Blog

Looking at buying or leasing a vehicle and want to know if you should opt for one with an automatic transmission or a CVT? Do you have a CVT and aren’t sure how to care for it? This article will help.

“Automatic Transmission? Manual Transmission? And Now CVT? What?”

It’s OK to feel overwhelmed when first researching transmission types. Afterall, transmissions are complicated sets of machinery and, nowadays, computer technology, too. You don’t need to know how a transmission works to be a good driver. But knowing how a transmission works can help you decide on what the best vehicle is for you and decide what maintenance you need to perform on your vehicle.

Most of us are familiar with the difference between manual and automatic transmissions. If you drive a manual transmission vehicle, also known as “standard” or “driving stick”, you have to manually change gears yourself using the gear shifter. Automatic transmissions, however, automatically change the gear ratio as your automobile moves. The upshot for you the driver is that you do not have to shift gears manually. Automatic transmissions permit the engine to deliver a range of speed and torque outputs while the engine itself maintains a relatively high rotational speed. Many people find driving an automatic transmission easier, but some prefer driving manual because it gives them more control over their vehicle. Furthermore, automatic transmissions are heavier and less fuel-efficient than manual transmission vehicles, but the difference isn’t particularly sizable.

“I Understand The Manual-Automatic Transmission Dynamic, But What On Earth Is A CVT?”

First, let’s state that technically, CVTs are a kind of automatic transmission. CVT stands for “continuously variable transmission”. You will often see and hear “CVT transmission”, which is redundant, but many people say it, much like “ATM machine”. CVTs shift imperceptibly through a continuous range of gear ratios. While other automatic transmissions offer only a narrow number of gear ratios in fixed steps, CVTs are flexible enough to allow the engine to operate at a constant RPM even while moving at varying speeds.

“So . . . Are CVTs Good Or Bad?”

Overall, a CVT vehicle is better than the average automatic transmission vehicle. CVTs operate more smoothly than other automatic transmissions and we can expect to see more vehicles utilise CVTs.

Mister Transmission

If you suspect there is something amiss with your CVT or your automatic transmission, please bring it in and we will run our Multi-Check Inspection process to pinpoint any problems. To learn more about CVTs or our services, please contact us.