I hate automatics!! - please go snow and ice!

[Feasty]

The past couple of weeks the roads have just been way too snowy and icy for me to risk using my bike and sadly that looks set to continue. So I've fortunately been able to borrow a family car - a Honda Civic V reg auto.

It's horrible in the snow!!

There's no possible way of using clutch control to get out of snow so all it does is get stuck, ever time! My own car (which my wife uses) is a Focus diesel estate and it's fantastic. It hasn't got stuck yet.
I have a driveway that's on an incline that can fit 2 cars on side by side, however the entrance is smaller and so you need to move one car to get the other out if you know what I mean... Well the Honda only effing got stuck halfway out last night didn't it - blocking the driveway and the road! After much digging I got it free and the Focus just rolled straight out of there laughing heartily at the Honda as it slowly edged past.
I then took the Honda to the garage for petrol this morning and put £20 in, that's after less than 1 weeks driving!! £20 would get me almost 3 weeks on my bike. I parked up in a snowy spot, and when I set off the car wouldn't budge the front wheels were just slipping and sliding... until I realised I'd left the handbrake on . But I blame the car for that, stupid auto's!!

The woman in front of me in the long jam I was stuck in (again) also seemed to agree with me as she rolled backwards without realising as she was texting , and bumped me - didn't hurt the car though...

Please bring back nice wet and humid weather, all is forgiven!!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed). Also now a Tiger 1050, easily best of the lot!

[Cigaro]

Try putting the gearbox in '2' mode before you set off. Means less torque to the wheels.

[wizzzard]

Couldn't agree more, my wife has a 100nx auto and it is nothing short of evil in this weather. It moved off the drive for the first time in over two weeks yesterday and all it did was slither and slide around around sideways at the first touch of slush without any real semblance of control. Won't be helped I'm sure by being fwd and light as a feather but god it's awful, and that's coming from someone who's wrestled a very skittish transit over some really bad estates in the last week.

If I only had the choice of having to ride the bike or driving that car in this weather it would be the bike every time.
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[t121anf]

try having a stupid semi-auto that the abs and esp are fucked on, with a rather short wheel base,

oh the fun to be had from driving a smart fortwo

[T1z3R]

i love my autobox in the snow. 4x4 mode is the shiz
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duck my sick!

[Feasty]

[Cigaro]

It won't stall if it's an auto. You might even need to give it some throttle to get it going, but like setting off in 2nd on a manual it will get the wheels moving with less of a 'jolt'. Might help a bit.

[Kickstart]

Hi

You might be getting confused with the gear number. On most autos the number of the gear is the max gear it will use, so putting it into 2 would probably just leave it using first and 2nd but never going into third. You might well have a switch to select a mode with a less aggressive gear change and smoother take up of power.

A decent design of old style auto should be pretty smooth to move off.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Serendipity]

I've driven my wife's car loads over the last couple of weeks and it's been great in the snow. It's a manual, front wheel drive Honda Jazz and hasn't missed a beat.

However, tonight I have to go and pick up a loan car from family and guess what... it's a Honda Civic auto. Not looking forward to it.
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2007 CBF1000 & 2016 CBF1000F - Commuter heaven | 1994 CBR600FR - Awaiting defibrillation

[D O G]

This is God punishing you for buying an auto. Learn your lesson!

[Groove]

Pfffftt

My 2.4 litre petrol Stilo Abarth with selespeed auto box is a piddle in the snow with front wheel drive.

I dont have a button to make less power etc but then its not a great deal anywho (170bhp aparently ) But i can just stick it in 2nd gear but i have not had to.
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[Feasty]

[Stelmer]

Won't it crawl out on tickover if stuck?

Works every time in the 5spd Astravan.

[Robby]

My Jag is excellent in the snow, big heavy rear-drive auto. You can just leave it in D with your foot off the throttle and creep will let the wheels turn with very little power. Having the steering and drive wheels separate is useful too.

[Feasty]

[Clanger]

I've had absolutely no trouble whatsoever with my auto. It even started up first time without a fault after being left stood still through all this cold weather (3 weeks).

In fact she slides just nicely on the slush...
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Stelmer]

Snow/winter tyres then, if it's worth it.

[Ichy]

My wife has an old 216 rover auto. Nothing stops it. Even on ice you just stick it in low and it chuggs along quite happily without any throttle.

I should mention it has m&s tyres fitted.

[mooserx]

I'm ok in my crappy little 1.6 astra, however, when i had the rx7 that was a whole different kettle of fish!!!!

[flat spot]

Strange that because I'm sure I saw a tpp gea rwhen they went to Iceland. Auto's were the only thing to have.

[msgander]

oooh OP I feel your pain!! We have an auto Civic, I love the car in general but have a whole new take on it since this snow malarky!!

No traction whatsoever, even with a bit of tarmac on one wheel....putting it in 2nd manually makes NO difference whatsoever...

I have had to resort to stealing the company car which is a manual diesel vauxhall astra, bog standard, absolutely no problems even in deep snow, many skids and slipping but doesnt seem to get stuck on the slightest gradient....

Melt snow damn you!
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Always believe that your guardian angel flies a bit faster than you...............

[Fortuna]

My Dad's car is a 2.8L V6 automatic.
He has been everywhere, even passing people uphill. Fuck knows how he does it.

[supZ]

i've had no problems whatsoever with my dads 2l auto saab during the snow (my cars off the road at the mo).

just stick the 'winter' mode on (W button) and off i go, no problems.
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CBR954RR - Daily toy
CBR600RR - Trackbike

[pa_broon74]

My first car was a Datsun Sunny 140Y auto, it had rear wheel drive and was complete hoot in the snow, assuming you could get it moving.

The doughnuts even when not intentional were quite exhilarating. Perhaps the problem with the Honda is that it is quite light? I'm using a transit van just now, I had to load some crap into the back to get some weight over the back wheels. I would say though, drifting a lwb van can also be exhilarating.


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Didn't catch anything.

[Clanger]

Our snow has pretty much gone now. We had rain and it washed it all away.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss