No, there are an infinite number of ratios and the CVT has the unique ability to change ratios under load without any interruption in power. That's a rather remarkable thing, so revolutionary that this type of transmission is banned in many forms of racing, including Formula 1 and NASCAR because it can shift better than a human driver. Properly programmed, a CVT can keep the engine at the optimum RPM for either power or economy.

Unfortunately, the change of ratios is often misidentified as slipping by people who are not used to CVTs.

That's my thought on the matter as well. When transmissions went from 3-speeds to 4 it was very nice, as engines could be kept on the powerband easier. 5 speeds brought a taller top gear to let engines of sufficient torque loaf at lower RPM. 6 speeds are just silly for an econobox with modest power and a reasonably wide torque band. You end up spending more time shifting and less time accelerating.

6 speeds are useful in two situations, engines with narrow powerbands than need more ratios and powerful cars with high top speeds The Fit is neither.

 

Guys, if you can, stay away from the CVT. Get informed:

The reliability of the manual is worth so much more than occasional inconvenience of shifting in traffic.

 

I do get a delay in reverse the first time I go to take off backward, but I have never noticed any delay in forward. Nor have I noticed anything odd about parking.

 

Really? You are referencing an ATV CVT as an example? Why not just list a horse and buggy in comparison to a Mercedes?

This is a little far fetched, you can find disgruntled information about ANYTHING on the internet but it doesn't mean it is the norm.

Here is an example http://manualtransmissionproblems.bl...-problems.html
Does this mean no one should buy a manual transmission car? No of course not.

 

I re-drove one yesterday and decided to just go for a ride vs pay attention to it. Once I forgot how much I didn't like it, I forgot that I didn't like it. If that makes sense, I'm sorry.

I traded my baby, the Silver bullet, a 2010 Sport w/ 114,000+ on her for a Black EX CVT. It was REALLY sad to see the old girl go, but it was time.

 

Well John 21031.....

That means never again can we buy a new Fit. Never again buy a Accord. Never again a Civic, nor the new 2015 CR-V. Nissan, and Toyota, and all those other manufactures that are now opting for CVT engines in some of their vehicles. I guess you want use to buy a Ford ? Oh, those have issues as well. Guess I'll drag out my horse and buggy or bicycle.

 

Congrats on your purchase, CVT or MT it is a fun car to drive. You already know that because you owned one and are coming back for more!

 

Did you bother to watch the videos you cite?

The first one said that Honda CVTs were the easiest to diagnose and to work on. They have a pan that can be dropped for diagnosis and pressure ports available for all functions. It did not make any assertion that Honda CVTs were experiencing more failures than one would expect from transmissions in general.

The second one illustrates a supposed vibration that is simply the engine RPM matching the natural frequency of the seat. He even has trouble showing the vibration on camera because it is so slight! I wish that my cars were so vibration-free that this trivial one is important to me!

The third one is talking about rubber-belt ATV an scooter transmissions. Not applicable at all.

What is also neglected is that all manual transmissions will eventually need a clutch disk replacement and that isn't a trivial repair on a transverse-engine car.

 

Good catch George. Guess the guy who posted the video failed to actually view it.

He also made this statement below....

"The reliability of the manual is worth so much more than occasional inconvenience of shifting in traffic".

Speak for your self please. I lived in LA and that afternoon rush hour traffic was brutal with manuals each and every day

 

Personally, I love the CVT. Before trading it in about 6 weeks ago for my new '15 Fit, I drove a 2007 Dodge Caliber with the CVT and discovered that was the ONLY good thing about that car. When you drive a CVT, you need to understand that it's not necessarily meant to provide strong acceleration, although I've found it to do quite well with accelerating at highway speeds. Rather, the CVT is a fuel efficient transmission that is designed, in part, to save you money at the pump.

Regarding my new Fit EX-L, I love it. With the exception of the lane-watch camera problem I'm having (the dealer will be swapping out the touchscreen unit on Tuesday), I have zero complaints about this car. It's fuel efficient (right now I'm averaging 38.5 mpg and it's still inching up), comfortable, and perfect for my needs.

 

The third video that I've posted - I have not watched indeed. I've deleted it now since it's apparently covering transmissions designed for different applications albeit with the same general principle of operation.

Many people replied that they love driving their CVTs, hence the argument of CVTs being inherently less reliable and long lasting somehow doesn't seem to be valid to them. Fine. Enjoy it (while it lasts).

For those who are concerned with longevity, keep reading. The CVTs are, as the first video explained in painstaking details have a lot of problems that are unique to CVTs design. The video also explained the extreme difficulty in diagnosing and repairing the transmissions. The parts availability and cost, plus 10 hours repair for just dis assembly, raises a question of whether it's worth repairing at all or to just have it replaced (the honda cvt, such as in civics was mentioned to cost around 3500$, just for the transmission, no labor).

Forget about self-diagnosing or repairing a CVT. The tools required are only affordable for a shop or a super serious and determined mechanic willing to spend thousands on tools alone. For example, to do the pressure test, special hoses and adapters are required that can withstand 1000-5000 psi of pressure, something that is potentially very hazardous to operate.

Torque is what kills these transmissions because they rely on friction to transmit power. They are not meant to be used in high torque application such as performance (race vehicles) or trucks.

As a former mechanic, watching the first video made me realize that if I was to have a CVT and it needed repair, this would be the end of my ability to not have to rely on shops or dealerships. The manual, on the other hand, can be reasonably rebuilt with basic tools. The clutch is a couple of hundred dollars job that only needs to be done every 5-10 yrs, or even less often, depending on how one drives, and it's a very familiar and typical repair, so it should not be a deterrent to having a manual.

Has anyone watched the entire first video? (it's over an hour long...) It's meant as a guide to mechanics. On the positive side, indeed, the honda was mentioned to be the most repair friendly, but still, be aware of what you are getting into with the CVT.

One should hope it will last a long time to offset the repair cost, but it can't be denied that they are a lot less serviceable than the traditional manual transmissions.

Having said all this, my scooter CVT is acting up and I need to take out the clutch to see if it's the cause for shudder at take of.

 

Most buyers aren't going to DIY their transmissions. Many modern transmissions are sealed, CVT or not, so it's not like most of us are going to be tinkering around with it anyway. Telling the average person to stay away from CVTs due to long term maintenance problems is not meaningful advice and I have yet to find any evidence that CVTs in any passenger cars today have any long term issues relative to any other modern transmission design.

 

What would constitute that kind of evidence for you? I imagine even mechanics' reports of frequent failures of CVTs in certains cars could be easily discounted as "individual cases"... especially if one does not want to hear the bad news.

If you have ever taken a taxi in a third world country, your would know that their choices are manuals, because of durability, longevity, and cost of service.

Sure we buy jaguars and bentlys here, but I imagine some folks on the Fit forum might be wondering about their cars' long term reliability and transmission is the third most expensive component.

Also those who are still choosing the transmission based on reliability would welcome the information communicated in the first video.

Finally, I did not say that many repair their transmissions on their own. But the cost of repair, wherever it will be done is going to be significant and involve 10 or more hours of labor just to disassemble them.

I don't know what you mean by "sealed". "non modern" transmissions have never been "open to environment". They've always been sealed. Very few rare oddball transmission designs recommend using the same fluid for life, and I doubt anyone takes that seriously anyway.

 

There's no technical reliability reason to pass on a cvt transmission as opposed to any other kind of transmission. Most of us here and on the forum don't live in a third world country and can afford an automatic trans. I can see if you don't like how cvts drive or feel it's too loud or buzzy/droney sounding though.

 

If there were any CVT reliability issues they would show up in Consumer Reports year-to-year reliability surveys. In fact, CR would be all over it because it would get them publicity!

They certainly aren't shy about talking up the Ford Dual Clutch Transmission problem:

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/20...ogy-backfires/

 

Yes there are reasons to pass on CVT. CVTs are inherently less robust and reliable than manual transmissions. They are also costlier to maintain and repair.

 

Since we are in the 21st century, I don't think that old "manual is more robust" argument makes much sense anymore with today's automatic transmissions. There are reasons people might not want a CVT, but reliability and "robustness" are not one of them. Manual transmissions appeal to people who like a certain driving experience, but they are being phased out to a point where they are the exception and not the rule. If reliability was an issue, this wouldn't be the case.

 

Do you have a data source that compares the cost to maintain and/or repair a CVT vs. a non CVT (automatic)?

I think that would be more helpful to see.

 

This is what it must have been like when regular automatic transmissions first came out. People afraid of change trying to discourage others from experiencing modern technology.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Its one thing to like something in particular but to try to get everyone else to like what you do is pretty excessive. This reminds me of the current healthcare situation we are suffering from.