[stuartj]

Originally Posted by beepbeep

I confess, I kinda like automatic transmissions.

Being European, I barely drove cars with AT and have had looked down on them. Historically, many people around here considered AT's as bad, gas-guzzling things for lazy people who actually don't like driving.

Then I bought a VW Polo (It's like a smaller Golf, dunno if those are sold in US) equipped with AT just for driving around town and I LOVED IT. It was a revelation...no more sore left foot in traffic jams and it was the fastest thing out from a red light (when you never actually drive faster than 40mph). Just keep a left foot on a brake and right foot on accellerator and let go! Weeee!

It shifted funny so I did my own service, dropping down the pan, changing filters and so-called "lifetime fluid" and admiring the doodads inside. This was a Jatco 404E tranny. It finally developed a harsh 1-2 shift when cold (worn solenoid something) so I decided to trade up.

This time I bought a VW Golf MKIV with (according to Internet lore) much maligned 01M slushbox which I also serviced according to guide I found on Interwebs...it works even better than old one. I love it! (I'll just have a plain vanilla TC-equipped one, no fancy DSG/CVT things, thank you very much.)

I also downloaded a service manual to learn how the thing works and boy are they complicated things...brake bands, suns, planets, asteroids, moons, mazes with BB's, springs, solenoids, lot's of brass rings...fascinating really!

So there you go...

Sir, please step over to the clerk and hand in your Man Card.