Auto vs. stick (manual) tranny - EA82 / GL / Leone - PROS/CONS?

[fishboy]

I'm considering buying a 1993 GL EA82 All wheel drive wagon (AKA Leone / L series) in really good shape, but the only thing I'm not sure about is it has an Automatic tranny.

 

I've only ever owned manual versions of this car. Are there any major disadvantages to having auto over manual? I assume it means I will be without high range/low range. I could live with this I think - but are there other disadvantages, or are they still very good?

 

Will it impact fuel consumption on the highway?

 

Thanks!

Edited April 17, 2014 by fishboy

[wagonist]

Has it had a transplant?

Cos Aus never got an AWD/full time 4wd box in the L series.

 

Is there an extra red button on the side of the gearstick? If so, then it's a part-time 4wd box which will be a 3 speed.

 

Need to determine if its this box or the 4EAT which is basically the same as in the Liberty, and is better.

 

But, both will use more fuel than a manual, the 3 spd more so because there's not the extra ratio.

[fishboy]

Yes, there is a red button on the gear stick. 

 

So I guess that means 3 speed, and worse fuel consumption on the highway than the manual?

[Discombobulated]

Yes, depending on driving habits it will get worse mileage, I have an auto and I love it due to recent back surgery but on the highway fuel economy goes out the door going the speed limit it seems. In town probably comparable but having an extra gear or two would be night and day. But if I was looking at a Suby as hard as they are to find in good shape I would take it either way. It's paid for and the extra mileage I personally don't care about.

 

I am new to my Suby but from what I have read its a great little tranny, shifts great and has had no issues at all if you service it it should last a long time. Although mine is just a fwd so I am not 100% if it's the same as the 4wd:)

 

Good luck if you get it let's see lots of pics:)

[l75eya]

High revving motor at highway speeds with the 3 speed auto. 3900 rpms at 67ish. You'll get about 22 or so mpg on highway if it's in good running condition. Aside from it running high revs on the highway, there really are no other drawbacks. In my opinion. This coming from a 3 speed automatic Loyale owner that's put 50k on it in four years.

[nipper]

High reving on the highway, an underpowered engine, will not be impressive performance. This would make a good city car, but being a 3 speed auto will suffer on the highway as far as noise and mpg. Dependability wont be an issue as it is a pretty hardy transmission. 

[idosubaru]

manuals are getting annoying.  input shaft bearings, warn synchros, and clutch work make for maintenance hogs compared to automatics.  i have 3 kids and not the time to spend pulling transmissions any more without compelling reason. to that end, i love and prefer automatics though i've never owned a 3AT.

Edited April 18, 2014 by grossgary

[nipper]

Everything you just pointed out are all maint or lack of maint items. No real red hearings there.

[idosubaru]

Everything you just pointed out are all maint or lack of maint items. No real red hearings there.

 

true and still common issues on 20+ year old subaru's.

[nipper]

Any 20 year old manual shift car for that matter.

[jono]

and remember, here down under, we do have something that is always bigger than in the US - the gallon

A US gallon is 4.0 litres, an imperial UK/Aus gallon is 4.54 litres !

 

Has it got an AWD "icon" in the centre of the dash ?

Or are you being led to believe it is AllWheelDrive rather than 4WD which is all we really got - normal tarmac mode is full time FrontWheelDrive then you can select PartTime FourWheelDrive?

 

Not a turbo?

 

Not got disc brakes on rear ?

 

I had a PT4WD with smart technology self select 4WD if a switch on dash right side  near light switch, is "in" - trans would automatically select the rear drive in when ither kickdown switch, brake light switch or wiper switch turned on.

 

You may just be looking at an auto 4WD L series wagon.

 

If you not interested, can you send me a link to it if on the web or PM me details - I have an old friend with a bung clutch knee - wants what you describe

Edited April 18, 2014 by jono

[Uberoo]

When I go to the junkyard to buy drivetrain parts I look for cars that have been in a wreck big enough to take them off the road, or vehicles with automatic transmissions.

[tweety]

jono's mention of difference in MPG is important in reference to Subaru Nut's comments because MPG would be much different than the 22 mpg suggested.  Could be 25 mpg or so

 

Its horses for courses but if you have to lower your speed 5kph from 110 to 105 for comfort I'd go the auto any day. my 2 cents

[fishboy]

Awesome thanks all.

 

Sorry Jono, i bought it :-)

[Bekokatt]

These cars came with 5 transmissions:

Manual, 5 Speed, FWD

Manual, 5 Speed, High/Low which is the best one you can get because it's all mechanical and you get low gears. FWD, 4H, 4L

Manual, 5 Speed, Push Button 4 on the Fly. So, there's a button on the shift knob that takes you from Front Wheel Drive to 4WD High. There are no low gears for this.

Auto, 3 Speed, FWD

Auto, 3 Speed, Push Button 4 on the Fly offering FWD and 4WD High. There are no low gears for this.

The Autos, being 3 Speed, don't offer as good of fuel economy, and they are incredibly notorious for having their governor gears applecore and spoob out. The governor gear is the main gear that flips between the other gears and it's pretty easy to fix, but, you have to pull the trans and tear it all apart, which might not be easy for you. I've seen those tranny's dump at about 150,000-180,000 Miles. So, personally, I would never buy an automatic GL/ Loyale. What the automatic GL's/ Loyales are good for are pulling engines, because at Pull N Save there are assloads of the auto cars, and you know it ran and the trans dumped, so, the auto cars are just supplies of low-mile motors. That' their only value.

Edit: Also! The radiators in the auto cars are bigger, thus better, so, they're good for putting a radiator upgrade on your manual car.

Edited April 20, 2014 by Bekokatt

[l75eya]

I've heard changing out the governor is as simple as removing a small cover plate and pulling out the gear and dropping in a new one.

 

Also, a big reason for those to fail is not coming to a complete stop between shifting from drive and reverse and vice versa.

[jono]

autos engines are less likely to suffer crankshaft end float tolerance issues.

 

You bought it ! Enjoy !

[wagonist]

From his description, sounds like the 3AT with part time 4wd. Being a 93 means it's not a touring wagon (GL for you US peeps), which means it prob won't have the "4WD Auto" button.

 

Fishboy, I may have the wiring & buttons left over at home to add that "4WD auto" function as my 88 Touring wagon started as an auto. It's just wires (that spider into a lot of stuff ) & a relay. But I've also done a cull & clean out so maybe not.

 

Now just save up to do an EJ22 with 4EAT transplant

[Subaruist]

My preference will always be for a manual tranny.  A lot of people don;t like automatics for various reasons, but for me its about torque.

If you plan on ever towing anything, get a manual tranny. They are far superior for that task.

Also, manual trannies are more forgiving, more robust in general, and easier to deal with if you have a problem.

If you ever have to bump-start it, you want a manual tranny.

If you like to put it in neutral, shut off the engine and coast down a mountain highway with only the sound of the wind whistling by, you want a manual tranny, lol...

- Of course, I am not familiar with the newer subarus, so they may have some kind of something that will not work in these ways, like running dead in neutral down a mountain highway or whatever.

[AWD J3wman]

The auto is the worst thing ever, I plan on putting mine in a home made trebuchet and launching it into lake superior when I swap to manual.

It does literally nothing well.