My car, the DSG was an additional $1200 up front (option) and $300 every couple years (added maintenance) along with reportedly decreased reliability. I chose the manual. With this particular car, there was a point.
CVT transmission
- Thread starter RyanB
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I’ve got some miles behind the wheel of a new F150 with the 10-speed transmission. I’ve determined that while it’s a nice truck, I’m not terribly wild about the transmission choice. That said, Ford has some of the worst shifting transmissions to begin with in my experience.
Daleandee
Final Approach
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Dale Andee
Their worst, by far, is that piece of junk they call the DPS6 transmission that went into the Focus and Fiesta models. Wife had a 2012 Focus. As the old saying goes, we had two great days with that car ...
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Bob Noel
yeah, I had a 2014 Fiesta. I actually got used to the (crappy, really crappy) transmission. It encouraged a somewhat lead foot on starts from a stop. Once I got used to I almost never got the stuttering. But boy that stuttering is a shock to people not expecting it. and, of course, I wasn't going to buy another Ford with that (crappy, really crappy) transmission
Before that I had a Mariner hybrid with a ECVT and replaced the fiesta with an Escape Hyrbid (with ECVT). However, my experience with the ford CVTs isn't much help because I don't put a lot of miles on a car... typically around 8000 per year.
There is a used car dealer in the mountains of Western NC near where we live who specializes in Subarus. He typically has many 5-15 year old Subarus with 100k-200k miles. He told me he won't buy a CVT car with over 80k miles.
A cows opinion
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SoonerAviator
Well to be fair, the 10speed was a joint venture with GM, so their trucks and full size SUVs have it, too. I think it's a decent transmission but it seems to have trouble deciding what gear to be in, especially in slow traffic (20-35mph). It may just be Fords programming and not a fault of anything mechanical in the transmission. I dont recall much issue in the Yukons/Escalades I've driven with it.
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SoonerAviator
I'll pass on any CVT. I like a lot of things about the Nissan Altima/Maxima/Murano, but the CVT would keep me from buying any of them. I'd look at Infiniti just for the sole purpose of having a traditional automatic.
FormerHangie
En-Route
I have a 2014 Fusion plug in hybrid with 107,000 miles. The only repair it has needed was a coil pack. It's been by far the most trouble free vehicle any member of my family has owned.
All the CVTs are smoother than the conventional hydraulic automatic transmissions that actually have to shift. The dual motor electric CVTs in Ford and Toyota hybrids are even smoother than a non-hybrid CVT.
For non-sporting uses, a CVT is the bee's knees. For sporting purposes, I'd like a dual clutch automated manual. If you wanted to go hard core, go with a racing style dog clutch engagement manual with a sequential shifter. That way you get super quick shifts with the directness of a manual. AFAIK, no manufacturer puts such a transmission in a road car as they aren't at all refined, and most people would tire of the noise and drivetrain lash that goes with this sort of transmission. It would be neat in a kit car, though.
Peter Anderson
Pre-takeoff checklist
CVTs are awesome in snow mobiles, ATVs and UTVs. They are terrible in cars. They give zero feedback and if you’re carving up a windy road are about the worst transmission you could have.
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Morgan3820
En-Route
I never learned to drive an automatic. MT is to only way to have any fun driving anymore.
Mazda 3 with 6 spd mt is my daily driver. Love it.
Spring Ford
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SpringFord
These are AMAZING. They are based round a single stage of a normal auto transmission, an epicyclic stage with the usual sun, planets and ring. Instead of a couple of brake/clutch things giving maybe two speeds and a neutral they have two motor/generators. One in place of each clutch/brake.
Somehow - the two MGs motor or generate to create a movement ratio between them. This allows the synthesis of a CVT.
They can also add/extract power from the battery to charge it or extract power from it. Makes my head spin. I don't have a good picture of this aspect at all.
ChucktheTruck
Pre-Flight
I had a 2014 Honda Accord with 8 SPD CVT and I was worried about it being the single point of failure down the road.. eventually the smooth shifting stopped with occasional slips… I heard great things about the Toyota CVT’s with their Hybrids replaced that with a Lexus US250h and the difference is incredible!
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Snorting his way across the USA
I guess I don't understand what you mean by 'feedback'. I prefer carving mountain roads with a MT but my Sentra's CVT in sport mode does a better job than any conventional AT I've driven. In standard mode, not so great. In economy mode, it's a turd even on a flat road.
Ted
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iFlyNothing
Back when I was a newer pilot I ended up getting a lot of Sentras with early CVTs as rental cars. I liked the way they operated, it felt like a slipping transmission at first but once I thought of it like a constant speed prop, I liked it.
The pseudo shift points were added to give people a familiar feel, but I’d rather not have them.
dbahn
Pattern Altitude
I gave my 2009 Maxima to my son, who has about 130,000 miles on it and my 2014 has about 120,000 miles on it. Neither one has had CVT issues. Although it's my 5th Maxima, I love everything about the car so I bought a used 2012 model with only 40,000 miles on it and is like new. That car goes into storage until my 2014 no longer meets expectations, then the plate goes on the 2012.
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Snorting his way across the USA
Ted
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iFlyNothing
This was when I had the Aztec and probably only around 700 hours.
Mason
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Mase
No problems whatsoever with my 2014 Versa nor my 2017 Maxima. Versa got rear-ended and totalled though.
Kenny Taylor
Pre-takeoff checklist
We killed two Nissan CVTs going up Baker Grade from Central California to Vegas in two years. One at 56,000 miles on my 2016 Sentra, and one at 49,000 miles on my wife's 2015 Sentra.
It seems to be an overheating issue on the Sentras. Nissan installed a tiny transmission fluid to coolant heat exchanger in lieu of a proper transmission cooler. In high-temperature, high-speed, high-load situations like Baker Grade, it doesn't keep up and seals inside the transmission start warping. My wife sold hers, and I installed a proper transmission cooler on mine. It's at 110,000 now and hasn't blown up since.
It seems to be an overheating issue on the Sentras. Nissan installed a tiny transmission fluid to coolant heat exchanger in lieu of a proper transmission cooler. In high-temperature, high-speed, high-load situations like Baker Grade, it doesn't keep up and seals inside the transmission start warping. My wife sold hers, and I installed a proper transmission cooler on mine. It's at 110,000 now and hasn't blown up since.
MarkH
Line Up and Wait
Personally, I would try to avoid most CVTs, but if that were not an option I would focus on fluid changes.
Most CVTs (specifically Nissans) tend to degrade the trans fluid, to the point where some are suggesting changing the fluid as often as every 25K miles.
I don't have enough direct experience with them to suggest how often it should be changed, but I personally would not exceed the manufacturer suggested interval at all and (depending on the information I can find) I would consider cutting it in half.
This is specifically related to the Nissan CVT, but it shows how bad it can get in just 20K miles.
Most CVTs (specifically Nissans) tend to degrade the trans fluid, to the point where some are suggesting changing the fluid as often as every 25K miles.
I don't have enough direct experience with them to suggest how often it should be changed, but I personally would not exceed the manufacturer suggested interval at all and (depending on the information I can find) I would consider cutting it in half.
This is specifically related to the Nissan CVT, but it shows how bad it can get in just 20K miles.
MarkH
Line Up and Wait
Hybrid CVTs are a different beast than conventional CVTs. The videos @Spring Ford posted are worth a watch, but hybrid drive lines have huge advantages for reliability on a well designed transmission.
On a gasoline car (especially newer, small displacement engines) starting from a stop puts a lot of strain on the transmission because its a large power requirement, coupled with a significant delta between the speed the engine needs to turn to make the required torque, and the initial speed that the output of the transmission is spinning (0 rpm at a stop).
In a hybrid driveline you have the electric motor, which produces the most torque as it approaches 0 RPM, taking a significant amount of the initial load, and subsequent wear, off the the transmission.
Kenny Taylor
Pre-takeoff checklist
ktup-flyer
En-Route
I dailied one for 8 years, and miss it, but it can’t hold a candle to my 10 speed as far as performance goes. Shifts in track and drag modes are incredibly fast for a converter auto.If you are concerned about transmission MX,
Yeah, but the original question was regarding maintenance and reliability.
ktup-flyer
En-Route
That depends on the transmission. My TR6060 was bulletproof. The MT82 is dog****