XSeries-forum

Just got back from a 245ml trip to the Lake District and back ,when we got to the Lakes we did a good few miles driving on the fell passes and a track" that's all you would call it called "Hardknock Pass", 5 yrs ago i drove over the pass in a ford escort manual 1.8 turbo diesel and all i can say is that it performed better over the pass than my auto x did, i found the auto box kept dropping gears and found it hard to select the correct gear for the hills, even though some of the gradients were severe "1 in 3" the worst in the country!  i      thought the auto box in the x would have performed better 
But i was happy with the fuel consumption for the trip 36.6 to the gall thats  driving at 75 to 80 mph on the motorway, and on some of the worst roads in the country ,

Sorry some of the letters are not clear fault on the computer

It's actually Hardknot pass which joins with Wrynose Pass on it's journey East/West or West/East in the lakes. Goes through some lovely countryside and at 1 point is actually 1 in 3 

I first travelled it around 50 years ago with my grandparents and remember my nan got out of the car at the top and walked down the steepest part because she was fightened the car might run away with it'self. It would probably have been in a Vauxhall Velox or a Ford Zodiac.

I drove it for the first time 2 years ago to get from Windemere to Wastwater, in my 4.6. It drive it with ease.

Wastwater is probably the most stunning setting with the sheer drop of shale into 1 whole side of the lake. Deepest lake in England I seem to remember.

Sounds nice, but I know what you mean re the gearbox as I raised a topic on this as well a year or so ago whilst driving through mountains in Germany.

The manual option on the E70 seems to deal with it better.

  Yes its even more stunning when you get up on the fells, i go to Haverigg "not to the prison" four or five times a year and go on the A595 but its nice now and again to go over the tops, regarding the Auto box  I have also drove a lot of 44ton Auto Trucks which are great, but i always found when it gets tough going it was best to drop it into manual then you have full control .

Great road to ride on a bike, done it a few times

In the Alps I used manual on our 4.8 at times as it likes to rev to 4000rpm before it will change up on some very steep hils. In manual it will change up at 2000rpm and still pull hard.

Aslo I find when you drive on a ligh throtle it takes longer to change up, put you foot down a bit and it will change up earlier.


Rich...