automatic

[dewalt28]

dont mean to sound thick but i have only recently purchased a bongo and i have never driven an automatic before although i know the obvious park drive and reverse i dont know what the others are for and the hold button can anyone enlighten me lol thanks

[MountainGoat]

You can get a copy of the owners manual from either the club shop or ebay for around £20.00. The two extra gears on the auto are for locking the Bongo in a lower gear in conjunction with the button on the side of the gear stick. This prevents the auto from hunting when climbing and decending steep slopes, depends on how steep which one you use. You will not get much of a chance to use them if you live in a flat area.

I had never driven an auto either before I got my Bongo.

Tony

[mister munkey]

I stick mine in S2 around town, to assist not creeping too far over the limit & use the Hold button when dropping down hills to save the brakes a bit. Have a play with the various combinations, you'll find it useful.

[dewalt28]

thanks for that i will probably never use the other gears then live in plymouth not many hills there

[Rhod]

Hi Dwalt28 - and welcome!

HOLD basically forces the gearbox to drop down a gear & holds it there. In D it will drop it down to 3rd (really dropping 2 gears if you include lock-up as a gear). In S it will hold the box in 2nd (I think) and in L it holds it in 1st. The function is either to stop the gearbox hunting on twisty roads (though I rarely use it for this), holding a lower gear in slippery conditions, or for increased engine braking on steep hills. I also occasionally use it to effectively drop a gear before a very sharp bend, or to stick to a 30mph limit - especially on a down gradient. L+Hold is ideal for descending icy hills

S and L simply hold the gearbox in the lower gears for slippery conditions. I think that S keeps the box in 1-3, and L keeps it in 1-2, but it's too wet too go out to the van to get the handbook! It's all listed in the drivers glovebox manual, which is available from the Club shop.

I'd never liked the idea of an Auto, but it works so well in the Bongo that I wouldn't swap it for a manual now. Different thing in a performance car....

[sparkymik]

Resist the temptation to play with it on the move can be a bit hairy if you push the hold and your doin' 70mph the Bongo will not thank you

Sparky

[dewalt28]

i will have to have a play about with it see what happens just hope i dont bugger it up lol

[mikeonb4c]

Resist the temptation to play with it on the move can be a bit hairy if you push the hold and your doin' 70mph the Bongo will not thank you

Sparky

How true, and very easy to do if you reach into the centre cubby when driving as your forearm can easily knock the HOLD button - very disconcerting when you hear the engine revs shoot up above the roar of the slipstream

[trevd01]

I've been driving autos for years and dont hanker after a manual gearbox at all.

Just stick it into D when you set off, and into P when you arrive.

Little benefit messing with it 99% of the time. Despite it being very hilly where we live, I just let the auto do its thing.

When it's snowing or very icy I do use the lower gears and hold, but that's about it.

N is just there to stop you going from D to R and maybe breaking something! I never use it. No need.

Oh yes, R is handy for going backwards.

( No doubt we will get into the usual debate about handbrakes and N at traffic lights, any time now...)

[dewalt28]

well there you go sorted dont bloody touch the gears . stick it in drive and go easy

[dandywarhol]

Resist the temptation to play with it on the move can be a bit hairy if you push the hold and your doin' 70mph the Bongo will not thank you

Sparky

If you hit the hold button at 70 the box is designed to be idiot proof and not change down.........

[bigdaddycain]

My bongo isn't idiot proof...it let me buy it!

[tricky]

S and L simply hold the gearbox in the lower gears for slippery conditions.

You sure you'd want to hold the box in L when icy other than maybe downhill to facilitate engine braking? Lower gears increase the likelihood of wheelspin, no? Some bixes have a winter setting (marked with a snowflake" which prevents the box from using 1st gear at all.

[dp bradford]

S and L simply hold the gearbox in the lower gears for slippery conditions.

You sure you'd want to hold the box in L when icy other than maybe downhill to facilitate engine braking? Lower gears increase the likelihood of wheelspin, no? Some bixes have a winter setting (marked with a snowflake" which prevents the box from using 1st gear at all.

In D, pressing the Hold button forces the gearbox to use only gears 2 and 3 - the vehicle will set off in second and (as you intimate) avoid spinning the wheels

Dave

[missfixit70]

Resist the temptation to play with it on the move can be a bit hairy if you push the hold and your doin' 70mph the Bongo will not thank you

Sparky

If you hit the hold button at 70 the box is designed to be idiot proof and not change down.........

I tried it to make sure & you're right