Automatic Vs Manual - Is the Auto a "Drivers" car?

[OzAdventura Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close OzAdventura]

Hello,
I am interested to hear from people who own a 150 Series Diesel Auto OR Manual. In Oct “11 I placed a deposit for a Prado GXL 150 D4D Manual, after some thought I took a stab and changed it to an Auto. As no dealer anywhere near me has either to test drive I’ve posted this question to see what other owners think. Gotta do something to kill my time for the March/April delivery...
PS Yes I’ve read many forum posts about Auto’s/Manuals (PradoPoint has a few good ones) but want to ask a few specific questions.
1. Is the Prado 150 Diesel Auto a “Drivers” car OR is it just a car people drive to get somewhere? Does that make sense?

I mean a vehicle that you jump in and have fun driving, perhaps allowing you to re-live
your teenage youth (until you realise you’re not in a Bugatti Veyron or in the WRC).

My last 4x 4WD’s have been manual’s (’99 Sierra, ’00 Pajero, ’88 LC Bunderra Diesel, ‘02 GU Patrol) and I would have hated every single one in an Auto version. I’ve had many Auto’s for work vehicles including 2x GU Patrols and they were certainly not cars that I enjoyed driving. The Auto Box just did not do any justice to the power plant.

Yes I’m a “manual man” but sometimes the manufacturer just gets it right! We owned a Ford Falcon BF XR6 with the German ZF 6-Speed Auto and this was purely FANTASTIC! Responsive perfectly timed gear changes, adaptive to the driver, changed down 1-2 gears when going downhill on the brakes, etc

So is the Auto in the Prado like the XR6 or a power sucking mis-matched excuse for those that can’t (or don’t want to) drive a manual?

2. Does anyone know the 0-100km/h specs for the Manual & Auto? Couldn’t find on Redbook.


3. Does the Auto change down gears to assist with engine braking (I live in a VERY hilly area)?

4. Is the Auto Adaptive to drivers mood/driving style?

5. DAC (Down hill Assist Control) work in reverse??
Lets say you drive up a difficult (single track) assent, you get ¾ the way up and for whatever reason you decide to abort and reverse down. In a Manual you may perform a Stall (if not already stalled), put both brakes on, change into LOW reverse, gently release brakes, and start the engine over then use the engine braking to control your decent.

What the heck do you do in an Auto? Does DAC help in this situation?

6. Is the Transmission overheating issue with Auto D4D’s fixed for new vehicles? I read that it could in part be as a result of software that short shifts the gears to maximize fuel consumption and use the torque curve of the engine. Do Toyota only change the programming for customers that complain of this issue?

7. What the Auto like for towing? Have a Offroad Camper trailer that could reach 1,000kg fully loaded. Does the Manual outshine here?

Well that’s it. Thanks to all that got this far, and especially those that take the time to respond.

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

only one thing to say . its a diesel dude . is it a drivers car , wtf .

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

1. Is the Auto a "Drivers" car? Are you crazy? Aren't you the driver? Only you can make that call.

2. Its a +2 ton Diesel 4wd. If your concerned about the 0-100km/h differences between auto and manual I think you have the wrong car

3. Haven't a clue with the 150. someone else can answer that

4. Haven't driven one myself but I am led to believe it was one of the major improvements that came with the 5 speed auto replacing old 4 speed

5. See 3. I have get by fine without newfangled gizmos like that so I wouldn't base my decision on that.

6. Yes on both counts I believe (confirmation from a 150 owner perhaps?)

7. Great. No.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

As said the prado in general is not a drivers car and I would suggest the diesel doesn't transform it into one regardless of gearbox. That being said it's a great comfy car to drive but the 550hp VE Clubsport I just sold was a manual and I would say a drivers car.

[daniel Member Find all posts View Profile Close daniel]

maybe we can try save his original post by revamping his question by making it what are the pros and cons of either transmission
say city driving id take a auto but if i was going 4wd id like a manual but this comes down to personal preference
would like to know what every one else has to say on there preference

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

maybe we can try save his original post by revamping his question by making it what are the pros and cons of either transmission
say city driving id take a auto but if i was going 4wd id like a manual but this comes down to personal preference
would like to know what every one else has to say on there preference

Have you ever driven an auto off road? All I can say is makes great entertainment watching those with manuals burn out their clutches on the rock steps. If engine braking is important to you, than its the only real advantage manual transmissions have off road. Every thing else is in the mind of those who have the false belief that manual transmissions have inherently better off road ability.

[stevensr34 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close stevensr34]

...All I can say is makes great entertainment watching those with manuals burn out their clutches on the rock steps...

Why would I ride the clutch going over rock steps in a manual?

You must have been looking at someone that can't drive...

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

I love manual but auto does tend to make rough terrain and rock steps a tonne easier.

[OzAdventura Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close OzAdventura]

only one thing to say . its a diesel dude . is it a drivers car , wtf .

Mate I'm aware it's a 2Tonne Diesel. My question was more relating to how a Transmission can completely change the general feel of a vehicle... One that is a pleasure to drive Vs one that's not.

For example we have 2x new Navara common rail diesel utes in our work fleet. The 6-Speed Manual is awesome, but compare the 5-Speed Auto to the manual and it's is a dog. The workmate who drives the Auto never stops complaining about how it feels much slower, harder to make gaps in traffic, and doesn't change gear when he wants it to.

Like I said no dealer around me has either vehicle for me to test drive, the question asking 0-100km/h specs was to try and get an idea if one was considerably slower than another. Of Course they are not V8's.

I would been keen to hear from people with 150 Auto's. I'm not after generic Pro's and Con's of Auto/Manual's, I'm aware of these.

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

I drive A LOT of km's and I think the auto is great, tows 2.5t with ease. Absolutely no reason to buy a manual.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Does the toyota website have 0-100's ? I've always bought manuals most of my life until the last couple of cars and would never by a manual again (maybe some performance cars) the auto I find easier off road and even just better off road. my auto sometimes labours a bit so you can use the very good sports shift If I feel like extracting more go out of it but the other 95% of the time i'm just cruising the auto is 100% spot on. If you want more of a drivers car you should be asking V6 or diesel?

[OzAdventura Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close OzAdventura]

Does the toyota website have 0-100's ? I've always bought manuals most of my life until the last couple of cars and would never by a manual again (maybe some performance cars) the auto I find easier off road and even just better off road. my auto sometimes labours a bit so you can use the very good sports shift If I feel like extracting more go out of it but the other 95% of the time i'm just cruising the auto is 100% spot on. If you want more of a drivers car you should be asking V6 or diesel?

V6 Vs Diesel Very true. But I'm sold on diesel for good low down torque & fuel consumption. The last 2x 4WD's I've owned have been diesel, found them so much easier to "chug" over tough bits rather than user a higher rev's or speed that some petrol's may need.

Does your auto drop down gears to assist with engine braking on the road?

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

V6 Vs Diesel Very true. But I'm sold on diesel for good low down torque & fuel consumption. The last 2x 4WD's I've owned have been diesel, found them so much easier to "chug" over tough bits rather than user a higher rev's or speed that some petrol's may need.

Does your auto drop down gears to assist with engine braking on the road?

Mine in low range will chug over anything at even the lowest of speeds but the V6 has got me up big sands dunes because of outright grunt that diesels didn't get up because they kept dropping off boost and dying in the ar$e. each to there own but if you like a bit of spirited driving now and then 202kw's can be fun.If you are towing regularly the diesel economy is much better day to day 4ish litres per hundred more using cheaper fuel than diesel and $1000 extra to spend on fuel when you purchase the car (cheaper purchase price) has to be considered. Both motors are great I think the D4D is a great workhorse.Mine does drop down gears to assist engine breaking.

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

Why would I ride the clutch going over rock steps in a manual?

You must have been looking at someone that can't drive...

Correct. Stalling is the other one novice manual drivers like to do in the rough. I know there are plenty of people who know how to use a manual transmission properly. My comment was aimed at the bold statement that manual transmissions are the obvious choice for off road use. Most people who say that have no basis for it. Engine braking aside, there's not a lot else in favour of a manual transmission unless you just enjoy making your driving experience more difficult.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Auto all the way