What do you drive...manual or automatic?

[Squeak 17]

I own both, plus motorbikes (no auto motorbikes though).

It doesnt worry me what the car is, i dont notice any difference either way

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[shropshire 0]

I did ride a 400cc Suzuki scooter once (loaner when my bike was in for a service) - that was Automagic ... and proper scary

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[sundevil777 93]

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I get better gas mileage

I can say that for a Honda that will not be true. The overall gear ratio is a little bit higher for an automatic compared to a manual. Attached are the EPA numbers for the Civic man vs auto. City numbers are the same, combined is 1 mpg better for the auto, 3 mpg better for the auto on the hwy.

Some have a lot of their self worth attached to the rowing of a stick shift. The PITA a stick causes for stop and go driving is not worth the fun it allows at other times.

For a 2 wheeler, the story is so different, it is so much easier to do compared to on a car - effortless in comparison.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[sundevil777 93]

The EPA mileage numbers for the Honda Accord are the same across the board man vs auto - city/combined/hwy

Modern auto trannys are much more efficient (not such a slush box) as they were in decades past.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[Elite_Marksman 0]

For modern transmissions it's not nearly as big a difference as it was in the past. One main reason is that autos have gotten better in general and have more gears than they did in the past.

A typical stick is still a 5-speed, though some are moving to 6-speeds now.

Around 2000 a typical stick was still a 5-speed, but a typical auto was a 4.

In 2010, a typical auto is 5-speed, with many 6-, 7- and a handful of 8-s.

[sundevil777 93]

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For modern transmissions it's not nearly as big a difference as it was in the past. One main reason is that autos have gotten better in general and have more gears than they did in the past.

A typical stick is still a 5-speed, though some are moving to 6-speeds now.

Around 2000 a typical stick was still a 5-speed, but a typical auto was a 4.

In 2010, a typical auto is 5-speed, with many 6-, 7- and a handful of 8-s.

The choice of what the final drive ratio will be from an engineer's point of view is different for a stick vs auto. For the stick, if you make the hwy gearing really tall (low engine speed), then every time you need to accelerate a little bit, or even keep the same speed to go up a hill (more torque is needed) you've made it much more likely that a downshift is needed. Customers don't like to have to do that for trivial hwy acceleration/more torque needed circumstances. With an auto tranny, the torque conv lockup can disconnect and also downshift if needed to adjust to the need for more torque. Modern auto trannys can do this very smoothly, so a higher final drive ratio makes sense for the engineer to specify.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[LongWayToFall 0]

I loved my stick toyota pickup... driving an auto now though. Would prefer to be in a stick though.

After driving my pickup, I hopped in an auto for the first time in a long time, and at the end of my street my head almost hit the windshield..... I had smashed on the brake with my clutch foot hahaha. Def took a minute to get used to it...

[skymama 35]

My first car was a manual (Pinto ), but then I went the mini van route when I had kids. I've had an automatic Jeep for the last 6 years.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Nutz 0]

I'm too old and lazy to push a clutch anymore.

"Don't! Get! Eliminated!"

[femTo 0]

owned 6 cars till now all stick. i like to drive manual you can play much more with the trottle, and it's easier to trow the weight of the car around the corner... damn english how do i explain that know... don't care... you are faster with manual gearbox... except the double clutch systems nowadays are way faster then manual.

[iluvtofly 0]

I learned how to drive on a manual and my first car was a manual. I currently own an automatic simply because it was in my very limited price range. I love driving manuals though. I've gotten to drive a few fun cars since I knew how to: my brothers corvette, a Mazda Speed 6 with a turbo and a Honda S2000 with a V-tech in it. Although I will say when I'm sitting in stop and go traffic I'm happy to have my automatic.


Funny little side story. I finally convinced my friend with the Mazda Speed 6 to let me drive it one day. He was expecting me to be the "typical girl" manual driver, where it's really jerky when shifting or I stall it out or something like that. Well we get on the road. Not quite a half mile down he leans over and says, "We're going 80 (in a 55), you might wanna slow down." When we got back to the DZ he told people how he was shocked that a girl actually knew how to properly drive a stick shift.

[JohnMitchell 14]

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he was shocked that a girl actually knew how to properly drive a stick shift.

Vskydiver handles a stick just fine too. Her old car had one and she borrows mine from time to time. Never be surprised at what skydiver women can do.

[kallend 1,623]

I have one of each. Your poll doesn't allow that. So I voted "Boobies".

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[missbrz 0]

I've got a manual. I love it. I don't like automatics. It doesn't really feel like driving. It's more like directing a vehicle than driving.

And I HATE switching back to an automatic. I drive my roommates car a lot and I always end up hitting the brakes in the first minute of driving with my left foot trying to find a clutch Then I remember its not there.

[winsor 186]

Alfa 164 - 5 speed
Ram 150 - 4-speed (granny gear 1st)
H-D Superglide - 4 speed
Moto Guzzi Interceptor - 5 speed

You can't push start an automatic (with exception of early Mopar units with a rear pump).

Engine braking with an automatic is much less effective.

Automatics waste power whenever relying on the torque converter.

Automatics are more complex, more expensive, more likely to break and more of a pain to fix (I have rebuilt lots of both).

Having a manual sets a competence threshold for anyone wanting to use your vehicle.

[FlyingJ 0]

I currently drive an automatic Grand Cherokee.

I had owned only manual transmission cars. After a few life changes, including time living in NYC with no car I ended up in my current automatic Grand Cherokee. I wanted a car and a manual transmission, but the Jeep is what worked in my situation at the time. After a few weeks of driving the automatic Jeep I noticed that chronic knee, hip and back pain I'd been suffering from since high school was gone.

Turns out the upright sitting position and the lack of clutching solved the issues. Now when I spend any considerable amount of time in a car I feel my back start to stiffen up and it only takes a day or so of driving a manual transmission vehicle to feel the knee and hip start acting up again too.

I miss feeling like I'm actually driving the vehicle rather than just being a passenger that steers, but I most definitely do not miss the chronic pain.

Killing threads since 2004.

[wmw999 2,121]

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Turns out the upright sitting position and the lack of clutching solved the issues.

I'm not sure I understand why upright position only comes with an automatic. I'm almost ridiculously sensitive to driving position, and I hate being reclined noticeably. To the extent that I have a pad so that my headrest doesn't force my head forward (it does because of my height, and the fact that most people recline their seats more).

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[skydiverbry 0]

I drive an auto now.
All my other car were sticks but I'm just getting lazy in my old age


My "toy" my lifted Jeep Wrangler is still a stick though







Bry

--------------------------------------------------
Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!!

D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver)

[jonstark 8]

manual truck
automatic compact car
hydrostatic tractor
manual tractor
powershift bulldozer
manual motorcycle
automatic go-cart

Only one I don't really like is the hydrostatic but it's good for some things so...

jon

[shah269 0]

6 speed....stick!
Saved me NO JOKE $6k on the car I just bought.
Certified pre owned it was listed at $36k.
Walked in made a really low offer....at first they laughed, thus I provided my name, my credit score as well as my contact info and stated "We live in NJ people here don't know how to pump their own gas, what makes you think they can drive a 6 speed car?"

7 days later I got a call, they agreed.

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[skybill 18]

Hi TiaMariaMargarita!!,
Sticks up to the last two which were autos. Both are ok so I voted "b00bies!!" Sticks are OK learned on a '51 Dodge with the "slush box" in front of the stick trans, as we called it back then. Currently have a Ford Ranger (auto) and before a Chevy Silverado 1500 V-6 (auto) it was tops. Loved the auto trany for trailering my boat. Get the boat into the H2O and put it in Park, to get it out of the H2O just drop it into 1st and hit the peddle. With a manual ya' have to negoiate the clutch, brake and gas all 3 peddles with 2 feet!! Auto is easier!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[NWFlyer 2]

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She (being a stick-shift girl) was excited to impress her new beau because she said not many females drive sticks.

When I bought my current car (which I've now had for 11 years) the guys at the VW dealership were surprised and impressed that I wanted the 5-speed version.

I've also taught two people (who were already experienced drivers) to drive stick - one female, one male; both of 'em did just fine, but I gotta say my female friend was more calm.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[MikeJD 0]

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Vskydiver handles a stick just fine too.

Are we back on your hot date again?

Personally I like manual - as others have said, the co-ordination of all four limbs is part of the fun of driving - but we don't get much choice over here anyway.

So when I do drive an automatic, there's also the unfamiliarity of everything being on the 'wrong' side. In a way I'm glad most American rental cars are automatic - it takes a bit of getting used to, but it saves me from continually trying to change gear with the door handle!

[FlyingJ 0]

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Turns out the upright sitting position and the lack of clutching solved the issues.

I'm not sure I understand why upright position only comes with an automatic. I'm almost ridiculously sensitive to driving position, and I hate being reclined noticeably. To the extent that I have a pad so that my headrest doesn't force my head forward (it does because of my height, and the fact that most people recline their seats more).

Wendy P.

Two different issues.

The upright position alleviates the constant back pain I had (and begin feeling again when spending any significant amount of time in a car (even more in a seated position with legs almost straight out in front).

The automatic alleviates the hip/knee pain that I have found are constant and come with driving a standard.

I've had joint issues since I was a toddler that to this day no doctor has ever put a label on, and any number of things exaggerate the issue, but I found the daily driving of a standard to be a prime offender.

Killing threads since 2004.

[pincheck 0]

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I own both, plus motorbikes (no auto motorbikes though).

It doesnt worry me what the car is, i dont notice any difference either way

what no reverse always driven and owned manuals as auto's where not really popular here unless you where a old granny like Shropshire.

Only had a auto as a hire car didn't bother me but didn't want to make me change

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