Manual Transmission Cars

[DJDarque]

I learned on a manual and drove one for about two years before the car was just too old. So I drive an automatic now (I got it cheap off a family member), but if I ever buy a new car, manual here I come!

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

Does anybody else here think about how the "more control" and "higher performance" people are probably the ones who get the WORST fuel economy of anyone, manual or automatic, considering the speeds they attain and the shifting they do?

The way I drive a manual is probably about equal to a decent modern automatic, but probably not better than a really top of the line auto. The way my sister in law drives a manual she might as well get a Dremel and drill a hole in her tank before she pulls out of the garage.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Well all cars are manual in the UK (at least the vast majority of them). Having learned how to work a clutch and gearstick from day 1 I've got the hang of it, and it becomes muscle memory. Though I feel Automatics are inherently better for general day to day use, and there should really be more automatic cars over here.

 

[Flames66]

This is the car I drive:

It is a Citroen Berlingo. It is a real car that you control properly (it's a manual).

 

[scrambledeggs]

Manuals make driving fun, of course I have one!
Toyota Corolla Seca

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

This is the car I drive:

It is a Citroen Berlingo. It is a real car that you control properly (it's a manual).

What do automatics do? Don't they go in the direction you want at the velocity you want? What additional control do you require?

Also, my wife who drove a manual for ten years adds that in a real emergency she'd want both hands on the wheel.

 

[Elhueno]

What do automatics do? Don't they go in the direction you want at the velocity you want? What additional control do you require?

Also, my wife who drove a manual for ten years adds that in a real emergency she'd want both hands on the wheel.

Put it this way, I recently completed an advanced driver training course (IE skid pan, emergency stops, recovery procedures etc). I did these in both my manual transmission car, and my mums fancy new auto. Each and every time, manual came out ahead in those simulated emergency conditions.

Skid pan, proper gear selection helped push the power IMMEDIATELY to where it was needed, not having to wait to get to a certain rpm for the controller to switch for you.

Emergency stop, To be honest, pretty much no difference here, however both cars stopped in roughly the same distance (give or take 2 meters). Mine with drum brakes, my mums with ABS and all that fancy stuff. I would like to think engine braking has something to do with this.

Emergency swerves. Again, manual came out on top simply because i was able to pick the gear i needed to recover from the swerve and redirect myself away from the barriers.

But all said and done, Automatic is easier. Have to stop? Stomp the brake.

Although i will forever be a fan of the manual.

 

[srm79]

Also, I fail to see how being in the wrong gear could be in any way deadly on the road.

Ever driven on ice, snow or even deep standing water? A manual is far safer in those conditions because you can stay in a higher gear than you would be in for normal conditions on the same road. Higher gear = lower revs = more traction/less spin. An automatic will just pick the gear it thinks is right for the speed you are doing. Good luck with that on a twisting road in bad conditions. I know which one I would rather be driving!

As for traffic and hill starts and whatnot, you don't even notice those after a while. They become as natural and instinctive as leaning back slightly when walking down a steep incline, for example.

Also, engine braking. That is, not breaking the engine, but using downshifts to harness the engine as an aid to slowing down. Handy when you need to slow down in a hurry but jumping on the anchors is not quite required - say coming up to the end of a tailback on a motorway or similar. Also useful if the lights ahead suddenly change unexpectedly and so forth.

Overtaking is also easier. I know you can "kick down" in an auto, but I just find shifting down, dumping the clutch and booting the loud pedal more intuitive.

I've driven both, and just never felt quite as in control of the vehicle with the automatic gearbox.

 

[Spinozaad]

Wait... This question confuses me.

Young people actually wonder if people have positive opinions on manual transmission?

Is there any other kind of car for people not over sixty or with an IQ of over 90? I mean... Everyone here (the Netherlands) drives a car with manual transmission, unless there is a specific situation.

Hell, we even differentiate in licenses.

I'm actually confused and surprised.

 

[Omega500]

Been in UK every single car/van I've drove has been manual, with the exception of this
mitsubishi evo race car and that had flappy paddle gears that I drove on this track day.

In fact I carn't think of anyone I know that has automatic, I not even sure I have seen one

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

What do automatics do? Don't they go in the direction you want at the velocity you want? What additional control do you require?

Also, my wife who drove a manual for ten years adds that in a real emergency she'd want both hands on the wheel.

Put it this way, I recently completed an advanced driver training course (IE skid pan, emergency stops, recovery procedures etc). I did these in both my manual transmission car, and my mums fancy new auto. Each and every time, manual came out ahead in those simulated emergency conditions.

Skid pan, proper gear selection helped push the power IMMEDIATELY to where it was needed, not having to wait to get to a certain rpm for the controller to switch for you.

Emergency stop, To be honest, pretty much no difference here, however both cars stopped in roughly the same distance (give or take 2 meters). Mine with drum brakes, my mums with ABS and all that fancy stuff. I would like to think engine braking has something to do with this.

Emergency swerves. Again, manual came out on top simply because i was able to pick the gear i needed to recover from the swerve and redirect myself away from the barriers.

But all said and done, Automatic is easier. Have to stop? Stomp the brake.

Although i will forever be a fan of the manual.

Don't forget that you were not only using two different transmissions, but two different CARS. What was the weight distribution of the two cars? Engine? Size? Also you were using YOUR car and YOUR MOM'S car. I drive my cars better than someone else's too. Push the power immediately to where it was needed, eh? Like the wheels?

I'm not really on the attack here at all, I just like to challenge popular wisdom. As I've said, I have a manual myself, but mostly because they never made an auto version of the car I wanted.

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

Did a mod kill my post?

EDIT: Ah, there it is. Weird.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

Is there any other kind of car for people not over sixty or with an IQ of over 90?

Yes. There's the kind of car for people who don't give a rat's ass about squeezing an extra 3 MPG out of their car and would rather just get from point A to point B with a minimum of fuss. Oh, and who don't pass asinine judgments on people based on their car preferences.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

admittedly i'm still only learning to drive, but that said i'm learning in both manuals and automatics and i feel more involved in the process when using a manual, you get a better feel for what the car is doing and as such can operate it a lot better.

there a couple more advantages to manuals, namely better engine braking (this comes into its own when heading downhill, where an automatic will tend to 'run away' so to speak) more precise application of power (particularly important when your towing for example and you need to use the torque the engine provides due to the added weight) and the fact that automatics are more expensive than manuals to fix/service

there one thing that irritates me though, and that is the attitudes some people have towards manuals, namely the 'your going from one point to another why have all the buisness of changing gears when you could have something that does it for you?' thats the kind of attitude that leads to complacency

btw anyone who thinks manuals are too complicated has clearly never set foot inside a prime mover/semi trailer, those things have an 18 to 36 speed multi-range gearbox

 

[Flames66]

This is the car I drive:

It is a Citroen Berlingo. It is a real car that you control properly (it's a manual).

What do automatics do? Don't they go in the direction you want at the velocity you want? What additional control do you require?

Also, my wife who drove a manual for ten years adds that in a real emergency she'd want both hands on the wheel.

You have much more control over the car with manual. I'm not saying it is easier, in fact while learning to drive I considered getting an automatic. As I passed my test in a manual car I am qualified to drive either.

I like your Monocle Smile by the way.

 

[Broady Brio]

I'm currently learning to drive in a manual.

When I get my license, I get to drive both types.

You cannot drive a manual car with an automatic license.

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

You have much more control over the car with manual. I'm not saying it is easier, in fact while learning to drive I considered getting an automatic. As I passed my test in a manual car I am qualified to drive either.

I like your Monocle Smile by the way.

Thanks. When the videos came out I already had the name but there were no screenshots available so I had to wait a while to acquire him as an avatar.

When I was a university student my car was broken for a while and I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic on a motorcycle for hours at a time in the summer squeezing a clutch while actually SITTING ON the engine. That experience informs a lot of my opinion of manuals.

I bought my latest car (a manual) to use when I visit the US in the summer without any hesitation. It IS more difficult but I keep it at my in-laws' house in a mountainous rural area where a manual transmission is nothing but a joy.

Technically in the US people are "qualified" to drive anything since licenses aren't restricted to transmission type.