How bad on an EK auto compare to a manual??

Guys,

what would you reckon when comparing a EK auto and manual?

the reason is i'm starting to get sick of a manual as i do a long drive everyday, most of the time in the traffic and city.

thinking about selling my EK manual and get something else, but have to be small, cheap on fuel, AUTO. so, i could not see myself in anything else apart from another civic, prefer EK cause 1.6L engine but not too sure about an auto.

so, can anyone comment on this? does anyone going from a manual to an auto? any feedback on an EK auto? even better if you guys drove both auto and manual

much appreciate for your info

cheers

We have an EK GLi Auto. If I cut the floor panels out and imitated Fred Flintstone it would go faster than the auto compared to a Spanish* gearbox.







*Manuel

Can't comment on an EK, but the differences between my ED9 CRX (D16A8 manual) and the wifes EG5 Civic hatch (D16A8 auto) is very noticable performance wise. The auto is a slug, but in traffic so much easier to drive. Fuel consumption wise, manual will always beat auto (especially under 2 ltrs).

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Originally Posted by Setanta

We have an EK GLi Auto. If I cut the floor panels out and imitated Fred Flintstone it would go faster than the auto compared to a Spanish* gearbox.

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are you serious?

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Originally Posted by hondapop

Can't comment on an EK, but the differences between my ED9 CRX (D16A8 manual) and the wifes EG5 Civic hatch (D16A8 auto) is very noticable performance wise. The auto is a slug, but in traffic so much easier to drive. Fuel consumption wise, manual will always beat auto (especially under 2 ltrs).

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that's the reason, easy to drive. i don't expect an auto to be better to drive just bit worry about slug tho. how bad up hills?

I have an auto integra and a manual civic. The auto B18 is slow but it's adequate for daily driving, is still way faster than lots of cars on the road. Can't speak for the auto D16 though. Too easy/effortless to drive in traffic.

Can still engine brake downhill by pushing it into 3, same for uphill.

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Originally Posted by subie

are you serious?


that's the reason, easy to drive. i don't expect an auto to be better to drive just bit worry about slug tho. how bad up hills?

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Yes and it's a total slug. Driving through Mittagong, I've found that moving to the left is mandatory driving the GLi. Foot to the floor it "will" do 110 (engine is in excellent working order btw, as is the slushbox) - the auto really feels sluggish on hills.

Sadly, on the freeway my auto 2.7l BMW gets the same fuel consumption as my 1.8 manual DC2R - 7.4-7.6l/100km. Then again, the "eta" beemer does 110 @ 2800rpm tops while the 'teg is spinning a lot more - similar weight as the E30 might weigh 100 kilos more at most. Around town the Honda has the edge, but not by much as the BMW literally idles around the 'burbs.

Having driven the Beemer, the DC2R, '74 EB manual Civic 1200cc, manual EF9 Civic, manual ED Civic, manual Suzuki Gti, auto '1964 EH Holden and auto EK Gli Civic over the Mittagong hills, the EK Auto is the last car on that list that could handle it and the least reassuring out of the lot to get me out of danger if I had to move fast. Think about that... I rated my old 43 yo trimatic auto EH Holden and a 1170cc manual 4 speed Civic over the auto EK :D Hell, I'll toss in all my manual TA22 Celicas, my manual Datsun 240K-GT and even my old '79 Statesman Deville over it (ok, the Datto and the Deville aren't playing fair, but I omitted my old SLR5000 :D ).

Auto-tragic behind a SOHC 1500-1600cc EK is... tragic.

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Originally Posted by subie

are you serious?


that's the reason, easy to drive. i don't expect an auto to be better to drive just bit worry about slug tho. how bad up hills?

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Hills is where you notice it most, have to plant the pedal to get any feeling of "go" out of it. Even the lady we bought it off commented on this, but my wife wanted a small car,auto,A/C and P/S and I thought that because she (the seller) only used it to go to work (about 10Km) it would improve with good running. It has, but not startlingly. I also have a DA9 Teg B18A auto which the wife won't drive (too big) and the difference is quite marked. Where the EG feels like you want to get out and push it, the Teg has much more torque and power available but does use more fuel. I can tow a 8 x4 trailer loaded with gravel with that, I wouldn't attempt to do the same with the auto EG.

we have an automatic 2004 Corolla Ascent (facelift) as a daily - its brilliant
never has a problem with traffic or hills

its not a power house - but it has enough torque to get around most traffic obstacles

the newer (2000+) accord autos also have a bit more torque and have great fuel economy

WOW! thanks for all the info, i might have to reconsider on an auto EK, but don't know what to get tho???

ek auto aint that bad man come on now man lol..

they are worse on fuel than manuals, thats for sure, and more expensive to fix if they fail. ive know a few to loose some if not all the gears from abuse or low oil level. I drove an EF5 4WD from the centre of London back home (about 40miles) with only 'first' and 'second' gear, it just wouldn't change up. not cool on the second busiest motorway in england. this then almost immediately blew the headgasket due to having to rev it so high

a mate of mine has a JDM import EK4 siR (B16A). it was a factory auto but we swapped the box for a manual hydro box last year. He only bought an auto version as he had an operation on his knee, so was easier to drive. thats the only time i would get one to be honest. another mate of mine had a Del Sol siR auto for about 2 weeks before he sold it, the auto box was pretty crap to be honest on a B16, it would change at around 7000rpm. I've never liked any of the auto boxes, from '88 all the way to '00, and dont seem to be as well made or last as long as the manual boxes, especially the cable ones on pre 1991

The best thing you can do is see if you can find one for sale and try it out, but give it a good tryout, see if you'd be happy using it. There is no doubt about it, in stop/start traffic auto is a boon and you can creep along just using the brake with just the occasional bit of throttle. (left foot braking, but be careful if you jump back into a manual haha)

A good test for an auto's condition is if there's any delay in the drive takeup when shifting from reverse to drive or vise-versa. If there is and it bumps into the other direction then there could be issues internally. I'm talking about say, when reversing out of a driveway and then moving off forward, not something you would do at speed.