Manual vs Automatic
 

Which one is better?

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...

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.

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.

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

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.

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 :-).

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.

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.

Manuals are just a whole lot more fun to drive

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 :icare: :p

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Manual is for driving. Automatic is for steering.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

manuals are much much more fun and have much more control

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.

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.

While this debate will never really be solved, I believe newer automatics are plenty responsive enough for most drivers. You just have to know the shift points and how much throttle is required to make it shift when you want to. Of course you can get a shift kit, better suited torque converter and reprogrammed ECUs for most cars with autos that makes them even more fun. Almost all autos from the factory are geared towards max MPG and minimized emissions, so modding it can help immensely.

My Alero's auto transmisison is plenty responsive enough for my daily driver car. I can make it shift whenever I want to, and I don't have to deal with a clutch of shifter. The fewer distractions, the more concentration I can put on the road. When I'm in bad traffic where you move a few feet every 10 seconds, I'm very glad I don't have a manual. I would probably kill the clutch in 30k miles or something.

That being said I do enjoy driving manual cars, and my TR7 project car is a manual. I'm probably never going to drive it in morning traffic, it's a weekend driver (well once it's legal to drive at least). It's shifter has a very good feel to it, of course a new clutch, rebuilt transmission, and rebuilt shifter linkage helps with that. But having the reverse gear up and to the left is annoying :(

I don't know how people can stand manuals in heavy traffic, constantly having to shift, use the clutch, engine brake etc... would seem to put alot of wear and tear on it, not to mention being a pain in the ass. I've driven our truck around (S10 w/ 5 speed) in traffic on numerous occasions and I can't stand it. That's not just that truck of course as it's very easy to drive, it's just extra effort I don't want to deal with in those occasions.

I prefer manual, with a clutch. None of this manumatic stuff. A manual gives you more control over your power band and allows you to focus on driving. An automatic leaves you freer to get distracted. Plus only so many of us can drive a manual. If you can drive a manual, you can drive an automatic. But if you can drive an automatic that doesnt mean you know how to drive a manual. Plus with todays automatics being computer driven, automatics can have more go wrong in my opinion.

Plus how many automatics have more than four gears? Most, I know some exist, do not give you as many gear options as manuals. Viva La Manual!

2. This is not so true anymore. With computers in the automatics these days, automatics are getting the same gas mileage. This is only true for newer cars however.

6. Its 1 in 11 Europeans drive an automatic, while 1 in 7 Americans drive a manual. Lazy Americans is correct.

Manuals are more fun to drive, you get that feeling like your part of the car. Guess it all depends on the car too.......Corvette-Manual..............Camry-Automatic feel me???

I was a valet for a while, and got to drive all sorts of sweet vehicles in Boston.

IMHO - for general preferance, I like manual. Just because.

For performance...I can shift better than any automatic made by Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Honda, etc. The upper end BMWs and Mercedes, though, really started to shift the way I'd want them to, without the little surprises here and there along the way that you get with cheaper cars.

MPEDrummer

I cannot stand slushboxes... I hate it when I am going up a grade and losing speed, but it will NEVER downshift in an auto until the peddle is almost floored.

I hate not having a manual anymore. This is my 7th vehicle and 1st with an auto. I have a 4-hour round trip commute everyday with a lot of stop and go. The manual was much better in the traffic.

My '97 6cyl. Explorer with auto never wants to downshift. It is a pain getting any power out of this thing once I get over 45mph. My last truck was a '99 4cyl Mazda 5spd. At least with that I could just drop a gear and go.

depends......i couldnt drive a sports car thats auto....

4x4 i could got either way......but manual sucks in bumper to bumper traffic gets annoying....


but just out on a sunday drive i enjoy manual

Try the new Chrysler Auto-stick - It's close to the best of both worlds- It is a whole lot like the old B&M competition hydro-stick - you can do just about anything you want to do with it (except blow it up by forgetting to shift at the right point).

i think you need bolth you need your cruisin car and your concreat melting hot rod

Back in the muscle car days n such manuals were definetly better, but some of these new advanced automatics they are comin out with are insane, its almost personal preference now

I dunno

I drive a 2002 mustang, tho that is not top of the line automatic, i have to say that there's a difference in between stick and automatic

When u hop around in a stick, it's much more fun. I mean nothing's more fun than slamming that stick in to third gear and putting ur skillz in driving (:)) to good use.

Seriously though, in my view, stick is good for daily driver (especially in stop n' go traffic), but whenever you want that speedy feel while you drive, go for a manual.

Stick is funner... but if you are buying a new car... definitely automatic.

Reasons:
Pro-Auto
-Automatic has more resale value ( hardly anyone can drive a stick anymore, go look at the kbb if you don't believe me )
-Easier for excessive stop and go driving, like where I live ( a large urban area)
-You can do other things while driving ( this will get me flamed, but the easiness of driving an automatic is obnoxious compared to manual )
-You can't kill your car on accident and embarass yourself to your passengers ( I know many experienced manual drivers that have done this simply because they were talking to passengers)
-The car is much more predictable and you can adjust easier to unusual situations ( such as excessive rain/snow/ice )
-If you are bracket racing, much more consistant ETs
-You don't have to have as much concentration, so can drive ( theoretically) safer while tired
-No clutches and torque converters often last way longer than clutches if taken care of

Pro-Manual:
Performance- Better control fo engine revs for max performance
Better fuel economy- By probably 10% on most modern cars. On old cars, the difference is dramatic.
Concentration- Helps you concentrate you on driving unless you want to look like a jackass or be unsafe
Novelty-Driving a manual is fun to a certain extent. Except sitting in traffic. And it might impress a female or two.
Cost- Cheaper. But not really so much anymore. Especially noticeable in used car market.
Maintenance- You should never have to change a manual transmissions fluid, but you should change an autos fluid every 100k or so.

EDIT: Whomever says manual is better in traffic needs to drive an auto more. You don't have to hold down two pedals, but only one in stop and go conditions(unless you make 300 shifts into neutral, which is unlikely). That is absolutely silly saying manual is easier to drive in stop and go conditions, when all you have to do is release the brake for automatics and never have to shift or clutch. For persons of my size (6'4") that means a world of difference in comfort as no car fits me comfortably to begin with. Call me lazy, but I'll leave the sticks to 'fun' cars ( I'm looking for a triumph spitfire :) )

See, now, I think manual makes people pay MORE attention to the road...cuz if they've got an automatic, they've got a 'free hand'...and that free hand might have a cell phone, which distracts FAR MORE than having to up and downshift.

i dont know about that. if i was tired and driving an auto, id probably be more likely to drive off the road in an auto than i would in a manual, manual you have to pay more attention,
of course you mentioned that in your manual points so, i dunno. your points kinda confuse me

Manual - fun to drive. cars with manual transmission are cheaper than auto. better efficiency.

With manual you have overall more focus on the road, I'll agree. But there is situations where I've been so fucking tired I've tried to take off in park. Dangerous? Yeah. But sometimes you do what you've gotta do.

driving through rush hour traffic with a stick....suck. if you live out in the country or somewhere where you can have a little fun, it's the way to go, though

MINI cooper automatic tiptronic has 6 gears, as do the BMWs.

if you have to drive for any length of time or on a regular basis... automatic is boring... manual is just a bit more fun, its not hard either, shifting an automatic in a car is so easy, try a truck then complain a bout a car ( a real truck, nto a pickup)

Just because you are masochistic doesn't mean everyone wants to be.
1. Yes.
2. Not compared with modern automatics, and more importantly, CVTs.
3. No arguement.
4. Manual can save your ass with a slow car.
5. Costs more to fix when breaks? Auto transmissions are pretty cheap as they are all over the place.
6. In europe, gas is >$4 US a gallon at cheapest. How much do you think that the extra 6 MPG of a manual influences them? A LOT. Plus, they have shittier roads with steeper grades and need a manual to get their slow-ass cars up the road. And by "slow ass cars" I mean Peugots, Renaults, Trabants, etc.all the retardedly small cars with motorcycle engines coupled to car transmissions. Yes, Americans are lazy because they don't have to result to shifting gears manually.

My point exactly, you named one company and a subsidiary company. Let me throw in another compnay as well, Mercedes. Now this does not mean that a lot of cars have the option of 6 speeds in an automatic. BMW and Mercedes are not anywhere near the numbers of japanese cars on the road.

Sticks are for enthusiasts, people who like to drive. Take the new Madza RX-8 for instance. The manual has 238 hp, 6 speeds and a 9000 redline while the automatic has 189 hp, 4 gears and 7500 redline.

Manual just because it's fun. You have to pay attention to your driving so you can shift appropriately. I have an automatic for the first time since I was 17 and although it's a great car, it would be much greater if it were a manual.

I drove the Benz CVT in Munich. C220 CDI, not bad. lots of power for a diesel.

manual are for the adventurers

HEY what about Auto Stick :p , I use it to play around in with my car, get a bit of both worlds, well sorta. :hmm:

get a manual, should be fun to drive as you have control of the car. as for the prices of the gas today, it should benefit you as well. i think optioning with a manual will actually save you 500-1000 dollars from the start

It all depends on the car. Anything that I will be throwing into corners, MANUAL. Anything SMALL (compact cars, trucks etc, because the little motors need all the help they can get). Anything medium to big and more focused on daily driver, or highway cruising (fullsize pick-ups, mini-vans, medium sized/large sedans.) AUTO. Oh and for consistency's sake, for a drag race only vehicle, AUTO.

Yup.

All the "manuals are faster" responses in here crack me up. Go to your local track sometime and look at the fastest cars going down the strip.........there will be 7+ autos for ever 2 manuals among the REALLY fast cars. The most consistent/best bracket racers are always autos.

If you have a car that is low on horsepower, you might be able to milk the most out of it on the street using a manual IF you know how to drive, but the best/fastest cars in a straight line are autos.

A manual can be more fun. An auto is more consistent. If you ever want a fun ride, try a high-powered auto with a high-stall torque convertor. ;)

Auto, because I can't drive an munual. Don't posess the physical coordination necessary. Though I can see how, for those who've mastered it, a manual might give more control, for me it would definitely be less safe with less control because it would give me an extra five or six things to do behind the wheel. More mind on what to do with the pedals and gear shift means less attention paid to the road, which means less control, which means not as safe.

Gilda

I love manuals but being stuck in traffic sucks. I am in traffic about 3+ hours Monday to Friday and I am finally changing cars. Looking at a 2004 VW Passat with the Triptronic shifter. Auto during the week and shifter on weekends. The best of both worlds.

tigerkick, I can't believe you resurrected this thread...2 and a half years later!

manual all the way, baby. i have a little convertable sports car, and i have finally found the twisty roads that make me grin from ear to ear. i wouldn't have near the blast if it was an auto.

It's all about those neat new cars that let you choose either one. Especially since you need to be driving an automatic to be able to drive and still shoot out the window. :)