Automatic vs. Manual

meoklmrk91

In the states they drive almost exclusively auto cars, where as here pretty much everyone buys and drives manual. In my life I have only known three people that drove automatic cars, 1 had a disability, 1 couldn't or wouldn't more likely get the hang of the gears, and the last well, the car was given to them when they were stuck for one.

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual (as long as gear changes are made properly), if you do your test in an auto then you are forever stuck with them and they cost an arm and a leg to fix when they break. Why would anyone choose one?

Do you think we will see a rise in the amount of automatic cars and if so why?

Anan1

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

Why would anyone choose one?

Because they can't afford a decent engine for auto.

R.O.R

I'm driving an auto now.

I'm not American and I don't have a disability, I'm just too damn lazy to change gear myself any more. Why should I when I don't have to?

delly

Auto cars over here usually serve a purpose, as in a disabled driver, a professional driver or taxi person, or for someone that does a lot of city driving. They usually cost more than the manual option and generally have lower fuel economy. We are well used to manuals so they are the de facto choice, and I don't see any reason why autos would somehow become more popular.

Mossir

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

In the states they drive almost exclusively auto cars, where as here pretty much everyone buys and drives manual. In my life I have only known three people that drove automatic cars, 1 had a disability, 1 couldn't or wouldn't more likely get the hang of the gears, and the last well, the car was given to them when they were stuck for one.

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual (as long as gear changes are made properly), if you do your test in an auto then you are forever stuck with them and they cost an arm and a leg to fix when they break. Why would anyone choose one?

Do you think we will see a rise in the amount of automatic cars and if so why?[/Qu
auto is the way to go.

galwayjohn89

I've driven both and like both. Completely different style of driving though and still prefer a manual but when in America I like autos. Just sit and point the car in the right direction!

delly

R.O.R wrote: »

I'm driving an auto now.

I'm not American and I don't have a disability, I'm just too damn lazy to change gear myself any more. Why should I when I don't have to?

Shocking, a longterm user posting and driving at the same time!







i'll get my coat..

Paparazzo

Easier to drive, not everyone wants speed, if you're doing a commute into town often, what's better? Having that extra bit of speed, or not having to do 500 gear changes?
No problems you get from someone who "think" they can drive their car, but they're actually revving to high or letting the clutch slip to much, or not dropping a gear.
You're not stuck with one forever if you do a test in one! You can do your test again in a manual!
And I know a few people that have them and they wouldn't bother with a manual again. Personally, I'd reccommend the manual licence first so you have the choice.

unkel

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual

Slower? Where have you been the last two decades? Modern autos have the same on paper performance as manual cars. But in the real world the automatic is much quicker. Unless you are a professional racing driver and don't mind changing the clutch every 10 times you accelerate

meoklmrk91

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

..................

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual (as long as gear changes are made properly),..................

Flat out you're right but on a twisty road most drivers have enough to do with steering the car, in identical cars one manual one auto with Joe Soap drivers the auto might well make much better progress on a challenging road.

Loads and loads of cars are auto nowadays.

I've had two, a Prelude and my current ZT.

milltown

Paparazzo wrote: »

A few people that have them and they wouldn't bother with a manual again.

Me.

I would recommend everybody does their test in a manual, to have that option. Otherwise, this is like any number of other internet debates; Mac vs. PC, Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Atari Jaguar vs. everything else. Both sides will trot out the same rock solid reasons for their choice and the same foolproof facts debunking the other choice.

And then the auto team will be declared the winners and we can move on to a fresh foglight debate

cojomo2

Dsg is the way to go..much quicker than any race driver in a manual and also more fuel efficient..I really regret changing my dsg for a manual.

Blazer

Same here for my 520D which I got in manual...I always thought auto was for pussies but sorry now I ignored the advice on here..gear changes are a pain in the a$$ especially on normal roads with the 520d..

Big Nasty

We've had this debate here many, many times!

Do we really need to do it again!?!

R.O.R

delly wrote: »

Shocking, a longterm user posting and driving at the same time!

Free left hand now you see

Matt Simis

Sc@recrow wrote: »

Same here for my 520D which I got in manual...I always thought auto was for pussies but sorry now I ignored the advice on here..gear changes are a pain in the a$$ especially on normal roads with the 520d..

Thats cos diesels in particular have horrible power delivery that needs to be hidden and removed from the user with a good auto with as many gears as possible (6 minimum).

voojeq

previously i disliked auto gearbox alot but after driving an 01 s80 with this gearbox for a while i totally take it back

i get less annoyed when i drive an auto because my legs don't hurt from pressin the clutch every 2 damn minutes and i can relax behind the wheel even in bloody traffic ;]

So, I like manual but I also like auto.

Sesshoumaru

I used to prefer a manual over an automatic. But now I prefer having one single gear, no gears to change makes for a smoother ride

tayto lover

I have an Auto and won't go back. Its a bit harder on juice but the easy driving especially round town more than makes up for it.

There was a time that I said I wouldn’t ever drive an automatic. Then I went to the states and I hired a Ford Taurus, and I thought, well this is quite nice. Then I worked with a load of sales guys who all raved about their autos, one of them had a nice CLK cabriolet, I borrowed it for a day and thought, feck this, I’m getting an auto. So I bought a Volvo S60 2.0T, and I never ever looked back (insert wing mirror pun here). That car is a rocket and there aren’t many manuals (ok, drivers) that would get away from the lights as fast as it. So now my mam, dad, husband and sister all drive autos having seen the light.

Unfortunately my car is sick and I’m on the lookout for a new one, but I know one thing for sure, I won’t be going back to a manual – ever!!

_Kaiser_

Auto/DSG all the way.. haven't driven a manual in years and now that we Irish are finally seeing the light with regards to cars like Merc E classes, BMW 5s, Audi A4/A6s etc I won't have to

Zubeneschamali

Ferrari have stopped making manuals altogether, the California was the last model to be made auto-only.

Chris_Heilong

they are still fast, my civic does 0 to 60 in 5 secs, there are alot of misconceptions when it comes to auto gears but IMO there would be alot less accidents if we had more here.

Gregor Samsa

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

But now I prefer having one single gear, no gears to change makes for a smoother ride

So you either have an electric car or a BMX

bijapos

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual (as long as gear changes are made properly), if you do your test in an auto then you are forever stuck with them and they cost an arm and a leg to fix when they break. Why would anyone choose one?

Do you think we will see a rise in the amount of automatic cars and if so why?

I first had an automatic car in the mid 90's when I was about 24, it was a 1991 W124 300TE, I was looking for one for a while in manual but this one came up for sale from a friends father so I got it. It used about 10% more petrol than a manual but since then I've never looked back, auto is the only way to go, especially if you have a 2l + engine. They are far more relaxing to drive, in town and country and newer ones are way better than the one I had. Since then the only manuals I've had were either classics, sports cars or vans. For a private car I would never buy a manual.

They don't cost an arm and a leg to fix, old ones rarely broke and there is no clutch to fix either. Admittedly newer ones may have elctonic, hydraulic or other problems but manuals can be crap too.

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

they are still fast, my civic does 0 to 60 in 5 secs, there are alot of misconceptions when it comes to auto gears but IMO there would be alot less accidents if we had more here.

Accidents here are due to a lot of reasons, I've no idea how an having more automatics would change much. A twat in a car is a twat, doesn't make any difference if its manual or automatic.

naoise80

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Auto/DSG all the way.. haven't driven a manual in years and now that we Irish are finally seeing the light with regards to cars like Merc E classes, BMW 5s, Audi A4/A6s etc I won't have to

I drive a 2006 E220 CDI and spent 6 months waiting for the right manual to come on the market.

It's a personal choice, but I would never like an automatic.

murphyebass

I just changed my beloved 04 Alfa GT, JTD, Manual for a 08 Mazda 6, petrol Automatic.

Now I seriously loved that Alfa but it was time for a change (2 years is the longest I've ever owned a car.. thats what Alfa will do to ya ).

The clutch on the Alfa was heavy and with the amount of city driving I'm doing neither diesel or manual made sense.

Anyway moral of the story is only got the Mazda on Monday and absolutely loving the automatic. Has tiptronic too for my hankering for manual(ish) driving.

Pics to follow on the pics thread...

Tea 1000

It's like everything. It depends on the application!
I can't for the life of me understand why people who have to spend most of their time in traffic bother with a manual. Also, there's no such thing as a properly decent manual box in a diesel, so I reckon almost all diesels should be Auto.
After that, depends on the car and it's forté...

ongarite

On my first auto and couldn't see myself changing back to manual again in the future.

voojeq

ok so if we have such a large number of auto enthusiasts then maybe few tips from fellow users on how to spot a problematic auto gearbox, as I'm on the lookout for a nice auto saloon out there ;]

Theanswers

Have driven many autos;
L322 Range Rover 3.0
Mercedes E Class 200 Supercharged
Range Rover p38 2.5 Auto.

Would not touch a manual auto is the way forward.

Have Driven both manual and auto p38. Auto much better!

Only downside is you cant pull start.
Apart from that all good...

Oh, and auto is much quicker off the lights.

alias no.9

On my second auto, soon to be looking for my third as need something with a higher driving position after back surgery. Will never go back but still need to convince Mrs. Alias to convert too, she's distrustful of autos because she thinks she must be missing something, that it can't be that easy. She's been ferrying me about since the op (for which I'm very grateful) and spends most of her time in the wrong gear, negating the efficiency advantage of having a diesel, never mind the manual box, which kind of makes an auto ideal for her despite her reluctance.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

If the car has a proper engine then auto is the way to go. Faster for the normal driver, more economical as your in a better gear more of the time. If your car has a puny engine the you can ring out the merge performance better with a manual.

Then there are performance cars where some purists prefer and manual. But these days most are going to DSG or DCT which is the best of both worlds.

People who have never had a proper auto think their muck or remember what their dad told them about them in 1992. Lot of misconceptions out there. There both the same and it depends on preference.

veetwin

naoise80 wrote: »

I drive a 2006 E220 CDI and spent 6 months waiting for the right manual to come on the market.

It's a personal choice, but I would never like an automatic.

I hope you enjoy it but I'd say it might not be much fun trying to sell/trade in. Cars like the E Class and 5 series are much better and more saleable in auto.

Autos in the past in Ireland were never popular except in executive cars. Thats mostly because we bought small engine petrols which mated to auto boxes are a disaster generally. Now we are buying (or at least we did buy) bigger diesels like the 5 series which are more suited to auto transmission.

Personally I have a 520D auto and my sister has a manual one. The auto is twice the car. I also have a golf manual (TSI) which I also enjoy driving on twisty roads but I'd have the BMW for any long journey.

I'd never say I'd go back to manual but I can't see it happen.

bb12

i've only ever driven auto. on my 5th car/jeep now and can never understand why anybody would want to drive manual! auto is easier, safer, smoother (especially when i'm towing) and all round just plain more comfortable. Why anybody wants to spend their life making gear changes and fiddling around with clutch pedals etc is beyond me.

_Kaiser_

voojeq wrote: »

ok so if we have such a large number of auto enthusiasts then maybe few tips from fellow users on how to spot a problematic auto gearbox, as I'm on the lookout for a nice auto saloon out there ;]

Well my own experience has taught me that if you need:

- Auto
- Diesel
- Saloon
- Decent size engine (around the 2L mark or above)

Then by default you're looking at something from the VAG stable unless you have the cash for a more "premium" BMW or Mercedes

I'm on my second Passat auto. My current 06 has the DSG box which is fantastic, and even though it has a tiptronic mode, I never actually would feel the need to use it as it's more than capable of handling the changes in D on it's own.

My previous 02 version didn't give any issues either, but it had a gear less and was a 1.9TDI rather than my current 2.0 TDI - and that extra 0.1 makes a lot of difference

SeanW

Paparazzo wrote: »

You're not stuck with one forever if you do a test in one! You can do your test again in a manual!

Not true, you have to go through the whole procedure again, do the theory test, eyesight report, get a "clean" learners permit, go through the same hoops as a new learner (minimum driver instruction, 6 months wait before testing) THEN redo the test and claim a new "clean" drivers licesne. Not worth it at all IMHO.

Personally, I'd reccommend the manual licence first so you have the choice.

Agreed.

aujopimur

Motor manufacturers plan on having only auto boxes in the next few years.

Leonard Hofstadter

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well my own experience has taught me that if you need:

- Auto
- Diesel
- Saloon
- Decent size engine (around the 2L mark or above)

Then by default you're looking at something from the VAG stable unless you have the cash for a more "premium" BMW or Mercedes

I'm on my second Passat auto. My current 06 has the DSG box which is fantastic, and even though it has a tiptronic mode, I never actually would feel the need to use it as it's more than capable of handling the changes in D on it's own.

My previous 02 version didn't give any issues either, but it had a gear less and was a 1.9TDI rather than my current 2.0 TDI - and that extra 0.1 makes a lot of difference

Soory to be pedantic, but DSG is actually a manual gearbox, electronically controlled yes, but it's basically a computer operating a manual gearbox for you:)! A true auto has a torque convertor and no clutch, DSG has not one but two clutches and no torque convertor.

barone

my mate did the test in an auto and his license isnt limited to autos? did the test bout 8 months ago

coylemj

barone wrote: »

my mate did the test in an auto and his license isnt limited to autos? did the test bout 8 months ago

Either the tester made a mistake filling out the certificate of competency or your mate hasn't spotted the code on the licence which indicates that it's restricted to autos.

pajo1981

captainspeed wrote: »

Soory to be pedantic, but DSG is actually a manual gearbox, electronically controlled yes, but it's basically a computer operating a manual gearbox for you:)! A true auto has a torque convertor and no clutch, DSG has not one but two clutches and no torque convertor.

Does it change gears automatically?

coylemj

I switched to automatic in May, just got tired of always being in the wrong gear pulling away from roundabouts e.g. you're coming up to the roundabout, apply gentle brakes, change down to third for a quick getaway, then you spot the guy on the bike....

CiniO

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

I personally could never see myself driving automatic, they are slower than manual (as long as gear changes are made properly),

I wouldn't be so sure.
Few months ago I was abroad, I rented a car and got Prius with automatic CVT.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios

I can't see how manual with 5 or 6 gears could be better than infinite number of gears.

Engine just accelerates to rev with biggest torque, and transmission chagning steplessy causes car to accelerate.
I was actually impressed with this idea, and I think it's the most economical and ergonomical type of transmission. (at least theoretically).

coylemj

CiniO wrote: »

Engine just accelerates to rev with biggest torque, and transmission chagning steplessy causes car to accelerate.
I was actually impressed with this idea, and I think it's the most economical and ergonomical type of transmission. (at least theoretically).

I think DAF cars had a similar transmission back in the 70s, IIRC it was called Variomatic.

barone

coylemj wrote: »

Either the tester made a mistake filling out the certificate of competency or your mate hasn't spotted the code on the licence which indicates that it's restricted to autos.[


seen it myself,tester must have missed it

Big Nasty

voojeq wrote: »

ok so if we have such a large number of auto enthusiasts then maybe few tips from fellow users on how to spot a problematic auto gearbox, as I'm on the lookout for a nice auto saloon out there ;]

I would say Matt Simms on here would probably be the best man to advise you on that. For starters if the gear change is not smooth, you feel 'clunking' while changing, etc it would probably be best to walk. Give it standing start welly and hard braking too to check for same under hard driving. Also check for leaks underneath. Bring to a fairly steep hill and come to a complete stop, leaving the car in gear. When you lift your foot off the brake it should remain in situ - if it crawls forward in a jumpy fashion there is probably an issue with the torque convertor.

mondeo

Nothing is worse then a slipping auto transmission. It should kick back reasonably quickly when you floor it. If when floored it takes too long to kick back or just revs up and goes nowhere like it's in neutral then the torque converter is probably shot. If you have Tiptronic it's handy as it gives you more control over gear selection.

voojeq

again thanks for answers chaps one more question if ya don't mind, does fixing a torque converter can be more expensive than fixing a clutch, is it possible or do you have to recondition the gearbox (lol?)

mondeo

voojeq wrote: »

again thanks for answers chaps one more question if ya don't mind, does fixing a torque converter can be more expensive than fixing a clutch, is it possible or do you have to recondition the gearbox (lol?)

Ye auto boxes are much more expensive to work on because they have alot more parts in them and more labour costs involved. Probably be more economical to have a reconditioned autobox fitted then to have the torque converter replaced in the existing box.

Paparazzo

SeanW wrote: »

Not true, you have to go through the whole procedure again, do the theory test, eyesight report, get a "clean" learners permit, go through the same hoops as a new learner (minimum driver instruction, 6 months wait before testing) THEN redo the test and claim a new "clean" drivers licesne. Not worth it at all IMHO.

Agreed.

Exactly what I'm saying, you're not stuck with an auto forever!