Almost4x4

Hello All,

I would like to buy an off-road car, driving mainly in sand.
My questions are, regarding the sand drive comfort/challenges, does it worth the price difference between manual gear box car and auto ? And If I would like to buy manual gear box car, what would I need to pay attention to or to learn while driving?

Regards,

from an automatic point of view.....I'd prefer manual

I drive a Wrangler JK and it has tip-tronic but it's still not the same because it switches up/down gears on its own when it feels that the engine can breath no more which i personally don't like.

but i was weak and got automatic due to its comfort....just put D and off you go

Well, maybe I am old school but for me a manual box is the only way to go whether it's on a sports car or your off road 4x4. In reality and especially with Dubai's ''start and stop'' driving during rush hour traffic you really want an auto. But Momo, as you are looking at an off road car mainly for the sand then you will be having few traffic problems so go for the manual. If you are not used to driving a manual box (especially on the sand) just watch that you don't ride the clutch and burn it out. I find the less gear changes you make the better, as long as you read the track ahead and choose the right gear to start with!

At the end of the day your choice of transmission comes down to personal choice. I would guess over 80% of cars in the UAE are automatic's now and as most modern 4x4's spend almost 95% of their life ''on road'' that makes sense really. Plus now with the speed of a modern tiptronic gearbox you no longer wait two days for a gear change!

Good luck searching for your next 4x4. Prioritise strength and reliability first then worry later about choice of gearbox.

It boils down to what you can give up ....... comfort or satisfaction ...... I would say that i would prefer an automatic gearbox when im driving around Dubai traffic, however, if your used to driving a manual, its really not that big of a deal

My love for offroading outweights the comfort i desire when driving on-road ........ so let me put it this way ......

When you drive on road with a manual you always wish you were driving automatic
When you drive off road with an automatic you always wish you were driving manual

mechanically both gearboxes have its pros and cons as well ...... you need to have a bgger transmission oil cooler with an automatic gearbox and you need to be at the mercy of the cars computer when you have a gear desired..........on the other side........you need to make sure your NOT a clutch driver with a manual so you dont burn out your clutch plates


I do like the MANUAL GEAR because i can make my engine scream like anything without downshifting on its own

Actually, I was driving manual gear box in europe since 2005 and still drive good with that. In Dubai I rarely find my self in traffic, and the home work way is only 15min with easy traffic as well.

You can check this link

Dave;34415 wrote:Well, maybe I am old school but for me a manual box is the only way to go whether it's on a sports car or your off road 4x4. In reality and especially with Dubai's ''start and stop'' driving during rush hour traffic you really want an auto. But Momo, as you are looking at an off road car mainly for the sand then you will be having few traffic problems so go for the manual. If you are not used to driving a manual box (especially on the sand) just watch that you don't ride the clutch and burn it out. I find the less gear changes you make the better, as long as you read the track ahead and choose the right gear to start with!

At the end of the day your choice of transmission comes down to personal choice. I would guess over 80% of cars in the UAE are automatic's now and as most modern 4x4's spend almost 95% of their life ''on road'' that makes sense really. Plus now with the speed of a modern tiptronic gearbox you no longer wait two days for a gear change!

Good luck searching for your next 4x4. Prioritise strength and reliability first then worry later about choice of gearbox.

Totally agree..I find it no fun to off-road with auto gear and for me it's more control of the car..I think M0K11 loved the manual when he was my passenger

Mazaaj;34444 wrote:I think M0K11 loved the manual when he was my passenger

I cannot deny that Mazaaj....there is an art to the manual which cannot be understood, just enjoyed!

Thank you all for your advises and point of views. My choice is heading the Fj Cruiser 2014 basic range manual gear box which comes with dual fuel tank and bigger inside space comparing to the Jeep Wrangler for the same price range.

Any comment comparing these two cars ?