is on 80000km with no sign of warping and the Jazz is on 55000km, also without any sign of warping

I did have a Peugeot 307 that the disks and pads had to be replaced at 15000km intervals because of warping and subsequent vibrations. Fiat palio had 3 sets of disks and pads by 15000km when I sold it. Both these were manuals.

I think warping is more related to the quality of materials than to the gearbox. My experience though.

IceCreamMan

Lord Farquart wrote
Gearhead wrote One of the main and often overlooked downsides to driving automatics is that you have to replace brake discs far more often. The discs warp because after heavy braking you tend to not disengage drive and hold position with the brake engaged. This cools the discs unevenly through the pads; the effect is progressive since the brakes will tend to stop in the same place more and more often.
Although this sounds plausible in theory, my experience with automatics says otherwise. I had a Nissan Maxima 3.0 Auto. The front pads and tyres were replaced on 90 000km for the first time. Then again on 175000km. I sold it with the

I am going to go with the Lord ? on this one. The theory sounds instinctively true but having bee naround cars most of my adult life i think its more a question of quality of parts than the nature of the gearbox. heavy braking with any kind of gearbox will result in rhaving to replace parts faster.

if i am stopped at a trafic light (as an example) i might be in neutral but i srill have my foot on the brake ..

flatfourfan

Gearhead wrote One of the main and often overlooked downsides to driving automatics is that you have to replace brake discs far more often. The discs warp because after heavy braking you tend to not disengage drive and hold position with the brake engaged. This cools the discs unevenly through the pads; the effect is progressive since the brakes will tend to stop in the same place more and more often.

I think that is an issue with cheaper discs and heavier cars. Not so much with newer models like the Jazz........

lol@italian and french cars..............total garbage

giggsy

So I found one ?

2007 automatic with 49000 on the clock for R85000 - seems like a good deal to me?

So, being new to buying a secondhand car, what's the story?
1) If the clutch packs in 3 days after I buy it do I have any recourse (from a private buyer)? If I bought one from a dealer and it did the same would I have any recourse then?
2) Whats the change of name procedure and do you know the rough costs?
3) Anything else I should keep in mind?

Thanks guys - really appreciate it

flatfourfan

Giggsy wrote So I found one ?

2007 automatic with 49000 on the clock for R85000 - seems like a good deal to me?

So, being new to buying a secondhand car, what's the story?
1) If the clutch packs in 3 days after I buy it do I have any recourse (from a private buyer)? If I bought one from a dealer and it did the same would I have any recourse then?
2) Whats the change of name procedure and do you know the rough costs?
3) Anything else I should keep in mind?

Thanks guys - really appreciate it

1.4/ 1.5??

The kms are good for the year. good buy as long as it has FSH.

1) Usually voetstoots, check the service book and check that everything is up to date, clutch should be good till at least 80 000kms. My wife got 225 000 on her last civic clutch. I've found that dealers can be the biggest sharks and their word usually don't mean much.
2) Go through a place like test best to do the schlep for you. We took a car off a friends name today, put it on the new owners name, registration and licencing and new plates and was charge R530 for everything including their fee for doing it for you.
3)............fsh fsh fsh fsh...........make sure that you check that everything was done when it was supposed to be done. Check the book............tyres and brakes in good knick, brakes are about R400 a corner to replace and tyres are not cheap if you want to keep the standard size.......About R900 each.

What colour.............? Stay the hell away from the black......

giggsy

Awesome, thanks FFF

Its the 1.4 and in metallic light blue although looks more like silver to me. Yeah, got the FSH of the car so will make sure all's good before doing the purchase - and around R500 isnt bad for everthing...