Manual vs Automatic transmission.
- Thread starter Nicholas
- Start date
If you know what you are doing manual is much better for normal use. On a race track manual will beat automatic if both drivers are equally good (semi auto is another issue), not that it matters but someone on the first page said they are the same lap wise.
I can shift down to lower my speed so breaks wont die as quickly and when I go down hill I don't have to overheat my breaks, I can shift into fifth when I am doing 60 km/h so I only have to press the pedal slighty (ofc you only do that on leveled roads and not uphill).
Manual shifting requires experience, knowledge and skill but can save you a lot of money over the years if you drive smart. At this point in technology a human is still better at shifting on a normal road. This may change when in the future the car has much more data to work with (traffic lights ahead etc.)
Umm just use 2nd with idle revs.
But seriously, if you drive a big 4 wheeler with automatic don't complain about gas prices
I can shift down to lower my speed so breaks wont die as quickly and when I go down hill I don't have to overheat my breaks, I can shift into fifth when I am doing 60 km/h so I only have to press the pedal slighty (ofc you only do that on leveled roads and not uphill).
Manual shifting requires experience, knowledge and skill but can save you a lot of money over the years if you drive smart. At this point in technology a human is still better at shifting on a normal road. This may change when in the future the car has much more data to work with (traffic lights ahead etc.)
Umm just use 2nd with idle revs.
But seriously, if you drive a big 4 wheeler with automatic don't complain about gas prices
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Certainly I'm speaking about the newer vehicles. And obviously, fuel economy has everything to do with where you drive and the type of driving you do. If you spend all your time on the highway you'll certainly get better gas mileage than someone like me who spends 80% of their time driving on dirt turnrows and across fields. Vehicles that suck with gas mileage for suburbanites may shine for commuters, etc.Really? Must definitely be with newer vehicles. For those vehicles I owned with manual transmissions, I always got better fuel economy that was at the upper end or slightly exceeding their average mpg range for the transmission they had. With automatics I was always near middle or slightly lower then the mpg range.
It remains to be seen how the 6 speed on my new Silverado rates...
In your new Silverado, something fun to do is to switch your dash display to the setting that shows your instantaneous gas mileage and (since you said 6 speed trans, I'll assume you have a V8 with variable valve timing) watch your motor go from firing on 4 cylinders to 8 under certain driving conditions. Pretty cool....
@Moratinur
I'm pretty sure the person that mentioned auto's over manual on the race track was speaking about drag racing. You can downshift automatics for downhill. And almost every automatic (in the US anyway) has overdrive today. The old school advantages of manual vs automatic are quickly evaporating as automatics become more hybrid.
I was in the dealership today drooling over the new Camaro's. The SS I was slobbering over had the new 6 speed automatic with the clutchless manual shift option. Haven't driven one, but like I told the dealer, if I'd had that thing when I was 17, I wouldn't be here today. I'd be six feet under.
I bought my first car in 1972. It was a used 1969 Z/28. Paid $1200 for it. Sold it in 1982 for $7,000. Today it would be worth > $40,000....
<sigh> And I thought I was robbing the guy. I'll bet he's laughing his *** off at me now....
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H
HeyCarnut
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More like $60-70k for a clean, numbers matching, nothing special example, over $100k with special goodies (e.g. cross ram, rs packages, 4 wheel disc, etc.)I bought my first car in 1972. It was a used 1969 Z/28. Paid $1200 for it. Sold it in 1982 for $7,000. Today it would be worth > $40,000....
I have fond memories of my old man's when I was tiny.
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![[-project.rattus-]](/data/avatars/s/0/161.jpg?1568638684){kind=avatar}
I bought my first car in 1972. It was a used 1969 Z/28. Paid $1200 for it. Sold it in 1982 for $7,000. Today it would be worth > $40,000....
Well, facturing in the maintenance needed to keep it in mint condition until today, I actually do think you made more profit back then than you had if you had kept it and sold it just now.
Also, thanks to inflation, 7000 dollars was worth more back then than it is today.
So feel comforted
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I drive trucks, and I definitely prefer the absolute control of the manual transmission. I find that almost 100% of the automatic cars that I drive (generally a 2002 Chevy and a 2011 Ford) love to hunt for gears when you step on it. When you drop it in to gear and step on it with a manual, you don't have that hesitation. I prefer the precision.
Also, shifting is fun, too. Nothing like running all the way through 10 or 13 gears.
Also, shifting is fun, too. Nothing like running all the way through 10 or 13 gears.
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Absolute control of manual transmission is kinda a illusion. It you tune the car right the transmission will work for you and have the same control as any manual. They make automatic cars with slow transmission to prevent the casual drivers from damaging their vehicles and therefore complain about the car quality. Most people focus better when they have less to pay attention too so automatics are pretty good.
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I always thought that having to concentrate would keep you more alert and your senses keen, where as with an auto, I could see it quite easy to doze off because you have nothing to think about, or too much time to think about other things when you should be concentrating on driving.
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I've found it works both ways. In an automatic, you can concentrate 100% on the traffic around you when you need to, while in manuals it is every now and then frustrating to have to concentrate both on shifting and difficult traffic conditions.
However, it is harder to get distracted (texting, fiddling with your iPod/radio/etc) when driving a manual, especially around town, as you are mentally focused on what gear you're in, et cetera and so forth.
Well, at least for me. YMMV.
However, it is harder to get distracted (texting, fiddling with your iPod/radio/etc) when driving a manual, especially around town, as you are mentally focused on what gear you're in, et cetera and so forth.
Well, at least for me. YMMV.
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It's all muscle memory after a while. I think I had not ever have to concentrate on shifting after I had driven my first 1000 kilometers... thus I don't think manual shifting impedes your ability to focus on traffic, it just represents a small hurdle when you're still a learner driver.
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my cars were always manual. it has a more sportscar feeling in my sportscar^^
for business i like automatic. so traffic jams dont bother you so much.
worst thing about automatic is the price for repair. old automatic are very difficult to replace and can cost you 4k+
for business i like automatic. so traffic jams dont bother you so much.
worst thing about automatic is the price for repair. old automatic are very difficult to replace and can cost you 4k+
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Um you do not need to concentrate on manual shifting at all if you get used to it, I don't even think about it I just do it even when there are situations that I need 100% concentration on other things.
No it is not an illusion, you have absolute control about the shifting and if you damage your car due to shifting wrong then you are a moron. Because you would have to either drive at 7k+ revs all the time or downshift from fifth to second when you are doing 120 mph, which is an achievement because it takes quite a lot of force to do that.
100% automatic will always waste more fuel, however I wouldn't mind to have a second more sportier car with semi.
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I agree totally, it is second nature and requires no concentration but it does keep your mind active even if you aren't actually conscious of what you are doing.
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I think it's all just a placebo and it doesn't matter what type of shifting you use you're either a ****ty driver who doesn't pay attention or you're not.
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I like manual personally. When I started driving I had a car that was manual and it's a great to learn how to drive on it. I bought a car about 2 years ago thats an automatic, but probably going to put in a manual.
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What are you talking about? I don't get it..............
How can you not have 100% control over gear shifting when you are driving a manual?
And yea, in Yorkshire (whatever city in it) the "rush hour" must be hell
. Trust me, stop and go is absolutely no problem with manual and I should know I also drive motorcycles, where you need to learn to drive at really low speeds working with the clutch.Do you mean it doesn't matter in stop and go? If so then yea, true. But I doubt you only drive 5km/h all the time even in the city...........here in Dresden/Germany I use my car and bikes in all sorts of situations (Autobahn, highways (100km/h) and urban). I mean cmon, I go to Berlin from time to time and I need all gears there too because even in "rush hour" you can drive relatively quickly especially the more you get away from the center.
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