Auto v. Manual

[Amara]

Why all the fuss over which is better. I've never understood that.

I drive an automatic, I never learnt how to drive a manual and dont really care to until I buy a porsche. But I dont understand people who say... fuck you aint a man unless you drive a manual (..Rukas...) - well yeah that's right I'm not a man... lol.

Seriously though, why go to the bother of using my arms and legs to do extra work when I dont have to... I mean, it's ok to use power steering, power windows, central locking etc etc - all this stuff to making the driving experience easier, but it's not cool to make changing gears easy?? Explain to me the difference...

 

[not really ken]

This debate is as old as cars themselves.

Me? Manual all the way, I just hate the loss of the feeling with auto.

 

[Zero Cool]

I prefer automatics simply because they're easiser to drive but over here it's better to know how to drive a manual because if you do your test in a manual you can drive both but if you do it in a automatic you can only drive an automatic.

 

[Amara]

This debate is as old as cars themselves.

Me? Manual all the way, I just hate the loss of the feeling with auto.

So why not the loss of feeling with the advent of power steering? I dont get the double standard... lol!

 

[HitEmUpOutDaParK]

Once you learn to drive a standard, it's so much more fun for the driving experience, at least for me. I'm not exactly in a city sort of place, so it's fun. If I lived in the city, I would think otherwise. I don't think I've ever driven a car without power steering, most if not all cars today have it. Driving an automatic is just plain boring. To argue for the standard transmission, I would say that you have noticably more control over the vehicle since you're controlling the way it's going to handle. There's a statistic that says standard drivers are 18% less likely to get in an accident because of this and the attention they have to spend.

As far as the "being a man" comment, I don't really get it other than it's a sporty type of thing with a stereotype that says all guys must drive one.

 

[Duke]

Manual all the way. Simply because that gives me more of a controlling feel. I'm deciding the gear, not the mechanical overlord. It's about control. Giving away the gearbox to the mechanicals is like giving the throttle out of hands.

I'm sure automatic is easier, but in the end, changing gears isn't much of an effort. And it adds to the driving experience.

 

[Duke]

So why not the loss of feeling with the advent of power steering? I dont get the double standard... lol!

There is no double standard here simply because the two are not comparable. Power steering is a wholly different thing than an automatic gearbox.


Power steering makes it easier. An auto-box cancels out an element of the driving.

 

[TecK NeeX]

If all you want to do is point to your car and say go, then you don't want a Manual. I, however, prefer to have the control and feeling a Standard Transmission provides. It also allows me to avoid potentially dangerous situations automatics are helpless in on highways.

Automatics do however come in handy when you want to eat them fast food meals and the use of hand held Cell phones, which is why Amara prefers Automatic

 

[Rukas]

I mean, it's ok to use power steering, power windows, central locking etc etc - all this stuff to making the driving experience easier, but it's not cool to make changing gears easy?? Explain to me the difference...

The difference is that power steering helps you stear, and gives you MORE control, automatic helps you change gears, but gives you LESS control over the car.

It comes down to control over the performance of your vehicle.

I dont mind automatic, but I think everyone should at least know HOW to drive manual, especially guys who are "into" cars. You cant be into cars or think you're a good driver if you cant drive manual. Once again using your power steering example, if you drive a car with power steering, its not like you cant drive one without.

Basically manual is better on the engine, more fuel efficient, and gives you more control over your car.

 

[Get In The Van I Have Candy]

I would never in my life by a manual simply because I live in Los Angeles. I am not shifting gears every 5 seconds on the 101 freeway. Just too much work. But it is enjoyable to drive if you have an open road.

 

[Duke]

The difference is that power steering helps you stear, and gives you MORE control, automatic helps you change gears, but gives you LESS control over the car.

It comes down to control over the performance of your vehicle.

I dont mind automatic, but I think everyone should at least know HOW to drive manual, especially guys who are "into" cars. You cant be into cars or think you're a good driver if you cant drive manual. Once again using your power steering example, if you drive a car with power steering, its not like you cant drive one without.

Basically manual is better on the engine, more fuel efficient, and gives you more control over your car.

Eh, i don't know about fuel economy and engine stress there, mate. That would depend on the car in question. But i do fully agree about the control part. Exactly what i said in my previous post. And if some bloke thinks he's "into" cars and can't drive a manual, thats silly.


But like Van-Candy-Man said, there are some cases where practicality takes precedence. I can imagine the benefits on an auto in LA.


And on the personal note, i'd consider myself a car nut, petrolhead, whatever you want to call it. And driving a manual is just more "real" than an auto-box.

 

[ARon]

With Automatic you lose upwards of 10% HP also.

 

[not really ken]

So why not the loss of feeling with the advent of power steering? I dont get the double standard... lol!

power steering i'd say was like having a lighter clutch. You still have the same amount of control over the car just that you can turn it easier. It is you the driver who does the actual action or manouver.

Active steering would be comparable to automatic. This is new tech which turns the vehicles wheels realtive to the amount of speed you are doing. So if your going at 5mph for a hair pin or something then the car recognises this and turns the wheels much more in proption to the steerng wheel turn. and if your doing 30mph then the wheels turn less with more turning of the sterring wheel <--this is what I and most performance minded people hate, computers taking over things.

I still do love automatics and the practicality they afford, but if it was a toss up between having one transmission or the other for the rest of my life, then it would easily be manual.

 

[DJ Harris]

manual, that way u can drive how wanna drive specially if ya drive it like u stole it, automatics just dont give u the full power of the car in my opinion, i would mind like a spare car which was auto-matic so then i could just be a lazy bastard if i was feelin' like that

 

[Pittsey]

I would never in my life by a manual simply because I live in Los Angeles. I am not shifting gears every 5 seconds on the 101 freeway. Just too much work. But it is enjoyable to drive if you have an open road.

In the UK the majority of cars are manual. And the majority of driving is in traffic Jams.

 

[Duke]

In the UK the majority of cars are manual. And the majority of driving is in traffic Jams.

Like any other European country at about 7.30 to 9 am, traffic jams are rampant. And like any other European country, the majority of the cars are manual.

But is there soooo much shifting involved when you're stuck in traffic?

Nope. Changing a gear isn't much of an effort really. And personally I don't mind doing it either.

 

[Get In The Van I Have Candy]

In the UK the majority of cars are manual. And the majority of driving is in traffic Jams.

Yeah but their crappy little cars.


But anyways I could care less if automatic means that you will be losing 10% HP. I'm tired of people saying I have a faster car that you do, well go ahead and race me, I'll give you a ticket.


***Dreams of that happening in a year if all goes to plan

 

[JayDawg]

I drive an automatic, But I also live in Toronto, and have to deal with constant traffic jams, and heavy traffic around the area I live in.. I prefer my automatic for many reasons, I multi task a lot when I am driving.. whether its smoking, talking on my cell, changing the songs on my cd deck, eating junk food, or simply telling the people in the back to shut the fuck up, its just easier to deal with it not having to worry about shifting gears and all that mess..

I'm into auto tuning and all that, but I just cant live with the stress that a manual car causes in my situation... I'm sure if I lived in the burbs I would drive stick..

 

[Rukas]

I multi task a lot when I am driving.. whether its smoking, talking on my cell, changing the songs on my cd deck, eating junk food, or simply telling the people in the back to shut the fuck up, its just easier to deal with it not having to worry about shifting gears and all that mess..

Hehe I do all of that with a manual, Im really bad

 

[S O F I]

I also heard that if you drive an automatic, there's a bigger chance for the transmission to fuck up. Any truth to that?