I realise this question has been raised between Manual or Automatic but has anybody got experience with Renaults Optidrive and 16speed manual gearbox.
The dealer is trying to persuade me to go for Optidrive but Im sceptical because Ive never driven over a long period an auto truck.
Ive test driven a Premium tractor unit with no trailor for a short distance but cant decide.
Any comments Please
mixer driver too:
I realise this question has been raised between Manual or Automatic but has anybody got experience with Renaults Optidrive and 16speed manual gearbox.
The dealer is trying to persuade me to go for Optidrive but Im sceptical because Ive never driven over a long period an auto truck.
Ive test driven a Premium tractor unit with no trailor for a short distance but cant decide.
Any comments Please
I’ve been driving the Optidrive on a 6 wheel rigid Cattle box for three years now, I wouldn’t buy a manual again 
It does everything I need for shunting around farms etc, and I rarely use manual now. The hill start button is great too
It is a Volvo I shift box which is the best auto on the market I drive a Volvo I shift tipper and it’s fine in that.
Denis F:
mixer driver too:
I realise this question has been raised between Manual or Automatic but has anybody got experience with Renaults Optidrive and 16speed manual gearbox.
The dealer is trying to persuade me to go for Optidrive but Im sceptical because Ive never driven over a long period an auto truck.
Ive test driven a Premium tractor unit with no trailor for a short distance but cant decide.
Any comments PleaseI’ve been driving the Optidrive on a 6 wheel rigid Cattle box for three years now, I wouldn’t buy a manual again
Many thanks. It would be on an 8x4 mixer. Im just a bit sceptical because quite a bit of mixer work is slow movement when discharging concrete and needs a lot of clutch control. Im concerned the Optidriver would want to take off when trying to slowly move.
kr79:
It is a Volvo I shift box which is the best auto on the market I drive a Volvo I shift tipper and it’s fine in that.
I`m led to believe the Volvo I-shift and renault Optidrive is the same box.
I drive a Renault Premium with the auto box. Clutch control is good. Really smooth in low speed situations. Its the best gearbox out there. They dont lurch like the ZF box in the Daf’s, Man’s & Ivecos. You wont go wrong with the Optidrive Gearbox in my opinion.
Optidriver - No contest
Steve
mixer driver too:
kr79:
It is a Volvo I shift box which is the best auto on the market I drive a Volvo I shift tipper and it’s fine in that.I`m led to believe the Volvo I-shift and renault Optidrive is the same box.
Mechanically the same with Renault ‘written’ softwear, I don’t care what work I was thinking of doing with a truck, it’d be manual ‘all the way’ for me!!!
Ross.
Never done mixer work, but driven an Optidrive and Ishift they are both very fine tuned systems, I’ve never had a problem with low speed control on either system, but I do work with a couple of drivers who reckon they aren’t as good as having a clutch, but I think it’s more due to their driving than the truck.
Can’t you get one on longer term test, so you can put it into the environment you are working in?
muckles:
Never done mixer work, but driven an Optidrive and Ishift they are both very fine tuned systems, I’ve never had a problem with low speed control on either system, but I do work with a couple of drivers who reckon they aren’t as good as having a clutch, but I think it’s more due to their driving than the truck.Can’t you get one on longer term test, so you can put it into the environment you are working in?
No, thats just the problem. Mixers have yet to be fitted with Auto boxes. Everybody ordering new is going manual. My 61 reg is manual but when running empty on return from delivery the 16spd I find your changing gear too often even though Im jumping gears. I dont want to be the one to find Optidrive being a nightmare manoevering on site in tight positions
mixer driver too:
muckles:
Never done mixer work, but driven an Optidrive and Ishift they are both very fine tuned systems, I’ve never had a problem with low speed control on either system, but I do work with a couple of drivers who reckon they aren’t as good as having a clutch, but I think it’s more due to their driving than the truck.Can’t you get one on longer term test, so you can put it into the environment you are working in?
No, thats just the problem. Mixers have yet to be fitted with Auto boxes. Everybody ordering new is going manual. My 61 reg is manual but when running empty on return from delivery the 16spd I find your changing gear too often even though I
m jumping gears. I dont want to be the one to find Optidrive being a nightmare manoevering on site in tight positions
Not an easy one then, would having a go in a tipper give you some idea of what to expect?
mixer driver too:
muckles:
Never done mixer work, but driven an Optidrive and Ishift they are both very fine tuned systems, I’ve never had a problem with low speed control on either system, but I do work with a couple of drivers who reckon they aren’t as good as having a clutch, but I think it’s more due to their driving than the truck.Can’t you get one on longer term test, so you can put it into the environment you are working in?
No, thats just the problem. Mixers have yet to be fitted with Auto boxes. Everybody ordering new is going manual. My 61 reg is manual but when running empty on return from delivery the 16spd I find your changing gear too often even though I
m jumping gears. I dont want to be the one to find Optidrive being a nightmare manoevering on site in tight positions
We’ve not sold a Mixer yet but we have sold 3 Landers on Asphalt - 3 on Aggregates 2 rollonoffs and a Kerax grabloader all with Optidriver.You won’t have any trouble manoeuvring with it
Steve
I use a Volvo with i-shift and have to do lots of low speed manoeuvring in tight places and it’s a brilliant box, would have it over everything else.
muckles:
mixer driver too:
muckles:
Never done mixer work, but driven an Optidrive and Ishift they are both very fine tuned systems, I’ve never had a problem with low speed control on either system, but I do work with a couple of drivers who reckon they aren’t as good as having a clutch, but I think it’s more due to their driving than the truck.Can’t you get one on longer term test, so you can put it into the environment you are working in?
No, thats just the problem. Mixers have yet to be fitted with Auto boxes. Everybody ordering new is going manual. My 61 reg is manual but when running empty on return from delivery the 16spd I find your changing gear too often even though I
m jumping gears. I dont want to be the one to find Optidrive being a nightmare manoevering on site in tight positionsNot an easy one then, would having a go in a tipper give you some idea of what to expect?
There is a demonstrator tipper at the dealers with optidrve. I`ll have to ask if i can have it for a couple of hours before deciding.
The Volvo i-shift “version” in the Renault “Opti-drive” is the best auto box on the market right now and is no contest up against the manual, auto wins every time. 
Filck it from N into D and F into R with your right THUMB, how handy do you want it 
No problems manoeuvring in tricky spots in a tipper with I shift.
Also have Volvo tipper with I-shift no probs in tight spots,never want to drive stick shift again!
Optidrive.
End of.
Ken.
Many thanks for your comments. I drove the tipper with Optidrive for an hour around Cardiff. Took a bit of getting used to. Strange feeling.
I havn`t driven an automatic car, maybe once,let alone a truck before.
I did feel when braking, the truck was pushing against the brakes until it changed down. I mentioned this to the dealer and he said to leave the exhaust brake on automatic.
I think I`ll go for it anyway
mixer driver too:
Many thanks for your comments. I drove the tipper with Optidrive for an hour around Cardiff. Took a bit of getting used to. Strange feeling.
I havn`t driven an automatic car, maybe once,let alone a truck before.
I did feel when braking, the truck was pushing against the brakes until it changed down. I mentioned this to the dealer and he said to leave the exhaust brake on automatic.I think I`ll go for it anyway
I’m sure you’ll find you’ve made the right decicion, We have both a manual and an Ishift FH at work and I drive them both, but when I have the choice it’s the auto one everytime and it would be the same for the Renault. 
Do Renault dealers have a trainer, if so I’d get a trip out with them, we did when we got a new FH with Ishift well worth it.
The bloke we got stressed the point that he wasn’t there to judge our driving, just to show how to get the best from the truck, we learned stuff that would have taken months to find out, if at all, if we’d been left to our own devices.
It only took a couple of hours and it was free.