Manual or automatic

BEEFY
BEEFY Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited March 2019 in Towcars & Towing #1

has anyone towed with an automatic Kia Sorrento?  What are views on towing auto or manual?

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Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2019 #2

    We tow with a Kia sportage diesel after years of manual cars and it is far more driver friendly , downsides less mpg and more expensive taxfrown but do I carecool

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #3

    No idea specifically about Kia (though my Dad's  auto Sedona drives brilliantly)..... but the answer to the general auto vs manual is AUTO  every time 👍

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #4

    Yes, the previous model.

    With the manual the clutch cooked when reversing the caravan uphill but the auto was fine. 

    The choice was auto every time after that. 

  • Richard12
    Richard12 Forum Participant Posts: 112
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    edited March 2019 #5

    Yes tow our Clubman with a Discovery 4, it's amazing, would not go back to a manual.

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #6

    Initially, I was against buying an automatic, always 'preferring to do it myself' but we wanted a Discovery 4 so took the plunge and went for it.  Would never go back to a manual now.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2019 #7

    No strong views either way. It is a while since I bought the present tow car. The automatic version was not a consideration due to the lower tow limit and a lower hitch load. 

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited March 2019 #8

    Auto for me without hesitation.

  • dave the rave
    dave the rave Forum Participant Posts: 806
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    edited March 2019 #9

    Yes.I personally have owned 3.5 ltr petrol,2.5 ltr,diesel,2,2 ltr diesel and currently another 2.2 ltr diesel.all of which have been auto and all very capable towcars.The best,so far,is the current late 2015 kx3.more mpg than any of the previous models and very "car like " to drive.Previously I have towed with both manual and auto vehicles and every time I have gone manual I have very quickly gone back to auto.The only sorento faults are.....early models...rust.mk 2 version (2.5 auto)...heavy road fund license cost......early mk 3 models....no self levelling and can be a little unstable without spring upgrades.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #10

    Towed with two auto Sorento's, one a 56 plate the other a 59 plate. The earlier one was the better towcar because it had  SLS despite being not as powerful. Agree with the post above, auto good with SLS even better!

    David

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #11

    You 'wanted to be in control' ..... it's a very common war cry until they've actually driven an auto further than the end of the road. 😉

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2019 #12

    I personally had a good reason to choose to stick with a manual tow car. 

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #13

    you wanted to be in control .... 🙄🙄

    You already had a manual?

    I can't think of another reason why you'd want or chose 3 over 2 pedals 🙄

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2019 #14
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  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2019 #15

    I can't think of another reason why you'd want or chose 3 over 2 pedals 🙄
     

    I thought not but I did say why earlier wink

    2005 X+trail manual, tow limit 2,000kg, hitch load 100kg

    2005 X-Trail diesel, tow limit 1,375kg, hitch load 75kg

    As I also said earlier not previously bothered whether auto or manual, having practised gear changes for 58 years. I have driven a manual about a dozen times for long distances. The two longest runs were in a Ford Galaxy with 6 of us. Longest was 670 miles to Prague from Calais over a 10 hour run and the automatic was a pleasure. 

     

    From what I read the towing limits for the Sorrento differs between automatics and manuals but less of a problem. Auto 2,000kg and manual 2,500kg

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2019 #16

    I've not been around for 58 yrs (quite 😉)  but have been driving something from about 13/14 so am also quite practiced at manual gearboxes but choose from being about 30 to drive autos, in fact the last few cars have only been available with 2 pedals. If I'd picked a possible towcar & there was no auto option I'd have looked again.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2019 #17

     I've not been around for 58 yrs

    I should have said driving for 48 years. Despite having had 48 years practicing gear change my finger have obviously had a lesser period practicing with the keyboard laughing

     

  • BEEFY
    BEEFY Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited March 2019 #18

    Thanks everyone for sharing your experience, been very helpful.

  • retiredbeep
    retiredbeep Forum Participant Posts: 51
    edited March 2019 #19

    I had a manual Kia Sorento and changed to an Auto as all the advice said it was a better tow car. They were not wrong. I will never go back to manual the modern auto's are first class. We tow a twin axle Lunar and it makes towing so much more fun. We visit the Lake District and even driving on hilly bendy roads without the caravan is so much easier. Town driving stop and start are a doddle. Some say it is lazy but what do I care I enjoy it. I have been driving for over 50 years including HGV's I deserve a bit of luxury, I am worth it.

  • DS3
    DS3 Forum Participant Posts: 108
    edited March 2019 #20

    I wouldn't ever go back to a manual tow car. The anxiety about getting stopped on hills and pulling away again is awful with a manual. With an auto, hills are no problem, even stop start traffic on the long reigate hill on the M25 East bound.

     

  • GlosJive
    GlosJive Forum Participant Posts: 80
    edited June 2019 #21

    Just swapped from a life time of driving manuals to an automatic, should have changed years ago. Resisted the change for years, but forced to auto as the car of choice only came as an auto.

    only thing now is to remember to change gear when driving either of the Morris Minors.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited June 2019 #22

    Did you want to 'be in control'? ..... 😉😉

    I saw the automatic light 30 yrs ago in my late 20's 👍 2 feet = 2 pedals

     

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2019 #23

    Beefy, it's pretty well 100% for autos and count me in that - auto every time.  57 yrs driving, 48 yrs towing experience.  Started driving on a Ford Popular sit up and beg type,  double declutch all the way up and down and only 3 speed gear box.  Getting a new computer with wheels and 2 pedals next week.smile.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited June 2019 #24
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2019 #25

    A dying art, it seems. Like Comeyras, my first car was a sit up and beg Ford Pop so double declutching became second nature. It sure makes me appreciate the joys of modern cars - auto, of course.😀

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2019 #26

    Trying to convince my sister to get an automatic next time. Every car she has owned has had to have a new clutch. The penny still hasn’t dropped. I suffer in tight lipped silence in the back🙄

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited June 2019 #27

    I see loads cars stopped at traffic lights etc being held from rolling backwards on the clutch .... obviously clueless as to what's happening underneath. 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,668 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2019 #28

    Only had automatics for the last 48 years, once you get one you never want to go back!

  • tombo
    tombo Forum Participant Posts: 16
    edited June 2019 #29

    Hi we used to tow with 56 plate 3 litre auto Sedona  and really loved it.

    Only minor point was on occasions I crossed to manual to keep the revs up on hills for maximum torque.

    That's the only criticism I would have with some autos that they can be a little slow at changing when towing.

    As a rule I'd go for a an auto anytime, brilliant for maneuvering.

    Just as people have said tax  and fuel consumption higher our Sedona had a love affair with fuel.

    We've now gone for an Eriba pop top (brilliant) towing with a 1.7 manual mpv..

    That's moving from 19-21 mpg towing and £500 a year tax to 28-32 towing and £30 tax.

  • GlosJive
    GlosJive Forum Participant Posts: 80
    edited June 2019 #30

    I switch between the 2, much prefer the Moggie for town journeys than the large towcar, so manual box with crash 1st gear over automatic.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,044 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2019 #31

    Lots of autos nowadays have the ability to let you up the oomph if required, we just tap gear lever and it drops down, then tap it again to go back automatic. Our Jeep quickly learns terrain when we do journeys, then readapts when we are home. It was still in “North Wales” mode when we traded it in yesterday. New one is a cracker, going to have fun on Dartmoor in August😁