If you are in the market for a new car, you may be a bit conflicted over what kind of transmission you would like to have. Although automatic transmissions are more expensive, they are easier to use. Manual transmissions have a better fuel economy and are simpler to fix.
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If you just can’t decide, you might want to consider getting a vehicle with a Sequential Manual Gearbox. Which functions as both a manual and automatic transmission. A sequential gearbox is designed like most manual transmissions, with a slight difference.
When a car has a manual transmission, the car shifts gears in the pattern of an H. First gear is the top left-hand position. If you move the control straight down, you will be in second. If you move the control to the top left-hand corner of the H, you will be in third gear and if you move the handle straight down, you will be in fourth gear.
If a car has a sequential gearbox, the H pattern is replaced with a different movement. You will simply use a lever to click through each gear. You do not have to use a clutch pedal with an SMG.
SMGs are common in race cars or high-performance luxury vehicles. In a Formula One race car, the shifters may be on either side of the steering wheel. On most cars that Have SMGs, you simply shift the gears up or down with a lever that goes up or down.
When the driver shifts up or down, they are activating a ratcheting drum. There are grooves in the drum that have two basic functions.
In some cases, the drum is located right next to the gears. In this case, the grooves move the gear selector fork directly. It does not require control rods.
In other cases, these grooves operate standard control rods and the drum is located apart from the transmission's gears. When a driver moves the lever, the drum is rotated by a single increment. You will never skip a gear with this system.
The SMG Design
The transmission design is similar to an automatic transmission. There are several gear sets as well as several brakes and clutches. These brakes and clutches are connected to valves, which are attached to the body valve.
The back of the gear assembly attaches to a flywheel. There is a clutch set in between the gear assembly and the flywheel that lets the power coming from the flywheel to detach from the gear whenever the driver wants it to.
The other end of the planetary gear set is connected to a universal joint, which connects to a drive shaft. The driveshaft connects with the car’s drive axle and that is what turns the wheel.
What are the benefits of a sequential gearbox?
Some drivers say that a sequential gearbox is easier to handle than a manual transmission. Shifting from second to third quickly can be difficult. People sometimes hesitate a bit, because of the H pattern. Any distractions when you are driving can be dangerous. You do not have to worry about a shift pattern With a sequential gearbox. You simply push a paddle or a lever.
You will never have to worry about jumping gears when you up-shift or downshift. A sequential gearbox does not allow you to skip gears. You will notice smoother shifting and performance. If your car skips to the wrong gear, it can cause balance issues. This is not only dangerous, but it can hurt your fuel economy.
Skipping gears in a traditional manual transmission can cause problems with the engine and the transmission itself over-revving.
The location of the driver’s hand is also very consistent when using an SMG system. Race car drivers need to react quickly and this kind of system can help. A driver will get to concentrate on winning the race and staying alive, not shifting.
Your hands remain on the steering wheel consistently when operating this type of transmission. You do not have to take your hands off the wheel to work the gear shift as often as you do with a manual transmission.
Drawbacks of the SMG Transmission
As smooth as SMG Transmissions might be, they are not flawless. There are a few problems that drivers of cars with SMGs have reported.
They are extremely expensive. In some cases, they are more expensive than the entire car itself.
Some drivers have complained about the whining noise the car makes when it shifts gears. Some people like the sound as it is like the sound of a race car.
An SMG is not the best kind of transmission to have if you plan to use your vehicle primarily as a town car. It can be rather clunky if you are driving at low speeds.
There are some cases in which skipping gears can actually be good. Sometimes you need to skip gears such as when need to go around a corner at a slower speed than the speed at which you were driving.
Things that Can Hurt Your Transmission
No matter what kind of transmission you have, when it goes out it can be very costly to get it fixed. There are a few things that can cause problems for your car’s transmission.
No matter how much you want to take that boat you have dry-docked in your garage out for a run or how much money you can save by moving with a trailer, instead of a truck, you should never tow more than your car can handle. Towing too much weight can destroy a transmission.
You should check your transmission fluid often. If the transmission’s gears are not lubricated properly, they may not work very well. If the levels are low, you probably have a leak which should be fixed right away. You should always use the type of transmission fluid that your owner's manual recommends.
You should have your transmission tuned-up on a regular basis. If you ignore your transmission for too long, its parts will start to wear out.
If you hear strange noises or your car starts to shake, you should take it into the shop to have your transmission checked out right away. The longer you wait to have your transmission repaired, the worse the problem will get. You may end up having to replace the transmission anddepending on the age and condition of the car it might not be worth it.
How much does an SMG transmission cost?
There is no such thing as an inexpensive transmission. SMG Transmissions can run up to $7,000. If you need to get a regular transmission replaced, it will cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,400. Just a repair can cost from $300 to $1,400.
If you merely have to have a leak fixed, it will cost between $150 and $200. For this amount, you will get a replacement of the pan bolts, drain plugs, seals, gasket, and fluid lines.
If do you need a transmission repair replacement you'll have a couple of options for where to get the work done. Each of these options comes with benefits and drawbacks.
Taking Your Car To an Autobody Shop
Auto body shops are a popular place to get cars repaired. They will not charge you as much as they will at a dealership and you can communicate directly with the mechanic.
There are shops such as AAMCO that specialize in transmissions and you can narrow down the list by going to the AAA website and finding an approved mechanic in your area.
Be sure to ask the mechanic what kind of training and certification they have. You should ask for a written price estimate and a reference or two.
Taking Your Car to a Dealership
If you take your car to a dealership for repairs you will end up paying quite a bit more than if you went to an auto body shop. However, in the case of a transmission repair or replacement, it may be worth it.
The mechanic at a dealership will be trained in your specific make and model of car and that can be important when it comes to replacing a transmission. They will have all the necessary parts on hand and the dealership can rent you a car while they are working on yours.
A dealership will charge you by the job and not by the hour so you know you will not be surprised by the final price.
In some cases, the transmission will give out at the end of the car’s life. If it is time for a new car you can still make money off of the old one in spite of the bad transmission.
Selling Your Car Online
If you Google, “sell my car” dozens of sites will come up. These sites will charge you a monthly fee to list your junk car. If you sell your car this way, you will be in competition with many other people.
The majority of people interested in buying junk cars will be either mechanics or they will work in a junk car lot. They may only be interested in a part or two of your car and they may try to get you to pay for towing.
You will have to take time out of your day to show the car. You may end up having to show the car to many people before you get an offer on it.
If they're only interested in individual parts of your car there is a good chance that you will end up with a parted out car on your property. This may be frowned upon by many housing associations and it may be illegal in some municipalities.
Selling online can be quite dangerous. There I've been multiple criminals who have found their victims through such sites as Craigslist.
Using Your Car as a Trade-in
When you go to buy your new automobile, the salesperson at the dealership will be authorized to give you a trade-in allowance. They are likely to try and lowball you on the price. They will count on you're being too lazy to look for another offer.
They may also offer you what seems like a fair price and then tag that very same amount of money back onto the final price of your new car. When going to the dealership, do not tell them that you have a car to trade-in. Wait to get the final price in writing and then let them know about your junk car.
$500 for Your Junk Car
Cash Cars Buyers makes the process of selling your used car profitable and easy. We often can give you as much as $500 for your junk car
If you use your car as a trade-in or sell it to an individual, you will have to have the title. If you don't have the title, you will have to pay to get it replaced and you will have to wait for the new title to come in the mail.
In most cases, no title is no problem for us. We will accept just the title and registration.
All you have to do is fill out our simple form. We will ask for the make, model, year, mileage, and VIN number of your vehicle. We will also ask you for your contact information.
As soon as we get your form, we will call you back with an offer. If you accept our offer, we will make an appointment to pick up your car. We will pay you in cash and tow the vehicle away for free. It really is that easy.