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Just how bad is the 8th Generation automatic gearbox?

S

ship69

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'08 i-DTEC EX man 5D
Hi

Just how bad is the 8th Generation automatic gearbox [Edit: 2.2L diesel version!]?

Are they clunky even when new - or is that indicative of a fault?
Does improve when they warm up?
I test drove one the other night and the gear changes were *horrifically* clunky...

Background
I do like the idea of an automatic gear box for city driving, and with slightly careful (mostly motorway) driving I am resigned to getting say 44MPG instead of 50MPG on manual. By my calculations, over a year if I do 20,000 miles that would cost me an additional £275. If I got a very much more relaxed drive particularly in cities, then I would pay for that. But if the geabox makes an un-relaxing CLUNK when changing gear I suppose I'd be better off with manual.

If the loud clunk is a fault, what would it cost to buy a new gearbox?
I tried to call my local dealer for a price but they are persistently engaged [deep sigh]
Either way are there any good non-Honda build/non OEM alternatives?

J

PS I just found this (May 2009) article in the Telegraph that says of the 2.2 i-DTEC Auto that "the engine sounded like a turbocharged cement mixer full of broken bottles" and "don't bother"!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/carreviews/4999996/Honda-Accord-review.html
 
Cant speak for the diesel version, but in the petrol versions its a good box.

Its a conventional torque convertor gearbox, like Merc and BMW fit, not a CVT or DSG which other manufacturers fit and seem to have issues with.

Because of this, as long as its used properly it should last the life of the car. Its needs the fluid changed at 75000 miles, and after that every 40k miles i think.

Mine isnt clunky, changes are smooth, responsive to kickdown, and you can always use the steering wheel paddles if you need a faster response.

Honda have a history of auto boxes, so I dont expect this one to be any more unreliable.

What you lose in absolute control and smoothness, you gain back sat in traffic jams, when you can effortlessly creep along with the queue.

It will be more expensive than a manual if it goes wrong, on Lings Honda parts they quote £7652!

http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_selection_pfk.php?block_01=17TL4901&block_02=E__2010&block_03=914

An 2.0 petrol engine is £5500!

Looks like you can get all the parts though, so a specialist could rebuild.

Would be worth having a warranty that covers it then, but total failure is unlikely I would think.

For the diesel they quote £9500 for an auto box and £6500 for an engine:

http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_selection_pfk.php?block_01=17TL4901&block_02=E__5010&block_03=927

Looks like a totally different gearbox on the diesel, so maybe comparisions with the petrol version are a waste of time??

Sounds like that diesel you drove was typical Car shop stock, badly prepared, no fuel and bald tyres you said, so its probable the auto box could have had a fault.

Go and drive a new one at a Honda dealer to compare.
 
Also with an auto box, always pull the dipstick and check the fluid is topped up, clean. Generally red or pink in colour.
 
I dont know the answer to your question but i find it ridiculous that a new car with such a good rep has such a s****e gear box. Ive owned a few autos, 2 toyotas 1 of which was an old Carina e and the other a MKIV Supra both of which had smooth auto boxes. Also had a Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 sport with auto tiptronic again very smooth, what is up with honda autos?
 
can only speak from my own experience, have had my 2009 8th gen 2.2idtec auto for 14months now. and i love it, the engine is somewhat noisy when cold but not intrusively, the drive is absolutely fine and I find it great on the motorways..... around town its smooth and the gearchange is largely unoticeable.... when i first had it I thought I had made a mistake buying an auto (my first one) but i found i was driving it and waiting for the gearchanges and easing of accelartion .... now i drive it and ignore gearing and just drive..... the only real test is to test drive the car.... but i will replace mine with another auto. the real negative is a lower return on mpg.... not desperately bad.. my last two trips of over 200 mile returns have shown a return of 42mpg on motorway driving at 80mph.... can push it up to high 40's with keeping below 70mph.
 
I can't say I've driven many automatic cars and I've never driven a Honda auto but I do know that Hondas auto box is not like most.

The honda auto box uses a series of wet multi-plate clutches to select each gear on a gear train that is more similar to a manual box. Before a new gear is selected or maybe even around the same time, the old gear must be disengaged, this may well give a lumpy shift change if under load and I'd expect this to be most pronounced when being run-in. If anyone has had one from new they may be able to say?

The majority of traditional automatic boxes use a few sets of sun, planet and ring gears along with brake bands. When changing gear, one brake band applies as another is released. Between gears there is usually some slippage on both bands and thus a smoother change may be felt as drive is coming between two ratios.
 
jmcg said:
I can't say I've driven many automatic cars and I've never driven a Honda auto but I do know that Hondas auto box is not like most.

The honda auto box uses a series of wet multi-plate clutches to select each gear on a gear train that is more similar to a manual box. Before a new gear is selected or maybe even around the same time, the old gear must be disengaged, this may well give a lumpy shift change if under load and I'd expect this to be most pronounced when being run-in. If anyone has had one from new they may be able to say?

The majority of traditional automatic boxes use a few sets of sun, planet and ring gears along with brake bands. When changing gear, one brake band applies as another is released. Between gears there is usually some slippage on both bands and thus a smoother change may be felt as drive is coming between two ratios.
Click to expand...
very nice description of the difference ;)
 
I was after a auto before I bought. The manual I never saw or felt a problem with the auto. I got a lift in my mates Mercedes auto a few nights ago and that drove excellent but no smoother than the Honda made me wish I'd held out until I could get the auto in spec and colour I wanted.
 
Fwiw, I just got some prices from my local Honda dealer.

£8000+VAT ==> £9600 for a new auto gearbox. Plus:
£540 to take the auto gearbox out and fit a new one in.
i.e. over £10K for a new gearbox.

He went on to say that it would need change of oil after 75,000 miles and that for some problems just changing the oil can fix the problem.
Also when something goes wrong, usually you would (of course) simply replace whatever the worn part was... Nonetheless, yet again that is INSANE amounts of money for spare Honda parts.

J
 
No issues here, my 2009 Accord Tourer 2.2 DTEC Auto has 95 000 miles on it and when cold the gear change from first to second is harsh but after that it's as smooth as VW:s DSG auto.
And it got even better now when i had the DPF removed!
 
> when cold the gear change from first to second is harsh
Was it like that from new?

J
 
OK, I have now done a test driven on 8th Generation auto. And it was absolutely fine! Every gear change was absolutely as smooth as silk just as Levenhowe says, even from a cold start on cold night. Anything else is a fault. Fwiw, I am told that just replacing the gearbox oil can sometimes cure some of these glitches...
 
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