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Manual or Automatic?
- Thread starter Shacklebolt
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I understand that for North Americans it's a bit more of a novelty, but it's really not viewed that way over here. We simply don't think about the gears at all. It's just part of driving in the same way putting one foot in front of the other is part of walking. Manipulating the clutch and stick at the right revs/speeds has become an ingrained reaction, no conscious thought required.
So it's really easy to forget about it, let your body do its thing, and concentrate on what's going on outside the car.
Manual only for me -- its so much more engaging and allows you to be more involved with the car.
Sequential Manual Gearboxes (DSG/SMG) are ostensibly the wave of the future, but I still prefer a regular manual.
Sequential Manual Gearboxes (DSG/SMG) are ostensibly the wave of the future, but I still prefer a regular manual.
I drive in both and I find that in a manual, I drive better, more carefully, and generally safer. Its probably because you're more conscious of how fast the car is going. In an automatic, I drive like crap. Like dangerous crap.
I love it when I stop at a stop light, even on a slight hill, and people pull up behind me all the way to my bumper. Do these people think that pulling up dangerously far will make the light change faster? Its fun to watch their faces when I start rolling back a little while I mash that there clutch down.
I love it when I stop at a stop light, even on a slight hill, and people pull up behind me all the way to my bumper. Do these people think that pulling up dangerously far will make the light change faster? Its fun to watch their faces when I start rolling back a little while I mash that there clutch down.
I can roll with either!
I miss driving a manual transmission! I have 2 SUVs that are automatic transmission and they are nice when you're stuck in traffic (DC/Northern VA)and you don't have to continuously shift just to move 5 feet. We moved from the DC area so now traffic is not an issue. My next car, hopefully a VW GTI, will be manual transmission. Of course that won't be for a while...
I miss driving a manual transmission! I have 2 SUVs that are automatic transmission and they are nice when you're stuck in traffic (DC/Northern VA)and you don't have to continuously shift just to move 5 feet. We moved from the DC area so now traffic is not an issue. My next car, hopefully a VW GTI, will be manual transmission. Of course that won't be for a while...
Manual (preferred)
My wife and I have two cars, one VW Passat with a "triptronic", basically, an automatic with a pretend manual option by moving the shift lever to the right and pushing it up and down.
Unless one of those types of systems makes it east to go from 6th to 3rd to round a corner and really downshift, I prefer a full manual.
My Jeep is manual and while it is certainly no speed demon, the stick shift makes it much easier to control.
When we bought the VW, we could not find a manual anywhere near us, and now they do not even offer it anymore.
In Europe you can get a multitude of Gas or Diesel engines, with Manual or Automatic, but in the US now, it's pretty much two gas engines and auto only on the all wheel drive (4Motion) version.
If they would just offer a nice 2.0 170PS TDI with 4Motion and a stick, I would be very tempted to buy a new one. But for now the old one is fine.
My wife and I have two cars, one VW Passat with a "triptronic", basically, an automatic with a pretend manual option by moving the shift lever to the right and pushing it up and down.
Unless one of those types of systems makes it east to go from 6th to 3rd to round a corner and really downshift, I prefer a full manual.
My Jeep is manual and while it is certainly no speed demon, the stick shift makes it much easier to control.
When we bought the VW, we could not find a manual anywhere near us, and now they do not even offer it anymore.
In Europe you can get a multitude of Gas or Diesel engines, with Manual or Automatic, but in the US now, it's pretty much two gas engines and auto only on the all wheel drive (4Motion) version.
If they would just offer a nice 2.0 170PS TDI with 4Motion and a stick, I would be very tempted to buy a new one. But for now the old one is fine.
My first two cars were both manuals but since my wife wasn't interested in using a manual we sold my explorer. It was a real pain being the only one that could drive on a road trip.
Sometimes I miss the control of a standard but I have become used to the automatic and enjoy its simplicity when driving in traffic or through a lot of signals.
Sometimes I miss the control of a standard but I have become used to the automatic and enjoy its simplicity when driving in traffic or through a lot of signals.
Grew up in England, so have to have a manual, my car now (Mini Cooper S) has a 6 speed manual. Funnily enough both my parents and my grandfather (all still in England) now drive automatics.
I find it funny in the US that you can learn to drive and obtain your license in an automatic, and then you are free to drive a manual. In the UK, if you pass your test in an automatic you are only licensed to drive automatics, if you pass your test in a manual you can (obviously) drive both manuals and automatics.
I find it funny in the US that you can learn to drive and obtain your license in an automatic, and then you are free to drive a manual. In the UK, if you pass your test in an automatic you are only licensed to drive automatics, if you pass your test in a manual you can (obviously) drive both manuals and automatics.
Depends on the car. Though you can often specify either, depending on the hire co.
In an emergency, i could drive a manual; but i much prefer automatics. At least until i can afford a fast car. But even then, i would probably get one with the paddle shifters 
I think that is almost wiser for one to first become a proficient driver in an automatic car so that when they learn to drive manual it is just one new thing to learn as opposed to trying to learn all aspects of safe driving on top of trying to shift.
What many automatic drivers seem to miss is, that after not very much driving with a manual it becomes totally subconscious
The first few trips round the block i had to think about the clutch, stalled a couple of times pulling away, but after 10mins running up and down the gears wasn't an issue. Hill starts aren't any harder, just more revs and be careful with the handbrake, but again, like the gears and clutch, this becomes something you just don't think about
Now, after having driven cars (all manual) for a few years i don't remember thinking about driving at all, just having a bit of fun bombing around the back roads making engine noises like an 8 year old
It also help a heck of a lot if you understand how the gearbox works, or at the very least are mechanically minded, for me it meant i knew exactly what to expect hen i first got into the drivers seat, it was just learning the feel of everything
The first few trips round the block i had to think about the clutch, stalled a couple of times pulling away, but after 10mins running up and down the gears wasn't an issue. Hill starts aren't any harder, just more revs and be careful with the handbrake, but again, like the gears and clutch, this becomes something you just don't think about
Now, after having driven cars (all manual) for a few years i don't remember thinking about driving at all, just having a bit of fun bombing around the back roads making engine noises like an 8 year old
It also help a heck of a lot if you understand how the gearbox works, or at the very least are mechanically minded, for me it meant i knew exactly what to expect hen i first got into the drivers seat, it was just learning the feel of everything
I have driven a standard one time. After stalling like 5 times I got the hang of it, and I didn't even have a problem stopping and starting on hills. I'm quite a natural .
I just found it frightening to drive though. At the same time you have to think about steering, shifting, putting in the clutch, getting ready for the brakes, pressing the gas pedal, and being aware of whats around you. It's overwhelming. Wish me luck trying to talk to people, change the radio, etc.
I guess it's something you get used to though. I drove for literally 15 minutes.
It was fun to drive but in everyday driving I think I would prefer an automatic.
.I just found it frightening to drive though. At the same time you have to think about steering, shifting, putting in the clutch, getting ready for the brakes, pressing the gas pedal, and being aware of whats around you. It's overwhelming. Wish me luck trying to talk to people, change the radio, etc.
I guess it's something you get used to though. I drove for literally 15 minutes.
It was fun to drive but in everyday driving I think I would prefer an automatic.
No way!
Stick shift for me. I've owned automatics, and they have their uses. If you have a bad commute, involving lots of gridlock, you probably prefer an auto. Certain types of vehicles belong with them. And of course, let's not forget folks who have some physical limitation that prevents them from driving a stick.
When I was road tested, you had to take the test on a manual transmission car, or else your license would be restricted to "automatic transmission only". At some point, the Massashusetts RMV dropped this restriction.
I learned on a Plymouth Valiant with "3 on the tree". That's a three speed transmission, with a steering column mounted shift lever. I'm guessing most of you have never seen one.
I would really like my next car to have a CVT. The efficiency is just too good for me to pass up. Lower maintenance costs, reduced acceleration time... the list just goes on and on.
Perhaps in Oxfords. you don't get a lot of snow and ice but in a lot of the U.S.A., there is. It's not difficult to get up a steep hill when it's dry and maybe even when it's raining lightly, but turn the temperature to just above the freeze/thaw point and you have a lot of fun you shouldn't want, especially in traffic. I've had to do it but I'd rather not do it again.
I have driven a standard one time. After stalling like 5 times I got the hang of it, and I didn't even have a problem stopping and starting on hills. I'm quite a natural
I just found it frightening to drive though. At the same time you have to think about steering, shifting, putting in the clutch, getting ready for the brakes, pressing the gas pedal, and being aware of whats around you. It's overwhelming. Wish me luck trying to talk to people, change the radio, etc.
I guess it's something you get used to though. I drove for literally 15 minutes.
It was fun to drive but in everyday driving I think I would prefer an automatic.
You shouldn't be talking to people or playing with the radio or dialing a phone while you're driving.
Used to drive a stick but it was getting in the way of my tunes, cel, coffee, and cigarettes. Last truck I bought is power everything.
You shouldn't be talking to people or playing with the radio or dialing a phone while you're driving.
I shouldn't talk to people in the car while I am driving....
I think there should be some new laws
1) Driver has to be in a soundproof case
2) Radios can only be operated when the car is at 0mph.
Cell phone I agree with you. I've seen too many people on their cell phone not paying attention.
I drive a manual 6spd every day and some days I LOVE it, other days I wish I had an auto. Rolling through the gears is a great feeling.
What I don't like is Automatic pedal-to-the-metal drivers after a light turns green, I'm accelerating quickly but not punching my engine into 4k RPMs just to get up to 35mph, yet these auto drivers don't realize that I have to shift gears and even though it takes a fraction of a second, they always think I'm not going fast enough b/c their power is constant where mine is quick-shift-quick. I don't know if I can explain it, but it is irritating b/c they drive like their minds are off sometimes.
I really love the DSG system that VAG uses, my brother's MKV GTI is so smooth, perfect, flawless shifting. If Apple made an automatic transmission, it would be DSG. The SMG system that BMW uses is quite harsh and unpleasant, and triptronic is slow and boring. DSG uses 2 clutches and is quite amazing technology, shifts are faster than any manual transmission and silky smooth. If Audi decides to put the DSG into the A4 or A3 TDI (when it comes out lets hope!) that'll be my next car, an almost perfect mixture of manual and automatic (and economy and power mind you).
What I don't like is Automatic pedal-to-the-metal drivers after a light turns green, I'm accelerating quickly but not punching my engine into 4k RPMs just to get up to 35mph, yet these auto drivers don't realize that I have to shift gears and even though it takes a fraction of a second, they always think I'm not going fast enough b/c their power is constant where mine is quick-shift-quick. I don't know if I can explain it, but it is irritating b/c they drive like their minds are off sometimes.
I really love the DSG system that VAG uses, my brother's MKV GTI is so smooth, perfect, flawless shifting. If Apple made an automatic transmission, it would be DSG. The SMG system that BMW uses is quite harsh and unpleasant, and triptronic is slow and boring. DSG uses 2 clutches and is quite amazing technology, shifts are faster than any manual transmission and silky smooth. If Audi decides to put the DSG into the A4 or A3 TDI (when it comes out lets hope!) that'll be my next car, an almost perfect mixture of manual and automatic (and economy and power mind you).
I voted "Yes, Comfortably". My first car was a manual, and like others have said, driving a manual quickly becomes automatic. That said, my current car is an automatic, and I don't plan to buy a manual ever again. My car is purely for utility; I use it to get from home to work and back, go to the store etc. I don't care about the greater control a manual gives you, and I find the automatic transmission more convenient.