automatic OR manual? - Page 10

MobileJay · 06-05-07, 04:25

I hate autos. I feel like I am not in control of the vehicle, with a stick the car wont move(on a flat service) if you don't want it to and I feel more comfortable in a stick when I'm driving fast or in traffic. I don't ever want to have an automatic again. Everything I have owned other than my work van has been a stick.

baseballlover1 · 06-10-07, 05:43

i wud get a manual because you can cut back on gas consumption (put in a high gear). BUT if you do have a lot of traffic put it in nuetral a lot and dont hold the clutch in... youlle wear out the clutch

SpoiledMan · 06-10-07, 05:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by baseballlover1

BUT if you do have a lot of traffic put it in nuetral a lot and dont hold the clutch in... youlle wear out the clutch

Please explain why this would be so.

Accumulator · 06-10-07, 06:26

IIRC holding the clutch in increases wear on the throwout bearing, not the clutch itself. The idea is that the bearing is designed to be in action for the duration of a shift, not for minutes at a time.

Heh heh, noting that, as previously posted, my wife and I were diehard manual fans for ages (and yeah, a well-executed heel and toe double-clutch downshift *is* satisfying), I wonder how many people will still say "I hate automatics" in another twenty years or so

Gee, don't *I* sound like the old codger

White_07_G6_GT · 06-14-07, 06:16

I just got rid of my last manual so all I have now are auto's. I found that I was driving more aggressively when I was in my manual that I ever did in an auto. That and my soon to be wife had no desire to learn to drive manual so it was a pain that I always had to drive when we took my car. At least my auto has a manual mode.... like I'll ever use it though.

paul34 · 06-14-07, 08:58

True, holding in the clutch does increase wear on the throwout bearing (like Accumulator) said, and not so much the clutch disk itself.

However, the reason you do not hold in the clutch for extended periods of time is because, well, it's stupid. Why are you doing it? You're just asking to dump the clutch accidentally one day and then bump the person in front of you (or come close to doing so).

Especially if you're one of those folks who have the bad habit of letting off the foot brake when you're in front at red lights, you'll probably end up jumping right into fast moving traffic... and well, yea. Bad things happen at that point.

Just keep it in neutral until a few seconds before your light turns green (watch pedestrian signals, learn to recognize traffic patterns, observe lights adjacent to your direction of travel, etc.).

Anyway, I'll be driving manuals for as long as I'm physically able to. Hundreds of millions of seniors all over the world do it everyday without giving it a second thought... so I don't see why I couldn't do it.

rjstaaf · 06-14-07, 09:54

Geez we have a lot of snooty stick shift people here. I have had both and personally I find automotive shifting boring, if you really want to feel at one with a machine there isn't anything like riding a motorcycle. I stick my nose up at all you 4 wheel stick grinders

BigAl3 · 03-11-08, 12:22

*bump*.....

bumoftheday · 03-11-08, 06:31

Stick all the way. Started driving autos. My mom got a manual car when I was 17. I drove the car all of 3 times before I bought a stick. Haven't looked back since...

eddie926 · 03-11-08, 07:29

I've had both and both have their pros and cons. I used to have a major commute with heavy traffic and the stick got old in that environment. In town driving from intersection to intersection, I could take either one. Back roads with some twisties I'll take a stick any time. So, for spirited driving, I'd go stick, but for laid back cruising an auto is certainly a lot less work and you can always have one hand free for drinking coffee, etc.

The new manual automatics, like the VW/Audi DSG transmission are a very nice compromise.

One observation, the bumper to bumper traffic with a stick factor kind of depends on what car you have. I had an older Honda Accord at one time that had a really short throw clutch, so driving it in traffic was no big deal. Subsequently I had a VW Jetta GLI with a really long throw clutch. It was a great car but driving it in traffic was a major workout.

Yal · 03-11-08, 07:39

^Also some clutches are very stiff and that gets old fast in traffic. A light clutch and short throw doesn't bother me at all in heavy traffic.

I really don't have a preference either, but I will say this, it always bothers me to see a rear wheel drive, two door, sports car with an automatic. That will ALWAYS feel wrong to me forever

HansB · 03-11-08, 08:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yal

it always bothers me to see a rear wheel drive, two door, sports car with an automatic. That will ALWAYS feel wrong to me forever

Yeah, automatics in sports cars are for girls...