Posted: 11/21/2006 4:16:18 PM EDT
|
I got a 6 speed now, had to borrow another car that was an auto, think I might go back with an auto next time. The 6 speed is nice until sitting in traffic, and a few other sitatuons. Opinions? |
|
manuals only. I have too much problems with automatics. If an auto lasted me 10K miles before having a problem I'd be lucky. But yet I can get 200K miles out of an original clutch. As for stop n go traffic with a manual, I dont even notice it. So second nature its rediculous. Plus I have to deal with it on a bike also. |
|
Meh, undecided. Being an old fart, I've had plenty of both. If I was towing, I'd have a manual for sure. Auto for anything else. Manual sucks in traffic, x10 if there are hills involved. I've been laid up a few times with bad knees, feet, ect. in my life. Kind of hard to drive a manual in those conditions. Lot's of pros and cons. Autos go bad, but then again, something as simple as a throw out bearing goes bad on a manual 4x4 truck and you're looking at the same amount of work just to change it out. Toss up. 
|
WHAT are you doing to Autos that only makes them last 10k miles? or was this one of those special situations? IE Used car, high miles?, Factory Lemon? |
|
For me it depends on the car, if it is my daily driver and power isn't an issue (my 95 Neon with a 5 speed was plenty quick enough, my wifes 96 with an auto is too slow for my taste), I would go with an auto. For me the manual has the advantage of better reliablilty and simplicity on a mudane daily driver, but in city driving it is a pain in the ass. I loved the auto in my LHS, and would'nt have even considered a 5 speed in it. On the other hand I am acquiring the parts to swap a 5 speed into my wifes Neon based solely on performance and economy issues. |
|
i cant say i have ever had problems with a maunal in stop and go traffic, i just think an auto is a little more suited to stop and go. for daily driving, and not a ton of traffic, ill still stick with a manual. oh, and i HATE paddle shifters, esp ferarri ones... the bmw ones arnt as bad imo, but i still dont like them(or its weaker sibling triptronic) |
|
Manual all the way. I've only ever owned two automatics and I couldn't stand them, and I used to live and work in NYC. The first one I even had my mechanic swap the auto out for a manual. Manuals are simply more reliable, get better mileage, give you better acceleration, power exactly when you need it, and are far less expensive to fix if/when something does go wrong. Neither automatic I had lasted beyond 100k miles, while the 5-speed in my bimmer has 220k miles on it and still functions perfectly, or close (post coming on that after this reply!). Get whatever YOU want, but since you asked, it's go manual or go home for me. 
|
the auto thing is a double edged sword IMO with trucks. i used to repo out of san fransisco and contrary to what you would think, i MUCH rather would have the manual for the hills(SF has some SUPER steep hills, with stop lights in the worst spot for manuals) but being able to not have to mash the gas pedel was nice. i think if i were gonna buy a larger pick up for towing, i would still take a manual. i drove a manual f250 a few times and really liked it... but then my normal repo rig was a f350 manual with a dynamic deck and boom.(or an international flatbed, manual of course... i also drove a f250 auto and a gm auto and really didnt like both) in reality its gonna boil down to preference. i would NEVER buy a sporty car or hgher power car with a auto... a family mover, possibly an auto. 2 seater, manual only. |
I wanted an Auto when I got the GTO, leanred to drive a 6 speed though. Since the POS I bought was in the shop I had to borrow an Auto car, seemed abit easier. |
|
If it's a sporty kinda car, I prefer manual transmissions. In a truck or a daily driver, I like automatics. Manuals are too much trouble when they do finally break. Too much pressing this gear off and pressing that bearing on whenever it comes time to overhaul. Clutches wear out. The individual gears or gearsets can get expensive - I built a RUG for my dad's F100, 2nd or 3rd gear alone was about $450 my cost. Some of them use expensive hydraulics, and some you have to remove the trans to get to the hydraulics (like throwout bearings and such). Modern automatics are pretty troublefree. Don't beat 'em too hard, don't overheat them, service regularly, lather, rinse, repeat. Only real special thing I need to build an auto is a clutch return spring tool. I've got 180K+ miles on an original 4R100 Ford, daily driving and towing. All I've done is service it every 30Kish or so. If I was gonna buy a Mustang or something similar, I'd have to get a manual trans just 'cause they're a lot more fun to drive. But otherwise, I'm okay with a slushbox. |
|
Auto now - and probably forever. Manual kinda sucks in stop and go traffic. Good for going 4-wheeling though. And I mean real 4-wheeling, as in 'maybe we should wrap the Come Along cable around that rock before you try that' 4-wheeling. The clutch gives me a better feel for the traction/power application. After I got back to Europe in 93 and started getting back into the high mileage bicycle riding, I found working the clutch just killed my legs after a 150 mile day in the saddle. And now that I'm back playing baseball, working the clutch after catching a 9 inning baseball game is a real drag. But...if I was to buy a Bullit or similar vehicle, it's be a stick. |
How would you know? We had this thread a few weeks ago. Manual owned. FWIW, everything I own is manual now. My offroad truck started life as an auto, but it's a 4 speed now. Ford Ranger is a 5 speed. Dodge Ram 3500, 6 speed. I drive in Chicago traffic every day. I never, ever wish for an auto. |
| I love manual transmissions wont ever get an automatic unless I have no choice. I like having free reign over the entire rpm range, down shifting, upshifting, etc. Bumper to bumper traffic sucks but not from shifting per se, but keeping the clutch depressed most of the time with the left foot gets tiresome |
|
Auto for my work car 04' Mach1. I used to spend 8 or more hours a day in heavy traffic working. My past work car was a 96' Cobra for 3 years and it had a stage 3 clutch. That is no fun at all. I prefer a manual for auto X-ing or having fun on the weekends. Manual's are fun at the drag strip, but if I really want to go fast in the 1/4 it is a built auto. |
Put it in neutral and let the clutch out. Holding the clutch down is bad for the throwout bearing. |
|
I have been thinking about this for a few days. The first time I noticed that I didn't own a manual vehicle was when you started this thread, and I just bought a car. These days I don't even pay much attention to what kind of transmission a car has as long as I am happy with it. The Volvo I just bought is an auto and I don't think that it being a manual would make me enjoy it anymore, if I hadn't bought the Volvo I would have went with an Explorer, of the two I test drove the manual was the winner, and otherwise they were the same. |
|
Depends on vehicle. My uncle has a ford that sounds a lot like the ford mentioned a few posts above. It has a straight 6 engine, 5 speed manual transmission, and very little gearing in the rear axle, 2.73 sounds about right but I have no clue what it has. On steep hills where you have to come to a stop I just feel like I am slipping the clutch too much. In stop and go traffic you have to use the clutch a lot because the truck won't idle along slowly for most serious traffic jams. Now my dodge pickup with the diesel engine, 6 speed transmission, and 4.10 gears in the axles is awesome for about everything. In serious traffic jams where everyone is playing accordian I just use 1st or 2nd gear and give it no throttle. The truck just idles along and generally I can find a gear that gives me the right speed to just cruise along at a constant speed while everyone hurries up and then slams on the brakes. With the truck loaded I can let the clutch out on 1st gear and the truck starts rolling with no throttle input from me. On really steep hills I just let the clutch out and slowly let off the brake and the truck takes off. Unloaded I use 2nd gear as my 1st gear and on flats I can slowly let the clutch out and the truck takes off with no throttle input. I would like a better top gear to lower the rpms on the highway but that is another thread. My z28 camaro with a 6 speed came with 3.23 gears from the factory I think and I always felt it needed 3.73 gears or 4.10 gears to be perfect. It was soso in stop and go traffic but liveable. For something like the new mustang or really anything I would be looking at the manual transmission and only if the setup was so goofy like the ford I first mentioned would I be thinking about an automatic. |
|
My Charger has the Autostick thing in it...my Intrepid had the Autostick as well. Upside is..it's pretty nice to manually control things, stay in a gear when you know you're going to need the power quickly pretty soon, without having to deal with a delay in shifting or anything.. Downside is it's not nearly as fast as a real manual. Some software changes would fix that right up, but bone stock out of the box, it's shifting is pretty lazy, both up and down. With some of the aftermarket software changes for the TCM, it shifts hard..problem is that's another $500 or so for the damn programmer  And heaven help you if it screws up or otherwise causes a transmission problem...no way it'll be covered. |
4.10s are way too low with the Cummins. My truck has 3.73 and I wish it had 3.55 or 3.42, but they weren't offered. Either that or I need a 7th gear. 2200 RPM going down the highway is insane. Before I ordered my truck, I drove a used one with 4.10s. I sure was glad that I didn't get the off road package after I drove that thing! |
I have an 06' 300C and picked up the Superchips Flashpaq. It turns the autostick into more of a true paddle shift. You can eliminate much of the torque management, up to about 80% for much firmer and quicker shifting. Feels like a new valve body or shift kit. The programmer and some of its custom tuning makes the car feel like a totally different animal. Night and day difference. As far as a problem were to be concerned you would need to pull out your custom tune and replace it with the factory one that is stored in the programmer prior to going to the dealer. I got my Flashpaq new in the box (unused) for $300 shipped. Generally they go for around $360 from reputable dealers on ebay etc. |
I think my 4:10s got me a higher tow rating, but I forget if that was for my 03 model or not. And really the 4:10s just mean I will get a kore or similar suspension system and some taller tires, but not much taller. For down here in the mountains the 4:10s are not a problem. 3:73s would get the job done just fine but I would be using 5th gear more than I use 6th gear right now. Overall I just think back to the early diesel pickups with 3 speed automatics and I know there were some 5 speed manual transmissions and I don't know if any had only 4 gears. |
Sounds just like driving my Golf except I never start in 2nd unless there's snow on the ground. Manual all the way. |
Yeah, the 4.10s get you 2,000 lbs more GCWR. I wouldn't have a Cummins with 4.10s in a pickup truck though. The engine just screams way too much and you have to shift a lot. I really wish I could put 3.08s in mine. |