General question - manual or automatic?

Post by **tootingblue** » 05 Feb 2006, 21:17

Am about to plunge into the world of T25s. Have got my eye on a 1980 LHD Westfalia Joker air-cooled. It's an automatic though, which makes me a little unsure.

Any advice out there on pros and cons please? Are they a lot thirstier (i gather 22-25mpg is usual for a 1.9 manual?? And what about maintenance?

Would appreciate any thoughts as I'm a complete novice here

Cheers

Post by **dazzzer1** » 06 Feb 2006, 23:24

not sure of anything else but i know they are a lot heavier on fuel, youd expect 22-25 from a manual

Post by **Arvi** » 07 Feb 2006, 09:45

i have an auto 2.1i when i bought van it had 128k on clock with kanackered engine

put new engine in at same time i thought i would check condition of gear box out plus change fluid as it was out of the caralthough it seemed fine

when i opened it up the horse shoe shape gasket between the box and the dif had disintegrated and was clogging up the filter at the bottom

changed gasket and fluid and all is fine

i have been told by my dealer that you should change autobox fluid in air cooled sooner than in water cooled as the water cooled box has a cooler built on

but to drive i love the auto because of the gearing it shoots off traffic lights and is weel nice in traffic

but as above mpg is not the best i commute to wolverhampton everyday and the van drinks the same as my 4.4 BMW but saying that the van is more fun to drive.