Re. Automatic Gear stick

[The Goonies]

Not having owned an automatic before we also wondered if it is ever necessary to use the 1st and 2nd gear and what the little button on the stick actually does?

The Goonies

[Veg_Ian]

The hold button on the stick will keep the drive in the gear you are in at the time. Useful for using the engine as a brake if going down a steep hill. Manual selection of 1 and 2 does a similar job but normally used from rest and stops the gearbox from changing up if overtaking for example. To be honest the easiest thing to do is just stick it in drive and ignore the add ons. You will soon get used to it and after becoming expert after a couple of weeks, you can then try experimenting if you feel the urge. I've been driving a diesel auto for 7 years now and have rarely bothered with holding back the gear change.

[dp bradford]

Not having owned an automatic before we also wondered if it is ever necessary to use the 1st and 2nd gear and what the little button on the stick actually does?

The Goonies

Position D - all four gears will be used by the box and it'll lock-up at around 37 mph with a light throttle. If you press Hold it will only use gears 2 and 3 (a lot of people don't seem to realise that it can be forced to set off in second - handy for snow and loose surfaces where you don't want too much torque) if you press Hold whilst it's in 4th or locked-up it'll drop into 3rd (provides engine braking for down hill sections) don't do this at 80 mph!!

Position S - Only uses 1, 2, and 3. Pressing Hold will force it into 2nd for a more dramatic engine braking effect.

Position L - Only uses 1st and 2nd - pressing Hold causes it to lock into first, handy if you don't want to cook your brakes on extreme downhill stuff such as you might encounter, for instance, in parts of the Lake District (I'm thinking particularly of the Hardknot Pass here )

Hope this helps.

[mikeonb4c]

The Hardknott Pass - now there's a distant memory. Love to try that in a Bongo

[dp bradford]

The Hardknott Pass - now there's a distant memory. Love to try that in a Bongo

Easy Followed closely by the Wrynose Pass - even easier

I've been over both in the Freda, and also in a Renault Traffic camper - I would NOT take the Renault over again, but would not hesitate with my trusty Freda. I think the auto-box is just superb for this type of terrain; you're never in the wrong gear ...although both were easier than the long wheel base diesel Leyland Duf minibus I once took over that route.... (empty apart from me and one, quite nervous, front seat passenger )

[Ian]

A Bongo Bash in the Lakes ould be great.

If you can point me in the direction of a site that can accomodate 30 Bongonauts, all with electric hook-up, that's open in March, then that will be the venue for next year's Tough Northerners in Vests weekend.

[dandywarhol]

We had a gathering of Yamaha TDMs here last year - excellent site and good restaurant

http://www.sykeside.co.uk/

[phedders]

Sykeside (Brotherswater) is awesome - we were there over New Year. (Two other bongos there too)

It's Not very big - might get 30 Bongos in I guess - would be really nice if we could mind...

And not particularly cheap though the location is fantastic, the food is excellent in the pub, facilities very nice etc...

Yea I'd go back there...

[trevd01]

Sykeside is one of our favorite Lakes campsites.

Spot the odd one out



Bl**dy cold Oct 06



They are open all year round, in the grounds of a pub.

Plenty of room for 30 Bongos

Go for it Ian!

[etihsbog]

Was it you dandy who said you used the auto box in hold and pulled away from stopped moving from S to L then into D, can remember something about this but unsure of details.

[dandywarhol]

Think it was me........best acceleration can be had (IMO) by selecting L hold (1) and shifting manually just past peak torque, to S and then D - all around 2500/2750 rpm. I think the auto box holds on too long and revs too high when using D.

I only use the manual method if I want max acceleration - otherwise the normal easylazy D works just fine

[bigdaddycain]

Have you ever tried pulling away holding it as near to 2500rpm until cruising speed is acheived dandy?

With delicate adjustments of the accelerator,you need never exceed 2600/2700 rpm with very smooth changes...

It doesn't do the economy any harm either

[dandywarhol]

Yep - that's how I normally drive bigd but the "hold" button way is good for acceleration without the engine revving too hard.