Which is better

To go Auto or not is a question I have been considering for my next vehicle and if you are inexperienced, an auto is a good option. I would do a 4x4 driving course either with a club or a service provider like Vic Wideman's group. Cheaper option is the club avenue which has lots of advantages but the basic courses provided by the others will help you out. I know members who have gone that way and they have enjoyed it.

Hi there Kev, we had 3 auto prado's and one manual in the high country last month, now I know that some of the trakcs we were on were extremely steep and even the hilux in low range first gear actually got away on me a couple of time's only had to brake two or three times but the lady that had the vx (i think thats the model) one under the grande hated it, she use to have a patrol diesel and after a few of the tracks she said give me back the old patrol anyday as far as engine braking goes on road she said the prado was beautiful. The bloke with the manual prado had about the same braking capacity on down hill runs as me. As far as 4wdriving goes same as manual lock in low first /low range and climb or for steep decents on the beach etc 4 high put in 2nd and go for it some times leave in drive depends on the terrain. Auto better in sand I belive havnt driven auto in sand so cant comment. Regards Steve M

Hi Kev,

I have had 3 manual 4wd and 2 Auto.
The Auto's were V8 100 series and now 100 Series TD.

I cannot see myself going back to a manual. The auto is awesome.

Up at stockton Beach last month i played around selecting gears 1,2,3, in the Auto but found that most times selecting drive was adequate.

Cheers

Dave

Hi Kev
I don't have a definitive answer.
We drive an auto petrol Paj, with Tiptronic or whatever it is called. We tow (currently) an Aussie Swag camper that probably weighs in at 1.25T or thereabouts.
When have we got into trouble with down hill braking?? Never. Although I must admit that going down Billy Goat Bluff was just a teeny bit worrying.....
We have done a number of tracks with the trailer (including top section of Canning) plus a number of wet muddy drives without the trailer.
The Canning was interesting as we were with another vehicle that was manual diesel and he was forever worrying over gear selection at the bottom of dunes as you can't afford to depress the clutch half way up. I selected manual mode, got it up to (usually) low 3nd at the base of the dune but could then change down to 1st on the run if I had to with no issues.
So, my vote is certainly auto and our next vehicle will be an auto but I will bow to latest technology and go with a diesel.
Rusty

Hi Kev M

I have had 2 manual 4Wd's and 2 Auto's I could not ever go back to a manual.

I had a Patrol 4.2 D and a petrol Triton daul cab both manuals since then I have had 2 Pajero's 1 petrol the other diesel both Auto's

We like the auto so smooth too easy .

The auto can be used like a manuals if you want anyway.

Cheers Jeff M. (SA)

Hi Kev

Unless you want to do really rough stuff you can not beat the new autos, never again get nearly to the top off a climb and find out you are in a gear to high and run out of power.
River crossing, deeper than you thought no worries, endless gear selections on loose surfaces.
Stall recoveries, never have to worry about them again as you don't stall in autos, break, hand break, select reverse and away you go.

Have fun
Craig

Kev ,

I have had three manual and three auto 4WDs . I do a lot of touring in the Central and WA deserts and the auto is ideal for the sand and for creeping across rocky terrain . I would never go back to a manual . On the CSR and in the sand country , I would hate to think how many times my friends change gear , whereas I just tool along , breaking and accelerating in a very relaxed , stress free environment .

It does not however , have anywhere near the engine breaking of a manual . So If you are doing a lot of serious "up and down ", I would stick with the manual .

Cheers ,

Willie .

Auto every time for me , had three 4B's with auto. Sand, mud, slush, wet, whatever they perform great. Downhills are NOT as good as manual, then again just select low range first and they are pretty good. Bit of braking doesn't hurt anyway. Just keep it slow.

Pooley

My last 7 cars have been manual, my last 2 auto. This is my first auto 4x4 its a TDI and I would not go back to a manual in a 4x4. I used to think the only way to go in a 4x4 was man. Down hills there is a slight disadvantage in engine braking, the TC will not lock up at this speed, but it will bind up if you keep the revs around 1500 - 2k. This means throttle not braking. I do use the brakes tho and I disagree with traditional 4x4ers in thet I dont have a problem riding the brakes the whole time if needed. It does not cost much or take long to change 4 disk pad sets and I dont seem to go through em any more than a manual car. Obviously the two downsides to auto is less power and more juice, I have that problem but the tdi is so efficient I dont care. What I gain is a hell of a lot better drive, better ability off road, nice on road and the TC is probably the best thing off road for hard stuff. As the name of the unit describes, it really does give you massive amounts of torque when you need it down low, sometimes you would need to slip the clutch a lot if it was manual. I really think the TC is the best off road tool.

Hi Kev,
Just thought l'd add my 2c worth regarding auto driving style.

We have an 80 series 4500 auto (const 4wd). Most of our club trips are done in the High Country of Vic. More often than not, we see ourselves on steep and loose terrain. Driving uphill is similar as a manual other than downchanges are possible.
Thus picture the scene:
Long greasy uphill, attack in 2L as revs start to drop, knock back to 1st (aid tyre tread clearance) ang get revs back.
This has kept me moving on a few occassions.

On same hill, came to a stop as guy in front got stuck and we caught him up. Couldn't get moving again, just wheelspin
Spin up & forward until car stops moving, backoff accel, car slips backwards (dont let torq conv unlock fully), at original start position spin up again. Repeat a few times, wheelspin dries out track beneath wheel and after maybe 6 runs is dry enough to gain momentum to keep going.

Downhill on a freshly dozered track in Butcher Country on Queens birtday w/end. It was the scariest track l've ever driven!
Car fitted with ladder chains to back axle, descend in 1L, allowing engine braking to slow car only. No footbrake use. Car trying to change ends and needing slight accel at times. Touch brakes as car comes to washaways on track.
The auto did not cause any trouble at all.

On rocks, the footbrake is used to balance the car while clambering up/down.

Never driven on sand with mine but lots of advice that it doesn't bog as easily as a manual.
One guy in our club has just swapped out his 80 TD manual box for an auto in the same car. Some of our TD owners don't like that when the TD is not pulling hard on the turbo, it is gutless. Just depends on the individuals usage l suppose.

Hope this helps - Oh, wouldn't swap my auto, no way!
BoB

Hi Kev
Mine is auto and would not have it any other way. I have a transmission locker fitted which overrides the lock-up clutch in the torque converter which gives downhill engine braking similar to a manual, can even stall the engine if you try hard, only use it for downhill or towing on the highway its the best compromise in the auto /manual debate, gives the best of both worlds
Regards Kev

Another vote for Auto.
Im converting the Patrol to Auto soon...

For steep descents, manual is the way to go, especially diesel! But in just about every other terrain, auto's will hold their own, in some cases be a better option than a manual.
The stall recovery is easier.... stop the car with the footbrake, apply the handbrake, check track, wheels placement etc.... select reverse, release handbrake, release footbrake and reverse down the hill, feathering brakes IF you REALLY need to. (Auto's tend to "run away" but remember that locked up wheels don't steer too well.)
Mates that have auto's use them in "drive" and lock 1st or 2nd in when (if ?)necessary

I may stand corrected but I would think a 100 series turbo diesel auto would be a great truck!

Just my opinion

Cheers
Brian

Auto, no question. Get a Pajero auto and you can drive it like a clutchless manual. Only place a manual is better is on VERY steep descents which may account for about 0.000001% of your driving experience. I find the engine breaking of my Paj more than adequate. I'm not into kamikaze descents ;-)

With an auto stall recoveries are a thing of the past. If you get stuck on a hill the Paj auto has a Hill Hold mode where selecting 2nd gear (with engine running of course) will hold it on any slope. When ready to move off just select reverse as you would in a manual and off you go.

Hi Kev

Don't think the one is better than other , there are differences in how each perform and often these are overidden by differences in any given model range.

Best to to try to fully appreciate the various features and go for what suits yours.

I settled on the patrol series and choose manual , but recently I got sick and simply couldn't change gears in it as any twisting would cause real pain in chest.

For a month I effectivily swapped cars and drove wifes RAV 4wd.

It was just so easy , but even over the month I couldn't get used to the imprecisness of the auto and was happy to be back able to be back in my manual Patrol.

Robin Miller

I've had two manuals and an Auto. One Manual was a petrol, the other was a TD and the auto is a TD.

I think it's fair to say that I reguarly do all types of terrain, from mud and rocks and steep hills, highway, gravel roads, grey sandcroper sand (can be nasty stuff) and beachs and dune work.

I'll tell you now, get the auto.

People who claim that they cannot drive autos on steep inclines/declines are only saying so because they have not learnt how to drive them correctly. And that's fair enough, it is completley different to driving a manual in those conditions.

Generally for VERY steep work you use the brake and throttle together to alows the engines power to prevent the drive wheels from locking up under brakes, allowing extremely slow driving in the steepest conditions. I honestly believe that I can drive my surf slower down steep sand dunes or over rocks slower than I could the TD manual by using this technique. With a manual you cannot do this unless you heal toe the brake, which really isn't and option in the rough stuff unless your a very bloody good driver.

In the sand, up hills it's always in the big "D", down hills it's usually second low or first low if required.

Some people claim it takes the fun out of driving, but honestly, changing gear 367 time before lunch on a rough rocky track is not my idea of fun...

You also get less throttle bounce as the torque convertor absorbs a lot of this, making it more comfortable for you and your passengers as well as saving your transfer, gearbox, diff, uni's ect from all that stress.

You can still rock your 4by out of a bog with an auto in high range 1st.

The only problem with autos are:
1. Don't get water in the breathers (extended breathers are a good option, but this really is the case with manuals too).
2. DON'T get a flat battery when you're out by yourself. That's a big oppsy daisy as you cannot roll start.