New Small Car Shopping... Avoid Ford 6-spd automatic and japanese CVT???

[ozley]

I'm not saying it's a good purchase or not, just curious if you've researched the Dodge Dart at all?

The Dart is a Alfa Romeo under that Dodge skin.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

As many of you know... Mom's pride and joy Corolla was stolen 2 weeks ago.

Insurance said we should be thinking about a replacement.

Looked at a ton of cars and she really does not care for the new Honda and Toyota small car offerings.

Cars she does like are the 2015 Ford Fiesta and Fusion...

Was getting close to pulling the trigger and then a trusted mechanic friend said his advice is to avoid the 6-spd Automatic.SelectShift at all cost from Ford and the many CVT offerings from companies like VW, Toyota, Honda, Subaru...

Also said the manuals are fine... it's just the "Automatics"

The Ford salesman said this morning that problem is behind them and the 2015 are rock solid 6-spd Automatics...

At this point... don't know what to think...

The last thing Mom needs is a car that's in the shop...

We sure have been spoiled by her 14 year trouble free Corolla that was built right here in California!!!

The issue is that Ford, like Honda has been doing for decades as well as super cars, uses a manual transmission that is automated by two clutches. Here on TBN people seem to like hydroshuttles, effectively an automated manual transmission that functions sort of the same way.

Anyway, because of different loads, and different terrain, sometimes the automated clutch is a bit abrupt and people don't like that. Both the Fiesta and Focus are top picks in their class and so most people have never had issues. Honda also has had people complain for decades about its transmissions and the complaints are the same as Fords. It really comes down to expectations: do you expect a silky smooth slush box or can you tolerate crisp gear selection? If you want silky smooth shifts under power, the transmission will wear its clutch faster.

CVTs, a different animal altogether, especially the later versions tend to rock.

Here is a sensationalizing article about the automated manual transmissions. Investigation finds hundreds of complaints about Ford transmissions | Investigations - WTAE Home

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ It could very well be expectation plays a big part...

Still on the hunt and it will be interesting to see what we eventually end up with...

 

[MinnesotaEric]

^^^ It could very well be expectation plays a big part...

Still on the hunt and it will be interesting to see what we eventually end up with...

If you're in a hilly area, you may want to focus (pardon the pun) on CVT transmissions. Consider the automated manual transmission: Car computers "learn" how people drive and if you're easy on the pedal, they will shift easier. But if you're in hilly areas, you'll want the car to shift firmer or faster, but then after a drive of shifting harder, you get to a flat part of your and the computer is still shifting gears hard, when you expect a softer shift, and you think you've got a transmission problem and bring it to the dealer when in point of fact, nothing is really wrong, it is just that the computer isn't "learning" fast enough to accommodate changing conditions.

With a CVT, which is effectively gearless, you're alway in the right "gear" for the load and speed demanded by the driver. The first CVTs were considered poor by drivability standards because people didn't feel them "shift." The next batch and people complained about the "shift points," all of which have been simulated anyway. Nowadays, CVT drivability of where and when the simulated shift points should happen have been settled and you should expect super long life out of them.

 

[KennyG]

cvt's are not all alike

True.

As far as I know all the Toyota and Ford hybrids have CVTs with almost no problems. I have two Ford hybrids and you wouldn't even know there is a transmission there - it just goes.

 

[aczlan]

With a CVT, which is effectively gearless, you're alway in the right "gear" for the load and speed demanded by the driver. The first CVTs were considered poor by drivability standards because people didn't feel them "shift." The next batch and people complained about the "shift points," all of which have been simulated anyway. Nowadays, CVT drivability of where and when the simulated shift points should happen have been settled and you should expect super long life out of them.

Sidetracking a little here, at what model year would you say that a Ford CVT is good? Half tempted to start looking at a Freestyle/Taurus X in the nest year or so and it looks like the older (pre '06?) 4wd models were only available with the CVT transmission.

Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[Garandman]

I should ask if you would consider selling... the Cruze pictured is very similar appearance wise right down to the spoiler and blacked out window trim.

When I visited the Chevrolet Dealer... Volt was the one car they wanted to put us in... Over 14 years, Mom has put on 60k miles with no Freeway the last few years unless I'm driving her out to one of my brother's homes.

The Volt must be on the same platform because we are using Volt alloy wheels for winter tires.....The TD and Eco have a bunch of aerodynamic tricks like a thermostatically controlled lower intake shroud, trunk lid spoiler, and smooth panels underneath to reduce drag.

But a lot of Gen X'ers won't buy "American" cars because they grew up with their parents' Hondas and Toyotas. Millenials are back buying domestic brands.

I like to make fun of the Prius and their often sanctimonious owners, but they have proven themselves quite reliable and economical in city use.

 

[ultrarunner]

My one and only new car is a BMW 325iT I bought when in Germany in 2002... it's been a great car and still my road car for runs from SF to Seattle...

Than said it did have an adaptive transmission that had a service bulletin out on... I had no trouble until one day I noticed this big truck barrel down at me while I was stopped at a stop sign... I punched the accelerator which I never do and got out of the way just in time...

Anyway... for several weeks that transmission slammed the gears something fierce... mentioned it to BMW and learned about the Service Bulletin and the last 11 years have been silky smooth.

 

[ultrarunner]

Pulled the trigger tonight and Mom has a white Corolla S with factory sunroof back in driveway... it was not cheap.

On the other hand it had 23,000 miles and Toyota certified plus the 7 year 100k powertrain warranty after the full warranty is up in about a year.

Mom will be 81 in a few days and I want her to be happy and get the theft of her first Toyota behind her...

Never really thought of Toyota as foreign because the Pontiac, Chevrolet and Toyota cars were made on the same assembly line at the NUMMI plant in Fremont California for almost 30 years... had a lot of UAW friends that were happy working there...

 

[Cat_Driver]

Wife is mad at me. I usually buy her a new car when the old one starts having problems. I bought he a new 2006 Jeep Commander in 2006. Here it is 2015 and she has 150K miles on it and we haven't put a dime in repairs in it. Just shocks, tires, battery, wiper blades etc. So you can see why she's mad - NO CAR FOR YOU !
Still runs like the day we picked it up, solid as a tank.