Stick or Automatic Transmission

[borbole]

Before I have been driving in cars with manual Automatic Transmission or stick. But the last few months I have been driving in a car with a Automatic Transmission and I love it. I mean really love it. I drives so relaxed. Especially in traffic jams and while driving through the busy streets of the city is very ideal.

The only downside is that if there is a problem with the car it costs more to repair it than when you drive in a stick. Also from what I have heard is that it uses more gas then the stick.

What kind of car do you guys drive? I mean qua Transmission. I am really curious to hear your thoughts and options on the matter. Thank you in advance for your participations in this thread

 

[Amaury]

We (mom and I) have a five-speed, which is a manual.

 

[Harpers Tate]

All other things being equal, an Automatic will use around 5% more fuel than a manual, due to inherent inefficiencies in the fluid flywheel arrangement needed for automatics.

Fuel in the UK being the price it is (~ GBP1.30 plus per litre), I drive a 6-speed manual. A diesel one at that!

 

[Slavik]

What kind of car do you guys drive? I mean qua Transmission. I am really curious to hear your thoughts and options on the matter. Thank you in advance for your participations in this thread

I always drive stick or paddles if possible. Automatic just takes so much away from the driving experience imho.

 

[Gazhyde]

Entirely depends on the car and the engine/gearbox combination. Usually poor experiences with automatics are down to stupid decisions by the manufacturers. But when they do actually combine the the right auto box with the right engine and you can have an excellent time

I've had some awesome automatics, and other cars which are just better as manuals.

 

[mistypants]

I've only been driving for about two years. I started on an automatic just because it's easier, but now that I'm more comfortable I'd love to learn manual. You have much more control, they're cheaper to fix, they're better on gas, and from what I've noticed, they're often cheaper to buy. I've tried it a couple of times and it doesn't seem too complicated, just a big adjustment from automatic.

 

[Amaury]

I've only been driving for about two years. I started on an automatic just because it's easier, but now that I'm more comfortable I'd love to learn manual. You have much more control, they're cheaper to fix, they're better on gas, and from what I've noticed, they're often cheaper to buy. I've tried it a couple of times and it doesn't seem too complicated, just a big adjustment from automatic.

Your brakes also last longer because you can use your gears to slow you down.

 

[Digital Doctor]

It's getting harder and harder to find manual transmission cars in North America.

 

[MattW]

6 speed manual in the Astra VXR, and spent £1k getting it fixed this year because of a common fault on them! We had an automatic smart, which wasn't too bad.

 

[OSS 117]

Depends on the car. Generally most cars I appreciate and would buy now come with DCTs or for a little extra, a classic manual. The former is faster than any trained driver. Maybe not so on American cars since their DCTs seem to be plagued with issues.

 

[TPerry]

What kind of car do you guys drive? I mean qua Transmission. I am really curious to hear your thoughts and options on the matter. Thank you in advance for your participations in this thread

1 down, 4 up (Yamaha FJR)
Truck (F-250 Diesel) auto
Ford Fusion auto (with electronic manual sport shifting)
Volvo C-70 auto (with electronic manual sport shifting)

 

[TPerry]

1 down, 4 up (Yamaha FJR)
Truck (F-250 Diesel) auto
Ford Fusion auto (with electronic manual sport shifting)
Volvo C-70 auto (with electronic manual sport shifting)

For in-town driving I prefer the auto's (concentrate more on the traffic) with the exception of the FJR - that comes natural.
For down and out fun... a manual can't be beat.

 

[OSS 117]

A Volvo and a Fusion? Yep, you ARE from Austin.

Read somewhere a week ago Volvo is making a revival when it comes to rear wheel drive. I hope it's true.

 

[TPerry]

A Volvo and a Fusion? Yep, you ARE from Austin.

Read somewhere a week ago Volvo is making a revival when it comes to rear wheel drive. I hope it's true.

The C-70 is a front wheel drive convertible... next best thing to the bike.
The cars are the wife's. My toys are the truck and the bike. One for work (all the honey-do's) and one for play (the me-to's).

 

[borbole]

I always drive stick or paddles if possible. Automatic just takes so much away from the driving experience imho.

I hear you. That is what I used to think before as well. But the driving experience has been made much more enjoyable and relaxed for me since I started to drive automatic transmission.

Thank you to everyone who replied in this thread and who will reply in the future

 

[MattW]

When a manual goes wrong! The M32 in the VXR is prone to chewing the cog on 5th and 6th because the bearings are pressed in too far when built in the factory. Poor gearbox oil as well causes a lack of lubrication when the box gets warm (which is will in FWD with 250BHP).

 

[Flexin]

I don't like automatic transmissions. I like shifting. I don't like triptronic or paddles. Give me three pedals on the floor and a stick in my hand.

Right now the two cars (well three) are all automatics. Not because I wanted it that way.

My first two cars I ever owned were standards. My motorcycle was manual, of course.

At work I drive a cement mixer with a 9 speed Eaton transmission with low and low low. The new ones are automatics. I drove one for a couple of runs. I will still with my manual. With the auto I feel like I don't need to be there. It might as well come with a foot stool and wifi. Just let me know when I have to put my work boots back on to get out and unload the cement.

I drive the truck in traffic, on tight narrow roads, on the rough terrain of job sites. All of this with a manual. I have to slowly move ahead every 10-60 seconds when pouring sidewalks. That would be much easier in and auto because your not holding the clutch in. I will keep the manual and deal with the leg burn.

Give me an old school manual or a motorcycle and I'm a happy man. I was driving home from work in my automatic Acura TL the other day and I was wishing it was a manual the whole way home. This was after driving my big manual truck all day.

James

 

[Deathstarr]

I like auto because I can just jump in shift down to D and smash the gas and it does the rest. I also smoke and eat on the drive and in traffic its easier. I have drove sticks and if I do drive a stick I like the ones that let out in the bottom or middle, I hate to drive one that you have to let the peddle out all they way to the top before it catches.

 

[OSS 117]

When a manual goes wrong! The M32 in the VXR is prone to chewing the cog on 5th and 6th because the bearings are pressed in too far when built in the factory. Poor gearbox oil as well causes a lack of lubrication when the box gets warm (which is will in FWD with 250BHP).
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That's a Holden engine, isn't it?

 

[Adam Howard]

Hybrid.

Car do both automatic and manual.

Although I much prefer it in automatic as I like to multi task and on a more stressful day, sometimes I want less to think about and more just enjoying the drive / ride.