Manual versus automatic transmission

cat061@gmail.com Hi! my name is clare. I am about to buy a car on thurs and i would like your opinion. I drive on a very hilly windy roads where i have to dodge amish buggies and other things throughout my drive. is it a bad idea to buy a manual car? Thanks! Clare

I disagree with this article. The AT have come along way and their costs in maintenance and up-keep are significantly lower than before. True they may be cheaper to buy when buying a new car, at the start, but I will always put computer- guided systems above human operated ones, any day, any time! In Urban areas MT are a menace. Especially for people who do not know how to properly drive one. They roll back when not in gear (like at a stop sign or stop light). A auto coalition has studied AT and MT and proves that since 2006, AT can match or lower fuel consumption versus MT (in a 200 Km test trial). And to put a finishing touch on your cost accent, a lot of people do not know how to properly drive AT. The do not come to a full stop before changing gears which increases the "wear and tear" of the AT function. This is a one view point article.

hey that info was really like eye opener for me, one of friends said AT do not have maintainance problem at all, and that they give a good mileage, thank u for the right stuff, u are doing a great job. regards-pravin, goa.

after reading all of this things and having a 10 years experience in driving i find it that having a manual transmission is better less cost in a lot of ways especially repairing.. the only good thing about automatic transmission is its a user friendly but you know whats the bad part of having this automatic type of car is everybody can drive it. so you will have less objections of not letting somebody drive ur car hehehe... Manual for me is good what do you think? Am i correct? im planning to buy avanza is it a good car?

I agree with the arguments against the old step auto 4-AT but you have missed a fundamental type of gearbox here. the CVT. That's the gearbox that's going to become dominant for economy driven cars since they're more economical than a 6-MT manual. It's already prevalent in all hybrid vehicles and petrol cars on the Japanese market. And for sports, I'd recommend the double-clutch 6-sp or 7-sp like all the supercars. You simply cannot switch as fast with a manual gearbox, that you'd end up accelerating slower than a DC-6 on a 500hp+ car. And about 4x4 SUV's, just check out all the luxury brands over there, they're mostly on 6-AT. Times change...

manual transmissions are alot better for 4x4ing. i used to own a 1986 Subaru gl wagon with a 4 inch lift, and some big mud tires, and i could easily outclimb v6 and v8 powered jeeps and trucks that had automatic transmissions, even though i only had a 60 HP 1.8 liter. having a manual tranny gives your engine more torque, because it has more speeds to choose from, and therefore can distribute power more evenly among the gears. my current car, a Subaru xt6, is also greatly aided by having a manual transmission. i get 5 mpg better then the EPA ratings for automatics, and my 0-60 time is over 1 second faster. furthermore, dealing with stop and go traffic really doesn't bother me. if your really so lazy that you cant move the gearshift a few times when you come to a stop, ride the bus. and for people who say that that learning to drive stick is too "hard", be realistic. once you overcome your fear of stalling the car, the driving becomes easy. start by just practicing shifting between 1'st and second, preferably in an empty parking lot (that way you don't block traffic if you stall). i learned this way, and after a few hours practice, i was comfortably driving on the freeway.

I\'m nearing 50 , my Dad taught me to drive a manual transmission my husband and I always owned one until our most recent cars 8 & 13 years old. Our children are now 14(male)and 16 (female) and I\'m needing a new car. I\'ve test driven several but LOVED the feel of Subaru Outback manual transmission. Now my problem is should I actually go for it. I think it would be great for my kids to learn to drive I\'m just overly concerned with safety.

I like to 4x4, and stoping on a steep incline and starting again is easyer with auto trany. But I do beleve you can get lower gears for pulling with a manual trany. Mater of prefrance

Hello, I am a reporter in South Florida and I was wondering if I can quote some of your information in one of my stories? My email address is mariarreaza@aol.com Thank you, Maria Arreaza, el Sentinel - Sun Sentinel

Anyone that thinks auto is better, is just jealous because secretly they can't drive manual. Manual outperforms auto on every level, apart from convenience.

kaelm87@gmail.com I am considering a subaru-vanagon conversion. I was wondering if there is more technical information on what steps need to be taken and requirements for the conversion. Also I was wondering if the engine you put in the the vanagon is compatible with either manual or automatic transmission. For example if you take an engine out of an automatic subaru can you put it into a manual vanagon. Thank you for your time

Every "fact" here is an opinion. No research, and certainly not peer reviewed (Fred's opinion from the trailer on the corner doesn't count). I actually did some research and if any of you would do the same you will find that todays autos in fact outperform sticks in every aspect. 15 years ago these BS opinions on here would be true; why doesn't the milatary use muzzle loaders? Because technology has made them antiquated, but if you like the feel of loading the powder than enjoy.

Only around ten percent of all new cars sold in the US have manual transmissions. The numbers are slightly better for sports cars, but automatics still dominate. So many people would rather let a computer drive their car than take control themselves. I will never be one of them.

I'm curious about the safety aspects of manual vs. automatic. I got my driver's education in Northern Europe and a quick "rescue" for when the car started to slide in snow was to press down the clutch so that the wheels could roll freely and get traction again. If you were experienced you could overpower steering with a little extra gas. I know ABS brakes and electronic traction control may eliminate this need, but how does a automatic vehicle manage when it becomes extra slippery? If the driver is experience will he/she be on the mercy of the automatic gearbox or not?

Even though the above vote is clearly for MT nevertheless what percentage of new car buyers will opt for an automatic transmission. Hence will it be easier to sell a car sometime in the future if it has an automatic transmission?

not to mention that in a manual controlled vehicle you can accelerate at a much faster pace than an automatic because in a manual you can run your rps as high as you want.

hi i hope you can help me here at the moment iam driving a little renault clio manual 5 speed gear box but with NO clutch pedal not sure what this is called tho? i was woundering if i bought a manual car or campervan could it be convert with 5 speed gear box with no clutch pedal hope you understand what i mean my e-mail address is davemcauley2009@yahoo.com

100% MT... i wouldn\'t buy a AT car, even though are easier to handle they aren\'t as pleasurable as MT thats for sure!

Autos go through more brake pads as the engine braking performed is not equal to that of manual and therefore user intervention is required. Manuals will have to get the clutch replaced at some point. This involves gearbox removal and on small cars this can be expensive. On the upside, engine braking slows the car down. Even more so than an auto

When people drive autos, they hold the brake, this can be blinding for the driver behind. When I drove my bosses auto, I just used the handbrake (e-brake, whatever)

Yes ATs are more fuel efficient these days, but beyond that, I don\'t really see any other benefit. The $1k off the sticker price for the MT is going to be more than you would save in gas anyway. It seems the biggest argument against MTs is driving in traffic. Am I alone here when I say that I would prefer a MT in traffic? That\'s the time when you need the most control and response. My biggest pet peeve against ATs are the lag time between when you hit the gas and the car moves the way you want it to. It seems there is a good half second where the car has to decide what gear to get into, and then do an awful job shifting to said gear, followed by down shifting way too soon because it has too few gears. Friends/family tell me that eventually I\'ll see \"the light\" and switch to AT, but I find that hard to believe when I wouldn\'t even consider taking an AT for a test drive.

Manuals all the way. I drive stick and always have, and I would never want to drive an auto. You just can\'t match the control of a manual, even with the super fast shifting \"paddle shift\" gearboxes. Many of those semi-autos have come close to, or even beaten, the traditional fuel economy and performance benefits of driving stick, but so what if they can go to 60 mph one tenth of a second faster than the manual. So what if they have amazing launch control that makes the driver seem like a dragstrip superstar. I would much rather drive and control my car than ride in it. After all, nothing compares to the satisfaction of a perfectly executed heel-toe downshift on your favorite back road.

I live in the Third World where 90% of cars are manual. I\'ve just had to get rid of my old auto and switch perforce to manual. I cannot for the life of me imagine why anyone would voluntarily drag a manual around if they could afford an auto.

You state: With ATs, at stop lights you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal otherwise the start keeps rolling forward. Just how uncomfortable is that? Come on now. A decent AT you can put into Neutral just as easy as a stick... you just don't because this is not a valid argument that holding the brake is inconvenient. Also, a good car starts to roll in neutral if the road is not leveled. So you have to step on the brake anyway. Not to mention when the road is not leveled, a good auto holds the car stand still uphill. Also, starting such a car uphill is way easier and much faster than a manual. Just compare how vehicles start at a green light in North America: wooompph! In Europe you even have to have an amber before green to get ready to start! (I know how to drive manual, I am European)

Is it easy to convert from a automatic transmission to a manual transmission by yourself?

For me manual gear is always advantage except for convenience.On the terrain you can choose gears to reduce engine revolution to avoid overheating.During decent you can use low gears to slow down the vehicle.And on rapid acceleration M/T engage mechanically which result in quick accel A/T engages by oil so take time to propell.-Herman of UAE

If you have only driven an AT a couple of times then you have no idea what its actually like. One must also "learn" to drive an automatic. The claim that an AT will "hunt" for the right gear is completely wrong. The AT behavior is actually quite predictable and with a little practice you can keep it in the gear you want by the way you interact with the accelerator. The AT responds not only to the position of the gas pedal, but also to how quickly you are moving it. For example to downshift quickly, push down on the gas pedal quickly--then you can back off a bit if you don't need all that power right away. I have never, never been surprised by the AT making a shift and usually I can predict when it will occur a few seconds in advance by listening to the engine sound and watching road conditions. Traffic isn't the only problem for the MT. There is also hills. ATs don't roll backwards on hills. ATs are much easier to parallel park on any sort of incline. The claim that fuel economy is worse with cruise control is completely false (by an earlier poster). Fuel economy of an AT improves about 10% with cruise-control (I have one and I've measured it). Keeping the same speed is more efficient than keeping the same RPM (which is what most drivers do without cruise control). The principle is the conservation of momentum, basic physics. Unlike a manual, the AT on cruise control can go up hills because it can shift as needed. Some people on here seem to think that first and second gear are not available on an AT. Also incorrect, they are labeled "L1" and "L2" on the shifter. This mode keeps the car in that gear only. Finally, engine braking is not universally accepted as a good idea. Engine braking puts stress on the engine. New brake pads are cheap, but new engines are not. However, engine braking is a good idea for long descents where brake pad heat might be an issue, in which case you can do this on an AT by selecting overdrive-disable, L2 or L1.

I'll tell you my story. When i was 17 I visited family in Greece and everyone was driving stick. My cousin taught me the basics on his car and i promised myself that when i get back to NYC my first car would be stick so that when I visit Greece again I could rent a car and drive a manual. I get back I buy a 1988 mazda MX-6 Turbo. For the first month i was cursing myself for getting it. I hated it to no end. After awhile I got used to it and I learned to love it. You have so much control over ur car. Nothing feels better than zippin around a turn in low gear as the engine inertia keeps your drive wheels in constant motion. In auto the road controls your wheels in stick your engine controls your drive wheels. That makes a huge difference in control.. Especially in bad weather conditions. If you're stuck in snow for example, you can ease off the clutch really slow applying just enough pressure to prevent the wheels from slipping and then use the clutch to remove power when necessary. If your battery dies you can push start the car. Mountainous terrain, stick shift is essential for power in the upgrade and engine breaking in the downgrades. Automatic scares me, it feels like the car is just floating when you let go of the gas. Traffic? I dont even feel it. I just leave plenty of room in front of me and let the car roll in first gear at 2mph just like the truckers do. I owned one automatic and i destroyed the tranny because i was constantly manually shifting the car. I just couldnt help myself. Launching off a start with stick is the best, rev to 6k pop the clutch. The power is there when you want, just downshift to the gear that would put the revs in the power range you want and there you go. I too hate to hold my foot on the brake at a light or in traffic, to me thats more annoying than anything. I also believe learning stick makes you a better driver all around and a safer driver because you acutally learn how to drive a car. The list goes on and on and honestly this post would be 10 pages long if i listed all the benefits of stick. As far as automatic is concerned, I'd only buy one if I was getting a range rover, cadi or something like that. But a sports car,.. hell no!!! Guys drivin a 350Z with tiptronic is soo gay man.. come on. I have a bit of a pet with with this whole issue because i recently was in the market for a new car and i had to pass up on so many cars because they are no longer offered in manual. I finally ended up with a G37S and even that was so hard to find with a manual. If your a real man and you are buying car that is not a luxury sedan do yourself a favor and buy a stick... please!! At this rate there wont be any sticks left to buy at all!!! PS girls think its hot when a guy drives stick.. peace.

I'm 23 and just learned to drive stick. MAN! I will never drive an automatic again, not for cost or fuel efficiency, but just for the plain fun and experience that comes with it. Long car rides are no longer dreaded, I find myself driving around for no reason other than to perfect my shifting and clutch release. Driving manual IS driving as opposed to moving around fast. And you can do many things while driving stick, it just takes coordination which comes naturally after a week or two.

I would like a statistic of how many folks drive manual vs. automatic in the US, Canada and Japan. I know in most European countries it is majority standard, but here in Canada I couldn\'t say, although I drive stick as do most of my mates, and most of anybody I encounter has had extensive experience, or drives regularly with a stick.

Your point on not being able to cruise on a manual is false there are many manuals today and many years back that have cruise control i have a 97 bmw and it has cruise control.

As i've noticed before people have already corrected the mistake (Manuals can have cruise control) My first car was a 5-speed saab turbo and now i'm driving an automatic firebird i hate driving the automatic. There is no control. I love acceleration and you just can't control an automatic the way you control a manual.

to the comment before me, it depends on the car, for my truck, a 1997 ford ranger 5 speed the clutch costs U.S. $125, to have it put in would run up the cost but if you have the resources and the time to read, you can do it yourself with a little help. =]

please somebody answer me... i am deciding right now to buy standard or automatic. the only thing that worries me is how much money will i have to spend to replace a worn out clutch? yes, manual is $1000 less, but isn\'t a new clutch that much money? what should I do? I am actually buying a used honda prelude standard transmission

I am a manual fan, the idea of driving a slushbox disgust me. My current transport, a 2003 dodge ram w/ 4x4, is only bearable because it is large enough for my family and it has a bed attached for hauling things. Not to mention the 4x4, which is very nice with the heavy snows were getting. But, for the money, I would take a manual. I loved my 86\' BMW 3 series, and my 92 Saturn SL2, both of them manuals. Both had excellent performance for their age, and both bested 30mpg on the highway, and the BMW did that with a performance chiped 2.7L 6cyl. Oh, and both cars had slush box options, which killed any idea of performance, or good gas mileage. Learning to drive a manual just isn\'t that hard. I\'ve personally taught 4 people how to do so, and once they learned, they preferred a manual tranny also. So, learn how to drive a manual, and then only buy manual. The auto manufactures will start providing them in more models if the sales of new cars with automatics falls through the floor.

My 2008 Dodge 1500 has cruise control, gets average 20 mpg, power to spare pulling trailers(as much as 10,000 lbs is what I\'ve pulled on bumper)and I love my 6 speed manual. Traded in a 2003 Dodge just like the 08\' except it had an automatic. Both have 4.7 V8. Standard is awesome by comparison!

Manuals can have cruise control, my 5speed manual Toyota Tacoma has cruise control

I live in the USA and I drove manual trans cars for over 12 years. After I bought my new automatic car I will never go back to manual trans again. Driving manuals in heavy traffic is a killer. Modern automatics are very reliable, efficient, fast, and more popular. It is not uncommon for auto trans to last a 200,000 miles with proper maintenance. The only maintenance is to change trans oil every 40,000 to 60,000 miles. I enjoy eating and drinking while driving instead of playing with a stick like a mad monkey. I think the old rigid mentality should change and adapt to the modern new technology that made manual absolete. I see no advantages of using manuals at all.

I live in Brasilia, Brazil and here 98% of the cars are standard. Most people don\'t even know that automatics exist, and when asked about their driving preferences you can notice great prejudice towards automatic transmissions. I\'ve had a standard for two years and recently bought an automatic. I certainly will never have a standard again despite more fuel consumption, less efficieny, and whatever other quirks people say that automatics have. It\'s a lot more comfortable and I believe it\'s worth.

I have a manual transmission car and it has cruise control (BMW 330i). The cruise control disables if I disengage the clutch, but at highway speeds my car has more than enough torque to stay in 6th without problems.

The article is completely biased!! Gone are the days when automatic cars were sluggish and less fuel efficient!! The author seems to live in the past!! Modern day automatics are equally efficient or even better than manuals! Whats the sense of using a manual stick shifter when everything else in your modern day car is automatic ha? seems pretty lame to me!! Go ahead and buy your manuals if you find pleasure in pain and like to change gears 1 million times in the traffic.good for you!! LOL

The author is misinformed about cruise control not being available with manual transmissions. I have a manual and cruise control in my car. The author is correct about the long distances that are driven in the US. I am from the West. It takes some long hours at 85 mph to get anywhere.

I agree with you: a 16 year old is not old enough to drive a car in public roads. Just think of all the stupid things people do (we've all done them) when they are in their teens and to give a license to these young people is pure insanity. I also agree with your comment about power cars. It is very, very different to drive daddy's '98 Chevy than driving a '08 Ford F-650 huge pickup truck, yet they require the same license. Personally, I wouldn't give a license to anyone under 20. (Admin)

This is an all American/Canadian debate, In Europe, automatics are very scarce, and often the only reason one would pick an automatic is if your disabled. There should definately be the divide in licenses to drive them. If you can only drive an automatic, you cant drive. Simple!. Turning the wheel and pressing a pedal is not driving. Manuals are superior to automatics 9/10 times. The only automatics worth any salt are the ones that come in 100k Ferrari's etc. Manual for the win everytime. I also think America and Canada need to rethink the driving age and test. 16 to drive a car is a joke, let alone the powerful weapons they get let loose in. The driving test is ridiculously simple too. Minimum age should be 18, and insurance for high powered cars at low ages should be impossible, 23+ I think for a powerful car.

Is there a way to start an automatic transmission car that won\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t completely turn over because it needs a tune-up? Battery is good. Engine cranks good. Timing is off, however...

Acutally some automatics have a second gear start option, such as Honda, for the snow reason!

If you are planning on buying a used 3000GT with a manual transmission, then you\\\'d better be ready to lose the use of 5th gear at around 95k or soon after. Other than that; the car is a beast and a great decision!

I love driving cars with manual transmissions. I more or less taught myself to do that so, when time came to go to a driving school in order to get my permit thru the right channels, I greatly resisted. After all, I already knew all there was to know, right? Well, not exactly. The 5 days I spent at that school taught me one of the best skills I\'ve ever learnt- I learnt how to keep the car running WITHOUT having to constantly depress the clutch. That\'s right, I have found a way to simply vary the car\'s acceleration and that will keep the car going- even creeping. Nowadays I only depress the clutch to change gears or just before the car comes to a complete stop. With this skill, I keep wondering why people say driving a stick is hard! The trick is to cleverly vary the acceleration and be sure to choose the right gear for your situation- that takes practice.

Thanks for posting comments about manuals having cruise control - maybe you could send a list of cars that do so I can post it in the main articles so other people would know about their options: Admin

Ever been stuck in the snow or mud wheels spinning ! Well, one positive advantage of a MT is getting out of a sticky situation. Chances are in 1st gear the wheels will keep spinning,however by changing to 2nd gear you will more than likely get out.The reason being,2nd gear puts less horsepower onto to driving wheels ------ Just not possible with an Automatic !

In the UK most people are taught in a manual so it would not enter there head to drive an automatic. Mostly the only people who drive automatic cars are disabled. As for manual cars being harder to drive changing gear becomes second nature after a while.

Speaking of fuel economy - AT uses a lot more fuel when in cruise control mode trying to keep within the pre-set speed range or at a given speed no matter what. Some mass produced MTs only use about 5.5-6 Liters per 100km while the same AT will use 7-8 Liters.

For your convenience here's how to convert liters/100kms (L/100) to miles per gallon (MPG) Liters per 100 to MPG

I want to buy an Audi A6 FSI with tiptronic - anybody has some advice for / against this?

I am from Europe. Lived there for over 30 years and travelled all over the world. It's not true how you generalize "North Americans" versus "Euroepeans". The market is more diverse than you make it look like. And what about the rest of the world? Maybe somebody can reveal some info about transmissions who lives elsewhere?

Been a racer since i was 16 and i never drove an automatc. Not that i didn't have a chance just because i do believe that manuals are simply superior any every way. It's not true that it requires extra attention to drive them. Maybe for the first little while but it becomes such a strong instinct that you will forget about shifting gears and it will come just as natuarally as breathing. I talk on the phone with the pit boss all the time during the race and shift many many many many times in the meantime and i have no problems. So the police is not right about bannning cellphone usage while driving. Maybe you shouln't issue liceces to people who can't parallel park? Duh?

Actually, you can get cruise control with a manual. It's just not *common*. The early Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler Neons were available with cruise control and a manual 5-speed gearbox. Like anything with a manual, you just had to pay a bit more attention to it. And of course you (the driver) were responsible for putting the car in the right gear for the speed you wanted to cruise at.

Thanks Leonardo for your comment, I didn't know that automatics are so much more expensive in Europe. That must be another reason why folks drive manuals; its not just personal preference but also a lot to do with the price tag.

You are wrong for point 1 and 3. You can use cruise control with manual. Many cars in Europe can be bought with manual and cruise control. Automatics are much more expensive than 1000$, at least in Europe. It's more like a 4000$. I've been driving both type and I definitely prefer manual. Automatic is very cool in the beginning, and it's very suitable for slowly cruising around. It also gives the luxury feeling. But if you want to drive more intense, you are quickly disappointed. There is always a lag in responce, TCU can't see what you can so it often changes gears in the wrong time. It can be dangerous in the dense traffic because you never know if the TCU will change the gear when you are doing a pop in. Automatic always do what you want after you want it, and with manual you can get it in advance. Keeping my foot on the brake pedal on stop is a real pain to me, so I offten use a hand break instead. For me the choise is obvious: why to give more money to have slower car which consume more fuel? Besides, automatic is never realy automatic because you always have to control your gears yourself in the end. Thats why you have kick down, those 3-2-1 position or +/-. I spend so much effort fighting with automatic that I change the gears myself afterall.

Great article, always wondered why the Americans prefer their automatics. I drove an automatic for the first time last month when I visited the USA after 25 years of manual driving. Did i like it? Well, it was more of a novelty to me, something different. I didn't like the foot on the brake pedal at stop signs and traffic lights, and also the fact that I had less control over the car as compared to a manual. Bobby S.

I live in the middle east and stick is the king here. Yes people here still drive big american junk suvs but the rest of the common man here loves the stick. Heck even if you sell your car, it should be a stick or you will not get many buyers. People ask you if your car is manual or not before bargaining the price. People here are taught driving on manual trans and most of the auto mechanics know manual trans servicing while auto trans mechanics are rare and quite expensive. I myself learned driving manuals and have driven autos too. Lemme tell you autos suck big time. Theyre slow, they search for the gear wasting valuable time, make strange noises when shifting automatically and are booooring to drive. Only good point is using them in heavy traffic. And thats all. Manual is king in many asian countries too. No one has the financial power to maintain and service an auto trans, especially in developing countries.

I actually am writing a paper about just how much better manuals are than automatics. I applaud you for this site, and thank you as well -- it was very helpful. I learned on a manual, and have only driven an automatic once. And I hated it. I even try to convert all of my automatic-driving friends to manual. Long live the stick shift!

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