Stop-Start on cars

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

I haven't seen a handbrake on US made vehicles for ages, they have a foot operated emergency brake, that's either released by pressing it with your left foot or a handle near the hood release.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

I like all the bells and whistles on my truck, park assist, gives a warning when backing up of objects that are getting close, adjustment of brake and accelerator pedals, electric adjustment of driver and passenger seats, all the dash readouts like outside temp, average fuel usage, tyre pressures, transmission temps, engine temp, electrically adjusted mirrors, hill start brake, and much more...

 

[philmayfield 6,107]

I've got to confess, as a 'gadget man' I like all the bells and whistles too. I did see a Morgan parked outside my local as I drove past today and it did evoke a certain yearning though! 

[LizzieM 9,504]

I never use the handbrake, just always leave my car in ‘park’

[nonnaB 4,894]

A habit here I'm afraid. When I drive anyone else's car it makes me jump when it's in gear. Italians are taught to park in gear. 

[Brew 5,404]

Lets face it  a car is basically a box with a wheel on each corner. They can make them vary slightly in shape and colour but basically they're all much of a muchness. So what can the manufacturers do to persuade you buy their cars rather than a competitors? Gadgets. More and more gadgets to differentiate the models, gadgets that are very rarely used but 'must haves'. My seats do all sorts of things but once adjusted they stay that way and I'm then just hauling around the dead weight of motors and compressors etc.

The gadgets they fit are usually electronic and the cheapest part of the construction, they're also the easiest to copy so we quickly get to a point where manufacturers are chasing their tail wondering what to fit next and how to persuade customers they really, really do need it.

[Beekay 5,133]

Lizzie, what do you mean when you say, " I leave my car in park "? I thought that was what the handbrake was for. A parking brake.

Nonna, I'm like you, I park the car in first or reverse gear and handbrake off. Of course I'm talking about parking at home on level ground.

If anyone nudges you the car tends to rock a little and absorb the bump. If the handbrake is full on the car becomes an immovable object, 

Hey Presto ! One nice new dent.

[Brew 5,404]

The 'P' (park) position is for parking on an automatic and locks the transmission.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

I'm a pickup truck man myself, mostly as I haul a fair amount of junk around and I like the power for towing a trailer.

As you say, P = Park and locks the transmission, never tried it, but I'm assuming you cannot remove the ignition key unless it's in park, I'll try tomorrow as I have to run an errand.

 

I always used to park a manual in gear, 1st looking up a hill or on the level, and reverse when pointing down a hill, plus the handbrake/emergency brake.

 

[Beekay 5,133]

Baled me out again Brew, thank you. Personally, I've never driven an automatic. Ayup , I'd love a pick up truck but where they are too big where I live. You would look a right Prat with delusions of grandeur. B.

[LizzieM 9,504]

I’ve had automatics for the past 30 odd years and only driven a manual if it was a rental car.  I’d hate to have a Manual car now, it’s too much like hard work.   My car has a button which is a parking brake but I’ve never used it. 

[letsavagoo 960]

In relation to stop start. The start system is engineered to withstand the increase in use. It's not a standard starter with just the SS system in place. It is designed to reduce fuel consumption and pollution. My previous diesel car had it but my current petrol car does not. I still average about 65 mpg. I miss stop start which you soon get used to. 

[FLY2 10,108]

I've only ever had one automatic car. A Triumph 2000 Estate, in the mid 70's. Absolutely brilliant for towing the caravan. So smooth.

[Rob.L 1,086]

The only car I have had with stop/start was a Hyundai ix20, manual gearbox and tiny 1.4 diesel engine. The stop/start only worked occasionally, but was only intended to cut in when the engine was fully up to temperature, and the battery fully charged anyway.

 

The idea was to save fuel, but as the engine wouldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding, I wasn’t even able to use top (6th) gear anywhere, even on motorways, so fuel economy was rubbish.

 

Boy, was I glad to see the back of that lemon.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

None of the big three produce manuals here anymore, sadly they decided autos are more fuel efficient than manuals. GM stopped some years back as did Ford, and Chrysler's last model, a Jeep, was last year, so the only choice is imported models if you want manual. I prefer manual's as I had more control, like going down steep hills with a load, drop down a gear or two.

Even the big rigs are coming in autos these days, watching trucker videos on Youtube, some don't like them, one said backing an auto with a trailer takes some getting used to as it's so easy to drain the air tank, then have to build up air pressure to release the brakes. They do have control over which gear they can select going down steep grades.

 

[philmayfield 6,107]

I presume your automatics have flappy paddles behind the steering wheels. You just change up or down with these. I’ve not had a manual on a normal car for years. My last manual was on my Lotus Elise 111S which, as a ‘proper’ sports-car, had to be manual. Autos are faster accelerating and more economical. Not that I drive for economy!

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

No phil, the only way to select manual on my truck is to stop, shift the selector to far right, and then press a button on the dash to get 1 through 6 gears. I wouldn't dare do it while in motion though, same with 4wd hi or low, stop, select neutral, then switch to 4WD hi or low, once the light stops flashing, back into manually selected gear or Drive. I run in "auto select" on 4WD, although it runs in 2WD, if it senses wheel slip it engages drive to the other wheels and brakes the spinning wheel/s.

[philmayfield 6,107]

I thought you guys were high tech across the pond!

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Mine's a 2011 truck, no idea what the new one's have Phil. On my steering wheel on the left is the cruise control engage and up speed lower speed buttons, right hand side are the radio volume and select station buttons, all the rest are on the dashboard.

[philmayfield 6,107]

I think flappy paddles for gear changing are a relatively recent innovation on mass market automatic cars although Ferrari’s have had them for many years. Pretty well all automatics have them now. Unless you want to put your car into ‘sport mode’ and drive like your backside’s on fire you may as well let the transmission take care of itself. They are useful for dropping down a gear on hill descents. My last car had a ‘launch control’ where you revved it and then floored it. A bit childish really. I only ever used it a couple of times to demonstrate to my scared passengers but I could see no practical use for it. I have no desire to be first away from the traffic lights these days and drive in a laid back elderly manner. All I want is comfort without the hassle!

[denshaw 2,871]

I've been thinking about getting an automatic, when I have looked at the figures they are slower and less economic than manual.

[philmayfield 6,107]

I don't think you will find that to be the case with modern autos. I really can't see the point in driving a manual car these days. They may be a little cheaper to buy but when you've driven an auto you will never want to go back to manual ever again. Try one. You'll love it!

[LizzieM 9,504]

My Dad had only ever driven a manual car but when he was into his 80’s and suffering from arthritis all over we persuaded him to buy an automatic Corsa, he soon got used to it and loved it.  Then he became a little dangerous to himself and other road users so we put the car in his garage so he couldn’t get to it, his arthritic disabilities prevented him from opening the up-and-over garage door .......  we felt cruel but it had to done.  

[Oztalgian 3,265]

Most cars here are automatic, not that often you see a manual gearbox.

Just taken delivery of a new car, an auto with a CVT which if you use in manual mode has ten "fixed" ratios.

There are 19 buttons on the steering wheel?

When in cruise control it has radar controlled autonomous braking and lane guidance which gently steers you back into the centre of the lane if you start to drift out. When on high beam the headlights can dip automatically when it senses another cars lights coming towards you.

The forward facing cameras can identify road speed limit signs and warn you if you are speeding. I do like the blind spot monitoring in the wing mirrors, very useful. However the bloody thing is always beeping at you or chastising you if you go too fast or drive for too long and warning you about something or other that you don't really care about. The manual for the command module is 3/4 in thick and the car even has apps?

What it really needs is a really large STFU button that negates the need to read the manual to learn how to turn things off.

[philmayfield 6,107]

Following up on Denshaw's comments about automatics being slower I would remind him that all F1 cars are automatics and with flappy paddles. Go on, give it a go - you know you really want one!