I voted just for the fun of it (manual, because I have one). It doesn't matter at all what we like; the question is what do you like?
Greg
Greg
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For me it was about what feels right. I would have gone with the manual at the same money as the DCT. That's me I don't like automatics (last vehicle I owned that was an auto was in 86)
It is different technology than other automatic transmissions, but is still an automatic transmission as it works automatically without operator controlling it. It has gears which most if not all other automatic transmissions don't have, but it is still automatic.Remember that the DCT is not an automatic transmission. It is a manual transmission with a computer controlled dual clutch system. It is shifting 6 conventional gears for you. The opposite extreme would be my Volt, it has 1 gear that takes you from 0 to 100 without any gear changes. Engine just spins faster.
Anyone know why the DCT is expected to get lower mpg? I get it with a hydraulic transmission, but where would the losses from the DCT be coming from?
I think Honda says so, 3 mpg lower to be precise. I just can't figure out why. The weight difference should be negligible on fuel efficiency, and even the shift algorithms are likely to be more conducive to good mpg than manual selection.
What are the differences in gear ratios? First I've heard that. If the final drive ratio is different, that could account for it.
Wow, your first post in that thread states 78 mpg over 1,700 miles. Impressive. Edit, your current fuelly says 77.6. I'd like to hear more about how you achieve that.
So looking at my manual (ha), you are right, 6th gear ratio is the same. However, the final drive reduction is different: 2.687/2.437 manual/DCT. I think those are the numbers that are key to the question. The manual also states that the DCT has a 39t rear sprocket (versus a 43t for the manual) which is perhaps where the number comes from.
Let's see,
2.687/2.437 = 10.25%
43/39 = 10.26%
So that is the answer, the manual's higher mpg is directly related to the higher top gear ratio. That could be confirmed with a side by side test of the two models at the same speed: the DCT should be turning 10 percent more rpms.
I think that is a mystery solved. Presumably you could retrofit the DCT with a 43t and mpg would be close to the same. My experience is that top gear is painful in the manual and I'll bet that user experience in top gear on the DCT is much better. Probably a human engineering exercise - perhaps the DCT's ability to auto downshift in top gear is less than excellent.
I'm not sure I get that, it seems to me that the only difference in top gear would be the teeth difference, or the final drive number. Where does the primary drive reduction occur? I admit I don't really understand motor vehicle transmissions or how they are specified.
I can think of one other thing no one appears to have mentioned. There is an extra wet clutch that is always open. That could be a significant hydraulic drag. I wouldn't have thought that would add up to a 5% loss in mileage (more like one percent or so), but maybe?