Fiat Comfortmatic gearbox

[MarkJ]

Am I the only person who thinks the Fiat Comformatic gearbox is actually fun?

Just been on another forum where it's being slagged off by all and sundry.

Yes it's quirky, yes it needs help from time to time, yes you sometimes wonder why it could possibly think that what it's just done is smart. But it adds interest to otherwise dull plodding along mile after mile of autoroute or motorway.... IMHO.

 

[EL Sid]

Been using one for a year now. Yes it does have a mind of it's own now and again, but that brings a bit of excitement to what can be a long dismal boring road. :lol-053:

 

[chipvan]

Comfortmatic Gearbox

We have done 20,000 miles since new in less than three years and have had no mechanical problems but we do wonder how long the clutch will last and how expensive it will be to change.

On the motorways especially the long run down to Italy it was brilliant, stick the cruise on and off you go hour after hour. It does occasionally need a little tap to change down earlier if you are approaching say a small hill in front of an island or junction but that's not very often. When pulling away at an island if you haven't quite come to a stop it can be a bit jerky but again that's not very often.

The new comfortmatic gearbox in the X290 2017 models are claimed to be even better. We have been told that it changes up a little earlier as our gearbox seems to use more revs than you would if it was a manual, but i suppose its programmed that way as it doesn't know if you are fully laden or not.

The combination of front wheel drive and the automatic gearbox is useless in the wet grass and mud. We have got stuck a few times and you can not use the rocking technique to help you get out.

Compared to a standard automatic gearbox in say a car you have to use the hand break more and to remember there is no park mode, just like a manual gearbox. We would imagine fuel consumption is better than a normal automatic and probably as good as the manual equivalent. This is helped as its a six speed box.

 

[MarkJ]

Comfortmatic

".... our gearbox seems to use more revs than you would if it was a manual". That's interesting - mine uses less revs than I would and I sometimes wish it wasn't so keen to change up.

I think it's most annoying habit is when you're passing an HGV on a motorway at about 60 in fifth up a hill; the hill flattens out towards the top and the 'box detects your speed starting to increase and dumps you in 6th. Next thing that happens is that the HGV is now going faster than you!

 

[chipvan]

What year is your Motorhome as ours is a 2014 and I have heard comments that the newer models do change up quicker, probably to improve fuel consumption?

 

[MarkJ]

What year is your Motorhome as ours is a 2014 and I have heard comments that the newer models do change up quicker, probably to improve fuel consumption?

Ours is very new - picked it up before Christmas but the chassis was manufactured mid 2016.