Manual v S Tronic Gearboxes

ScottishA4B9

ScottishA4B9

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Am I the only person on here that has ordered a manual gearbox in their new B9?

Manual gearboxes used to be far more popular then auto boxes, even in the B8. So I'm wondering what's changed?

It's always stated that a manual gearbox makes a car a more drivers focused machine.

Granted the S Tronic boxes are the best autos I've driven. I'm just wondering why the majority of people on here are ordering them?

Is it just that times have changed and auto boxes are the default gearbox now?
 
I'm lazy and would rather rest my left foot :)
 
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I think it's rather the fact that for company car drivers and private, the fact that having an Auto barely impacts your MPG/ Co2 has a lot to do with the trend change....
 
Or a manual quattro...
 
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@Krusovice Would you have a manual in your 3L if it was available?

I see all the disappointment people have with the new S4 being auto only!

I do see that the S Tronic is only about 2-3 mpg worse than the manual which is nothing really.

I do appreciate the lazy driving of an auto sometimes but I love a manual overall. Audi manuals are by far the best manual gearboxes out there!

I really fancied a Quattro this time but I think Audi have shot themselves in the foot by only making it available with the S Tronic. That makes it over £3k more expensive if you want the Quattro.

I mean, you can have a manual X-drive 3 Series for a small price over the standard RWD.
 
10 years ago yes but now no, it would be worth a test drive to see the difference if it were available, esp if with Quattro too.
Auto's are so much better these days, hadn't driven one for years, then had a go in a Nissan GTR when it came out - wow, super quick, reminded me of F1 kind of change speed (at the time).
 
I do appreciate all big performance cars have auto boxes these days. That's to do with them being stronger though isn't it?

So is it going to be the case that most B9's are going to be Autos? If so it might make my 'rare' manual worth abit more in the future as there will be hardly any about.

I mean, has this just happened overnight? The vast majority of B8/B8.5's are manuals, so what's caused the change?

Or is it just the case that there hasn't been a change and it just so happens that most people on here have ordered Autos. (Ok so this excludes 3.0l owners as they are auto only).
 
I have always had manual cars. In fact they stopped offering them on the 3.0tdi soon after I bought my last one in 2012.
So I reluctantly decided that it would have to be auto. On long journeys and stop start traffic the auto is definitely a better option though.
Autos are getting so good now I don't think I will look back.
 
I think the reason lots of people are going S-Tronic is because the emissions are very similar to a manual for the first time. This makes a huge difference for company car drivers.
In my opinion, this new A4 is meant to be an auto. It just works better with the electric parking brake, cruise control and the hill hold assist.
 
I do hear that about the new S Tronic boxes, that once you get used to it, you wouldn't go back.

I have to admit, I had no issues with it at all in any of the loan cars I had fitted with it.
 
I bought a 59 plate avant S Tronic and it failed in the first 24 hrs of ownership, dumped it and got a manual !

I've got a 65 plate A1 S Tronic as a courtesy car at moment and its horrible, doesn't know what gear to choose, laggy performance and just plain miserable. Manual all the way for me
 
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Quite, I have never got on with them, too many charateristics similar to auto's of old, they are a pain to drive smoothly in traffic, and yes the mpg does suffer if you do a lot of stop start urban driving, and I disagree that they sit well with the eb and hill hold. S-tronics to me are just a few steps from a totally automated car..
 
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To answer the original question is it still the case that the s-tronic version still costs more than the manual version (for the same model where 'box is an option)? If so I'd understand that drivers who have been used to a manual will not want to pay the extra for the s-tronic.

When I decided to move on from my B5 S4 I wondered if I would want my next car to be a manual or an automatic. Once I had decided that I would buy a B8.5 S5 I realised that I had no choice in the matter. However after a year's ownership I can confidently say that given the choice I will NOT go back to manual. Personally speaking I find the s-tronic to be better than manual. I would very much like to hear other people's criticisms of s-tronic because I just don't see any fault with it.
 
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Great post Dippy. I think your comments are spot on and the overwhelming majority of people seem to agree with you.
Every review I read or watch always features the S-Tronic and not the manual and they always seem to like it.
 
I use my car for commuting so am pleased to have S Tronic. Plus I couldn't order my S4 in manual form. I think it probably suits larger cars and engines best so can see it being annoying in an A1. I won't be going back to manual though. Love the S Tronic. This is my first auto car.
 
I must admit I'm very unsure on the auto boxes. I have a 3.0 TDI B8 with manual box and it's nice to be able to get that extra performance when you want it as much as you want it.

I drove a 245bhp S-Tronic A6 Avant recently and wasn't overly that impressed. Driving at 50mph and the gearbox was sat in 7th struggling to do much when you put your foot down until the car decided 5th would be better. In manual mode it was fantastic but that kind of defeats the point.

I'm also a little bit put off by all the recent issues on the B8 - admittadly you always here more about the broken vs working fine but they're bloomin' expensive when they go wrong.

I imagine driving it longer term I would get used to it more but from a test drive perspective, I wouldn't be keen on jumping in to an auto all that readily.

I'm kind of set on the 3.0 TDIs though so guess not much of a choice come next time. :(
 
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The auto boxes do favour economy in D mode. In S things are a bit different. Assume you get the D/S option on the new 3.0 TDI?

At the end of the day in a manual you know what gear you want. In an auto the computer has to guess. It's not psychic. :)

The reliability stats are unknown. Only Audi know and they ain't saying.

Pays your money, takes yer choice.

No one is wrong (this isn't the A3 forum) choose what works for you.

My commute has too much traffic, for me it's a no brainer. Had manuals all my driving life. I'm not going back.
 
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I previously had a S5 4.2 V8 manual and would love to get a new S4 but not an auto. Unfortunately it seems all manufacturers are going down the auto route with no option of a manual, especially for their performance models.
It looks like I will have to make do with the 2.0 190 but sadly, as stated earlier in this thread, not Quattro either.
Sadly Scotty, you pays your money, you get no choice:frown new:
 
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It does seem odd that there is no manual Quattro: that would have been my first choice tbh. It's clearly technically possible as they've done it before...
 
The only reason I wanted manual was:

1. Always had a manual and fancied trying the auto out.
2. I like the centre console layout for auto, especially the auto lever being a handrest.
 
Slackworth said:
In manual mode it was fantastic but that kind of defeats the point.
Click to expand...
I cannot agree with you on that. I don't prefer the s-tronic just for its automation, but because its manual control is IMO superior to a manual box. I change gear with a flick of my fingers. I don't need to use my left leg to depress the clutch pedal, my left arm to move the gear level and then my leg to release the pedal. And if changing up one gear is not enough I can do two flicks with my fingers and the gear is selected certainly in the same time it can be done with a manual box.
 
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To be fair you're probably right as it wasn't the longest of test drives and the car was running on fumes.

I'm sure I'd get used to it with time. I think I'd be keener on a tip box from a reliability perspective.
 
Manual ! Offsett pedal alert , sat in one the other day no better than my b8 , right thigh rubs against the seat bolster , absolutely lazy rhd design, Alfa got slated for this crap in the 70's


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Just to add I never noticed this during my test drive on A class roads , it is when your driving around town and having to change gear it becomes a pain


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Everyone talks about this offside pedal issue but on my old A5 I never had an issue with the pedals
 
I've never had a problem in my B8 and never noticed it in any of the B9's I drove. The pedal is as perfectly aligned as in any other car I've driven!
 
audi upgrades
A4B9 said:
Everyone talks about this offside pedal issue but on my old A5 I never had an issue with the pedals
Click to expand...

Same here. I know the new auto's get rave reviews but I've driven manuals for nearly 40 years and have never had a problem using my left leg and hand at the same time. Each to their own but to have the choice of a manual would be good!
 
Not all stronics are suited to some engines, however I agree with you entitrely we should have the choice instead of the decision forced upon us...
 
cuke2u said:
Not all stronics are suited to some engines, however I agree with you entitrely we should have the choice instead of the decision forced upon us...
Click to expand...

Nail and hit spring to mind.

Everyone has their own opinions which is great but I just wish Audi would give a choice on anything over 2 litres.
 
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I think we should all try to have a B9 meet when we all get out cars. Then we can all try each other's and see what we think! Lol

And it's a good excuse to check out each other's new cars! :sunglasses:
 
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I had a manual B8.5 3.0 tdi and soon after I bought mine they stopped offering a manual.
I suspect its a numbers game and the manual became too small a percentage of sales to warrant offering it.

When I came to sell mine I realised how few manual ones there are.

I am now going tiptronic and actually quite looking forward to it.
 
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Slackworth said:
Nail and hit spring to mind.

Everyone has their own opinions which is great but I just wish Audi would give a choice on anything over 2 litres.
Click to expand...
Plus the fact I could save myself £1500 by having the gearbox of my choice....
 
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I wanted Quattro but you have to have S Tronic to get it, pushing the cost up an extra £3200!!!

I mean you can have X-drive on any 3 series for around £1000 more!!!
 
Aren't the majority of BMs auto now as well but that is a big price difference.

Just wish they would hurry up and put X-Drive on the 5 Series Touring. Would be tempted away to the dark side again I admit.
 
Most of the autos in the BMWs are in the bigger engine 3 litre models.
I did consider one as I like the look of the M Performance Pack but they are just so common and the interior is so dated!

Incidentally, my friend is a traffic cop and drives A4's and 3 & 5 Series all day. He says he and his colleagues all agree that BMW do the best Auto gearboxes and Audi the best engines and manual gear boxes.
 
Interesting comment on the engines - I tend to find BMW squeeze a little more performance and economy in comparison to the equivalent VAG engines.

Having owned a 3.0 TDI of both, the Audi V6 is more linear in its power delivery and makes a nicer noise than the straight six of the BM.
 
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ScottishS3 said:
He says he and his colleagues all agree that BMW do the best Auto gearboxes and Audi the best engines and manual gear boxes.
Click to expand...

The tiptronic option in the 272PS is a ZF sourced box which is pretty much the same as the one in the BMW's.
 
Can Audi UK not help you find one at the closest dealership possible?

Might be worth trying an A6 as a few more about - a little difference between them but engines obviously fairly similar.

Only downside to going for a 3.0 TDI is you'll never go back to a 2.0 TDI again :D
 
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