one more car question: 6 Speed Auto vs CVT

[space-time]

anyone driving a CVT? how does it feel? is there any data about the reliability of these CVT units? are they similar to 6 speed auto transmissions? I have to say that all manual cars I driven (and not only I, but also my extended family) have been bullet proof regarding transmissions, and I am OK with buying a 6 speed auto car, but CVT makes me a little nervous. is there anyone here with 10+ year old CVT? did you have any issues?

[Ombligo]

I have a 2009 Nissan with a CVT, so it is less than the 10 years you ask about (6.5 years since I bought it). It currently has 80,000 miles on it and I have had no issues with it whatsoever. The biggest difference in driving is when I get in another car, I immediately notice the shifting as the car goes from one gear to another. To be honest, I have more faith in my CVT than I do in my wife's 9-speed Jeep.

[C(-)ris]

Had a CVT in my Jeep Patriot. Was an '07 with 135k miles. I never had a problem with it, but I sold it when I got the Forester(also with a CVT). The Jeeps were known to have issues though with the CVT. Seemed to be hit or miss, luck of the draw on if they failed or not. Either that or driving style.

[Octave Doctor]

Subaru put a lot of CVTs in the little Justys. I hear they designed it to be a five year disposable, but people kept them up and they lasted as long as real Subarus.

[tenders]

(Jeep transmissions have 9 speeds? I had no idea. I've learned a lot about Jeeps here in the last week or two.)

[Bimwad]

tenders wrote:
(Jeep transmissions have 9 speeds? I had no idea. I've learned a lot about Jeeps here in the last week or two.)

Some do. It hasn't turned out to be one of ZF's better efforts, but not as bad as the 4HP that would blow clutches during emissions testing.

GM and Ford are co-developing a 10-speed for RWD and truck applications. Ford has an 11-speed design of their own as well, the "Tufnel."

Subjectively, some CVTs are tuned to feel like conventional automatics, with discrete gearing.

[Racer X]

Octave Doctor wrote:
Subaru put a lot of CVTs in the little Justys. I hear they designed it to be a five year disposable, but people kept them up and they lasted as long as real Subarus.

That's the key with an AT of any design. This movement to filled for life autos is a bad idea, if you ask me. Change your fluid every 50-60K with fully synthetic is my recommendation.

When my partner's Mountaineer transmission crapped out the bottom of her truck (huge failure), the amount of debris in her pan from routine wear and tear was appalling. The fluid looked burnt too. No dipstick, so no way to inspect fluid quality without going under and messing with a piggyback drain/fill plug.

[M A V I C]

Racer X wrote:
[quote=Octave Doctor]
Subaru put a lot of CVTs in the little Justys. I hear they designed it to be a five year disposable, but people kept them up and they lasted as long as real Subarus.

That's the key with an AT of any design. This movement to filled for life autos is a bad idea, if you ask me. Change your fluid every 50-60K with fully synthetic is my recommendation.

When my partner's Mountaineer transmission crapped out the bottom of her truck (huge failure), the amount of debris in her pan from routine wear and tear was appalling. The fluid looked burnt too. No dipstick, so no way to inspect fluid quality without going under and messing with a piggyback drain/fill plug.
I wish I could change my gearbox fluid more easily. It requires putting the car in gear, getting the fluid within a temp range and adding more until it starts pouring back out. Can you imagine putting my car on jack stands, then putting it in gear and crawling under it in my garage? Neither can I.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

M A V I C wrote:
Can you imagine putting my car on jack stands, then putting it in gear and crawling under it in my garage? Neither can I.

Ramps?

[AllGold]

If the car in question is the Prius then that's just how they all come. I can't speak to other cars, but CVTs in Prii are very reliable.