Automatic Transmissions

[Guest]

Manuals ARE more fun- and if you drive for fun you probably do want a manual- I thought- BUT then my wife got a back problem and having an auto really halped as it was the clutch pedal side that was the problem.

Since then we have had 4 autos: the first two a volvo740 and a Citroen ZX were very uninspiring, but since then we have had a Fiat Marea & Volvo 940 turbodiesel (which looked very much like the other Volvo) and they are much more inspiring.

the thing that struck me was how much easier autos are , and with the right engine combination they are prob quicker as there is no need to take foot off gas? - also servicing costs? well you may spend more on ATF oil but this will be offset by never having to replace a clutch?

[Moto Head]

It was once very true that manuals were the gear box of choice for the serious driver. Automatics took the driver control away, stole power from the engine reduced cornering stability (they’d race up the gears instead of down when you decelerated for a corner) etc etc.

But there is a new breed of Autos that can reliably outperform the decisions that all but the best manual driver might make in terms of gear selection and speed and will take very minimal power from the engine. One example, though not the only one, is the ZF Auto box used in the Range Rover, Austin Martin Vanquish and the big BMWs will make decisions that recognsise corners, driver style, deceleration etc and will select gears appropriately. As for cost, these are coming down rapidly. Ford actually put this gear box into some models of its Australian produced Falcon sedan – a car that sells for the equivalent the equivalent of 18000 English pounds.

With these choices now available, the main reason why you’d buy a manual is simple because they leave the decisions, and therefore the fun, fully in your hands.

[stavpal]

I prefer manual

Have tried an automatic, didn't like it. I mean with the manual I feel that I have the control

[Moto Head]

Have tried an automatic, didn't like it. I mean with the manual I feel that I have the control

Yes... same here

[SamUK]

I love automatics!

I have driven plenty of manuals before. I much prefer automatic and I dont think im ever going to buy a manual again. I dont feel any less in control. My car is tiptronic anyway so I can always use the manual mode, but to be honest 95% of the time its in auto.

In any kind of town driving or any narrow roads your constantly stopping and starting, its great not having to bother with the clutch and gears. On the motorway theres little differnce between manual and auto. Kickdown makes overtaking/quick acceleration easy.

I suppose its personal preference at the end of the day. All I can say is try both and see which you prefer.

[curlypaul]

Personally I will always choose a manual no questions. My wife drives an auto and while it is nice and lazy in traffic and so on, annoys me to death because it changes gear at all sorts of stupid times and the kick down is all wrong.

I know you have to adjust your driving style to drive an auto but frankly I don't want to have sit there thinking about how I can fool it into changing into the gear that I want it in - I just want to simply put it in the gear that that I want it in

[minigirl]

i've always driven manuals - i'd much rather be doing things with my fingers than having everything done for me by a machine.................

[K-Babe]

The reason you find alot more manuals in the UK than in the US is people have smaller cars here in general. Over in America they have big 4 door sedans with 6 litre V8's which chug up and down route 66. Luxury cars. Americans like comfort and space in a car, so the type of car that is, is usually automatic.

Over here, common cars like Fiesta's and Corsa's etc are small cars, and made to be affordable, and an automatic gearbox is a very expensive piece of kit so manufacturers wont make many of them.

Also, autobox in a small car usually gives it a top speed of about....9

Trust me i drove a 1.1 Ford Fiesta Auto a few years ago and it was the most sluggish and clunky thing ive ever seen, the manual ones are alot better.

Also, in the UK we've got skyrocketing fuel prices and manuals are more fuel effeciant. Another problem the Americans dont really have with their dirt cheap fuel.

[Mr JACA]

Manual +
always in the right gear
won't kick down in the middle of a corner
lighter than autos
easier to maintain
more efficient
cheaper to buy
simpler therefore more reliable
much more fun
can push start car
if the engine stops you can still slow and stop the car using the gearbox

Manual -
You have to change gear
The clutch wears fast if you don't know how to use it
clunky if you don't know how to use it
left leg gets tired in stop start
the clutch needs to be changed

Auto +
Easy
good for stop start
good for drag racing
usually very strong

Auto -
Torque convertor sucks engine power
Torque convertor increases fuel consumption
Harder on brake system (who holds it back a gear when descending?)
No engine braking
Can't push start the car
no way of stopping or slowing if the engine stops (brakes don't work very well without power assistance).

There are probably more. I don't personally like autos but I never realised how many reasons I had as to why!

[franfran]

I've driven automatics from time to time, but I've never owned one, and I have no inclination to do so. All my cars have been manuals.

It depends on the sort of driving you do and the sort of driver you are. What's right for one person may not be right for someone else. Each to their own.