4x4 in an auto

[hinsch]

I am looking at buying a NX auto getting rid of the NP manual, I have always owned and driven manual vehicles never tried or driven and auto is sand/beachs/rocks.
I would assume you would drive the auto same as a manual when on sand beachs flick through the gears to keep forward movement or is just put it in "D" and let the paj do its own thing, by putting it "D" would you increase the likelhood of getting bogged.

[nj swb]

I am looking at buying a NX auto getting rid of the NP manual, I have always owned and driven manual vehicles never tried or driven and auto is sand/beachs/rocks.
I would assume you would drive the auto same as a manual when on sand beachs flick through the gears to keep forward movement or is just put it in "D" and let the paj do its own thing, by putting it "D" would you increase the likelhood of getting bogged.

In my experience, whether in high range or low range, the transmission hangs on to one gear too high, slipping the torque converter and creating heat.

On the flat, in easy going, by all means use "D" if you desire. As soon as you feel the engine is starting to labour, flick to Sport mode and row it back a gear. I find that, most of the time, changing down one gear makes negligible difference to the engine speed.

If it's all low speed work, under 40km/h, I prefer low range, as this reduces the work performed by the torque converter even more.

Personally, I think that having some form of OBD2 reader to monitor temperatures is invaluable for anything other than basic commuting.

[Having Fun]

It was a learning curve for me too, always had manual 4x4's up till my wife's current NP Auto. Just back from a central Aust trip with a reasonable amount of rough roading - I'd go the sports shift as soon as you go off road & drive it like a manual.

As a side note, I was very happy with the Paj's off road capability, except on corrugations. On corrugations I thought the dash was going to fall out it shook that much! I let the tyre pressures way down & it was better, not good, but better!