Manual Transmission Cars

[Meeryn]

I've been driving an automatic Toyota for about five years, and then I got a new car. God, I hate Toyotas so much. The feel of driving a Toyota... it just isn't there. The feel is so incredibly aloof and vague and squidgy. Its like you're just making the motions with no attachment to the road. You might as well be playing a driving game. Trash cars if you like driving. Anyway, onto the topic.

Now I own a MazdaSpeed3. Just under 2k miles, so I'm very new to the manual scene, which is why I think you'll like my feedback, otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

So first, a warning. When I drive automatic, I left foot brake. If you ever plan to drive manual, don't pick up left foot braking. If I drive automatic, than manual, very rarely, I'll attempt to brake with my left foot, but hit the clutch. I realize my mistake and immediately let off, dumping the clutch. Not good for the car. The other way around is when I have problems. Braking requires a lot of finesse. Regular clutching does not. So when I brake with my left foot, sometimes, I'll just stomp it like a clutch. Can be dangerous ( this happens almost every time I get into an automatic now, but I work it out of my system before I leave the parking lot ).

In a manual, you have complete control over your car. You can drive aggressively ( on-ramp sprints are so godly ) or conservatively to save fuel. I have a reasonably sporty car. The EPA fuel rating is 16 / 25. I average 25.6 mpg combined. That includes time stuck in traffic ( often ), time stopped at lights and signs ( often ) and time I'm sprinting around. My Toyota econobox, while admittedly being 5 years older, is supposed to get like 19 / 29, and I got about 28 mpg combined from it. So new car, 2.5x the horsepower, wider tires and difference in fuel economy? 2.4 mpg. Admittedly, the new car is turbocharged ( "saves" gas ) and about 800lbs. lighter. But that's how much control you have.

The action of clutching and shifting is in a way, very primal. You feel connected to your car and the road. I love the feeling, and even though I'm not very good at it yet ( the MazdaSpeed3 is nearly universally panned for having an extremely aggressive clutch, so especially for a newbie like me, it can be tough ), but still, now I enjoy my commutes much more. I used to hate driving, now, I don't go driving every chance I get, but hey, need me to drive? Let's do it. I don't think I will ever buy an automatic again. Or those weaksauce paddle shifters.

In the United States, about 15% of drivers know how to drive manual. In Europe, this ratio, from what I hear, is reversed. In fact, in a lot of parts of the world, manuals far outnumber automatics. Its just plain important to know how to drive manual effectively. If you're ever trapped in the woods with a psychotic chainsaw murderer, you don't want to be the guy that says, "sorry guys, I don't know how to drive manual, so I guess we're screwed."

If you ever want to learn to drive your manual well, you will end up doing tons of research online on how to drive well ( double clutching, heel toe, etc. ). The wikipedia effect will kick in, and next thing you know, you'll be reading articles on how turbochargers and superchargers work or something. You will learn tons about cars. In the three months I've been driving manual, my knowledge about cars has probably tripled.

When I drove automatic, I regularly just kinda cruise controlled. You know, just driving without really thinking about the driving. It happens to everybody. When you're good at driving, it kinda becomes a background process. I have yet to cruise control in a manual ( partly because I'm so afraid of stalling, partly because I concentrate on the shifting smoothly ). Your driving will improve, and you will become safer.

A lot of Americans don't know how to drive manual, so you get the added benefit of feeling slightly smug over the automatic peasants, nobody will ask to borrow you car ( or maybe like... two guys at most ) and chicks kinda dig it! A youtube video told me that last one!

Also, @individual11: Really fast cars go through gears so fast you can't drive them manual. Double clutch automatic.

Also, also: I love the Solstice. Sexy car. Too bad the build quality is terrible. Really bad maintenance record. Tell your friend to prepare to visit shops a lot.

Finally: Some advice on your first manual. Don't get a car with really steep gear ratios like me. If you don't know what that means, that's okay, just try to make sure the first number is significantly smaller than 3.5 and the second number significantly smaller than 2.3. High HP FWD is also a no-no.

 

[Valksy]

I live in the UK and am weird in that I only have a licence to drive cars without a clutch pedal (ie automatic/multi-mode). I was having a driving lesson years ago and got broad-sided by an idiot, the car I was in was written off and I was bloody lucky not to have been severely fucked up. After about 3 years of confidence building I had another go, in an automatic, and got an auto only licence. It is definitely the easier option.

My Mum and Dad both sort of whined at me for ages to get more confidence and upgrade to a full licence. Then they had a go at driving my car for a week. Now both have automatics and wonder why in the hell they bothered with manual.

It should be noted that, when driving auto, you can control the gear every bit as much as in a manual car if you know how. All the autos that I have driven would "kick down" a gear if you touched the throttle just right, and you could prevent a change up by not lifting your foot. I can kick it down and hold it at will and find it mind-boggling when people assume that I drive at the whim of my car.

All that said, I drive a Smart car with multi mode gears. I can stick it in D if I want. Or press a switch and drive stick. The only difference is there is no clutch pedal (I do know how to drive that way) and the gear control isn't gated, push the stick up for up and down for down.

 

[dogenzakaminion]

I drive a manual Opel Vectra 1.7 TD (wooo), but I have driven automatics quite a bit and I must say that manual is better. Even in city driving, if you know the tricks it's fine. I always get angry at the transmission computer in an automatic because it never does what I want it to, whether it gears to late or early or whatever (and this was in a new BMW 1 series), So I prefer manual. At the same time buying an automatic here in Norway adds about 5000 dollars to the price compared to the manual version. Stupid expensive Norway.

 

[Abedeus]

Manual is the ultimate anti-theft device in America.

 

[Steppin Razor]

I currently drive an automatic, but I learnt to drive in a manual. Great fun to drive and I was after a manual version of the car I ended up buying, but I couldn't find any that hadn't been previously driven by a driver under 25, so the clutch would most likely have had the crap abused out of it. Also, insurance is higher if you're a young driver with a manual transmission, so I eventually decided on an auto.

In heavy traffic and lots of stopping, manuals are just a major pain in the arse. Also, to everyone saying you get better fuel economy in a manual - BULLSHIT. You can get better fuel economy than an auto, but you won't. Not unless you're an old man or woman, or you get absolutely no fun out of driving at all. Having a manual transmission and enjoying driving makes you far more likely to rev the engine out as far as possible before changing up a gear, and that's not something that gives you a better fuel economy.

 

[SodaDew]

I only have driven my 97' Grand Cherokee with automatic, but im going to learn standard on our MG. And im REALLY on edge about learning to drive standard

 

[teqrevisited]

Learning to drive in one at the moment and it's no problem. Though I remember my first hill junction well; I stalled it hard, but once you get to know the clutch of that car & the feel of the gearstick going where you want it to go it's fine. Trying to land the stick into the reverse slot was a bugger in that car.

 

[Mr Pantomime]

I have a 5-Speed Toyota Corolla Liftback. I like the feeling of control I have in a manual, but sometimes a automatic seems easier.

 

[Steppin Razor]

I shift at about 2,000 rpm with a redline of 5,500 rpm; that doesn't correlate with somebody revving as far as possible before changing up. I like having the extra flexibility with engine revs when overtaking, or when driving on the motorway or the like. An automatic transmission isn't going to change up at 2,000 rpm.

Depends entirely on your car. Mine will shift up at 2,000 rpm if you leave it there for a short time, but then again, my car goes 100km/h at under 2,000 rpm anyways. Also, putting your foot down in mine drops it down to first/second gear about a second slower than a manual driver takes to change the gear. Not to mention that it has the option of driving it as almost a manual anyways, without the clutch of course.

As for you changing gears at 2000, well that makes you one of the only people I've ever encountered that does that who isn't 30 years old. This site is predominantly teenagers, hence I call bullshit on any of them actually getting better fuel economy as they'll all push the car hard whilst spouting their bullshit about getting better fuel economy.

 

[Talshere]

Almost all cars in the UK are manual. So naturally Im guna support that.

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

Legaly you need to learn in a manual in britain as far as I'm aware might have been changed over the years but I dont think so. Tried driving an automatic once but it's like a force of habit I prefer the feel of absolute control it's far safer if you ask me aswell I could not imagine how I'd react if something were to happen in an automatic car.

I imagine you'd step on the brakes and stop, the same as you would in a manual. Worst case is you step on the brake with both feet because you think you're reaching for a clutch. Of course your ability to respond to a crisis using unfamiliar equipment is always going to be lessened in any situation.

Seriously guys, all the arguments about control and gas mileage and safety just don't work here in the second decade of the twenty-first century. We have six-speed automatics now that shift far more efficiently than your feeble meat brain can hope to accomplish. If you like manuals because they're cheaper or because you have such a lead foot that you break automatics left and right that's pretty valid, but a lot of what you've heard is obsolete information.

That said I drive a manual Toyota MRS and wear mechanical watches most of the time, so I'm thoroughly devoted to retro technology. I don't pretend it's anything other than an affectation though. If I really want to know what time it is I reach for my G-shock with six radio antennas and a solar panel, not my old manual-wind ETA.

 

[Max_imus]

I guess it boils down to personal preference, as most automatic cars also have a semi-automatic mode that's almost like a manual transmission, so mileage isn't that much of an issue anymore.
Personally, I like my manual car. It just doesn't feel right when all the work is done for you, especially in a car. I like to have full control.

 

[Steppin Razor]

Hrm...I shift up at 1600RPM, down at 900RPM. If I'm laying into it I shift up at 2400, and down at 1400.


It's not like I have many revs. I have an overdrive four speed with a large displacement inline six, and everything has 275K on it. 70MPH is only 1600RPM in fourth.


My mom's autotragic minivan is very annoying though. It refuses to upshift below 2200 unless I convince it to, and then it just kicks down again when I resume accelerating. It's very annoying.

What do you drive? Sounds like you're getting pretty good fuel economy there. Also, your mum's minivan sounds like a heap of shit, although that's to be expected, what with it being a minivan and all.

 

[Sir_Tor]

Regardless, learn on an automatic, and then add in the manual. it'll make the process much easier.

-m

Really? I've heard the exact opposite from my father and brother.

I'm learning to drive manually, and so far it's awesome! You'll get the hang of it eventually.

 

[linwolf]

I have never driven a car that was not manual transmission.

 

[Samuel Cook]

England's car market is dominated by manuel, so unless you've got a more recent or expensive model, that's all you've ever driven. I have driven an automatic once, but hated the lack of control I had over the engine. I, like most English boys, would only ever own manuel.

 

[Dys]

The way I see it, driving a manual transmission is a lot like operating your television by getting up and pressing the buttons directly - sure, you can do that and it will work, but why would you when we've invented a machine that does it for you?

There's a lot in your post that I feel I should contest, but it's this that feels the most wrong. Driving manual gives far more control to the driver, it's difficult to think up a similar comparison. I suppose the most apt would be that this device that automatically changes the TV station for you but can never get it quite right, sometimes close, but not especially consistently, particularly when slowing down(on it's own, with little input from you, as a wireless remote is closer to the 'manual' system where you change for yourself, perhaps for this argument we can rate that as paddle gears.../tangent)

Once you've learned, driving manual isn't really more work than driving auto (in fact, as I've spend the majority of my driving time in a manual, and because of my driving style, I find it far easier).

As anyone reading this has no doubt gathered, I fully support manual transmissions, in fact, I feel it's a failure of society that all drivers are not forced to learn manual, as it's inherently safer (even if you plan to drive automatic cars for the rest of your life) because it gives a surprising amount of insight as to how the car will react when changing gear and gives a good grasp of how the car will react. Then there's the whole fuel efficient, gives more control to the driver (particularly in that someone who has been taught properly can stop in a considerably shorter distance by gearing down properly) and so on. Of course, in a lot of situations it simply isn't viable to teach people manual, and the trend where I am is to teach people who to drive in gigantic, automatic luxury SUVs, which is insane for obvious reasons....I suppose I'm mostly just angry at how parents seem to take so little interest in properly teaching their kids, and that more than once I've been inconvenienced by a friend being unable to share driving because they didn't bother learning to drive all cars.

Regardless, learn on an automatic, and then add in the manual. it'll make the process much easier.

-m

That's flat out wrong. It's much harder (and frustrating) to learn the basics after you're used of trying to work with everything else than it is to start with them. I've seen heaps of people try to learn it that way and give up, I'm yet to see someone who's started learning in a manual transmission car give up and switch to auto.