My '84 has an auto trans and my '85 has a manual trans.  When it comes
to hills, I'd much rather be in the automatic.  This is both for the
slow speed variety (20 to 35 mph on back roads) and those encountered on
freeways.

The gearing and shift points in the automatic seem very appropriate for
the vehicle.

Mike

'84 GL 7 pass
'85 GL Westy

> Hi Scott
>
> I am more a manual transmission guy than a auto transmission. My wife
was
> feeling more secure to have an auto trans than a manual. So we decided
to
> buy an auto trans. I don't care about performance on that kind of
vehicule.
> I am satisfied with it so far. However, I had some leak coming from
the pan
> and I had to replace some seals inside the transmission. Now the
problem is
> fixed. I was a bit disapointed with the gas mileage in March. However
with
> the temperature getting warmer, the gas mileage is always improving.
On my
> last trip, the temperature was not bad and I got a gas mileage of
> 20usg/mille(11.75L/100km) (Westy 87). I am very satisfied with that
kind of
> performance. (I think you can get a gas mileage of 24 usg/mille with a
> manual transmission).
>
> I agree 100% with Chris that you feel more in vacation with an auto
trans
> than a manual one. However I have not tried it in hill driving so far.
>
> Germain
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scott Sullivan" <gersil0@LYCOS.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2003 6:41 PM
> Subject: Manual or AT?
>
>
> > Doing some looking for the new Westy for our house.  Never have
owned an
> auto trans but am thinking about it.  Seems that there are more
postings
> asking for help with manual transmissions than Auto transmissions.
> >
> > I am looking for opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of
automatic
> transmissions in a Westy.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > Get advanced SPAM filtering on Webmail or POP Mail ... Get Lycos
Mail!
> > http://login.mail.lycos.com/r/referral?aid=27005
>