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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Is the Supra's autobox the best in the world


FaithStalker

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You can have a cuppa tea between shifts on the Smart Car paddle shift ones !!!

 

 

Fiat ones are also pretty poor as well

 

the best ones ive found so far are :

 

Toyota (obviously, models : Avensis, Yaris, Supra)

Vw Golf (my old one had a nice autobox, no top end though)

BMW (older shape 3 series auto, was a 2.5 though!)

 

thats about it, i guess your looking German or Jap,

but then - isnt that always the case for quality cars !

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Before My Supra, I had a Galant VR4 with a 5 Speed Tip box. Very good: both responsive and smooth. Kick ass car really, seeing as you can pick them up for well under 10k and you can get over the looks. Being a supra owner, ugly looks don't bother me too much! :D

 

The 300ZX Autobox is pretty good too as it is much more eager to kick down and accelerate than the Supra is. I fin the Tip box on mine is ok, but not the best I've ever had. It's very lazy about changing and kicking down. It can also be a bit harsh in Tip mode.

 

Mind you, have only been driving it for about 6 weeks, so maybe it is a little too early to criticise!

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I find the Supra auto 'box very good; smooth changes and free from hesitation. I used to have a Soarer V8 which also had a top quality box. My Jaguar XJ8 (with five gears!) was awful by comparison depite being much more modern.

 

My only sugestions to improve it would be

 

1. A straight forward-back movement instead of the Mercedes-esk "maze change"

 

2. Indication by the gear selector as to which position you're in (why do I have to check the dash when I'm moving a lever by my side?)

 

3. Less fiddly TIPTRONIC buttons; they're pretty small and can be hard to find.

 

4. An easier way of selecting 3rd gear. Currently I have to select M for manual and then DOWN for third. Why two operations?

 

Phew, sounds like quite a critisism but it's not. It's a very good piece of engineering. It can also take 400BHP. Which is nice.

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Yes, mine is the "face lift" model with the VVT and push button 'box. There is no O/D off button on my shifter that gives you third gear.

 

I presume my gate is a maze type because there is no interlock button on the stick that has to be depressed to move it.

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Originally posted by trooper

Yes, mine is the "face lift" model with the VVT and push button 'box. There is no O/D off button on my shifter that gives you third gear.

 

I presume my gate is a maze type because there is no interlock button on the stick that has to be depressed to move it.

 

3rd gear isn't OD off?

 

On mine, with MANU mode on..

 

1 = 1st

2 = 2nd

D = 3rd

 

.. then turn MANU off for 4th.

 

AFAIK the overdrive button is a gear 'between' gears..? Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

-p

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Originally posted by trooper

There is obviously a difference between the pre-1997 cars and the post 1997 cars.

 

Position D for me will use all 4 gears.

 

Usually, like in my old Soarer, O/D off will disable fourth gear.

I have never seen another function of the overdrive switch.

 

This is only position "D" with "MANU" on. "MANU" off, D is drive and uses all 4 gears.

 

-p

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It's a superb box.... UNTIL you need to buy internal parts for it. Aisin-Warner won't sell internal parts, so you have to buy from Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volvo, whoever have the bit you need, cheapest. Even then they are FRIGHTENINGLY expensive. As the cars get older and boxes fail the cost of a proper rebuild will see cars scrapped or patched up with secondhand transmissions.

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Originally posted by Chris Wilson

It's a superb box.... UNTIL you need to buy internal parts for it. Aisin-Warner won't sell internal parts, so you have to buy from Mitsubishi, Toyota, Volvo, whoever have the bit you need, cheapest. Even then they are FRIGHTENINGLY expensive. As the cars get older and boxes fail the cost of a proper rebuild will see cars scrapped or patched up with secondhand transmissions.

 

Chris, have you seen many failures to date.

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Originally posted by ChrisR

Chris, have you seen many failures to date.

 

Only 2, both were due to oil loss. Front oil pump seal and a cooler hose come off on a shoddilly installed aftermarket cooler . Neither the boxes fault as such.

 

I have MonkeyMarks auto box in now. That had the front oil pump bushing pick up on the convertor snout and spi it in the pump. I suspect the nose on the modded convertor is oversize, so not the boxes fault either.

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Originally posted by Rob_B

The O/D button changes the box from 4 gear to 3 afaik, hence the higher revving before change up. I also remember hearing something about it changing the voltage to the fuel pump ?!?

 

Rob.

 

There's a definite difference in engine RPM between 3rd and OD off. I don't know what it is, but it's different, I'm sure of it :)

 

Anyway, hometime!

 

-p

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i have a UK autobox spare now :) feel like a race team with a spare box and 2 spare sets of wheels.

they weigh a ton too. you can get them upgraded in america for not a great deal of money. well its not a lot against some of these special hks dog boxes at £8k have read of 2 of them failing on skylines. seems like toyota got it right with the mk 4

 

the getrag 6 speed box looks bomb proof and the auto seems to hold up well. even the head gaskets are good. dont think i have heard of many going like they used to do on mk3 supras,

the supra seems a well bolted together car :)

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I have an N/A auto and a recently aquired an omega 3.0 v6 auto and there is just no comparison. The omega has a better gearstick with a more user freindly sports button on the top of it but thats where the positives end. It cannot be forced into manual mode so extracting that last up to the limiter few hundred RPM is not happening, the kick down you may as well send a postcard to the engine as that would be quicker. When it does kick down its as subtle as kick in the arse! then it changes back up seemingly before the engine gets going. This is all nitpicking really though as I feel I am spoiled having a supra auto that really is the dogs balls! Its the best of both worlds: lazy as shit when you just cant be arsed changing your own gears and really responsive with first second and third manually selectable, It also changes a hell of a lot quicker than I could on the clutch lol.

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Originally posted by dangerous brain

It also changes a hell of a lot quicker than I could on the clutch lol.

 

Cos your GEI:sex:

 

I am really pleased with the auto box, i have never driven another auto that is anywhere near as good. Did find that it tugs a bit more when an aftermarket exhaust has been fitted.

 

Noticable when it changes gears:conf:

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