Manual vs automatic for lower noise on highway

[lokets]

Hi. Just checking with Fiesta owners with (1) manual & (2) auto transmission:

1. At typical legal speed of say 100kph, at the highest gear, what RPM does the engine work at?

2. At that level of rotation, is the car noisy? I know this is kinda subjective...

I travel about 60+km on highway to/fro work (almost all 100kph) and is now considering, besides other factors of course, whether to get an auto or manual transmission. I know the manual is more fun, better economy but I hate noisy cabin.

I understand that the manual gearing is short and the auto one is taller. So, at highway speed, is the auto more fuel-efficient and quieter than a manual?

Thanks for your feedback. e

[MISTA FIESTA]

At 100kph mine sits at 2800rpm (Auto), not idea about manual tho. The level of noise is very moderate and not over the top, but the engine is know for its noisyness.

Any problem with auto is ive noticed it uses a bit more fuel. I also travel about 60kms to/fro work and it munches the fuel, but all depends on your driving style.

[mitch_lx]

at 100kmph mine sits a little higher, think its 3,000 if i remember correctly.

[Danny]

3,000 rpm, and it cruises like a charm. The engine only gets noisy at much higher revs than that. Ive driven my fiesta at a constant 140 - 150 last time I was up in the NT and it cruises just as well as any family car. Its unbeleivable!

[joshf2]

i thought it was a bit closer to 3100rpm for 100kph in the manual

nonetheless, with a straight through exhaust and tagging about 6000rpm in 4th, the motor sounds the part

[LethalLeigh]

I think you'll find a lot of 4 cylinder manuals cruise at those revs in fifth, both my old Pulsar and Festiva did the same.

[theostheone]

Hey people...

With my father having an auto fiesta and myself having a manual... (yes our family has TWO fiestas) i think i am the most qualified to answer this.

The main difference between the two cars is the revs. The auto revs higher than the manual on the takeoff but at high speeds generally the auto runs at a lower rev. At about 100kph the manual revs about 500 rpm higher than the auto however the sound the engine makes doesnt really change. Maybe the manual is slightly more audible however with the radio on level 18 you cant notice the difference over the sound coming out of the speakers.

Apart from that they are both great cars... but honestly the manual is better. I drive my dads auto sometimes and the feeling isnt the same. My dad drove mine the other day and he said that he wanted to take mine more often, cos the manual goes harder and is simply more pleasurable to drive.

Get the manual.

[lokets]

Thanks everyone for your fine suggestions. I think the manual does give overall a more pleasurable driving experience, which is a highlight for this car.

[cArSiK]

Originally Posted by theostheone

Hey people...

With my father having an auto fiesta and myself having a manual... (yes our family has TWO fiestas) i think i am the most qualified to answer this.

The main difference between the two cars is the revs. The auto revs higher than the manual on the takeoff but at high speeds generally the auto runs at a lower rev. At about 100kph the manual revs about 500 rpm higher than the auto however the sound the engine makes doesnt really change. Maybe the manual is slightly more audible however with the radio on level 18 you cant notice the difference over the sound coming out of the speakers.

Apart from that they are both great cars... but honestly the manual is better. I drive my dads auto sometimes and the feeling isnt the same. My dad drove mine the other day and he said that he wanted to take mine more often, cos the manual goes harder and is simply more pleasurable to p drive.

Get the manual.

Yep , ill agree with this one.

Ive had a manual and auto fiesta as a company car and drive to work in a 100 zone and the Auto rev;s lower than the 5spd @ 100.

James

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by lokets

Hi. Just checking with Fiesta owners with (1) manual & (2) auto transmission:

1. At typical legal speed of say 100kph, at the highest gear, what RPM does the engine work at?

2. At that level of rotation, is the car noisy? I know this is kinda subjective...

I travel about 60+km on highway to/fro work (almost all 100kph) and is now considering, besides other factors of course, whether to get an auto or manual transmission. I know the manual is more fun, better economy but I hate noisy cabin.

I understand that the manual gearing is short and the auto one is taller. So, at highway speed, is the auto more fuel-efficient and quieter than a manual?

Thanks for your feedback. e

If you decide to go for a manual "definately get an LX or Ghia model" and not a Zetec as it revs harder in all gears including fifth over the other two models, the Zetec runs at 3200rpm at 100km/h, the LX and Ghia have slightly taller gearing and run around 3000rpm at 100km/h, "would be a bit better for your highway driving", I actually have a WQ Zetec but my drive to work mainly consists city traffic with only a couple of 100km/h areas, in relation to the cabin noise it's pretty good for a small car in this category, even with the engine spinning over at 3200rpm I dont find it too obtrusive, the engine noise is pretty low considering the "busy business" thats going on under the bonnet, if anything most of the noise is coming from the rather "raspy" exhaust note.......which is quite sweet to be honest, really gives off a nice note just around the 3000rpm spot.......personally I love it,...... good luck with your decision Lokets, it's never easy.

[Ives]

I dunno if anybody's still interested or not... but I took my FezLX (hmm I could have this nickname ) onto a highway this afternoon and I cruized at 100kph at 2750rpm (4th gear......Auto tranny).

[photn]

Originally Posted by robjh80

If you decide to go for a manual "definately get an LX or Ghia model" and not a Zetec as it revs harder in all gears including fifth over the other two models, the Zetec runs at 3200rpm at 100km/h, the LX and Ghia have slightly taller gearing and run around 3000rpm at 100km/h,

thats only with the newer models though, the WP is lower by a bit and i THINK that all WP models rev the same as manual doing 100. the wp revs at 3000 doing 100 and the WQ revs at 3100 doing 100. (im SURE, MAY!!be wrong)

[Steffo]

Originally Posted by robjh80

If you decide to go for a manual "definately get an LX or Ghia model" and not a Zetec as it revs harder in all gears including fifth over the other two models, the Zetec runs at 3200rpm at 100km/h, the LX and Ghia have slightly taller gearing and run around 3000rpm at 100km/h, "would be a bit better for your highway driving", I actually have a WQ Zetec but my drive to work mainly consists city traffic with only a couple of 100km/h areas, in relation to the cabin noise it's pretty good for a small car in this category, even with the engine spinning over at 3200rpm I dont find it too obtrusive, the engine noise is pretty low considering the "busy business" thats going on under the bonnet, if anything most of the noise is coming from the rather "raspy" exhaust note.......which is quite sweet to be honest, really gives off a nice note just around the 3000rpm spot.......personally I love it,...... good luck with your decision Lokets, it's never easy.

The WQ Zetec might run 3200rpm in 5th at 100km/h, but my WP Zetec does what looks like 2975rpm (the needle is pointing *just* before the 3000rpm line) at 100km/h in 5th, that's with the speedo needle pointing exactly on 100. The WP Zetec has a 4.25:1 final drive, I don't know about WQ.

[robjh80]

Originally Posted by Steffo

The WQ Zetec might run 3200rpm in 5th at 100km/h, but my WP Zetec does what looks like 2975rpm (the needle is pointing *just* before the 3000rpm line) at 100km/h in 5th, that's with the speedo needle pointing exactly on 100. The WP Zetec has a 4.25:1 final drive, I don't know about WQ.

WQ Zetec manual final drive, 4.06:1
WQ LX/Ghia manual final drive, 4.25:1
WQ Automatic final drive, 4.38:1

[murcod]

Yes, from what I've read only the WQ Zetec has the lower gearing. You could always go silly and get 18" wheels and tyres that are a slightly too high profile to change the gearing back to standard Fiesta specs. ;)

(Technically not legal if you go over 15mm larger overall diameter in most states.)

[LethalLeigh]

Not to mention the guard scrubbing and more!