Automatic gearbox. How to Use.

[bigharty]

I have just bought a V6 and so I am now officially Bonkers.
However, in 38 years of driving ( Bantam to Bongo) I have never had an automatic.
In the absence of any paperwork, where can I find out how to use it properly?
It has buttons all over it!
You can laugh now if you like.

[mister munkey]

Welcome, nothing will ever be quite the same again!

To start with just leve in D (when going forwards) Once you get confident on how it reads the road ahead then try playing with the Hold button & 1 & 2, on hilly stretches, ideally.

Its a great gearbox thats been well designed.

It all becomes quite intuitive after a while.

[dreamwarrioruk]

think someone thought the n was for nightime and d for daytime once.
what chris said tho

[bigharty]

Thanks mates. You have no idea what a prat I felt asking that question.

[mister munkey]

No wurries, the only truly stupid question is the one thats never asked.

[mikeonb4c]

Welcome bigharty. I never had an automatic before the Bongo (never wanted one) but now I don't ever want a manual again. Its a great box. Use HOLD to drop a gear (I do it for engine braking all the time) or to hold it in a gear when accelerating (rare that I do that) or up an incline where you don't want it to change up. You can change the selector to S on the move with or without HOLD already set, and that increased engine braking with HOLD set (don't do it until your speed is in the right engine rev range). You are prevented from changing to L unless you hold the selector button in (to reduce danger of over-rev maybe). In steep hilly country you tend to operate in either S or - in extreme cases L. In snowy conditions or on other slippery surfaces, a god technique is to put it in L to move off (avoids slip due to excess turnign speed getting to wheels). Also, approaching junctions got into L for engine braking and apply HOLD in the late stages. This keeps front wheels active for steering and apply braking gently (although only to 2 wheels so theory says you need brakes for max. retarding, but this technique keeps you in a safer 'envelope' as you think further ahead).

As MM says it all becomes very natural with practice and makes for really stress free driving.

[wonkanoby]

just stick it in d

dont recall last time i ever...onpurpose ...used the hold


mine was first auto to

took it back to dealer as i could not get key out within an hour

blushed when he put it in park

[widdowson2008]

Another little thing to be aware of - If the engine appears to be over-revving, chances are you will have accidentally caught the 'HOLD' button. Done THAT a few times

[Alacrity]

See this recent POST HERE. Says it all really.

[mikeonb4c]

just stick it in d

dont recall last time i ever...onpurpose ...used the hold


mine was first auto to

took it back to dealer as i could not get key out within an hour

blushed when he put it in park

I found my Bongo, heavily loaded and going up and down v. steep hills in the Yorkshire Dales for an hour or so, experienced slight brake fade at the bottom of a hill. This encouraged me to use the engine more for braking, as the engine does offer excellent braking that is v. easy to work with using HOLD and the L/S/D selector, and this keeps my brakes cooler for when needed.

[wonkanoby]

not to many hills like that around catford

[mikeonb4c]

not to many hills like that around catford

Oh I dunno. There's the one that comes down from Sydenham Hill to the South Circular. Or Knights Hill, W. Norwood. Drive up and down one of them fully loaded for an hour and if the residents haven't called the police and had you apprehended by then, you could experience a bit of brake fade