Manual or Automatic?

I personally prefer a manual transmission over a automatic transmission, simply because I like having control of what gear I am in. I also like manual transmissions because I can accelerate much faster when I need to, something you can't do with a automatic transmission.

 

I think that most people that enjoy driving prefer a manual transmission, like it's my case. Automatic can be more convenient if we are tired or for people with coordination problems, but it's not driving really.

 

I grew up driving manual cause and I absolutely love the. I love the control that they give you, I love the field that they give you, and I love the interaction that you get with your vehicle. But at the same time I realized that most of my driving is with in traffic hours. So that presents a challenge for me when it comes to starting and stopping. A manual car is a bit tire some to do this because you have to be all hands on deck at any particular moment. Automatic cars do well in traffic. You just have to let your foot go and the car will do the rest. And so that makes things a whole lot easier. As I've grown older and gotten more used to cars, I prefer automatic cause a whole lot more just because they are much easier to use.

 

Manual forever! I understand the need for an automatic. Most people just want to press a pedal and listen to the radio or talk on their phone. However, if you are a true car person and you enjoy the art of driving, then there's not other than a manual transmission. It's not faster (not anymore) or more efficient. However, it forces you to understand how a car works, learn about, learn how to control it, and become a part of the driving experience.

 

I drive an automatic simply because its much easier to learn. I needed to be able to drive right away as my family doesn't have anybody who will drive for us free so I needed to step up and be available immediately. Later on, I would love to learn how to drive manual cars.

 

That's the best reason vandemon, it's way easier and considering you have an automatic car I think that's nothing wrong with that. In my country there aren't many automatic cars available and I don't know if driving schools teach like that.

 

I would prefer an automatic for the daily commute. A comfy car, smooth running, which shifts unobtrusively.

Now, if I were going to a track day, or a long weekend drive...a nice fastish coupe or sports saloon, proper manual. No auto or paddle shift comes close to the satisfaction I feel when I push those gears through the gate. That said, I guess a paddle shift would be a bit faster around a track in the right hands as compared to a full on manual.

 

I am in the boat of not knowing how to drive a stick shift. My dad had an old truck that was stick shift. I tried to learn on it and ended up busting out one of the tail lights. My boyfriend is going to teach me how to drive a stick shift. I'm afraid of burning out the clutch but he says I won't so we will see. For me, I have no choice but to drive automatics.

 

I used to own a Civic SI, manual.

Now I own a Civic EXL with navi, auto.

It's not as fun to drive, but the gas mileage, comfort, and overall quality is MUCH higher in this 2014 Civic than my 2010 SI.

 

So, that's a good reason to drive an automatic, the mileage is better? Actually I expected to be the opposite, but I suppose the optimization is better right?

 

Yes in many cars automatics get better MPG.

Machines can be programmed to be more precise than humans. Also, automatics don't let the car rev higher just because they like the sound

 

I had this discussion before because I thought it made total sense that an automatic car had a better mileage, but someone was saying that the fact that the car is automatic actually makes it consume more, so that was confusing for me.

 

An automatic transmission wastes a lot of energy going into and then out of a torque converter, so they do consume more fuel than a manual.

It's like taking a cup of water that is filled to the very top and pouring that into another cup that is the exact same size (manual) You will spill some water.
Now take that same cup of water, pour it into another glass of the same size, then take that cup of water and pour it into another cup of the same size again, (automatic) You will no doubt loose even more water.

Water is power produced by the engine and the extra cup represents the torque converter found in an automatic.

 

Great explanation Sharigan. I've always preferred the control of a manual transmission to an automatic. We have both, one for our family car (automatic), and the other for my work car (manual). Both are Honda, and the difference is dramatic when I shift correctly. The ability to create torque in the Accord, which has about 180 hp is much faster than in the Odyssey, which has 280 hp. There is always a lag and now I understand why.

 

Another reason for the lag (at least on modern cars) is the throttle by wire system that they've implemented.

Instead of having an actual throttle cable which is directly linked to the pedal, there is an electronic servo that opens the throttle plate and is controlled by the computer. There is a SIGNIFICANT delay between when you press the pedal and when the throttle opens....so bad in fact that you can push the pedal to the floor and and often it will never even recognize it.

 

I drove manual and enjoyed the extra control it gave me. Then I started working at a job where the drive home was a slow crawl for the first 30 minutes. All that shifting and clutch work was not so much fun then. So my next car had an automatic, and the traffic no longer stressed me.

 

I would choose a manual with no doubt in my mind. I love the control it gives you when you drive. The pick up you receive from switching to a lower gear can't be beat. I have owned automatics and it seems they break much easier as well. When given the choice I believe it's best to go with a manual version.

 

I've heard some manuals drink more gas and the stick shifts are just not worth it to me. It's just a waste of time fooling around with the gears and i'm not that good of a driver and i need to focus on not running over anyone.