do you guys all drive automatics

rikrik · Post by **rikrik** » 13 Sep 2006, 14:52

i mean auto tranmissions, im in the uk and have a manual/stick....

i couldnt be doing with an auto.....wouldnt feel right..

are most cars in the states automatics??

cocka · Post by **cocka** » 13 Sep 2006, 15:13

rikrik wrote:i mean auto tranmissions, im in the uk and have a manual/stick....

i couldnt be doing with an auto.....wouldnt feel right..

are most cars in the states automatics??

I may be wrong, usually am, but I seem to recall the only "normal" ones sold here in Oz were auto's, the only manuals I have heard of were special/private imports etc.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 13 Sep 2006, 19:17

Yes, most of the Volvo's sold in this country were Auto's. I heard that in for model year '98, in the S70 class, only a little over 300 cars were imported with a stick shift. Similar numbers in the 850 (unless non-turbo). However, there are some who are swapping out the auto's for sticks. Plenty of these people hang out over on the volvospeed.com forum.

pmonk · Post by **pmonk** » 13 Sep 2006, 20:50

I am the only one I know personally with a manual, and couldn't love it more, but it is the non turbo and I hear some of those were manual. I bought it second hand and was told it was some sort of strange special order thing because all the extras are on it, leather, electronic climate control, sunroof, fin, cd changer etc.. I don't know, I just know that I love standards and the 850 gearbox is pretty darn good feeling. Just enough control and the shifts are smooth and easy. I imagine it would have felt great hooked up to a turbo engine

Mine is a 94 850 na for your info.

CarVolvo · Post by **CarVolvo** » 13 Sep 2006, 21:23

Usually when you see the for sale advertisements for Volvo in Canada and the US you will often see "Rare 5 Speed". I have seen a few, but the majority are automatics... i guess because the manufacturer targets North American Cars to the luxury owner.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 13 Sep 2006, 21:40

>>I am the only one I know personally with a manual<<

Ad me to the list. I've had four of them. They are indeed difficult to find in the states. The only reason I flew to Indianapolis to buy the 850 I have now is that it had a stick. For the life of me I cannot remember what my old 142 had for a stick but I think it was a standard 4 speed. The first ('86) 740 had a 4 speed with a button on the shifter to engage 5th and the last 740 had a true 5 speed that you shifted to.

When I went to the dealer on the '89 the closest 740 they could find with a stick was in Denver and I had to pay for a guy to drive it to Kansas City as part of the "destination charge".

With all of the advances in the computer controlled transmissions I don't know if there is a tremendous advantage in performance between a stick and an automatic but on the older ones there was a huge difference.

I had to pick up my wife at the airport today and took one the Suburbans. I got in and promptly tried to mash the brake pedal through the floor clutching it to start. Old habits die hard and new old habits die harder.
...Lee

CarVolvo · Post by **CarVolvo** » 13 Sep 2006, 22:04

The other reason i drive automatic is ...when i had my 240 wagon with the 5 speed standard tranny, the sensation of driving and smooth shifts got me tons of tickets.... even the 240 made me feel the need for speed!

rikrik · Post by **rikrik** » 14 Sep 2006, 00:43

thanks for the replys guys, mines a 850 t5 turbo wagon/estate manual...

in the uk its almost the other way round to you guys, you have to really search if you want an auto..

coustyj · Post by **coustyj** » 14 Sep 2006, 18:39

You can add me too I have a 2000 V70 SE with a manual trans

petershen1984 · Post by **petershen1984** » 02 Oct 2006, 12:28

I'll have to agree on the computer-controlled automtics being much more drivable than a stickshift, especially on my 960 where I can choose between economy and sport. The two modes differ not only in shift programming, but also kick-down response (pedal position trigger is lesser in sport mode), fuel delivery and ignition advance (which makes the car pick up faster).