Which do you prefer? Manual or automatic?

[Snsl153]

With manual transmissions the acceleration is better, and the car doesn't use as much petrol. I prefer manual.

Automatic

Manual

I don't drive.

Updates

1 y

Where I live, having an automatic is generally not a good idea, because there are a LOT of old pensioners on the roads who put-put along in their old jalopies at two-thirds the required speed, and most, if not all, of the roads are single lane, so you have to overtake them by going on to the other side of the road, and if you're going to do that you simply MUST be able to accelerate really fast and suddenly. Automatics are sluggish in that regard.

[MrOracle]

What you described USED to be true, but auto transmissions have been much better than that for the last 25-30 years. That may not be true for tiny, underpowered European cars, but there's a reason that nearly every newer car in the US is an auto, and it's not because we don't like performance.

I drove almost nothing but manuals for the first 25 years or so of having a driver's license, but while I love driving a manual on a road trip, they are hell to drive in stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and that's exactly what you get a lot of the time in the San Francisco Bay Area. That's why my current cars are automatics - that and the fact that very few cars are even available with manual transmissions in the US - just a handful of sports cars, and only if you special order them that way in most cases. Autos are definitely the default choice, and often the only choice in the US today.

But 5-speed and even 7-speed autos are commonplace, and there's virtually no gas mileage difference between manuals and autos on the few cars that offer both.

Anyway, this is going to be a moot issue soon anyway - as cars are quickly going all-electric, transmissions will no longer exist, because electric motors don't need them.

[exitseven]

The problem with automatics is they cost a ton of money to get them fixed.

[Paul09]

Automatic is luxury. and cost more. Manual is fun. You have full control. And are more aware of the road.

[LovingLoverReturned]

@Paul09 well Said Paul

[Farmer27]

Manual. Of course auto is a lot easier and effortless but when I drive I like to be in full control of the car and I love the feel when you shift gears.

[Daniela1982]

If you have a good automatic it is not sluggish. I couldn't shift mine fast enough with a stick as it has 800 hp, and I don't have to worry about burning out a clutch or rolling down backwards on a hill. It's just more comfortable driving with an auto. My 8 speed transmission is also shiftable if I want some stick action.

[888theGreat]

We know you like to grab that stick. LOL

[ZS007]

I learnt with an auto car though my first lesson was manual. I don't like changing gears and in my fam all the cars are auto so there wasn't really a reason to learn with a manual car.

[ElementoP]

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Fucking smart ass girl.

Trump girl with a grounded mind and common sense, a little autism, offbeat jokes that no one gets and a hater of anime?

You're basically me with a vagina

I like you

[Snsl153]

Well, yes, you've summed me up well, although I do believe that Trump is a little old to run again. I'd prefer DeSantis. Of course, if it comes down to a choice between Trump and whomever the Demotwats have decided to field, well... there's no real competition there. :D

[ElementoP]

Ya you got that right. Big D is cool too, I'd be alright with him

[jshm2]

You're confused, and have a really old automatic.

Newer automatics are much better on fuel economy, not to mention if you do a lot of driving then the cruise control and auto drive features can make the drive a lot easier and safer. The newer automatics also have "drive modes" meaning you can switch the turbo or economy on or off as required.

Manual cars are very inefficient and rely on the driver doing all the legwork. Which is great for supercars and sports cars. But not so great for family or utility vehicles that you want to get from A-Z as efficiently as possible.

Hence why manual is disappearing pretty quick in smaller vehicles. It's just not worth paying the money for poorer manual performance and lower economy, when automatic enables a smart car.

[Smoothing]

Manual is still the best. Unfortunately they are disappearing worldwide. Automatic is becoming the car the standard. I surely going to miss manual cars.

[Snsl153]

Yes, you're right, they are disappearing. Why is that? What's going on there? Lately I've been looking for a car to purchase, and to every car yard I go all they have are automatics! A couple of days ago I found ONE car that was manual, out of dozens that were on display.

[Smoothing]

It is probably to do with the fact that most cars are becoming electronic/computerised. And automatic is more compatible with such a change. Most especially cars that are close to autonomous. A computer is unlikely able to take operate a manual car. I personally would love for a system to be built where one can switch to manual drive, when one wants to drive the car themselves, or automatic drive when one wants to sit back and let the car drive itself.

I. e. the car is able to have both automatic and manual gears. If that was achievable, it would be very nice

[exitseven]

I usually buy full size SUVs or pickup trucks and used to special order them with a standard transmission Now you can't even do that

[Th3ft]

Manual transmission ALLLLL DAY LOOOONNNNGGGGGG

lol! I would and will always prefer manual but I do see a lot of good in automatic and very well may end up gettin an automatic soon.

[Snsl153]

Playing with your stick all day long; does that ever get tiring?

[Th3ft]

😂😂 not when I got so much I can do and so many I can enjoy it with! 😜💙

[CourtneyJane2]

Manual. It's more fun to drive, and my Porsche had a manual.

I miss that car 😢

[Snsl153]

What kind of car do you have now?

[CourtneyJane2]

I have a Jeep.

[MuddyMole]

Manual is better than automatic, but obviously electrification is going to make both obsolete within a couple of years anyway.

It's just a shame we're stuck with shitty batteries, instead of using small gas turbines running on biofuels to provide the electricity instead (more like diesel-electric trains and ships) - all the benefits of electric cars (high torque, no gearbox/clutch, carbon neutral), with none of the drawbacks (slow charging, limited range, destructive and polluting lithium mining, etc).

[MikeInHawaii]

When I lived in Kansas, Zi read that soybean based diesel fuel would be feasible once diesel got over $2 per gallon. We went well past that, and I don’t know what happened.

[Snsl153]

I don't know what you mean by electrification, because that's a term that's generally used in association with trains, not cars.

[LikeALog]

I had manual transmission in my most on my vehicles. My truck has a manual. For hauling, I think manual is the better option. It is also much cheaper to maintain and more reliable.
Automatics have improved vastly and most accelerate better than manual these days. But I'm not interested in getting to the next stop light first.

[ohsheeT]

If I'm just cruising around town I'd rather have an automatic if I'm up in the hills four wheeling I want to stick shift because I want low end torque and I want to gas the gas and climb up the hills I want to climb up your gear shifter your manual you use when you need to control your speed you're turning because it reads at the RPMs and you have 10 times more control in short little distances but around town automatic I'm lazy but if I'm racing or find out four wheeling I want to stick shift

[RavVid]

Good luck with maintaining a preference for manual! Electric cars don't have them and don't need them.

Internal combustion engines have them because their torque/power curve is relatively narrow. Electric cars change the frequency of the current. In effect the gearbox gear shift becomes electronics other than one fixed gear.

[MikeInHawaii]

A stick shift is now the best anti-theft device you can buy.

[Snsl153]

Yes, I've heard stories about thieves wanting to steal cars, but upon seeing the gear-stick and realising it wasn't an automatic, decided to just leave and find some other car to take.

[Fireguy17]

I have both.
As for speed now an automatic can't be beat.
Dual clutch, paddle shift or just put it in drive and hang on.
For feeling like you have more control, nostalgia, just holding it in 1 gear to make some noise nothing beats a manual.
City traffic, stop and go rush hour traffic an automatic is so much nicer.
I used to drive trucks, and as soon as you started getting up some speed you would hit a red light and start all over again.

[Curmudgeon]

I learned on stick, as it was a necessity for economy cars, especially second hand ones, when I learned to drive in the 1980s. Today, it seems that just about all cars have gone automatic, at least in the USA anyway.

[Snsl153]

This has happened in Australia too. All I see are automatics when I visit dealerships. :(

[hafinjun]

So you prefer having that hard shifter in hand , while "driving" 😉

[Snsl153]

Um... yes. Anyway, like I said, manual cars accelerate better and they're generally more fuel efficient.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a drivers license but i test drove a manual transmission car before for a very short time.

Automatic transmission sounds pretty nice as its one less thing to worry about when driving Even though manual transmission is easy enough.

[FreyaRed]

I'm European but I prefer automatic. After standing two hours in traffic jam with a rented Porsche 911 that has clutch with at leas 30kg pushing force, I had really enough of manual shifting.

[DryGermanGuy]

Try an 7+ speed double clutch automatic… that acceleration is not beatable by a manual clutch. I like manual, but to my information there are no manual systems with seven or more speeds.

[MikeInHawaii]

I once saw a ‘63 Mack Bulldog with a 20 speed.

[Daniela1982]

My car has an 8 speed automatic, that is also shiftable. They don't make cars with an 8 speed manual. Plus an 8 speed auto is more economical than a manual. Try shifting an 8 speed manual on a drag strip.

[DryGermanGuy]

@MikeInHawaii
Of course there have always been industrial and agricultural vehicles. But we were talking about regular cars here, no? 🙃

[mandyfire98]

I prefer automatic, it's just less to deal with and you don't have to fool with a clutch or shifting.

[Snsl153]

Yes, it does have the advantage that it's easier, and for someone who is just learning to drive, that can make a big difference.

[20thGreatRomances]

Auto is obviously easier to drive for anyone but, I prefer manual because I have more control of my car. Being able to down shift and keep RPMs higher when necessary is convenient for me.

[docster]

I was a manual enthusiast for decades and 4 cars. But when I got over 45 y/o you finally get tired of it and just want to take it easy and get an automatic.

[douride2]

Either is ok with me. I learned to drive with a manual. My work vehicle is a manual my personal vehicle is an auto. After shifting all day long at work it's nice to just put it in drive & go on the way home.