Ducato with 6 speed manual gearbox. Is the gearbox good or bad?.

Clewie68

Clewie68

Joined
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Wiltshire, UK
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Malibu 600 DB K
Hello everyone.

I've got the idea of changing my order on a new Ducato and opting for a 6 speed manual gearbox rather than an automatic gearbox. The main reason I'm considering this is because I will more than likely get the new 8 speed automatic gearbox and not the much loved ZF 9 speed gearbox. I'm concerned the new, lighter, cheaper box might be a bad choice. Maybe it could be just as good as the ZF.

My questions is posed to all owners of the Ducato with the six speed manual gearbox. Do you like the gearbox or wish you had a automatic gearbox?. What do you love or hate about the manual gearbox. Please be as definitive as you can.

Kind regards to everyone and thank you for taking the time to read and post.

Mark.
 
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Nothing wrong with the manual box but an automatic will be much more pleasant to drive. No manufacturer is going to replace a decent automatic transmission with something that is inferior just to save a few quid especially when they have the biggest market share for the auto motorhome base market.
I will never have another manual gearbox in a motorhome and I think many others are taking a similar decision as they are so much improved these days.

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Very similar experience to those above, previous 2 vans were manual 6 speed (Ducato), no issues, however, became tiresome when confronted with endless roundabouts and villages and heavy traffic. Latest van 9 speed auto (understand we do not know what the replacement 8 speed will be like) and a complete game changer, just like jumping in the car and although only 10hp more than the previous 2 vans, somehow makes it feel so much more responsive and powerful. I would not change order back to manual and given that the base vehicle is purchased way ahead of the conversion you may well still get the 9 speed. In fact I am not even sure they have confirmed when production of the new gearbox will start (?)
 
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Having had the six speed manual box on several motorhomes, without problems, I didn’t want the automatic. However, the only model available of our motorhome choice had the automatic.

Fortunately, with a bit of haggling, we got the price knocked down considerably and “accepted” the automatic (9 speed).

What a revelation! Driving in the Alps and the Pyrenees no worries about being in the right gear ahead of that nasty hairpin bend on the steep hill. Comfortable cruising on the motorways. No heavy clutch work in busy traffic. I wouldn’t want to go back to the manual box, as good as it is.

BTW, 35 years of experience driving HGVs with manual boxes.
 
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I have a manual gearbox on my 2022 fiat Ducato it’s great very flexible and economical,l would like to try the auto for comparison,I have auto in my car and love it .
 
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Agree with Dolmen above, we've the 9 speed and it's superb,, makes driving in traffic or round town so much smoother and easier. We hired a pvc (manual) before buying ours and the 6 speed is fine but automatic much easier in usage.
 
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Had them both and nothing wrong with the manual box but given the flexibility and smoothness of the nine speed auto box no way would I go back to a manual unless no choice in the matter

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I bet most people with a 9spd wouldn’t notice if they had the new 8spd 😜 no reason or evidence to say the new box won’t be as good as the previous, might even be better.

If you can afford the auto then I’d personally go for it.
 
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Have driven autos for many years but when be purchased our Burstner in was manual or comformatic. I find the six speed manual great but in a heartbeat I would change to the nine speed auto if funds allowed.
 
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If you are ordering new I would be surprised if it still will have the comformatic. We bought new in 2019 and got the comformatic at a discount. Any after were the new box. Our van was chassis was built late 2017 and built by Burstner Aug 2018. Our friends new Autotrail panel van new in 2023 is the new auto?

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Clewie68 said:
Hello everyone.

I've got the idea of changing my order on a new Ducato and opting for a 6 speed manual gearbox rather than an automatic gearbox. The main reason I'm considering this is because I will more than likely get the new 8 speed automatic gearbox and not the much loved ZF 9 speed gearbox. I'm concerned the new, lighter, cheaper box might be a bad choice. Maybe it could be just as good as the ZF.

My questions is posed to all owners of the Ducato with the six speed manual gearbox. Do you like the gearbox or wish you had a automatic gearbox?. What do you love or hate about the manual gearbox. Please be as definitive as you can.

Kind regards to everyone and thank you for taking the time to read and post.

Mark.
Click to expand...
The 6 speed manual box on our Peugeot seized completely at at 11,000 and had to be replaced. The Garage, a very experienced commercial vehicle one, said that it had failed because the previous owner to us had towed an apparanetely heavy trailer and really worked it hard. Also that they have a contract with a local company who's Peugeo'ts tow equipment and the most they ever get out of a gearbox is around 45k. I was told that there should be no problem with my replacement recon gearbox provided I didn't tow anything, or if I did to do so with care and not to work the transmission too hard remembering the vehicle is fully loaded for most of the time anyway as it's a camper and that's before the additional weight of a trailer. I don't tow anything and so far 9000 miles later no problems, fingers crossed.
 
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I don’t think any of us “normal” folk have driven the 8 speed so we don’t actually know what it’s like. However, we had a manual initially and I was very happy. Only changed to the Comformatic because of Nick’s knees. Got used to it other than the annoying slightly slow pulling away at junctions in busy traffic.

Picked up the 9 speed Auto on Thursday so I’ve only driven it 300 miles but that was in a right old mixture of traffic back from Leeds yesterday and it’s a dream despite our detour!

Would have the 8 speed Auto rather than go back to manual in answer to your question.
 
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Had 2 Fiats with manual gearboxes and they were absolutely fine - in fact I was impressed.

But because of a dodgy knee, I really wanted an automatic - so in 2016 bought a new 6.4 m pvc with comfortmatic. I know a good few folk have had issues, but ours was fine and made for relaxed driving. Sold up in May but, as said, no problems. 👍
 
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With the 9 sp, you also get uprated suspension, and HD wheels. Guess this will be same for 8 sp?

So if rated at 3500kg, and you wish to upgrade, it may cost you more withthe manual.

Auto is also light years ahead of clunky clutch changing etc.

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No problem with any of our manual gearboxes, arthritis most of the reason for having comfortmatic now
 
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maison said:
Having had the six speed manual box on several motorhomes, without problems, I didn’t want the automatic. However, the only model available of our motorhome choice had the automatic.

Fortunately, with a bit of haggling, we got the price knocked down considerably and “accepted” the automatic (9 speed).

What a revelation! Driving in the Alps and the Pyrenees no worries about being in the right gear ahead of that nasty hairpin bend on the steep hill. Comfortable cruising on the motorways. No heavy clutch work in busy traffic. I wouldn’t want to go back to the manual box, as good as it is.

BTW, 35 years of experience driving HGVs with manual boxes.
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And there are the 2 magic switches - uphill and downhill. The uphill particularly has got me to places I would never have attempted with a manual gearbox.
 
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Got a new Globecar with a manual box last year, seemed to be the only one coming into the country preordered by the dealers! Wife didn't fancy auto and I didn't fancy paying extra or forgetting how to drive a manual. We are very happy with it.
 
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pandas said:
And there are the 2 magic switches - uphill and downhill. The uphill particularly has got me to places I would never have attempted with a manual gearbox.
Click to expand...

It’s strange isn’t it… with everyday motoring I can absolutely see the case people put forward for automatics, particularly real torque converter autos. But in the use case you suggest you have way way more control with a manual, always will have!

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I'm on my second Ducato and both have had manual 6 speed. I can't fault them, I personally don't notice any difference compared with the car! Although my knees currently work, I may change my mind in a few years!
 
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I’d love a new auto, almost signed on the line for a two year old Hymer a few months back that was on a Mercedes with the 9 speed. But, we have a ten year old 6 speed manual Fiat and I’m so used to it I don’t think about changing gear, it’s me that’s automatic. Plus, we intend keeping it long term now, having got over the temptation and I wonder what the automatics may be like at 10+ years regarding reliability and repair costs.
 
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Hettie's Crew said:
I wonder what the automatics may be like at 10+ years regarding reliability and repair costs.
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If I was buying a new van it would likely be an automatic but if I was buying a 10 year old van it would have to be a manual. Long term, manuals are much more reliable. After all, the 89 year old manual gearbox in my 1935 Austin 10 still works perfectly.
 
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Like many others our last two vans were 6 speed manuals, No problems whatsoever.

New van has the 9 speed auto. Absolutely brilliant! Just done 8K on it around Scandinavia made life so much easier.

Reviews I've seen would indicate the new 8 speed is equally as good as the 9 speed.
 
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Wow, thank you everyone for the great input, very interesting.

I think I might stick with the automatic. I could be wrong and may get the 9 speed instead of the new 8. If not that new 8 speed has more than likely gone through some extensive testing. Fiat would want a reliable gearbox to keep their strong market place. It could work out to be better than the 9 speed. Only time will tell.

I've got two more questions for the automatic owners.
1, Has it got a sequential option?. Can I decide, if I don't like the gear the gearbox has selected, move a gear up or down?.
2, Does the gearbox block change?. (Usually two gears up or down).

In my time driving HGV's, many tractor units with modern automatic boxes have different modes of operation. Fully automatic. (The lorry does what it wants all the time). Automatic with a sequential option, the box would allow me to go one gear up or down from the selected gear. It could also drive with a full manual sequential option allowing full control and no input from the lorry.

The most annoying thing about the automatic gearbox is. It hasn't got the slightest idea about the weight, the incline or decline of the road, the condition of the road surface. It used to drive my crazy when the lorry used to block change uphill, struggle because it's one gear too high, then the lorry behind is on my arse or I've lost the option to overtake the lorry in front. I'm going to find it very entertaining when Elon Musk eventually puts a fully autonomous lorry on road. (I'm staying at home that day🤣).
 
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