Ducato MH Auto Box Options?

[97243]

Our 2004 Laika Ducato 2.8l130hp has a traditional auto box and drives very nicely. Even though we are only a few months into this new adventure, we are planning an "upgrade" when the right van becomes available.

We have driven proper autos for donkeys' years and having read a bit about the Comformatic box over the past few days, I am not sure that I like the concept.

Does anyone know if it is still possible to find a traditional auto box on a more recent Ducato based MH?

 

[enark]

Yes for sure, many MH on Fiat base vehicles now have 9 speed auto boxes.

that said, much of the issues with the comformatic are user errors, if used correctly, and maintained, will work fine for many miles, at least that’s my opinion - accept does not have the usual creep and park functions of a full auto, but sure beats a manual for ease of use…

 

[Guigsy]

The Comfortmatic was replaced with the 9 Speed in ~2019. It's a traditional torque converter auto box. And highly rated.

 

[meanders]

much of the issues with the comformatic are user errors,

Really. I can think of at least two well thought of , careful, and technically aware drivers here who have had serious issues with this box Kannon Fodda for instance. I am certain they will be pleased you think they are user errors.

 

[PP Bear]

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[Bessy765]

The trick with the comformatic, is to have it properly serviced by a garage that knows how to do it Well.
we find ours faultless once you get used to it, we find it will pull away quicker when pulling away at a roundabout or junction if you don’t t give it excessive throttle it seems to like a steady pressure against flooring it in trying to pull away quickly.

 

[Live Life Now]

Really. I can think of at least two well thought of , careful, and technically aware drivers here who have had serious issues with this box Kannon Fodda for instance. I am certain they will be pleased you think they are user errors.

I think I read that Enark was suggesting that MUCH of the errors were users, not all! Let's stay civil.

 

[97243]

The Comfortmatic was replaced with the 9 Speed in ~2019. It's a traditional torque converter auto box. And highly rated.

I'm not sure that our finances will run to a post 2019 A Class, so maybe we need to focus on Merc based vehicles.

 

[Figaro]

I'm not sure that our finances will run to a post 2019 A Class, so maybe we need to focus on Merc based vehicles.

MB are not without issues either

 

[meanders]

I think I read that Enark was suggesting that MUCH of the errors were users, not all! Let's stay civil.

I wasn't proposing anyone was uncivil, purely trying to correct a post that would seem to give a false impression.

It has not affected me, but from all the threads on this subject, all I have read is folks trying to find if it is something they are doing, and can therefore avoid, but nothing concrete that a user is or is not doing. Jim started a whole thread on the subject. It would seem that the maintenance instructions issued by Fiat are inadequate and most Fist commercial dealers are unable to fix the problem once it occurs. Please explain how "MUCH of the errors were users'. I will bow to those affected if they reply that I have got it wrong, and yes they caused it, but from all I have read, apart from insisting that the fluid is changed more frequently than recommended, users have no part in this apart from driving the vehicle. It is also true that other users have had no problems at all.

If I am out of order, Jim please delete this and my prior post in this thread.

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[SpeedyDux]

Our 2004 Laika Ducato 2.8l130hp has a traditional auto box and drives very nicely. Even though we are only a few months into this new adventure, we are planning an "upgrade" when the right van becomes available.

We have driven proper autos for donkeys' years and having read a bit about the Comformatic box over the past few days, I am not sure that I like the concept.

Does anyone know if it is still possible to find a traditional auto box on a more recent Ducato based MH?

That sounds like a really nice old Laika. Sadly, Fiat never made RHD base vehicles with the 2.8 diesel and that proper automatic box, otherwise there would have been many converted to MHs in the UK prior to the arrival of the Comfortmatic on the X250 with the 3L motor.

I understand that many large commercial vehicles also use robotised manual gearboxes. Proven technology. The Comfortmatic might not be as smooth as the 9 speed autobox but it makes driving less stressful than a manual in today's traffic so I feel the benefits outweigh the risks of a costly repair. I know a good local specialist autobox workshop in Bristol who said to me that they have some experience of fixing the Comfortmatic so that also gives me confidence. They also had some bad things to say about Merc autoboxes. None of these transmissions are 100% trouble-free.

 

[97243]

That sounds like a really nice old Laika. Sadly, Fiat never made RHD base vehicles with the 2.8 diesel and that proper automatic box, otherwise there would have been many converted to MHs in the UK prior to the arrival of the Comfortmatic on the X250 with the 3L motor.

I understand that many large commercial vehicles also use robotised manual gearboxes. Proven technology. The Comfortmatic might not be as smooth as the 9 speed autobox but it makes driving less stressful than a manual in today's traffic so I feel the benefits outweigh the risks of a costly repair. I know a good local specialist autobox workshop in Bristol who said to me that they have some experience of fixing the Comfortmatic so that also gives me confidence. They also had some bad things to say about Merc autoboxes. None of these transmissions are 100% trouble-free.

Being based in mid west France and having read the thread on the recent problems encountered by Oscar , I can confirm how difficult it is to find French mechanics with more than a basic knowledge of Renault / Citroen / Peugeot motors.

I have a very nice 2.5 Jaguar X Type estate which developed an oil leak in May. A biggish job to replace a crankcase seal, but bread and butter stuff really. I gave the car to the biggest garage in town here who had serviced our cars for the past couple of years as they advertise that they take "toutes marques". After 3 months of chasing they admitted that they couldn't do the repair as they couldn't source the parts and said that they didn't have the right tools for the job anyway. Very weak, but their loss as we will be taking our three cars and MH elsewhere in future.

In the meantime, someone had recommended a one-man business with a workshop tucked away behind his house. I gave the car to him at the beginning of this week and he emailed Wednesday to say, "no problem!"

 

[Bessy765]

The trick with the comformatic, is to have it properly serviced by a garage that knows how to do it Well.
we find ours faultless once you get used to it, we find it will pull away quicker when pulling away at a roundabout or junction if you don’t t give it excessive throttle it seems to like a steady pressure against flooring it in trying to pull away quickly.

Re

The trick with the comformatic, is to have it properly serviced by a garage that knows how to do it Well.
we find ours faultless once you get used to it, we find it will pull away quicker when pulling away at a roundabout or junction if you don’t t give it excessive throttle it seems to like a steady pressure against flooring it in trying to pull away quickly.

re meanders comment at no time was I casting aspersions about other drivers, just my own experiences with my unit. Not sure how many of this type of box are in use today because we mostly only hear of the problems. It is after all a manual box changed by servos controlled by a computer.

 

[Lenny HB]

If you want an Auto on a Ducato you are stuck with the Comformatic from 2006 until 2019. Far better than a manual but not as good as a proper Auto.

 

[97243]

If you want an Auto on a Ducato you are stuck with the Comformatic from 2006 until 2019. Far better than a manual but not as good as a proper Auto.

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know