Manual or automatic?

[Timber020]

In most cases now autos are more economic at least on the open road as they tend to do very low revs at highway speed. My sister had the same model car as I did, but hers was auto and did about 1000rpm less at 100kmph and did another 100kms out of a tank of gas than my manual one did. I had hers for a few weeks while mine was getting a new gearbox and it was much cheaper to run.

I heard that the import auto gearboxes in surfs were stronger than the manuals to because more work and development is put into them, where as the manual gearbox is pretty much left as is year after year.

[Motu]

That's because a torque converter gives a higher than 1:1 drive,on long straight roads the revs will be lower than a manual and you may get better mileage....but come to a hill and put your foot down and the revs will be higher than a manual,unless you have a lockup converter....but then you won't have the converter stepping up over 1:1.

It's possible for an auto to be more economical than a manual,but not normaly - you don't see economy runs done with an auto,they know what gives best mileage.

[phantom]

My company car is an automatic civic, first auto i have driven regularly, it's ok I suppose for around town but I stll prefer a manual

[stify]

I,m gettin to lazy to change gears nowdays, so its auto 4 me when driving, so i can save the energy for when I

[vifferman]

Don't own a cage, but I reckon balancing the clutch on a bike is harder than a car because it is more sensitive (ie try balancing a bike and car on a hill with the clutch and accelerator only).

Please tell me you're not one of those people who sits there with the clutch on the friction point to park on a hill, instead of using the brake? It's a friggin' clutch, not a hillholder. If you want one of those, buy a Subaru.

I've got two manuals and an automatic. I bought the automatic for two reasons: at the time we bought it, the aaaAAaRRRthritis was such that holding a clutch pedal down for long made my left knee feel like it was going to fall apart. Plus driving in D'Auckland's stop/start traffic is easier with a slushbox. But (however!) the progression of the aaaAAAARRRRthritis has been slower than expected, so since buying the auto, I've bought two manuals, both with delighful clutches and good gear changes.

The Peugeot 306 auto has been a revelation - it's simply the best automatic I've ever driven. It's geared higher than the manual, so is more economical, and has a lockup torque convertor, so there's none of that typical auto slushiness. It actually changes down AND engine-brakes when you slow down quickly or brake, so it's a delight to drive in the twisties. Add to that an intelligent processor driving it, and a proper "Sport" mode, and it's almost as good as a manual, but with the advantage that you can forget about gears and let it do its own thing. The only criticisms I have of it is that the 1-2 change is sometimes a wee bit abrupt, and that it has a tendency when driving gently (that processor again) to stay in top gear when if it were a manual I would've changed down. A click of the "S" button soon fxes that.

[XTC]

The Falcon's an auto. Much better in the traffic than a manual and oh so cruisy on the open road. 1800rpm at 100kph.

[bugjuice]

I know what you mean about the autos. I found that when I first came here. I've bought manuals, cos I prefer to hack them around. But the car I have now (me loved Subby wagon) is an auto. And for my first auto that I've ever owned, I'm starting to get a bit accustomed to being lazy. I'd be happy to do a manual conversion if I had the money for it, but it's not really worth the hassle of it all. I do find it seems to cruise at a lower rpm.. but I've always been under the impression autos suck more motion lotion than manual. And you have to wait for the kick down.. bring on the flappy paddle gear box!

Besides, if it were a manual, how could I text my mates, eat my big mac, drink my coke, eat my fries, watch the TV and look at a map? Don't want to be distracted by having to change gear too..

My car has a snow button tho. I need to find snow before I sell it, cos I want to know what it does.. The power button deactivates when the snow button is on. It doesn't reduce the power, or lock any diffs, the 70/30 ratio is still the same (I think), the suspension doesn't alter, still redlines as before etc etc.. the only thing that changes, is I get a little snow flake on the dashboard..

[vifferman]

My car has a snow button tho. I need to find snow before I sell it, cos I want to know what it does.. The power button deactivates when the snow button is on. It doesn't reduce the power, or lock any diffs, the 70/30 ratio is still the same (I think), the suspension doesn't alter, still redlines as before etc etc.. the only thing that changes, is I get a little snow flake on the dashboard..

So does the Peugeot; it is used when starting off in slippery conditions, and it starts in second gear, rather than first, so it tends to wheelspin less (slips the torque convertor instead).

[Motu]

Our Laurel has a button that makes it start in 2nd,but I think that is for limo mode so it doesn't shift as much.The oooold Mercs,say mid 60s had a 4 speed auto,but 1st was only brought in if you floored it,otherwise starting in 2nd was standard mode.

[bugjuice]

So does the Peugeot; it is used when starting off in slippery conditions, and it starts in second gear, rather than first, so it tends to wheelspin less (slips the torque convertor instead).

but it's all paw drive.. can't get the bloody thing to spin up even for trying! Didn't think of it that way tho..

[ManDownUnder]

I far prefer manuals 'coz I'm a control freak... and I got a turbo that just loves being on full boost (it's much better for the engine... really it is)

Only time I'd prefer an auto is in heavy traffic... and then only in the cage (where splitting isn't an option)

MDU

[Wolf]

Autos blow goats! They're OK for around town with all the stop-start shit, but on the open road I like to know what my vehicle is going to do when I open the throttle and that it will do it instantly. I hate waiting around for the automatic system to decide whether to chop down a gear or just feed power (like our work's old auto)

Manual all the way for me. My bikes have been manual transmission and a car is enough of a step down from a bike without making it an auto as well

[bugjuice]

Autos blow goats! They're OK for around town with all the stop-start shit, but on the open road I like to know what my vehicle is going to do when I open the throttle and that it will do it instantly. I hate waiting around for the automatic system to decide whether to chop down a gear or just feed power (like our work's old auto)

Manual all the way for me. My bikes have been manual transmission and a car is enough of a step down from a bike without making it an auto as well

but isn't that why we ride manual bikes? A manual car in the open is good, but a bike is better.. so why not just have an auto for the boring bits..?? that's kinda how I see it, I've got the bike to blow off steam.. auto to let it build up..

[Blackbird]

Both family cars are manual BY CHOICE. My wife has an MX5 (and I agree that an auto version is gay or a hairdressers car at the very least, hehe) and I have a 2 litre Impreza.

Geoff

[bkrwench]

i hate autos
usually ride everywhere
flatmate has a manual car thats handy for groceries
i like the instant power access when you need it.
i find autos a bit laggy