From: aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Auto-stick WAS:Re: FLAME! Only a manual
Date: 6 Nov 1992 22:00:45 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: aas7@po.CWRU.Edu (Andrew A. Spencer)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc12.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, 01ksdavis@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu (Rebel without a clue.) says:

>
>	Thought I would take the time to add one last thing before this thread
>totally dies out.  Certain cars that were made fit into neither category.  I
>used to drive one.  It is what I learned to drive on, and although I now know
>how to drive a stick, nothing is as exciting as this strange transmission that
>I learned to drive on.
>
>	It is known as the semi-automatic transmission.  Other names for it
>include clutchless transmission, and a personal favorite "AT", but you can only
>figure this out if you are reading the classifieds and see an ad for a pre-80
>VW bug or something of the like with "AT"
>
>	Not that VW is the only company to ever manufacture a car with this
>transmission (Years 68 to approximately 75 or so.)  Other manufacturers
>include Saab, Mercedes Benz, and Porsche.  The only american car that I know of
>that has a transmission that is even remotely like this is a few of the certain
>models of the chevy corvette.
>
>	The beauty of this (from now on I will use auto-stick, for economy of
>typing) transmission is the fact that you still had to shift, but you didn't
>have to do anything with the clutch.  Out of the three different types of cars
>that I have had experience with driving, the auto-stick gave the smoothest ride
>and felt like a more natural way to drive.
>
>	But, this transmission never caught on.  For one reason or another the
>American public is forced to choose between to different extremes of driving
>style.  Either a stick or an automatic, not this combination of the two known
>as the auto-stick.
hmm..not to mention the fact that the mpg plummeted, they hardly ever worked
right, the motor really didn't have the power for it, and it was overall 
as shit system(not that it couldn't have been good..but, like many VW and other
european manufacturers, this was introduced before it was really ready, and thus
was cursed from the start, cuz everyone hated them and thus would not buy one,
even if they improved!)..i mean, i have only heard two reports of happy auto-
stick owners...others will pay quite a bit to have the AS removed, and just
about every VW tuner/magazine i've ever heard of says to scrap them, as they
are a huge pain for little gain.  my personal favorite, which i've never
tried to drive, but have heard of, is the one pontiac used in one of their
HP firebirds back when. it was a fluid couple, but not like an auto, it
was a nifty set up, where the tranny was in whatever gear you put it into,
until you moved the selector to another.  but, of course, this would only
work witha  huge motor such as this one had.....boil the skins in third
from a standstill..
DREW





>
>	I have the technical specifications for how the auto-stick tranny
>worked in the VWs.  If anybody wants to know, let me know by email or posting
>here and I will post a more technical article about it in rec.autos.tech.
>
>	Kyle
>-- 
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>|Kyle S. Davis	   
>
-- 
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