Manuals > Automatic

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

I prefer automatic. I can drive manual, thanks to my dad, but I hate it. One thing was when I first learnt how to drive was that I looked down as a shift, which is not safe. I also did not realize that you are suppose to lift your leg while releasing the clutch, so instead I pivoted on my heel, raising my foot, which caused the clutch to leave go too fast. In other words, I could not get out of neutral without being on a slight slope. x-x I just hate shifting and I am not used to it. My dad, who can almost literally drive anything, wanted to make sure that he taught me on a manual first. I still prefer automatics. On the plus side with automatics, if you want to brake fast you just need to press the brakes, not the clutch then the brakes. Manual shifting on 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers is not bad since there is no clutch, its just a bitch with cars, or at least I find.

My dad's old car was a '90/'91 Volkswagen Golf. It was a diesel as well. That car was tough. I mean it survived ME driving on the side road when going to see my mom at the camp where she works. The road is really bad and rocky toward the end so you have to straddle the ruts and the car is very low but it manage to survive even with me behind the wheel which is a miracle in my opinion.

[Shadowdust]

I prefer a manual. I like the feel of a manual. And to be honest, once you get used to a manual, you don't even really notice yourself shifting gears. I used to do stop and go traffic to and from work, and I actually found that I preferred a manual as well. While all of the automatics were slamming on their brakes constantly, I just coasted in second rarely having to use my brakes. And the other positive of manuals to automatics is that they're generally cheaper. I bought a Nissan Versa not to long ago and ended up saving $1000 by purchasing a manual transmission.

[fire_of_avalon]

The Bottom Line The choice depends on your driving habits and conditions.

I'VE BEEN SAYING (a variation of) THAT ALL ALONG.

[ShunNakamura]

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I am still of the mind that in general automatics score pretty close to manuals on fuel efficiency. I would chalk up the usual recored fuel advantage to the fact that most people driving manual effectively know how to drive the vehicle at least 'slightly' better than your average automatic user. That and the fact that you have more control and it is easier to keep your engine in the optimal area.

The weight difference that was stated likely won't matter much, at least not to people in my area. My vehicle generally has a total of 900 lbs in the vehicle that I am toting around... on average. On a busy day I probably got close to an extra 3/4 of a ton or so. And I still get better gas mileage than any of my fellow explorer drivers in the area. Anyways just to quote my fuel economy. Ford Explorer 2000 6 cylinder engine and on a trip to columbus and back(used a full tank of gas and went through most types of driving so I figure it is a fair approximation of 'average' gas mileage. I got an average of roughly 23-25mpg. And as I said we did a bit of each type of driving. It was about a 4 hour trip and I spent about 1 hour and 30 minutes city driving, about 1 hour on the highway, and the last roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes on country driving. My model of explorer is rated at 17-19mpg, and the manual ones I have found get about 21-22 mpg average[or so their owners tell me]. But I drive 'weird' according to my mother. Anyways, I'll admit it is a pain to drive when the dumb thing won't shift at the point I want it to... So I can end up doing 35 or so for quite a while until it finally gets the hint and shifts[which is actually the reason that manual interests me... the control is definitely a bonus].

Also I don't know where you guys drive that you have to constantly appy brakes but even in Columbus, Ohio I didn't do much as much braking as my mom said I would. I will admit that I am anything except an aggressive driver if that would affect it.

As for that article's statement that it would 'reduce' cell phone use. HAHAHAAHA. I know stick drivers who still use a cell phone while driving. In contrast I who drives an automatic will only answer/call once I find a place to pull over. It sometimes annoys passengers in my car, because I will ask the passenger to answer rather than pick it up myself. And I actually know a couple other(albeit very few in comparison to the number of automatic drivers) automatic drivers who fallow the same ruleset.
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