Do you own a car that's equipped with a CVT transmission?
If so, what is your overall opinion of the way it operates or performs while you're driving?
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BamPow · 51-55, M
I’ve started doing some research, because I’m going to be in the market for a new vehicle in a few months. What I’ve seen regarding CVT is that it’s less stressful on engines than a regular automatic and is a smoother driving experience, but the downside is that repairs are going to be more expensive when it goes. I don’t have any experience with it, so I’ll be interested if anyone responds who has one.
swirlie · 31-35
@BamPow
I do nautical marine tech research as part of my gig, so I've just started researching this CVT thing for cars & SUV's.
What I've found so far is that a CVT transmission requires the driver to learn how to drive all over again because what applied to an automatic transmission, does not apply to the operation of a CVT transmission. Subtle differences, but can be annoying differences just the same.
I found out that a car with a CVT cannot pull a trailer or any kind of heavy load in the vehicle because it was not designed to pull stuff, but only to carry light loads... such as 2 people in the car plus half a tank of gas.. and those are the actual specs!
There is also a 2 second delay from the time you step on the gas until the car starts moving which can be problematic for stop and go traffic following you!
Also, when going down a hill and you take your foot off the gas to coast, the CVT will immediately slow the car down to the equivalent of idle-speed with your foot off the gas, as if idling through a parking lot for example.
To go downhill, you must keep your foot pressed on the gas to maintain the speed you were going on level road surfaces, otherwise you'll start to slow down from the inherent engine braking effect, instead of coasting or slightly accelerating from downhill inertia like at automatic transmission can be expected to otherwise operate.
I do nautical marine tech research as part of my gig, so I've just started researching this CVT thing for cars & SUV's.
What I've found so far is that a CVT transmission requires the driver to learn how to drive all over again because what applied to an automatic transmission, does not apply to the operation of a CVT transmission. Subtle differences, but can be annoying differences just the same.
I found out that a car with a CVT cannot pull a trailer or any kind of heavy load in the vehicle because it was not designed to pull stuff, but only to carry light loads... such as 2 people in the car plus half a tank of gas.. and those are the actual specs!
There is also a 2 second delay from the time you step on the gas until the car starts moving which can be problematic for stop and go traffic following you!
Also, when going down a hill and you take your foot off the gas to coast, the CVT will immediately slow the car down to the equivalent of idle-speed with your foot off the gas, as if idling through a parking lot for example.
To go downhill, you must keep your foot pressed on the gas to maintain the speed you were going on level road surfaces, otherwise you'll start to slow down from the inherent engine braking effect, instead of coasting or slightly accelerating from downhill inertia like at automatic transmission can be expected to otherwise operate.
fortycreek · M
@swirlie interesting information I was not aware of this
swirlie · 31-35
@fortycreek
What I've deduced after researching CVT technology, is that a CVT transmission is redundant. It has no bonafide relevance in the real world of automobiles. It does not save a lot of gas unless the vehicle is predominately operated in city traffic, such as if the car was used a taxi cab doing stop and go driving all day.
But if you drive primarily at speeds above 40 mph in your average day, you will not save a penny in fuel using a CVT. This is because the CVT operates the engine RPM at the most efficient RPM at all times, thereby causing the CVT to make all the ground speed adjustments itself as you creep through traffic instead of the engine RPM making all the ground speed adjustments, therefore operating at very fuel-consuming low RPM's in the city if only an automatic transmission is installed, not a CVT.
Once you're out on the highway and the CVT maximizes it's highest speed ratio that it is capable of achieving, if you want to go faster, the CVT has no other option except to increase the engine RPM beyond it's maximum efficiency RPM to achieve that higher-desired ground speed.
I should point out that ALL car engines with an automatic transmission achieve the greatest fuel range at 42 mph. Whatever RPM achieves that ground speed is what a CVT operates it's engine at, at all times, while the CVT adjusts itself around that constant-RPM base, which is in the order of about 1800 RPM.
What I've deduced after researching CVT technology, is that a CVT transmission is redundant. It has no bonafide relevance in the real world of automobiles. It does not save a lot of gas unless the vehicle is predominately operated in city traffic, such as if the car was used a taxi cab doing stop and go driving all day.
But if you drive primarily at speeds above 40 mph in your average day, you will not save a penny in fuel using a CVT. This is because the CVT operates the engine RPM at the most efficient RPM at all times, thereby causing the CVT to make all the ground speed adjustments itself as you creep through traffic instead of the engine RPM making all the ground speed adjustments, therefore operating at very fuel-consuming low RPM's in the city if only an automatic transmission is installed, not a CVT.
Once you're out on the highway and the CVT maximizes it's highest speed ratio that it is capable of achieving, if you want to go faster, the CVT has no other option except to increase the engine RPM beyond it's maximum efficiency RPM to achieve that higher-desired ground speed.
I should point out that ALL car engines with an automatic transmission achieve the greatest fuel range at 42 mph. Whatever RPM achieves that ground speed is what a CVT operates it's engine at, at all times, while the CVT adjusts itself around that constant-RPM base, which is in the order of about 1800 RPM.