Recommend an SUV for a golfer

[rudebhoy]

Had a test drive in the Tiguan yesterday, very nice.

First time I've driven an automatic in about 30 years, so that was interesting.

Crucially, the cart bag and trolley fit in fine diagonally, although I had to take the driver out as it looked very close to the edge. However, if I'm reading the brochure correctly, the back seat bench is adjustable, so hopefully I can move it a couple of inches forward to give plenty clearance.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Had a test drive in the Tiguan yesterday, very nice.

First time I've driven an automatic in about 30 years, so that was interesting.

Crucially, the cart bag and trolley fit in fine diagonally, although I had to take the driver out as it looked very close to the edge. However, if I'm reading the brochure correctly, the back seat bench is adjustable, so hopefully I can move it a couple of inches forward to give plenty clearance.

Once you have driven an automatic you wont want to go back. It makes driving so much easier, particularly if you get caught in traffic. Welcome to an easier life

 

[Bdill93]

Once you have driven an automatic you wont want to go back. It makes driving so much easier, particularly if you get caught in traffic. Welcome to an easier life

Seconded - hate driving my wifes manual these days!

 

[rudebhoy]

Seconded - hate driving my wifes manual these days!

I hate my wife driving my manual, her choice of gear is consistently wrong, and her technique is hopeless. I try to bite my lip, but it's difficult not to comment on it, which is always a bad move!

 

[Bdill93]

I hate my wife driving my manual, her choice of gear is consistently wrong, and her technique is hopeless. I try to bite my lip, but it's difficult not to comment on it, which is always a bad move!

Hahaha I'm not that bad - but I have stalled it a couple of times when parking up etc. and just totally forgetting gears are a thing..

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Hahaha I'm not that bad - but I have stalled it a couple of times when parking up etc. and just totally forgetting gears are a thing..

I forget when I am coming up to roundabouts, no need to stop. Slow, slow, stutter, stutter, oops, gears.......I keep suggesting she goes auto next time but she won't have it. Personally I think it is just so she can laugh at me when I forget and nearly stall the car. That's 25 years of marriage for you

 

[Orikoru]

Once you have driven an automatic you wont want to go back. It makes driving so much easier, particularly if you get caught in traffic. Welcome to an easier life

Couldn't agree more. As I've mentioned, I passed my test in an automatic. Back 15 years ago they advised not to do that as you'd be limited on what cars you can drive etc, but now we're at the point where all cars will be automatic eventually anyway. We've now got two automatic cars so that me or my wife can drive them, and she says the same as you, automatic so much easier than she wouldn't go back to a manual anyway.

I forget when I am coming up to roundabouts, no need to stop. Slow, slow, stutter, stutter, oops, gears.......I keep suggesting she goes auto next time but she won't have it. Personally I think it is just so she can laugh at me when I forget and nearly stall the car. That's 25 years of marriage for you

Indeed, roundabouts and junctions were the biggest difference for me (I did learn in a manual when I was younger) - just zero faffing about with the car so you can fully focus on what other cars are doing and when it's safe to go. It was like an epiphany when I started doing lessons in auto instead of manual.

 

[backwoodsman]

Going to disagree with previous posts - currently driving my first ever automatic (had it 18 months) and can't wait to get back into a manual.

 

[Imurg]

Couldn't agree more. As I've mentioned, I passed my test in an automatic. Back 15 years ago they advised not to do that as you'd be limited on what cars you can drive etc, but now we're at the point where all cars will be automatic eventually anyway. We've now got two automatic cars so that me or my wife can drive them, and she says the same as you, automatic so much easier than she wouldn't go back to a manual anyway.

Indeed, roundabouts and junctions were the biggest difference for me (I did learn in a manual when I was younger) - just zero faffing about with the car so you can fully focus on what other cars are doing and when it's safe to go. It was like an epiphany when I started doing lessons in auto instead of manual.

The "experts" reckon the last manual driving test will be sometime in 2043.......

 

[evemccc]

Having driven manual and automatic, I personally feel manual are safer and better

I would not want to have an automatic through choice

Which are more likely to go wrong I wonder, gearbox / clutch problems or issues with automatic?

 

[RichA]

Both hands on the steering wheel at all times seems safer to me and I've never witnessed anyone stall an automatic in a junction.
When I was younger I couldn't imagine owning an automatic. Now I find it strange that they still make manual gearboxes for anything other than poverty spec cars.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Having driven manual and automatic, I personally feel manual are safer and better

I would not want to have an automatic through choice

Which are more likely to go wrong I wonder, gearbox / clutch problems or issues with automatic?

How are manual cars safer? I'm not getting that at all.

 

[GreiginFife]

Both hands on the steering wheel at all times seems safer to me and I've never witnessed anyone stall an automatic in a junction.
When I was younger I couldn't imagine owning an automatic. Now I find it strange that they still make manual gearboxes for anything other than poverty spec cars.

Also can’t start the car in gear and risk a surge.

Auto boxes are so much better since the advent of the dual clutch and toque converter systems.
I do love manual shifts but the speed at which both of my ZF boxes change gears is way better than I could ever achieve.

 

[BiMGuy]

Also can’t start the car in gear and risk a surge.

Auto boxes are so much better since the advent of the dual clutch and toque converter systems.
I do love manual shifts but the speed at which both of my ZF boxes change gears is way better than I could ever achieve.

The ZF8 coupled to my 35d engine is a mechanical masterpiece. Going back to a manual, no thanks.

 

[GreiginFife]

The ZF8 coupled to my 35d engine is a mechanical masterpiece. Going back to a manual, no thanks.

The N57 and its M57 predecessor are solid engines and the ZF is perfect for it.
I have two variants of the B58 (touted as BMWs best engine) and that same ZF8 is just beautiful.

 

[cliveb]

Mine is a Mk1. I'll see tonight whether it is the same. Hopefully so . Thanks for that.

Perhaps as per the battery fitting, they have learnt from weaknesses on the Mk1 and improved for the Mk2.

It would be handy to be able to quickly remove the wheels, both for putting in the car and also to aid cleaning.

My wife has a Mk1 GoKart and I had to make her a tool to remove the wheels. Her fingers simply aren't strong enough to get them off otherwise.

Interesting to hear they've change the design on the Mk2 - which means if she ever buys one, her hedgehogs won't fit so that's another expense!

 

[Golfmmad]

Back to automatic driving. When I was working I had to drive both auto and manual. The only problem with autos is if you forget your left foot and think you're pushing the clutch - you come to a pretty abrupt stop! Thankfully only happened a couple of times.
Give me automatic every time

 

[apj0524]

I had a mooch around some car dealers at the weekend, dropped into Toyota and had a look inside the RAV4, the boot was absolutely massive, very impressive.

I have a RAV4 and can confirm the boot is 2 sets of clubs and two trollies easy

 

[Mandofred]

I was a little disappointed to see that the Tiguan wasn't big enough to put a bag in sideways. I'm not ready for a new car yet, but that was on my list of possible cars. When I bought the Suzuki Vitara 3.5 years ago....I was a bit shocked at how many of the SUV looking vehicles just weren't wide enough inside to get the bag in sideways.

After growing up in the land of automatics.....there is a HUGE difference between auto's those days and what is put on the road these days. There used to be a pretty noticable reduction in fuel economy. Gear changes were quite often....interesting. Cars that just simply wouldn't stop when you turned off the key.....just kept half dying but still desperate to keep going (couple of the family cars). Nowadays.....I can manually change gears if I need/want to (rarely...sometimes when coasting downhill to keep the speed down), the speed of gear changes when accelerating I can't beat manually, mileage is pretty much the same now, dependability is soooooo much better than before.

I think the two main issues with people not switching to auto's is 1. they cost more, and 2. there is still a macho attitude that "real" drivers drive manuals.

Most of my cars over the years were manuals, I have nothing against them at all.....but basically a car is just a car to me. It gets me from one point to another. If I did a lot of driving I likely wouldn't have the car that I have, I'd go for something that has a smoother more comfortable ride and gets better mileage. But.....after a little over 3.5 years I'm still less than 17,000 miles.....so mileage just isn't as important to me than being able to get in the car easy, being able to put my golf crap in the car easily, and not having to change gears 5 million times on the way to the golf course a couple of miles away.

 

[rudebhoy]

I was a little disappointed to see that the Tiguan wasn't big enough to put a bag in sideways. I'm not ready for a new car yet, but that was on my list of possible cars. When I bought the Suzuki Vitara 3.5 years ago....I was a bit shocked at how many of the SUV looking vehicles just weren't wide enough inside to get the bag in sideways.

After growing up in the land of automatics.....there is a HUGE difference between auto's those days and what is put on the road these days. There used to be a pretty noticable reduction in fuel economy. Gear changes were quite often....interesting. Cars that just simply wouldn't stop when you turned off the key.....just kept half dying but still desperate to keep going (couple of the family cars). Nowadays.....I can manually change gears if I need/want to (rarely...sometimes when coasting downhill to keep the speed down), the speed of gear changes when accelerating I can't beat manually, mileage is pretty much the same now, dependability is soooooo much better than before.

I think the two main issues with people not switching to auto's is 1. they cost more, and 2. there is still a macho attitude that "real" drivers drive manuals.

Most of my cars over the years were manuals, I have nothing against them at all.....but basically a car is just a car to me. It gets me from one point to another. If I did a lot of driving I likely wouldn't have the car that I have, I'd go for something that has a smoother more comfortable ride and gets better mileage. But.....after a little over 3.5 years I'm still less than 17,000 miles.....so mileage just isn't as important to me than being able to get in the car easy, being able to put my golf crap in the car easily, and not having to change gears 5 million times on the way to the golf course a couple of miles away.

My cart bag fitted sideways in the Tiguan. I took the driver out as it looked a bit tight with it in, however the back seat bench is movable, so I'm going to move it forward a couple of inches which will give plenty clearance and avoid faffing about taking clubs out.

I agree with your point about automatics being sneered at by macho drivers. I've been guilty of that in the past but now I'm a convert.

As you can gather from the above, the deed is done, I've ordered the Tiguan