Automatic or Manual Transmission?

[Handorin]

For the past couple years, I've been driving a manual (stick) transmission. I learned in about an hour how to drive it (not perfect, but it was enough. It takes practice). My second car was a manual, and when someone hit me and I needed a third, I knew I wanted to get another manual. I love being able to choose my own gear.

The only real con I've found as that it is absolutely horrible for city driving and a few other minor things that don't matter.

So what is it smashboards? Do you like driving a manual or automatic?

 

[TheSundanceKid]

I've never tried manual, but I'm so used to Automatic. I guess I'll just stick with it, lol.

 

[Kevin]

Yeah manual in gridlock requires so much more work than automatic, and inexperience can be dangerous if stopped uphill at a traffic light or something. I'd prefer manual but the lazyness in me likes automatic.

though it's definitely more fun and engaging driving stick

 

[day-day]

I can't drive a manual. Too much moving the gears for me. I'll stick with my moms automatic car, since I don't have my own.

 

[Handorin]

Depends where you drive. It's only 4-5 shifts up. Maybe down shifts, but you usual stop before you would need to.

 

[day-day]

I should get my mom to teach me how to drive a manual but I think she'll rather me stick with automatic until I'm a better driver.

 

[Rici]

Manual all the way!

Automatic is booooooooring. You can't burn rubber with an automatic! And you can't drift!
Also, just the feeling of accelerating really fast and doing really quick gear shifts is awesome. Especially when your 'racing' someone to the next traffic light and knowing that you shifted better than he/she did.

Also, right-handed cars are awesome too, but that may be because I haven't driven in them too much yet.

 

[D13]

I like my automatic and I can't drive a manual. So yeah.

 

[Scott!]

I've been driving for ~5 years, always on automatic, so that's what I'm used to. I don't need it to feel fast or exciting. It's about getting places.

 

[Jane]

manual! currently im stuck with an automatic but soon the stick will come back to me!

standard is just so much more fun to drive, it keeps you engaged! not to mention drifting (:

 

[cutter]

I like manual.

I used to blow so much at driving with it a long time ago, but now it's like riding a bike. Once you learn how to drive a stickshift, there's no turning back .

 

[Mota]

Manual is definitely better for drifting and racing, but I'll probably buy an auto, easier to drive.

 

[Peeze]

i drive an automatic with paddle shifters. So I'm a poser. my next car will definitely be manual though.

 

[Blazey]

I drive an auto and have no interest in ever learning a manual. Partly because I don't think I'll ever need to, partly because I'm lazy, mostly out of spite. Spite for who? For the kind of people who insist that manual is the only way to drive and that everyone should drive manual all the time. Oh my god, there are no words to describe how much I hate those people. I don't want to go super fast. I don't want to drift. I don't want to rip the tread off my tires. What I do want is to get to work, to get to my girlfriend's house. I want to drive through the city without feeling like I walked through it.

Oh, btw, I don't think anyone in this thread is like that =]. The people I'm talking about are way, WAY arrogant about it.

 

[gm jack]

Manual is not difficult at all. Once you get it down, you do not need to think about it. However, it gives a bit more control and you can make it much more fuel efficient, on top of being able to do the awesome stuff better.

 

[Jane]

i drive an automatic with paddle shifters. So I'm a poser. my next car will definitely be manual though.

hey paddle shifters are still fun! its like half automatic half standard lol

 

[Handorin]

I want to drive through the city without feeling like I walked through it.

This. That's one of the main problems I have with it. I just went to Chicago... and man... it was horrible. Luckily I don't live in the city.

Since I'm a pizza delivery guy, I sometimes have to call people on the road. It is REALLY hard to shift and talk at the same time. That's why when I bought my stereo, I got one that had bluetooth so I can talk/hear over the stereo. =)


Oh, and hardly anyone I know drives it. So when we took the 9 hour drive to Chicago, I did it all.

 

[StinkomanFan]

Neither, I can't drive

 

[Lythium]

I tried to learn on manual, but after stalling about forty times, my mom nearly had an aneurysm because she just had the transmission fixed. It's not that I couldn't shift, I just couldn't make the car run smoothly and shift at the same time.

Anyway, that car soon died, and we got an automatic. So, I learned on an automatic.

 

[mzink*]

Automatic has always been fine for me. I spend quite a bit of time on the road. I love long road trips.