Note Automatic Transmission

I'm owner of Note 1.6 AT (HR16DE engine, 110hp) in Moscow. I don't surely know whether it is Renault or Nissan transmission box but have read it's Renault. Is it better or worse - I don't know, but AT transmission in Note is absolutely perfect for me. It shifts very fast (almost like MT) and w/o any shakes (even with kickdown). Transmission control is automatic only (no any tiptronics, etc.), however you can fix at 1st or _max_2nd gear by selector position and also fix at _max_3rd gear by OverDrive button. 1.6 engine is powerful enough for me (like to drive actively). Max. speed is over 180Km/h for me with a new car (some ppl reported real limit at 200km/h). You should evaluate the following: Good:

1. rain detector,
2. auto light,
3. perfect seats (for me),
4. little tables for rear seats (optional),
5. Flexiboard (optional)
6. 3 lighter outlets (front, rear, bagage room)
7. 160mm clearance - it is not too much for Russia, but I can drive off road and over borders. Bad:
8. no mechanic door lockers (you can't close car, open all rear doors w/discharged battery).
9. no boxes and lighters for smokers - at all (we are all still smoking in Russia :-))
10. conditioneer is turning on automatically (w/ignition) if the flow selector is turned to the glass (or glass + legs). It is for for air drying but anyway - such a fu-n "electronics" should eat my gasoline - however could be each time turned off manually :-).
11. Bad radio - no MP3 playback. If you'll change it to something else, you'll probably loose your (optional) audio wheel control. (Now I'm trying to solve this problem, 3rd party adapter for Micra available from the net should help).
12. Something I can't now remeber. :-)

Overall: PERFECT CAR!!!

Thank you very much. This is very helpful information not in any of the Nissan publications paper or web based.

Update: Good:

1. very spacy, you can drive wearing hat.
2. fully transformable read seat (40/60 + revert + whole seat 20cm movement)
3. bagage room under the front passenger seat (optional)
4. very big glove box with heating/colding (optional)
5. ISOFIX for child seat
6. Pan-european warranty (even Russia included - wow!)

Bad:

1. Non-comfortable beeper plate on the wheel - you can't press it just with fingers holding on the wheel at extremal moment - you should move the whole hand from wheel to press it. However you can easily control audio with just one finger (optional) - very "funny" - isn't it?

Suspension works gently, eats small road defects perfectly (for non- adaptive, hi-speed suspension), it is more "soft" then one on the Almera. However Note has a short suspension movement limits, so you can damage it thinking it will eat any road hole, like Lincoln Towncar does. On other hand Note's high speed (over 160km/h) stability is worse then Almera's (Almera stays stable at 200km/h - I proved it myself), but Almera has comparely very hard suspension! Anyone who's trying to buy family car should realize it's not F1 and it is good :-). Some Russian auto magazines reported Note's best stability in the small family cars class. I have the same opinion. I should open a little secret. Because of such short'n'soft suspension Note sometimes stays stable even if you think it is already unstable. This fact I'd proved when I was forced to jump twice in a few seconds over the 10cm high snow parapet (driving to the crossband and back, during the dangerous outstripping) at over 100km/h speed. At one moment I thought (with my feelings) I will loose the control, but Note was like "glued" to the road (and snow!) staying under control. (I should warn anyone, I have over 15 yrs of active driving experience and used Gislaved NF5 shafted winter tyres. If you're novice you always better practice the safe driving!)

Anyway, if you want to buy car it's always better to have test drive at 1st :-).

Update: Good:

1. very spacy, you can drive wearing hat.
2. fully transformable read seat (40/60 + revert + whole seat 20cm movement)
3. bagage room under the front passenger seat (optional)
4. very big glove box with heating/colding (optional)
5. ISOFIX for child seat
6. Pan-european warranty (even Russia included - wow!)

Bad:

1. Non-comfortable beeper plate on the wheel - you can't press it just with fingers holding on the wheel at extremal moment - you should move the whole hand from wheel to press it. However you can easily control audio with just one finger (optional) - very "funny" - isn't it?

Suspension works gently, eats small road defects perfectly (for non- adaptive, hi-speed suspension), it is more "soft" then one on the Almera. However Note has a short suspension movement limits, so you can damage it thinking it will eat any road hole, like Lincoln Towncar does. On other hand Note's high speed (over 160km/h) stability is worse then Almera's (Almera stays stable at 200km/h - I proved it myself), but Almera has comparely very hard suspension! Anyone who's trying to buy family car should realize it's not F1 and it is good :-). Some Russian auto magazines reported Note's best stability in the small family cars class. I have the same opinion. I should open a little secret. Because of such short'n'soft suspension Note sometimes stays stable even if you think it is already unstable. This fact I'd proved when I was forced to jump twice in a few seconds over the 10cm high snow parapet (driving to the crossband and back, during the dangerous outstripping) at over 100km/h speed. At one moment I thought (with my feelings) I will loose the control, but Note was like "glued" to the road (and snow!) staying under control. (I should warn anyone, I have over 15 yrs of active driving experience and used Gislaved NF5 shafted winter tyres. If you're novice you always better practice the safe driving!)

Anyway, if you want to buy car it's always better to have test drive at 1st :-).

Have taken delivery of new Note 1.6 Automatic. 3 days only. So far excellent!