Tiptronic, is it anywhere as good as a manual?

[roy5]

Hi there, do tiptronic galants drive anywhere as good as manual, in terms of fun of driving, things like that.

Do you have a tiptronic, or a manual galant? Thanks, just looking for some advice as am buying a galant and have never tried tiptronic, but thinking of test driving one.

[KiwiTT]

So a search on this. It is a much debated question.

[Robotnik123]

Hi there, do tiptronic galants drive anywhere as good as manual, in terms of fun of driving, things like that.

Do you have a tiptronic, or a manual galant? Thanks, just looking for some advice as am buying a galant and have never tried tiptronic, but thinking of test driving one.

Yeah tiptronics VR-4's are good. You probably won't miss a stick shift if you get a tiptronic.

[Gly]

personally,

i would have a manual if i could go back in time and start over

[bradc]

If you are comfortable with a manual and drive aggressively then the manual is probably a better option, if you spend lots of time in traffic and only want to drive fast every so often, then the tip will probably be fine.

If you are looking at a vr-g and not a vr-4, I would recommend the manual because the manual has 5 speeds and the tiptronic is possibly only going to be a 4 speed in a vr-g.

[roy5]

oh yeah, forgot about the 4 speed vs 5 speed, thanks bradc

[Subaru ETA]

ive had a tip str legnum and now a manual vr4. the tip is good but i like to drive hard so i like the manual, but on the flip side when im sitting on the north western motorway in the morning i sometimes i had the tip! so depends what you want, both good

[Stezie]

So If a Manual VR4 and a triptronic VR4 where at the start of a drag strip, who will be better off at the end of the qurater mile? And by how far?


Reason asking is I test drove an auto 2Ltr Galant and was very suprised how slow it was, compared to the manual(which isn't fast either!!). The auto hardly got tnear the 100mph mark.

I would be put off buying the auto galant based on that but none of you guys have given out about the VR4 Auto box??

[WildCards]

Speed difference is neglegible between the two AFAIK. If I could, i'd go for a manual, the auto/tip is very good but I just don't feel as in tune with the car as I do a manual.

[bradc]

Down the quarter mile they are very similar, and to 100kmh the tip is a little bit faster because it can do it in 2nd gear, while the manual needs 3rd - unless you want to take it to about 7300rpm in 2nd which is past the redline.

I'm getting my car converted to a manual at the moment for a couple of reasons, my aftermarket ecu doesn't like the auto, and the auto's are too fragile for my liking.

[Axeboy]

Ive had both...

Each just as good, if it wasnt for the threat of a blown box after tuning it, id stick with a tiptronic to be honest...

[Lucas]

I enjoy manual. My leggie was the first ever tiptronic I had ever driven and I bought it because I was sick of riding the clutch and changing gears in dense traffic. Auto mode is perfect in traffic like this but tippy mode comes in handy for overtaking/speed (sideways in the wet) etc. I'm happy enough with the tiptronic but I would definately not settle for auto. If I was to get a VR4 though I would get a manual if I could find a goodie

[d i c k i e s]

comes down to personal preference.

[Kenneth]

Personally I like manual.

The VR-4 manal is almost automatic in 3rd gear anyway ;) I can go through intersections roundabout etc at fairly low speed. only thing is you cant power out, but then if you are worried about that you would probably be wanting to work the gears anyway.

Start-stop... well, the standard manual clutch is awesome... the nicest clutch I have used to date. Possibly the bottom end torque with V6 helps, but I found that I could run in heavy traffic without using the accelerator... so fairly similar to riding the brake on an auto

As for eating while driving... easy, have girlfriend in the passengers seat and get her to do the gear shifts with one hand while you steer with one hand and eat with the other. that way you each have one hand for eating and one for car control :) It works great :D

[bradc]

Uc was changing my gears last weekend when I was eating /exits stage left

[Springie]

Personally I like manual.

The VR-4 manal is almost automatic in 3rd gear anyway ;) I can go through intersections roundabout etc at fairly low speed. only thing is you cant power out, but then if you are worried about that you would probably be wanting to work the gears anyway.

Start-stop... well, the standard manual clutch is awesome... the nicest clutch I have used to date. Possibly the bottom end torque with V6 helps, but I found that I could run in heavy traffic without using the accelerator... so fairly similar to riding the brake on an auto

As for eating while driving... easy, have girlfriend in the passengers seat and get her to do the gear shifts with one hand while you steer with one hand and eat with the other. that way you each have one hand for eating and one for car control :) It works great :D

I have to agree with all that, it is possible to comfortable drive around in one gear if need be. When i have to go to Auckland *shudder* the manual is a bit of a pain going 20km/h on the southern motorway and a tip would be good.

I choose the manual as you have more control / feel of the car, i don't have to brake on every single corner, i can change down, also a tipronic in now way compares to a manual and overall as it is stronger than the auto box.

HOWEVER, if i lived in Auckland i wouldnt mind an auto run around.

[Stezie]

and the auto's are too fragile for my liking.

This was my main issue, reliability!!

I always thought that an auto version of a car had the stronger box, but I believe you guys beg to differ?

So which would be more reliable, say if it was used on a track for hours on end?

And Parts!! I think I seen on here that the maunal box, or internals is the same as the Lancer Evo box,is that true?

[bradc]

If you are using the car on a track then I think the manual is a much better option.

The auto's don't often break due to a lack of strength, but they seem to suffer problems when they overheat, or if they don't have their oil changed regularly (and on a 2nd hand car you probably won't know)

The internals of the manual gearbox is basically the same as the evo 4-6 design.

[Stezie]

My mind is made up!!!

Manual it is then so! Its not that i'll use it for a track car, its just that when the feeling comes on me to have a blast through some windy roads, i wouldn't want any problems.

Cheers!

[Wodjno]

Before i drove the VR4 with the Tiptronic Auto, i hated Auto's and would never have thought i would own and love a car with an Auto Box.:o Not that the Tiptronic Box in a VR4 is any ordinary Auto Box /TTTH
I drive my VR4 in Tiptronic 99.99% of the time and i never think while driving "I wish i had a Manual Box" :vulcan:
As for reliability of the Tip Box ! I had my car 2 months when it needed a Gearbox Rebuild:o This was probably due to lack of proper maintainance and gearbox oil by :o previous owners.(i am 3rd owner, 1 owner in Japan and 1 for 6 months in UK before i purchased it) I have now driven the Nutz OFF this car for 2yrs and 7 months, totally ragging the Gearbox in TipMode and rarely below 5000rpm and very often above 7000rpm.. I have launched the car 100's of times 2500rpm to 3500rpm ! The Gearbox is still pulling strong :thumbsup: I have been on various trackdays including 25 laps of "The Ring" and drive the car mostly like i was on track anyway.
Just wonder how many clutches i would have been through with a Manual Box. Or if i would still have the same Manual Box ?
I would say that an Uprated Gearbox Cooler with Thermostatically controlled fan would be a very wise investment. I have 1 but have not yet had it fitted it. :lipseal The gearbox does play up from time to time when i have been caining it for an excessive amount of time. But as soon as you give it time to cool down, it's back to normal. This is why the Uprated Cooler would be advised. And also filling it with Amsoil ATF is a wise move as the Boiling point of Amsoil is far in Excess of any other ATF that you can use and does not degrade as quick.
Saying all this ! i am not saying that the Tip Box is the Be All and End All of Gearboxes ! But it is certainly on Par with the Manual Box for Performance, Driving and if Maintained correctly, Reliability as well :D

[Stezie]

Good speech!! /STP Now i'm completely confused!!!!:stars: :stars: :stars:


Oh I dunno!!! Well seeing as you say there is no performance difference,,, what to do....


/juggle /juggle /juggle /juggle

Cheers for the advise:thumbsup:

[Wodjno]

Good speech!! /STP Now i'm completely confused!!!!:stars: :stars: :stars:


Oh I dunno!!! Well seeing as you say there is no performance difference,,, what to do....


/juggle /juggle /juggle /juggle

Cheers for the advise:thumbsup:

Manual Vs Auto :thumbsup: (Click to Enlarge)

[Kieran]

I personally think the Jtuner graph is a little misleading... The 'Manual' was barry's car - complete with slipping clutch at the time. I've been in his car since and with just a boost controller, filter and exhaust it seemed significantly quicker than a tip. In fact with just those mods, Barry recorded a 13.8 sec 1/4 last year I think?

[bradc]

I think what it shows is that when in gear, the manual is faster than auto's, no doubt about that, but when you are changing gear in the manual you lose quite a bit of time.