auto or manual diesel p38?

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gfromleeds

gfromleeds

Well-Known Member
Posts
2,234
Location
leeds. westyorkshire, uk
Im looking for a new motor
It will be a p38 it will be diesel but i dont know wether it should be manual or auto!
Whats best on the dse's auto box or manual?
It will be mostly driving around town but will need to pull a 1.6 Tonne caravan regular
I like the lazyness of autos but i heer if i get a powerbox it will chew the auto gearbox up! Will the manual handel it?
What are the mpg/ performance differances? I have a heavy right foot and like to use it
Another thing if anyones selling one i could take a look im holding 3k and a px/sell of £1500 worth of vectra diesel
 
Last edited:
Auto.

The derv suffers huge amounts of turbo lag. It is masked well with the auto box, with the manual you need heaps of clutch slippage. The manual is a slightly more robust box (handy if you want to tune your engine for more BOOOOOOST!) but the auto wins hands down. I have towed a makeshift trailer that was probably nudging 2.5ton with my derv auto and although you knew it was there, the engine still pulled well and the box was quite happy, with no more silly shifts up and down the box than it would solo. Using the selector to force a gear came in handy here.

I would sell mine as it'd keep the boss- not t'other half but my actual boss who pays my wages- happy. But I know I'd only want another one.
 
Bix said:
Auto.

The derv suffers huge amounts of turbo lag. It is masked well with the auto box, with the manual you need heaps of clutch slippage. The manual is a slightly more robust box (handy if you want to tune your engine for more BOOOOOOST!) but the auto wins hands down. I have towed a makeshift trailer that was probably nudging 2.5ton with my derv auto and although you knew it was there, the engine still pulled well and the box was quite happy, with no more silly shifts up and down the box than it would solo. Using the selector to force a gear came in handy here.

I would sell mine as it'd keep the boss- not t'other half but my actual boss who pays my wages- happy. But I know I'd only want another one.
Click to expand...
Tell the boss to go take a fecking jump....

I must be very lucky, I have a girlfriend who understands the vagaries of Range Rover ownership, and a boss who just laughs at me eachtime I need a day off to fix it...(he knows I work all hours under the sun and moon in anycase, so he knows he owes me the time back anyway).
 
I must be realy lucky then
Its my wifes idea to get another rangie
We had one about 1.5 years ago and we caravaned nearly every weekend but since then i keep telling her the vectra cant pull it (it can but it looks daft, its a big caravan) and now the summers coming round again ;-)
 
Saint.V8 said:
Tell the boss to go take a fecking jump....

I must be very lucky, I have a girlfriend who understands the vagaries of Range Rover ownership, and a boss who just laughs at me eachtime I need a day off to fix it...(he knows I work all hours under the sun and moon in anycase, so he knows he owes me the time back anyway).
Click to expand...

It all started as gentle ribbing because they were daft issues at first. But just recently he has defiantly been trying to force my hand, even to the point of getting one of his "mates" in (one of the dodgiest garages/dealers in the area) to value my vehicle. I was quite annoyed tbh. It is between me and my bank manager what vehicle I rock.

But I have decided it probably won't hurt to get a cheap run about (MX5 by the looks of it) so I have a standby.
 
Auto every time, you need a hydraulic left leg for the clutch on the manual. Not much power below 2500rpm which is masked nicely by the torque convertor.
Gearbox is not that expensive to replace and frequent oil changes will help it survive if you up the power and it is possible to uprate the box.
Touring in the UK up in the Pennines I got close to 22mpg with the caravan.
 
gfromleeds said:
No!! got to be diesel
I work as a truck driver and thats all im saying lol
Click to expand...

I am truck driver as well ;)

Sooo, what is the deal with the power box then , on mine i have a psi power box and also read they chew up the auto box so want to remove it but i did not put it on ! so not sure how to remove :confused

Is the info right that it will / could break an auto box.

In answer to your question i also had a p38 DT manual and found it OK pulling the caravan unless you had to pull off / standing start on a hill then it would struggle with the van on the back.
 
I didn't like the autos, I thought the manual is better, but as has been said strong leg and lots of revs required, the diesel has a strange throttle too , very looong.....
 
Datatek said:
you need a hydraulic left leg for the clutch on the manual.
Click to expand...

Total Bollocks, they aren't as light as a modern car/van, but on a par with a defender, a heavy clutch is a Atkinson Borderer with a Gardener 180 or 240 (no power assist at, all mechanical linkage).



Datatek said:
Not much power below 2500rpm which is masked nicely by the torque convertor.
Gearbox is not that expensive to replace and frequent oil changes will help it survive if you up the power and it is possible to uprate the box.
Touring in the UK up in the Pennines I got close to 22mpg with the caravan.
Click to expand...

A better DIY rebuild/repair option, than a auto witch craft cost alot box.
 
zzr1200 said:
Total Bollocks, they aren't as light as a modern car/van, but on a par with a defender, a heavy clutch is a Atkinson Borderer with a Gardener 180 or 240 (no power assist at, all mechanical linkage).





A better DIY rebuild/repair option, than a auto witch craft cost alot box.
Click to expand...
An exchange re-con auto is £800 with a 12 month warranty, a rebuild kit for DIY under £200.
The manual clutch is a pain in the leg in traffic.
 
jamesmartin said:
what do you get in a rebuild kit ?
Click to expand...
Can't remember:( Twas sometime ago I found it, just have a note of the price for reference, I think it was clutches.
Decided it was not within my capabilities to strip the thing and get it back together, so it was not of interest.
Just got round to pricing up a replacement from Ashcrofts and what do you know? The damn box has started working perfectly. Wife say's the car is female and doesn't fancy letting strangers get their hands up it's skirts:rolleyes:
 
datatek said:
auto every time, you need a hydraulic left leg for the clutch on the manual. Not much power below 2500rpm which is masked nicely by the torque convertor.
Gearbox is not that expensive to replace and frequent oil changes will help it survive if you up the power and it is possible to uprate the box.
Touring in the uk up in the pennines i got close to 22mpg with the caravan.
Click to expand...
+1
 
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