Anyone have any personal experience with the newer CVTs that automakers seem to be putting in today's new cars? Or have you read up on the subject or reviews?

Nissan and Honda seem pretty big on them....

 

The FIAT unit that GM forced on Saturn was junk. The one in the Mini Copper is junk, as is the one that Suzuki used in thd Kisashi....have heard others are not all that great but have not owned any

 

I had one in my 08 Caliber and once I got used to it, really liked it. It got totaled in a head on collision back in April of 2011. Stupid *** 18 year old girl on meth, barbs, and alcohol passed out behind the wheel of her Neon, went to sleep, clipped a van in front of me and then plowed me. Highway Patrol estimated her speed at 70mph. I was doing 50. I have since replaced it with a 2013 Chrysler 200 with the six speed CVT and I LOVE this one. It it awesome from first to fourth gear and once it hits fifth it shifts more like an overdrive and then into sixth, not so exciting. BUT I have auto-stick and it's really fun to shift through the gears that way. Makes driving in the hills where I live a lot more fun.

 

Rube --

Sounds like they may have figured out the right combination of parts to make 'em reliable

 

You should go test drive one. Mine has the 2.4 liter four cylinder and I love it. BUT, they've also got a 3.6 V-6 that will haul *** with this thing. Insurance was cheaper on the 2.4 for me and I've got to watch every penny nowadays.

 

Well, being an "older gent", and on fixed funding, it'll be a while before I spring for a new ride -- unless somebody hits me in the ***, then both me and Morris Bart is gonna get wealthy ..... (lol)

 

Not a tranny I wanted when looking.

 

It really wasn't one I wanted when I first experienced it back in 08 when I bought a Dodge Caliber. I've been a Mopar man most of my life and I don't know if any of you are or were, but back in the early years of my driving, I ran big block Mopars with the 727 Torqueflite transmissions, and when they changed gears, you really knew it. Same thing for the 904. Then the 41TE in the vans and they shift hard when you maintain them and get on them. The CVT takes a lot of getting used to and the early ones had a bad rep, I think for the reason that they don't give the noticeable gear changes that most of us are used to. I love the change they made from the 4 speed CVT in the Caliber to the 6 speed in the 200. Very noticeable gear changing from 1 to 4 and you can smoke people off the line, if you want to. I do on occasion, because the little punks in their ricers with the fart can mufflers just **** me off for some reason!

 

CVT's drawbacks

Sluggish Response
Not User Serviceable
Slower Acceleration
Higher Cost

that's not to mention that they do not hold up as well as regular transmissions.

search search and research

Search Toyota, Honda, Saturn, MINI, Suzuki, Dodge, search them all.

 

Not mine directly but a close friend had a caliber with one. It was nothing but trouble and always went back to the dealership for servicing and the car was brand new at the time. She eventually traded it in on a jeep patriot i think its called in which i believe has the same type transmission. However she has had no problems with it. So I guess its hit or miss.

My only personal experience with it was actually in an ATV. I had a arctic cat with a similar type transmission. Worked well unless it was submerged for a legnthy period of time and then it would slip a little. But I loved it other then that!