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changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:55 pm
by austin
hey guys, i have a MY05 3.0R in auto, and as most know they arent as good as the manual 3.0r-b's. i know most people who want manual are told to sell the auto car and buy a manual version. but is there a way of putting in a better auto transmission (the DSG from VW would be nice)? i know it most likely wouldnt be practical nor would it be cheap. but just wondering if it is possible?

cheers, tom.

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:48 pm
by Viper
With enough time and money you can do anything.

Practicality is another thing.

Firstly, you need to get an AWD DSG or whatever.
Then you need to buy one, along with the ECU.
Then you need to get the wiring for that ECU.
Then need to hack apart the ecu to get it to work in a car without all the other ECU on the CAN bus.
Then you need to wire it into the car.....

Not forgetting the bellhousing, drive shafts, etc. etc.

I'd say it would be epic $$$ to do that... Probably more then a whole new car....

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:58 pm
by teK--
Plus the car's resale value is them diminished substantially. I lived with an Auto for 10 years wishing it was a manual but never got around to a manual conversion for the same reasons. Eventually the auto died and I got rid of the car and now I have this beauty :D

Plus at the time I was young and dumb and did such things as talk on the phone, smoke a ciggie, or eat a kebab whilst driving. An auto was perfect for that.

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 5:12 pm
by nytrojen
Plus at the time I was young and dumb and did such things as talk on the phone, smoke a ciggie, or eat a kebab whilst driving. An auto was perfect for that.


Pffft... I once drove to work in the morning while eating a bowl of crunchy nut. How apt

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 5:21 pm
by teK--
Aha, but could you roll a cigarette whilst driving?

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:04 pm
by tangcla
teK-- wrote:Aha, but could you roll a cigarette whilst driving?

This thread has gone significantly downhill. :P

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:31 pm
by nytrojen
I would never smoke in a car :angel: Besides... I quit a while ago :P

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:39 pm
by austin
hahaha the auto is very good for eating and driving, maccas on the way back from uni showed that. when i got the car the reasoning was that if it was gonna be auto, itd have to be the 3.0r, but wouldve liked a manual. only reason i snapped up the 3.0r in auto was because i got it very cheap (well for my thinking). but as i thought, sell auto and buy manual rather than dicking around. just wouldnt mind some faster shifting times.

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:47 pm
by teK--
Also if you got a 3.0 manual, unless you bought the Spec B you will have an inferior center diff to the one in your 5EAT (which is electronically controlled and very good).

Perhaps you should drive one first before making up your mind.

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:59 pm
by austin
i was about to as one of my good mates has an 06 3.0r spec b..... except on a recent roadtrip we all went on, the engine carked itself and the car currently does not have an engine. but i have been driven in one, it can be crazy to be a passenger in one tho..

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:26 am
by Hotwire
teK-- wrote:Plus the car's resale value is them diminished substantially. I lived with an Auto for 10 years wishing it was a manual but never got around to a manual conversion for the same reasons. Eventually the auto died and I got rid of the car and now I have this beauty :D

Plus at the time I was young and dumb and did such things as talk on the phone, smoke a ciggie, or eat a kebab whilst driving. An auto was perfect for that.


Hang on - you drove the same car for 10 years!?!
I cant have a car for more than 3 years, I get rather bored of it and want something new... in fact lately a car has only lasted me on average about 12 months, the liberty is nearing 12 months but will have it for at least 2 years (as its leased for 2yrs) - thats good for me! :lol:

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:37 am
by nytrojen
Hotwire wrote:
teK-- wrote:Plus the car's resale value is them diminished substantially. I lived with an Auto for 10 years wishing it was a manual but never got around to a manual conversion for the same reasons. Eventually the auto died and I got rid of the car and now I have this beauty :D

Plus at the time I was young and dumb and did such things as talk on the phone, smoke a ciggie, or eat a kebab whilst driving. An auto was perfect for that.


Hang on - you drove the same car for 10 years!?!
I cant have a car for more than 3 years, I get rather bored of it and want something new... in fact lately a car has only lasted me on average about 12 months, the liberty is nearing 12 months but will have it for at least 2 years (as its leased for 2yrs) - thats good for me! :lol:


My first car lasted me 7 years. Save more money that way ;)

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:48 am
by swingn
The best thing to get the auto to perform better is to get the Gearbox ECU re-tuned. This can allow the gear box to change harder & faster... It's commonly used on Fords & Holdens as the ECU controls the auto tranny, so it's a piece of cake to fix up while it's being tuned.

All that being said, I'm still unable to find anyone in Australia who can do this to a Subaru auto :( .

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:51 am
by Hotwire
nytrojen wrote:My first car lasted me 7 years. Save more money that way ;)


I beg to differ. By changing cars often, depreciation never really effects you. By selling cars within the 12month time frame, i lose maybe 1k max in capital value generally. I kept my 2nd car for 5 years and lost over 70% of its value from purchase price. By keep a car for 5-7 years, value drops out the ass end.

Re: changing 5 speed auto gearbox

PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:35 am
by nytrojen
Hotwire wrote:
nytrojen wrote:My first car lasted me 7 years. Save more money that way ;)


I beg to differ. By changing cars often, depreciation never really effects you. By selling cars within the 12month time frame, i lose maybe 1k max in capital value generally. I kept my 2nd car for 5 years and lost over 70% of its value from purchase price. By keep a car for 5-7 years, value drops out the ass end.


Depends how much your car cost you in the first place. I bought my Silvia for $7k and traded it in for $2k. $5k loss over 7 years sounds pretty decent ;)