Manual vs Automatic - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

tigerkick · 10-03-2003, 10:38 PM

Which one is better?

pezking4 · 10-03-2003, 10:43 PM

that's pretty broad. I personally like manuals because I feel like I have more control and I like to have the least amount of driveline power lost as possible.

However, if you have to sit in a traffic jam everyday on the way to work, maybe an automatic is better...

irseg · 10-03-2003, 11:47 PM

Manual, hands down.

I can't stand automatics. They piss me off. I could tolerate them if they didn't instantly get into the absolute highest possible gear and refuse to downshift until I almost floor it. I've driven everything from $1000 beaters to an $80k Mercedes and they all behave that way. Come to think of it, the new high-tech electronically controlled slushboxes are usually even worse.

Great Scott · 10-04-2003, 01:18 AM

Dunno, depends on where you live. I would shoot myself if >I had to drive through traffic everyday with a manual transmission, but it does give you so much more control. Makes driving fun. It's also better on gas and much cheaper to replace a few clutches than a whole transmission.

arcane · 10-04-2003, 03:15 AM

i don't like manuals....i can drive them proficiently but i prefer the effortless feel of driving through crappy traffic in an automatic

lt1s10 · 10-04-2003, 03:28 AM

It is so worth the extra money to get an automatic if you spend any kind of time in stop and go traffic.

A manual is more fun to drive and saves a bit of gas. Maintainance costs can vary. With a manual if you pay for clutch jobs it's gets pretty spendy depending on how you drive and how often you need a clutch job. An automatic you can usually just change the fluid and filter at the reccomended intervals and get away cheaper.

But trashing a stock transmission (either manual or auto) with agressive driving is expensive either way you go.

Ashton · 10-04-2003, 04:00 AM

Manual is for hot rodding and playing around....... the autobox is for everything else.

nuff said..........

Rodney · 10-04-2003, 07:54 AM

People like what they like. I've driven a manual since the year zip. The only manual trans I truly hated was the old "three on the tree," which fortunately isn't made anymore. I hope.

Today's automatics give the driver much more control than the automatics of even a few years ago. And automatics are definitely easier in stop-and-go traffic.

But if you like total control and don't mind a little extra pedal work -- after a while, you don't even think about it -- go manual.

As for clutch replacement, my first cars generally needed a clutch at around 90-120K, but my '92 Integra's clutch is going strong at 165K. Of course, in the old days I lived in San Francisco :-).

brandon11983 · 10-04-2003, 07:59 AM

I love the spirited driving experience of a stick. I've never lived in a big city with stop and go traffic, so I can't comment on that. I test drove a Jetta GLI for about a week, and I just left it in 2nd gear for driving around town.

I drive an auto now, and wish it was a stick.

Thraeryn · 10-04-2003, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by arcane
i don't like manuals....i can drive them proficiently but i prefer the effortless feel of driving through crappy traffic in an automatic

See, and I feel that driving a manual through traffic requires much less effort. I guess it all stems from that feeling of extra control. If I really want to make it into that spot to change lanes, I can floor it in first and the car will buck like a bronco and get in there. With an automatic, you confuse the car by doing that.

I don't even mind making 14-hour drives in a manual. Cruise control is for wimps.

ninety09 · 10-04-2003, 10:21 AM

Manuals are just a whole lot more fun to drive

stingc · 10-04-2003, 10:55 AM

Quote:

I could tolerate them if they didn't instantly get into the absolute highest possible gear and refuse to downshift until I almost floor it.

Every automatic I've ever seen has positions for gears 1, 2, 3 as well as drive (or 1, 2, D for a 3-spd). I always manually shift autos. It works great once you have a good feel for how that particular car.

Of course a manual is better though. You can control how hard you want each shift, and you can shift much faster (there's a slight delay when moving the lever in an auto before it starts shifting). I prefer manuals in general, but I think the main reason is that a clutch makes the car feel much more responsive than a torque converter.

laconic1 · 10-04-2003, 12:32 PM

I like manuals as long as the shifter feels solid and precise. Some manual cars I have driven have a shifter that feels mushy, and it doesn't want to go in the right gear. Nothing more frustrating than when you are on the gas going from 2nd to 3rd and you accidentally jam it into first cuz the shifter is a pile of shit.

WarWagon · 10-04-2003, 01:08 PM

Manuals don't hold up behind 1000hp launches and aren't nearly as consistent unless you're talking Lenco's and Jerichos, and clutchless manuals arent really whats being referred to here.

pocon1 · 10-04-2003, 01:31 PM

If I get a sports car, then I get a stick. Whenever I someday buy a minivan or a big Cadillac, then it will be an auto. For instance, 3 series BMW, stick, 5 series BMW, auto.

soccerchamp76 · 10-04-2003, 01:31 PM

Auto if you are in traffic a lot....but the way to go is a clutch-less manual, not the kind they have in Acuras or Volvo, but the F1 paddle-shifters.

rodgerd · 10-04-2003, 02:44 PM

I prefer manual - too many bad experiences with auto gearboxes selecting an inappropriate time to shift (half way through a corner, for example). It's usually the kind of help I can do without.

That said, if I drove commercially (taxi, for example), I'd probably want an auto.

telekinetic2 · 10-05-2003, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thraeryn
I don't even mind making 14-hour drives in a manual. Cruise control is for wimps.

I have a manual MR2...with cruise control. My friend has a 6-speed Z28...with cruise control...

Personally, they both have their applications. My daily driver will always be a manual...I had an automatic Geo, and upgraded to a 5-speed MR2. I live in a big city with stop-and-go traffic, and it didn't bother me after two or three weeks of learning to drive the '2...

...But it is kind of relaxing to drive the girlfriend's Impala w/automatic every once in a while. So, meh. I'll always have a manual, until I have two cars, then the second one will be Auto.

Besides automatics can have bench seats up front

71classic · 10-05-2003, 02:47 PM

I definently like driving a manual over an automatic. autos are nice but lack direct control. I find this to be the case in or out of traffic.

rodgerd · 10-05-2003, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by telekinetic

Besides automatics can have bench seats up front

So can manuals, as long as they're stick shifters. Used to drive one like that myself.

m0j0 · 10-05-2003, 06:26 PM

Manual without a doubt. I do live in a high traffic area (Los Angeles Area) and I commute everyday. These are my many reasons:
1. It is faster
2. More efficient with gas
3. Fun factor
4. You have the power when you need it
5. Cost (extra 1k for auto, and it costs more to fix if it breaks)
6. Also around 90% of Europe drives manual (Lazy Americans j/k)
feel free to debate if you feel differently.

mystic511 · 10-05-2003, 07:12 PM

I've been driving manual for about 2 years now.

I can't even drive an automatic anymore.. it just doesn't feel right. You just have better control of your own vehicle when you drive manual. In an automatic car, if you're cruising at 60 and you want to floor it to pass someone.. there's that little bit of lag as your car tries to figure out what gear it should go to.

In a manual, you can just pick the gear and go. I feel more secure with a manual.

Technically speaking, high end automatic transmissions are excellent. Ferrarris, bmws, etc, they are all really well built. There are some cars with clutchless sticks that work exactly like a manual would, except no pressing of a clutch.

irseg · 10-05-2003, 07:36 PM

Yeah that's another thing, I can't even drive an automatic decently anymore. I keep trying to hit the clutch, downshift for turns, etc. And having to get speed up for a hill so it doesn't hunt constantly gets really irritating. Yeah you can shift an automatic manually but they don't like it. Downshifts, especially.

bunni · 10-05-2003, 11:17 PM

My girls 92 Accord is an auto and that's totally fine with me, but if I had bought an auto WRX rather than the stick I'd be embarrassed to be seen driving it. It's all about the car, and its application.

For sure I have a helluva lot more fun in my manual, but if I didn't have the performance to back it up it would just be a chore.

Lunchbox7 · 10-06-2003, 03:53 AM

Manual is for driving. Automatic is for steering.

Scorps · 10-06-2003, 08:05 AM

I got a Auto, but as soon as I can find a nice car im going to put a Stick in it.

vector_1979 · 10-06-2003, 08:44 AM

Manual every time. You chose the gear you need to be in, not the PCM. Sometimes you loose that extra gear in Automatic boxes.

Get better fuel economy with manuals.

Auto's have a lag when you wanna accelerate quickly

I said all that BUT the Audi TT has an auto with two clutches. Not to sure how it works but this could make an auto box more responsive and smoother.

hahaha · 10-06-2003, 06:19 PM

I currently drive a manual and I love it. When i am driving a auto, I really hate the lack of control. Manual cars perform better and last longer. They make driving in stop and go traffic more interesting. Any sportscar that I will buy in the near future will be manual.

Moonduck · 10-06-2003, 08:54 PM

Personal vehicle - manual
Lt Commercial vehicle - automatic

If I'm driving because I want to drive, I need a manual. There is no other way to really enjoy it. If I am driving because I have to (ie commercial) I want an automatic simply so that I don't have to muck with shifting when I am inevitably getting called on the cell, trying to figure out where I am supposed to go, stuck in bumper to bumper for three hours, etc.

89transam · 10-06-2003, 09:15 PM

I dunno, when a car gets to a certain point in Strait line preformance i think that automatic is the only way to go. The fastest car I have driven (briefly) was a buddys 11.6 (Gtech) El camino and I could not imagine dring that with a manual. And thats not even terribly fast compared to some other crazy cars around here.

telekinetic2 · 10-07-2003, 01:15 AM

A guy in my circle of friends just ran a high 9 second quarter mile in his six-speed supra :-) It doesn't get much faster than that for a street car.

telekinetic2 · 10-07-2003, 01:24 AM

Here's the video of his run, btw, if anyone cares to see a supra go fast:

http://homepage.mac.com/rdwoon/9.74@145.2VegasPass.mov

supafly · 10-07-2003, 01:44 AM

Manual is better in my opinion. You can choose how much revs you want to make so you are always in the power-band. Semi- atomatic would be even better, they use it in the formula-one, and expensive cars

johnnymysto · 10-07-2003, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashton
Manual is for hot rodding and playing around....... the autobox is for everything else.

nuff said..........

I agree wholeheartedly. I used to have a manual and I miss it when I feel like tearing down the road on the weekends. But it was murder in a lot of traffic.

Elitegibson · 10-07-2003, 08:02 AM

For me, the manual is the only way to go, for almost any situation. I just like the fun factor. Manuals used to get alot better gas mileage and longevity than their automatic counterparts, but as automatics have gotten better, they'll usually last just as long as manual transmissions, and don't need a few clutch changes over the course of it's lifetime, like a manual. Also, for those that shift automatics manually, you're not getting as much control as you think. The computer still checks your gear decision and only changes gears when it's safe, so it's harder to break your engine.

Scorps · 10-07-2003, 08:31 AM

My van has a shift kit with it. That give me quick pick up and the trany shifts so nice an smooth, even when I punch on the gas.

WarWagon · 10-07-2003, 05:14 PM

I use a manual valve body in my th400. No computers, instantaneous shifts due to fluid redirection, and it doesnt shift unless you tell it to. Automatics have come a long way.

wrongfullyaccuzd · 10-10-2003, 09:09 AM

manuals are much much more fun and have much more control

Deuce66 · 10-10-2003, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashton
Manual is for hot rodding and playing around....... the autobox is for everything else.

nuff said..........

Maybe...but if you can only have one car (as I do) I'd make it a manual, hands down. As a second car, an auto would be nice, for when I'm lazy..but I'd go insane if it was my only option.

Sledge · 10-10-2003, 09:47 PM

I earned my license in a manual not too long ago and I'm damn proud of it. Go me. Woo.

It doesn't make a big difference to me personally - I just want a car - but manuals are more fun to drive.

10-03-2003, 10:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
tigerkick Upright Location: Chicago	Manual vs Automatic Which one is better?

10-04-2003, 03:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
arcane Insane Location: SLC, UT	i don't like manuals....i can drive them proficiently but i prefer the effortless feel of driving through crappy traffic in an automatic __________________ <Arcane> so if you banged 2000 chicks then at least one had a pen0r?

10-04-2003, 07:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
brandon11983 Stereophonic Location: Chitown!!	I love the spirited driving experience of a stick. I've never lived in a big city with stop and go traffic, so I can't comment on that. I test drove a Jetta GLI for about a week, and I just left it in 2nd gear for driving around town. I drive an auto now, and wish it was a stick. __________________ Well behaved women rarely make history.

10-05-2003, 02:47 PM	#19 (permalink)
71classic Upright	I definently like driving a manual over an automatic. autos are nice but lack direct control. I find this to be the case in or out of traffic. __________________ The only normal people are the ones you don't really know.

10-05-2003, 07:12 PM	#22 (permalink)
mystic511 Tilted	I've been driving manual for about 2 years now. I can't even drive an automatic anymore.. it just doesn't feel right. You just have better control of your own vehicle when you drive manual. In an automatic car, if you're cruising at 60 and you want to floor it to pass someone.. there's that little bit of lag as your car tries to figure out what gear it should go to. In a manual, you can just pick the gear and go. I feel more secure with a manual. Technically speaking, high end automatic transmissions are excellent. Ferrarris, bmws, etc, they are all really well built. There are some cars with clutchless sticks that work exactly like a manual would, except no pressing of a clutch. __________________ One day, I will become Virtually Infamous.

10-03-2003, 10:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
pezking4 Crazy Location: NC	that's pretty broad. I personally like manuals because I feel like I have more control and I like to have the least amount of driveline power lost as possible. However, if you have to sit in a traffic jam everyday on the way to work, maybe an automatic is better...

10-03-2003, 11:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	Manual, hands down. I can't stand automatics. They piss me off. I could tolerate them if they didn't instantly get into the absolute highest possible gear and refuse to downshift until I almost floor it. I've driven everything from $1000 beaters to an $80k Mercedes and they all behave that way. Come to think of it, the new high-tech electronically controlled slushboxes are usually even worse.

10-04-2003, 01:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
Great Scott Insane Location: In a huge maze just trying to find my cheese	Dunno, depends on where you live. I would shoot myself if >I had to drive through traffic everyday with a manual transmission, but it does give you so much more control. Makes driving fun. It's also better on gas and much cheaper to replace a few clutches than a whole transmission.

10-04-2003, 03:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
lt1s10 Crazy	It is so worth the extra money to get an automatic if you spend any kind of time in stop and go traffic. A manual is more fun to drive and saves a bit of gas. Maintainance costs can vary. With a manual if you pay for clutch jobs it's gets pretty spendy depending on how you drive and how often you need a clutch job. An automatic you can usually just change the fluid and filter at the reccomended intervals and get away cheaper. But trashing a stock transmission (either manual or auto) with agressive driving is expensive either way you go.

10-04-2003, 04:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ashton PORNHOUND Location: California	Manual is for hot rodding and playing around....... the autobox is for everything else. nuff said..........

10-04-2003, 07:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	People like what they like. I've driven a manual since the year zip. The only manual trans I truly hated was the old "three on the tree," which fortunately isn't made anymore. I hope. Today's automatics give the driver much more control than the automatics of even a few years ago. And automatics are definitely easier in stop-and-go traffic. But if you like total control and don't mind a little extra pedal work -- after a while, you don't even think about it -- go manual. As for clutch replacement, my first cars generally needed a clutch at around 90-120K, but my '92 Integra's clutch is going strong at 165K. Of course, in the old days I lived in San Francisco :-).

10-04-2003, 10:21 AM	#11 (permalink)
ninety09 Flavour of the Weak Location: Canada	Manuals are just a whole lot more fun to drive

10-04-2003, 12:32 PM	#13 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	I like manuals as long as the shifter feels solid and precise. Some manual cars I have driven have a shifter that feels mushy, and it doesn't want to go in the right gear. Nothing more frustrating than when you are on the gas going from 2nd to 3rd and you accidentally jam it into first cuz the shifter is a pile of shit.

10-04-2003, 01:08 PM	#14 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	Manuals don't hold up behind 1000hp launches and aren't nearly as consistent unless you're talking Lenco's and Jerichos, and clutchless manuals arent really whats being referred to here.

10-04-2003, 01:31 PM	#15 (permalink)
pocon1 Banned	If I get a sports car, then I get a stick. Whenever I someday buy a minivan or a big Cadillac, then it will be an auto. For instance, 3 series BMW, stick, 5 series BMW, auto.

10-04-2003, 01:31 PM	#16 (permalink)
soccerchamp76 Go Cardinals Location: St. Louis/Cincinnati	Auto if you are in traffic a lot....but the way to go is a clutch-less manual, not the kind they have in Acuras or Volvo, but the F1 paddle-shifters.

10-04-2003, 02:44 PM	#17 (permalink)
rodgerd Psycho Location: Wellington, New Zealand	I prefer manual - too many bad experiences with auto gearboxes selecting an inappropriate time to shift (half way through a corner, for example). It's usually the kind of help I can do without. That said, if I drove commercially (taxi, for example), I'd probably want an auto.

10-05-2003, 06:26 PM	#21 (permalink)
m0j0 Tilted Location: California	Manual without a doubt. I do live in a high traffic area (Los Angeles Area) and I commute everyday. These are my many reasons: 1. It is faster 2. More efficient with gas 3. Fun factor 4. You have the power when you need it 5. Cost (extra 1k for auto, and it costs more to fix if it breaks) 6. Also around 90% of Europe drives manual (Lazy Americans j/k) feel free to debate if you feel differently.

10-05-2003, 07:36 PM	#23 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	Yeah that's another thing, I can't even drive an automatic decently anymore. I keep trying to hit the clutch, downshift for turns, etc. And having to get speed up for a hill so it doesn't hunt constantly gets really irritating. Yeah you can shift an automatic manually but they don't like it. Downshifts, especially.

10-05-2003, 11:17 PM	#24 (permalink)
bunni Upright	My girls 92 Accord is an auto and that's totally fine with me, but if I had bought an auto WRX rather than the stick I'd be embarrassed to be seen driving it. It's all about the car, and its application. For sure I have a helluva lot more fun in my manual, but if I didn't have the performance to back it up it would just be a chore.

10-06-2003, 03:53 AM	#25 (permalink)
Lunchbox7 Addict	Manual is for driving. Automatic is for steering.

10-06-2003, 08:05 AM	#26 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	I got a Auto, but as soon as I can find a nice car im going to put a Stick in it. __________________ A.K.A. PainTrain

10-06-2003, 08:44 AM	#27 (permalink)
vector_1979 Insane Location: In a Caddy Shack	Manual every time. You chose the gear you need to be in, not the PCM. Sometimes you loose that extra gear in Automatic boxes. Get better fuel economy with manuals. Auto's have a lag when you wanna accelerate quickly I said all that BUT the Audi TT has an auto with two clutches. Not to sure how it works but this could make an auto box more responsive and smoother. __________________ ------------------------------------------------ Tip: Never do your shoe lace up in a revolving door

10-06-2003, 06:19 PM	#28 (permalink)
hahaha Insane	I currently drive a manual and I love it. When i am driving a auto, I really hate the lack of control. Manual cars perform better and last longer. They make driving in stop and go traffic more interesting. Any sportscar that I will buy in the near future will be manual. __________________ "find what's good and make it last" -Bouncing Souls

10-06-2003, 08:54 PM	#29 (permalink)
Moonduck Junkie Location: SE USA	Personal vehicle - manual Lt Commercial vehicle - automatic If I'm driving because I want to drive, I need a manual. There is no other way to really enjoy it. If I am driving because I have to (ie commercial) I want an automatic simply so that I don't have to muck with shifting when I am inevitably getting called on the cell, trying to figure out where I am supposed to go, stuck in bumper to bumper for three hours, etc.

10-06-2003, 09:15 PM	#30 (permalink)
89transam Psycho Location: Central California	I dunno, when a car gets to a certain point in Strait line preformance i think that automatic is the only way to go. The fastest car I have driven (briefly) was a buddys 11.6 (Gtech) El camino and I could not imagine dring that with a manual. And thats not even terribly fast compared to some other crazy cars around here.

10-07-2003, 01:15 AM	#31 (permalink)
telekinetic2 Loser	A guy in my circle of friends just ran a high 9 second quarter mile in his six-speed supra :-) It doesn't get much faster than that for a street car.

10-07-2003, 01:24 AM	#32 (permalink)
telekinetic2 Loser	Here's the video of his run, btw, if anyone cares to see a supra go fast: http://homepage.mac.com/rdwoon/9.74@145.2VegasPass.mov

10-07-2003, 01:44 AM	#33 (permalink)
supafly Psycho Location: Rotterdam	Manual is better in my opinion. You can choose how much revs you want to make so you are always in the power-band. Semi- atomatic would be even better, they use it in the formula-one, and expensive cars __________________ Thumbs up

10-07-2003, 08:02 AM	#35 (permalink)
Elitegibson More Freedom, Less Bullshit Location: Tulsa, OK	For me, the manual is the only way to go, for almost any situation. I just like the fun factor. Manuals used to get alot better gas mileage and longevity than their automatic counterparts, but as automatics have gotten better, they'll usually last just as long as manual transmissions, and don't need a few clutch changes over the course of it's lifetime, like a manual. Also, for those that shift automatics manually, you're not getting as much control as you think. The computer still checks your gear decision and only changes gears when it's safe, so it's harder to break your engine. __________________ -Erik Stupid people shouldn't breed.

10-07-2003, 08:31 AM	#36 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	My van has a shift kit with it. That give me quick pick up and the trany shifts so nice an smooth, even when I punch on the gas.

10-07-2003, 05:14 PM	#37 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	I use a manual valve body in my th400. No computers, instantaneous shifts due to fluid redirection, and it doesnt shift unless you tell it to. Automatics have come a long way.

10-10-2003, 09:09 AM	#38 (permalink)
wrongfullyaccuzd Addict Location: NoVA	manuals are much much more fun and have much more control

10-10-2003, 09:47 PM	#40 (permalink)
Sledge Pasture Bedtime	I earned my license in a manual not too long ago and I'm damn proud of it. Go me. Woo. It doesn't make a big difference to me personally - I just want a car - but manuals are more fun to drive.