NJSS
Member Since: 06 May 2009
Location: Catherington, Hampshire.
Posts: 10810
  
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| The 8 speed autogearbox - driving styles. |
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I have driven vehicles with manual gearboxes for 60+ years, but my 8 speed D4 is the first automatic I have owned.
I had a passenger last week who has driven automatics for 20 years, and has never driven a manual car. He felt very free to tell me how I was driving the D4 incorrectly. I listened but didn’t comment !
He said I was wrong when:-
1. At traffic lights for a short period of time I selected neutral & put the EPB on; and if likely to be at rest for a longer period of time I selected Park.
2. Seeing red lights in the distance I select neutral & allow the car to freewheel until I have to brake on reaching stationary traffic.
3. On a reasonably straight down hill again I allowed the car to freewheel in neutral, selecting drive when necessary.
I won’t go into his detailed arguments but in essence he said 1 was “bad practice” and 2 & 3 didn’t save fuel and damaged the engine.
What please is the expert view?
NJSS Am I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
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 23rd Sep 2019 9:22 am |
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Rnclayton
Member Since: 13 Apr 2018
Location: Radstock, Bath
Posts: 564
  
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IMO there isn't a right way or wrong way.
Switched between manual and autos for the 30yrs I've been driving.
In manuals, I've always knocked into neutral at lights. Sometime coasted to traffic lights. Rarely coasted down hill, as always used the engine braking.
In autos, always knocked into neutral at lights. In the D4 I put on the epb. Haven't in my other autos, as they were always hand brakes, and couldn't be ar$ed. Only coasted down hill, when really slow in traffic. MY07 Freelander2 SE Santorini Black - Gone
MY10 D4 XS Buckingham Blue
MY06 D3 HSE
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:37 am |
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DG
Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50978
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Personally Nigel I would keep it in drive at all times (unless you know you are not going to move for a longer period of time) and either hold on the brakes or just apply the epb when stopped say at the lights or in a stop start queue...on 2015+ the torque converter disconnects when the vehicle is stopped which means that it even longer periods of time stopped in drive wouldn't bother the box. 21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:40 am |
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RSW
Member Since: 24 Aug 2012
Location: Devon
Posts: 155
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When driving an auto I just put it in drive, when I get to where I'm going I use park.
I don't even use the sport and manual mode, don't see any need
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:40 am |
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LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23833
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Steps 2 & 3 are unnecessary and will not save fuel or wear on the gearbox etc.
IAM would also advice against “coasting” for safety reasons, due to being unable to instantly react to a need to accelerate and lack of “engine braking”
I adopt step 1 myself although it’s more for courtesy to those behind (brake lights) and the habit of not being stationary and on the brakes that I picked up from years of nurturing expensive AP Racing brakes. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
Last edited by LT on 23rd Sep 2019 10:21 am. Edited 1 time in total
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:42 am |
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LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23833
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RSW wrote:When driving an auto I just put it in drive, when I get to where I'm going I use park.
I don't even use the sport and manual mode, don't see any need
Sport mode is more fuel efficient and smoother when driving on twisty lanes and roads. A LRE instructor taught me that and he’s right.  2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:44 am |
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Hardware
Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 13024
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I only ever override auto by command shifting to lower gears to improve engine braking or to avoid car changing gear when pushing it through tighter bends. .
Dean
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2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer  ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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| 23rd Sep 2019 9:55 am |
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DG
Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50978
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LT wrote:
I adopt step 1 myself although it’s more for courtesy to those behind (brake lights) and the habit of not being stationary and on the brakes that I picked up from years of nurturing expensive AP Racing brakes.
If you leave it in drive and hold on the epb ...the brake lights are off 
...and you can then have your right foot hovering over the accelerator for a sharp exit  21 year LR veteran > D2 GS 2003 > D3 S 2006 > D3 HSE 2009 > D4 HSE 2013 > D4 HSE 2015 > D5 HSE 2018 > DS HSE R-Dynamic P300e 2021
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:05 am |
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Rnclayton
Member Since: 13 Apr 2018
Location: Radstock, Bath
Posts: 564
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Quote:...and you can then have your right foot hovering over the accelerator for a sharp exit
I only do that, when I want to make sure the fuel gauge isn't stuck...  MY07 Freelander2 SE Santorini Black - Gone
MY10 D4 XS Buckingham Blue
MY06 D3 HSE
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:12 am |
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RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1732
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im always in drive D unless im going to be stationary for a longer than normal time at lights etc.... then its neutral and EPB (only time i really use the EPB except when parking slopes)
I use S mode for country lanes or other situations where quicker changes up/down and slightly better throttle response make for smoother driving.
flappy paddles i use i both modes as when i feel it necessary for predetermining gear changes myself
nothing to do with saving gearbox etc, although there is a slight change in engine note after a few stationary seconds and more to do with just doing the person a favour and safety in case my foot slips off the brake pedal.
coasting in neutral in either manual or auto cars is really not advised so i would totally agree with all of his comments on this.
as has been said, it means your not in total control of the engine breaking etc and in modern cars actually uses more fuel than remaining in gear and allowing the car to do what its designed to do.
Last edited by RogB on 23rd Sep 2019 10:24 am. Edited 1 time in total
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:23 am |
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LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23833
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DG wrote:LT wrote:
I adopt step 1 myself although it’s more for courtesy to those behind (brake lights) and the habit of not being stationary and on the brakes that I picked up from years of nurturing expensive AP Racing brakes.
If you leave it in drive and hold on the epb ...the brake lights are off
...and you can then have your right foot hovering over the accelerator for a sharp exit
I find that “jolt” as the epb releases under acceleration too harsh for me. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:23 am |
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RSW
Member Since: 24 Aug 2012
Location: Devon
Posts: 155
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LT wrote:Sport mode is more fuel efficient and smoother when driving on twisty lanes and roads. A LRE instructor taught me that and he’s right.
Thanks everyday a school day
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:40 am |
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OvalAutos
Member Since: 28 Dec 2018
Location: Cradley Heath
Posts: 382
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Never coast in N as the oil pressure drops down to the same as idle and you want to keep that oil flowing nicely.
The only time I recommend using the manual shift is when the engine is cold and the autobox is a bit sluggish changing up gears. I always tell our recon engine customers to keep the revs below 2000rpm if possible and a slow change up can quickly take the engine up to 3000rpm before going in to 2nd gear when pulling away.
Also, a slight lift of the throttle when you want the autobox to change up is old school driving. Just like you'd lift off when changing gear in a manual car. Joe
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| 23rd Sep 2019 10:41 am |
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James W
Member Since: 27 Mar 2008
Location: Riyadh, KSA
Posts: 3079
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LT wrote:Steps 2 & 3 are unnecessary and will not save fuel or wear on the gearbox etc.
IAM would also advice against “coasting” for safety reasons, due to being unable to instantly react to a need to accelerate and lack of “engine braking”
I adopt step 1 myself although it’s more for courtesy to those behind (brake lights) and the habit of not being stationary and on the brakes that I picked up from years of nurturing expensive AP Racing brakes.
Ditto - exactly all of this for me too (plus the comment on Sports mode too, works great between 30-50mph). I know everywhere it says it's okay to sit in D at the lights but you can feel the vehicle trying to creep and if it's for more than a few seconds I just don't like the thought of it or the feel of it. I fully appreciate that the increased wear of going D > N > D could actually be worse.
I also always use the EPB when parking, even on the flat. I allow the vehicle to fully rest on the EPB before entering into Park to prevent stress on the parking pawl in the gearbox. D4 XS, gone, much loved, never forgotten
2018 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography - Gone to someone with less sense and more time to enjoy it 
2016 Toyota Hilux Invincible - Liberating experience
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| 23rd Sep 2019 11:11 am |
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Philip1972
Member Since: 10 Mar 2017
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 1073
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You use more fuel when coasting in neutral than just lifting off.
In neutral the car is using fuel to maintain tickover, however, when costing in gear it is using no fuel at all.
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| 23rd Sep 2019 11:48 am |
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