Why a 3SPD transmission?

[snigma]

I recently bought a 1997 Geo Prizm 1.6L Auto Transmission, and I don't understand why it only has a 3SPD transmission--I'm guessing it doesn't have an overdrive because there is no OD button either. If your going to put in a 1.6L engine for economy, why would you sacrifice fuel economy by including a 3SPD transmission? It seems like the worst idea--when reaching 55+ MPH, you can tell the engine is not in its optimum rev range and its actually revving higher because of the relatively low gear its in

My question is why did they do this?

[whatproblems]

i have a 2001 Chevy Prizm, 1.8L with a 3speed auto

a 3 speed auto is such a joke

everyday i question wtf was wrong with the person who decided this was a good idea....

if you're running 27 and punch it to try to pass someone... the thing bogs cuz of the freakin stupid tranny...

the thing dies on the highway..... running anything over 60 seems like its revving WAYY to high... also if you're running 65 and punch it... you get nothing.... stupid 3 speed

although i have hit over 110 in it... lol

and overall, it gets the WORST gas mileage out of the 4sp auto or 5sp manual... how much cheaper is it to make a 3 speed......

now that my rant is done... can anyone answer why they dreamt this up?

[w203]

Originally Posted by whatproblems

i have a 2001 Chevy Prizm, 1.8L with a 3speed auto

a 3 speed auto is such a joke

everyday i question wtf was wrong with the person who decided this was a good idea....

if you're running 27 and punch it to try to pass someone... the thing bogs cuz of the freakin stupid tranny...

the thing dies on the highway..... running anything over 60 seems like its revving WAYY to high... also if you're running 65 and punch it... you get nothing.... stupid 3 speed

although i have hit over 110 in it... lol

and overall, it gets the WORST gas mileage out of the 4sp auto or 5sp manual... how much cheaper is it to make a 3 speed......

now that my rant is done... can anyone answer why they dreamt this up?

This |-----------------------------------| much cheaper. Its mass produced, so any money they can shave off and will work will most likely be done. Toyota pays for the parts but you pay for the gas.

[skycow]

I actually get close to 30mpg highway miles with my 3-speed.. but city driving is another story, but that just might be my driving habits.

[REN69]

The 1.6L 4AFE auto came with a 3spd auto, Only the 1.8L 7AFE motors came with the 4spd.

If you have a 1.8L with a 3spd then you either read the motor wrong and you have a 1.6L OR someone blew the transmission in your car and they replaced it with the wrong one.

[forpinks]

the AE92 GT-S can woop ur ass in his 3rd gear! and YES it does suck driving that 3-SPD! Aww well... Guess I got to swap a 20V ASAP!

[snigma]

Yeah, I also have a 1996 Toyota Corolla DX (1.8L 7A-FE 4SPD w/OD), does that mean its 4+OD or 3+OD ?

The Corolla feels so much smoother and everything on it is just better than the Prizm. No wonder they never got the same respect.

[redgtxdi]

It's a 4spd. OD doesn't mean that you're shifting into another hemisphere, it's just the last gear.


I have a '95 Prizm w/ the 1.6L and 3spd. I've certainly learned to drive it to its max, but I do remember the first month or so I had it, I wondered.......WTF???


Now, it's fun 'cuz it's paid for & earns me about $100/month in gas savings over my truck. I'm just drivin' it 'til the wheels fall off!! (Hopefully that's at least 'til we see the elusive '08 Rolla).

As to why they did it, ya, I'd have to guess it was for some $$$ somewhere. But it also makes you wonder what difference it might have made instead of making 2 different trannies, if they'd just made the ONE! (4spd) and been done with it.

[snigma]

So OD on a 4 speed means you have shifted into the 4th and final gear?

I guess the 3 speeds didn't have overdrive?

[TokyoRacer]

I broke the O/D button in my ae92, it would only work soemtimes

[touringcamry]

Overdrive just means that a gear has a ratio of less than 1.0; it means the output from the transmission is spinning faster than the input.

If you have a 4 speed transmission with overdrive, it just means that the 4th gear ratio is less than 1. With OD off, it locks out 4th gear and only uses gears 1-3.

[hancydan]

Originally Posted by snigma

I recently bought a 1997 Geo Prizm 1.6L Auto Transmission, and I don't understand why it only has a 3SPD transmission--I'm guessing it doesn't have an overdrive because there is no OD button either. If your going to put in a 1.6L engine for economy, why would you sacrifice fuel economy by including a 3SPD transmission? It seems like the worst idea--when reaching 55+ MPH, you can tell the engine is not in its optimum rev range and its actually revving higher because of the relatively low gear its in

My question is why did they do this?

Because they can. Why don't they put a 7 speed automatic in a Prizm? You can probably answer this question fairly easily. If they do, you might get 60 miles to a gallon. Why not?

If you sell a car for $15,000. The best profit you can make is $15,000 (if there is no cost in making a car). If you sell a $30,000 car, there is potentially more money to make. That is why GM, Ford, Chrysler are in the big car/truck segments. They can stay afloat longer.

[freakinbox]

Except Trucks are dirt cheap right now lol, Is that why Chrysler is in big trouble and why Magna is looking to buy them?

[snigma]

hancydan, you're telling me: the more gears, the better mileage? How about CVT then? It should have no bottleneck for economy then right?

Ultimately, the engine should work at just a little bit above idle while powering a car doing 80MPH, is that actually possible with some insane gear ratio?

And also, why isn't CVT a run away success--is it because no car out there is truly a CVT and it's just an implementation of a true CVT?

[touringcamry]

Maybe because people are used to driving cars with geared transmissions and a CVT feels like a badly slipping clutch.