GrahamC230K
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2002
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- 9,755
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- Audi A3 & S4 quattro
You acutally adjust to left foot braking in your auto? What is your instinct in an emergency -which foot would you use?
mb240
Active Member
Do you find the car makes a loud "bang" noise when releasing the hand operated foot/hand brake?!
I was told to cover the pedal when releasing and it stops that awful bang!Only learnt that the other day.....
There are a series of different tensions that can be put on the parking prake. It goes bang if it's set very high, and can be set to be as a soft as walking on a daisy if you like :bannana:
The vintage of W202 like gina has was quite loud. As i got newer cars, they seemed to damp the noise a little and then got the w211 which had a finer rachet and a very damped release.
Its one of those things you just get used to , but i prefer a hand operated one.
recycled
MB Enthusiast
Three pedals, three legs (nothing to do with the foot operated handbrake as has been suggested). Auto with two pedals, two legs.Try left foot braking if you don't want cramp driving an auto. Can be much faster than lifting your foot off the accelerator and down on the brake. The reason there are far more manuals is they used to suck too much power for the small cars we traditionally had in UK. In the US where everything is bigger, including peoples' butts, autos are the standard. Things are changing though as more and more people wake up to the benefits of an auto in today's congested traffic. It's not that I'm against manuals per se, I just feel the supposed benefits of a manual have all but disappeared as traffic has got worse and autos better, and the auto provides a better driving experience for driver and passenger. If you'd ever driven a car with a heavy clutch in M25 rush hour traffic day after day, I'm sure you would change your mind.
Never seen a person with three legs? What about Jake the Peg then? Got you there
well we are not in the US are we? or why are we paying so much for petrol then. I have driven on the M25 millions of times and i still prefer the manual. at least there is no limp home mode in second gear whan some ECU does not function. For you auto is it.
For me manaul does it. left foot braking will give all your passengers whiplash.
i love the clutch action and being able to drag my revs to breaking point and i really love the movement of the lever between the selectors. brilliant.
Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
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- 34,199
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- Peugeot 403 Convertible
I don't know. I've limped home in what must be second when my ECU has gone kaput and I'm fully manual. I blame it on the beer though..
And is the quickest way to burn out the ATF and clutchpacks in an auto box.left foot braking will give all your passengers whiplash.
I wouldn't buy a car if it was driven by a left foot braker, you often see the brake lights on even when accellerating.
Re autos and resale values:
Most people move from manual to auto, but not back again - I've done both and for real world driving auto is the way for me. Reliability isn't an issue, I've never killed a manual or autobox, though I've been through a number of clutches they've all been in Rovers, so that doesn't count...
Due to this of course, when you're buying an auto, the dealer will tell you that it's more expensive because it holds it value better, and that the paltry part ex value he's giving for your manual car would have been higher had it been an auto.
Of course, the fact that by giving you less for yours, and charging more for the new one, means he makes more money has no bearing on the deal at all.
It is true though that bigger cars tend to be harder to sell with a manual box - I wouldn't have considered an E class with a manual, but a C class can be considered "sporty" and manual isn't an issue as far as I can see.
Main dealers tend to stick to autos as most of there clientele want them, which is another reason why manuals are cheaper, they tend to be more prevalent on the independant forecourts. There was a similar E270 4000 quid cheaper on the sticker from an car supermarket, with a manual gearbox, when I looked for mine.
Most people move from manual to auto, but not back again - I've done both and for real world driving auto is the way for me. Reliability isn't an issue, I've never killed a manual or autobox, though I've been through a number of clutches they've all been in Rovers, so that doesn't count...
Due to this of course, when you're buying an auto, the dealer will tell you that it's more expensive because it holds it value better, and that the paltry part ex value he's giving for your manual car would have been higher had it been an auto.
Of course, the fact that by giving you less for yours, and charging more for the new one, means he makes more money has no bearing on the deal at all.
It is true though that bigger cars tend to be harder to sell with a manual box - I wouldn't have considered an E class with a manual, but a C class can be considered "sporty" and manual isn't an issue as far as I can see.
Main dealers tend to stick to autos as most of there clientele want them, which is another reason why manuals are cheaper, they tend to be more prevalent on the independant forecourts. There was a similar E270 4000 quid cheaper on the sticker from an car supermarket, with a manual gearbox, when I looked for mine.
gina2201
MB Enthusiast
I suppose it's down to personal preference, I've had both, and am not really fussed either way! But that is just my opinion, some people may get on better with an auto, I quite like the feel of driving a manual. But I would never dismiss a car because of the transmission it had.
recycled
MB Enthusiast
The resale values of mercs i agree are much better on the autos. i am not sure if mercedes has even given customers the chance to decide on what gearbox for the bigger engine types.
I do not think they sell amg 55 types with manuals at all. they should take a leaf from porsches and ferraris. Even the mighty V10 porsche gt comes with a manual so engine size should not be a problem. Apart from flappy pedal boxes you can get ferraris with a transmission gate but i still think it is down to driving style and peference. i have had two of each. Auto first then manual, then auto and now another manual and i would not go back to an auto again.
I do not think they sell amg 55 types with manuals at all. they should take a leaf from porsches and ferraris. Even the mighty V10 porsche gt comes with a manual so engine size should not be a problem. Apart from flappy pedal boxes you can get ferraris with a transmission gate but i still think it is down to driving style and peference. i have had two of each. Auto first then manual, then auto and now another manual and i would not go back to an auto again.
Dieselman
Banned
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Good point.
I actually prefer driving a manual but prefer the easiness of the auto for regular general driving.
Fortunately I've got both to play with.
gina2201
MB Enthusiast
Good point.
I actually prefer driving a manual but prefer the easiness of the auto for regular general driving.
Fortunately I've got both to play with.
I have had moments in both where I miss the other, auto's are good, especially great around town and in traffic jams!
R2e
Active Member
Yes, I've been driving autos off and on since '74 and have no problem adjusting. Instinct in an auto in an emergency is both feet. Strangely when I drive a manual, I adjust almost 100% straight away. I used to have to adjust to British and Jap bikes which had foot brake and gearshift on different sides and that was never a problem.
There are a some nonsense comments about left foot braking. Why should it give passengers whiplash (unless you have little control of your left leg) or burn out the clutches any quicker? (Sorry is the auto so clever it knows which foot is being used
) Sure, if you ride the brake pedal that can be a problem just the same as if you ride the clutch pedal.