CVT transmission ....

[jcountry]

I just rented a focus which had a CVT transmission.

Holy GOD that damn thing was irritating as hell. It would rev and lurch and wind up and splutter forward unpredictably.

What the heck is up with these CVTs? This is the second or third time I have ever driven one-and holy **** is it irritating!

Is there any advantage to this funky, lurchy POS type of transmission ? The one I drove in an Altima a few years back was just as awful.

What is up with a CVT? Why did they start putting these godawful things in actual production cars?

 

[JamesG]

CVT transmission don't have a clutch. That is the brake pedal. Probably your problem.

Our '14 Subaru has a CVT and it is nice, other than being kinda noisy. Very smooth. Yeah, it can shudder a little bit when shifting from reverse to drive, and if you punch it off idle it can take a second for its brain to go, "Oh, you want to go NOW!" But other than that its cool. Different than a regular AT, but fine.

If your Ford is your typical rental, its probably been treated like one and so...

 

[Deaken]

The wife has an Accord with one that I fear the day it goes out cause I'm sure the price won't be so great. Supposedly the cvt gets better fuel economy than a standard automatic and apparently it's the wave of the future.

 

[dsp]

CVTs are absolute junk.
Audi finally phased them out this year, but Nissan and a few others still offer them.
Like the other atrocity that the Japanese never perfected (the rotary engine) they simply don't last

 

[dsp]

Compared to VW DSG and Porsche PDK and BMW DCT and conventional automatics....yes, CVTs are junk.
They do not hold up as long as the above mentioned.
It doesn't matter how many models a car manufacturer has...especially Toyota, which has been riding on PRIOR excellent reliability records.
Yes, CVTs are more economical. Just don't plan on them lasting as long as conventional or the aforementioned auto-shifted transmissions.

 

[Big Ben]

I recently found a "great deal" on a pathfinder but it had this tranny in it. I passed.

 

[dsp]

I recently found a "great deal" on a pathfinder but it had this tranny in it. I passed.

You saved yourself some $ and headaches.

 

[Big Ben]

I was lucky and asked a friend who had one. He said his tranny was rebuilt around 40k miles and still lurched. BAD design.

 

[jcountry]

I think CVTs are designed to force people to nurse the car when they accelerate.

When you try and accelerate normally, the car will lurch, the engine will surge, and it is just an awful experience. It you drive like a total Grandma and barely touch the accelerator to get going, maybe it is a more satisfactory experience.

Wow-that thing is horrible, though! What a crappy design!!

 

[AKguy]

CVT transmissions are a maintenance nightmare. The more complex or moving parts there are, the more problems you're gonna have. If it's not a stick or a traditional auto, I don't want it.