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Stick Shift or Automatic?

Do you prefer Stick Shifts or Automatic Transmission Vehicles?

  • Stick Shifts

    Votes: 91 80.5%

  • Automatics

    Votes: 14 12.4%

  • Automatic Carrot Sticks

    Votes: 8 7.1%
  • Total voters
    113
#61
I'm not the most experienced driver, so I'd lean towards automatic since it's what I learned on, and I haven't had too much practice on a stick (YET.. That'll change soon enough though). I figure, once I get better at driving a stick since it gives more control, although what I'd like to eventually get is a car with Sportshift (a system that's normally automatic, but you can put it in a mode where you can choose your gear, but not have to mess with a clutch).
 
#63
need4mospd said:
I consider the paddle shifter or sequential shifter a semi-automatic because the driver isn't actually pushing a clutch pedal and moving the gears in the transmission himself. Sure they're telling the car what gear to go into, but there's no "manual" action required besides bumping a paddle.

That said, having the ability to shift on command, yet still be an "automatic" is the perfect transmission. No one can manually shift faster than an auto transmission. They can be programed to shift at a specific rpm. They're extremely consistant. For any type of racing, these are very valuable points for a transmission. As long as you can command the gear to get into when you need to if that is required, of course.

For anyone saying manual transmission are faster for drag racing, do a search for cars running under a 10 second 1/4 mile time and count the manual transmissions you find. I'd guess it's maybe a 1 to 10 ratio. A properly built auto transmission will be faster than a manual 99% of the time, no matter what power level. The thing is, most stock vehicles have REALLY slow shifting automatic transmissions, NOTHING like an auto racing transmission. It would be stupid driving around on the street with a racing auto transmission and you'd get even worse gas mileage.

All that praise to the automatics and I have two cars with manual trannys. :D
Click to expand...

My Camaro has an auto with a manual valve body. Every upshift or downshift is the function of the driver, the only thing that makes the tranny an automatic is the fact is has a torque converter instead of a clutch. Fwiw it has excellent street manners and is no problem to drive on a regular basis.

As far as drag racing, I'll agree the majority of cars are auto's. You don't really start to see the sticks showing up until you hit the 7 second and faster range, but at that point they're a planetary type tranny (Lenco, Liberty etc....), where the clutch is only used at the initial launch. Yes it's a manual tranny, but not the same type you'd find in a 12 second Mustang GT. We've succesfully run a two speed 'Glide into the six second range, but the majority of cars we run against at this level of competition are manual's. We're one of the few that run an auto.

Most of my cars are auto's, with two exceptions. My 68 SS396 ElCamino is a stick (and retains the stick only for nostalgia reasons), and my $200 winter car is a stick. For $200 I wasn't going to complain.

Given the choice I'd take an automatic anyday over a stick.
 
#66
HollowBassman said:
Manual transmissions are better for your health!!!

I have only eaten fast food twice in the last year and a half. I have to give some of the credit to my transmission.:D
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haha, i think you're on to something there. if even 1/2 of the fast food restaurants in america went out of business this country would be a thousand times better place. mcdonalds is the devil for opening such a can of worms :D
 
#68
Depends on what you drive.

4X4 Truck... Automatic (I drive a F-350.... a stick while towing or bogg'n would suck! :mad:)

Sports car or underpowered car.... Stick

Luxury Car... Automatic (isn't that why you got it... just to sit back in comfort and just go?)
 
#70
Bass_Junkie said:
i dont even have a driving lisence and i know that manual transmission is so much better + if you use enginge breaking instead of conventional brakes (apart from when you absolutely need to) you can save on fuel aswell.
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Eh.


Think about that for a second.



You are dropping gears to slow down, causing the RPM's to go up.

Or, you can throw it in neutral and use the brakes and have your RPM's at 800 or so.

Based on that fact, whats more efficient?


Also, brake job- $100 give or take


Clutch- anywhere from $300-$700

Why put more stress on your clutch than you have to?







Standard all the way, btw.
 
#72
Mike Money said:
Eh.


Think about that for a second.



You are dropping gears to slow down, causing the RPM's to go up.

Or, you can throw it in neutral and use the brakes and have your RPM's at 800 or so.

Based on that fact, whats more efficient?


Also, brake job- $100 give or take


Clutch- anywhere from $300-$700

Why put more stress on your clutch than you have to?







Standard all the way, btw.
Click to expand...

Depends on the car. My VW TDI cuts the fuel supply to the engine when you're coasting and in gear (above idle) so it does save a little fuel. However, I'd guess a clutch repair to be more money than that so I don't downshift unless I'm going to need that gear anyway (off ramp from a highway, shift to third and take advantage of downshifting because I'll be in that gear anyway).

I'm a lot easier on my brakes than most people. First, I don't tail gate. Second, if I see the light is red up ahead I take my foot off the pedal then when the RPM's get down to 1500 I put in the clutch. Free braking power from the slowing down engine and it cuts the fuel supply at the same time. Must be OK, I'm at 78k miles and still on the original pads and rotors.
 
#76
Ericman197 said:
I must agree: automatics are better for the average driver, especially if you plan on letting others drive your car.

For whatever strange reason, users of this forum seem to be heavily biased towards manual trans, which are popular in most places because they are cheaper.
Click to expand...

Whoa there tiger, they're more expensive on this side of the pond. We all learn in manuals (unless you're a dufus and fail your test so many times that you get an automatic license instead). Over here you can't drive a manual if you passed your test in an automatic, so it's a given that we all take manual tests and (99%) drive manual cars...thus automatics are more expensive because they are less numerous.
 
#77
Komakino said:
Whoa there tiger, they're more expensive on this side of the pond. We all learn in manuals (unless you're a dufus and fail your test so many times that you get an automatic license instead). Over here you can't drive a manual if you passed your test in an automatic, so it's a given that we all take manual tests and (99%) drive manual cars...thus automatics are more expensive because they are less numerous.
Click to expand...

Yeah, automatics are more expensive, and therefore less popular. Manuals are available in a lot of different car models here but dealers tend not to stock many of them because they sell poorly. Even our sports cars (Corvette) are sold mostly with automatics. It's been this way for decades and the same story is probably true in the rest of the world with automatic transmissions: most buyers don't want them (cost being the most likely original reason).
 
#79
Manual. I've always felt more control as a driver in a manual.

What I didn't realize until just recently is that as a passenger I'm not just a little more comfortable, but MUCH more comfortable if the driver is piloting a manual. I feel like we're in little more than a barely controlled CAREEN when there is no engine braking available to the driver.

I am a MUCH calmer passenger in a car equipped with a manual.
 

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