Manual or Auto. What's your choice?

[valo403]

I don't care if it's more fun, economic, blah blah blah...

Using one foot and one hand is a more efficient use of my resources.

[arsenal]

Standard FTW for sure.
I hate that you can't rent a car in north america with a manual gear box. It sucks.
All my vehicles will be manual. Except those flappy paddles might be kind of fun.

[Buff]

I've never had a chance to learn manual. Well, not really. I've only had one friend who drove manual, and one night when out on the town this happened:

Friend: Do you know how to drive a manual?
Me: No
Friend: You're learning tonight, I'm drunk
Me: umm. ok.

So there I was driving manual, with him in the passenger seat, and his drunk girlfriend sitting on his lap as they make out. I should also mention that I only had my learners at the time. Thankfully it was 3:00am when we were driving because I stalled the car 3 or 4 times in the middle of a busy intersection. We drove to his place, I stalled about 3 feet away from the sidewalk and he said not to worry about it, he'll fix it. So i got out and walked home (half a block away). The next day the car was parked 4 feet away from the curb and as crooked as heck, and my hungover friend was getting an earful from his parents for driving drunk. They didn't believe that I drove after seeing his park job.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by valo403

I don't care if it's more fun, economic, blah blah blah...

Using one foot and one hand is a more efficient use of my resources.

Preserving resources so you can get those important texts and phone calls out while tapping your free foot to the radio? Maybe I should switch my vote.

[Jimmy Stang]

Both of my cars are manual. When my wife (girlfriend at the time) bought her first car, her Dad and I pushed her to get a manual. She did, but she was in tears the first couple of times that she drove it because she kept stalling, but now would never go back to automatic. Tough love.

I don't find traffic or anything about driving a manual annoying. I actually don't even realize that I'm shifting gears. If I need to take a sip of coffee, it is easy enough to do it between gears. It's not like you spend ALL of your time shifting. And when I'm sitting in traffic I just put it in neutral and keep one foot on the brake, just like an automatic driver would.

I can also see it from the perspective of the automatic fans, but for me, I don't find shifting and whatnot an inconvenience because it is pretty much done subconsciously.

[DrJ]

I prefer driving manual but the parental units have automatics so that's what I roll with.

[Locke]

Meh, I take both. My summer car is a stick, and my daily is an auto. I much rather have the auto for driving in the winter when you just want to get there and driving just isnt much fun, period as well as towing and other utility driving.

In the summer when you can actually enjoy driving your car then I've got a manual.

I have to say though, that my summer car is fun to drive because its a high HP Mustang whereas my daily is a Jeep, I dont find that any old beater is particularly fun just because its a manual.

[4X4]

After driving manual for 5 years, a few years ago I bought an auto because my job required lots of driving, lots of talking on the phone, and lots of taking notes while driving.
4 years I drove that truck, and while I loved the hell out of it, I really, really missed the manual.
Last year I bought my dream truck and got the 6 speed manual. My dad though I was crazy and was sure that I'd be sick of it within a month or two. To this day, every time he's in my truck, he still asks whether I'm sick of it yet. Nope. I'm a driver. I love driving. I hate being in the passenger seat. Driving is fun to me. On road, off road, daytime night time. I'm always willing to help someone out by driving them somewhere. I look forward to driving my truck and as I walk up to it in the parking lot, I'm admiring how sexy it is. I know that sounds corny, but it's true. I just love driving and I love my truck. Just this past weekend I burned down to Koocanusa for a one night camping trip, and cruising down the highway and then dropping a gear to blast by some slowpoke is how I get my kicks.

Some people like video games, some people like collecting stamps, I like driving. Gotta be manual.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

What I find essential when teaching some one to drive a manual transmission, is the friction point. Once the concept of the friction point, the point where the clutch engages the flywheel, the rest is gravy. Gear selection etc, is the easy part, knowing exactly when the clutch engages is the tough part.

I can no longer use a manual, spinal cord injury left me with little use of my left leg, I can still use my right leg enough to drive an auto without hand controls. I still own a car with a manual transmission, been stored for 11 years. Once I get the resources together I will be converting the brake and accelerator to hand controls and the clutch to the right side where the accelerator currently resides. It's a sports car and it would be a real disservice for it to be an automatic.

If your car is a daily driver, I would recommend an auto. If your car is a sports car, manual.

[an_album_cover]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

...
If your car is a daily driver, I would recommend an auto. If your car is a sports car, manual.

And what if your daily driver IS a sports car?

[yads]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Since when? Almost every manual transmission car out there has quicker 0-60mph numbers then then auto counterpart.

I guess to each his own, but to me being more in tune with my car, and having control of it is pretty fun. Being able to shift down to get more power, coast down a hill, or balance at a stop-light....all that stuff is pretty enjoyable for me.

You can do all of those except the balancing one with an automatic. How is balancing enjoyable? The few times I've driven a manual that was the most annoying part.

[yads]

Billy Brown: Is this a shifter car? I cannot drive a shifter car, alright, so we got a little situation here. I can't drive these kinda cars! What the f#&! is goin' on! You think that's funny? Would you like to know, smartass? Would you like to know why I can't drive this kinda car? I'll tell you why, I'm used to *luxury* cars. Have you ever heard of a luxury car? You know what luxury means? Ever heard of Cadillac, Cadillac Eldorado? That's what I drive. I drive cars that *shift* themselves.

[Suzles]

I'm English and the normal over there is to drive a manual car. It's what I drove for 33 years - now I am here I have an automatic as there didn't seem to be many manuals available in the vehicle I chose. Can I ask, do you take different driving tests here in Canada if you drive a manual or an automatic? In England if you take a test in a manual car you can drive both manual and automatic - if you take a test in an automatic that is all you are licensed for.

[laingmui]

Originally Posted by an_album_cover

And what if your daily driver IS a sports car?

I think it depends on the car as well.
If its a sports car... it's gotta ba manual
I drive a BMW 1-series and I think getting a BMW in automatic is a sin.

[Sliver]

One license is good for auto or manual here, even if you take your test in an auto.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by yads

How is balancing enjoyable? The few times I've driven a manual that was the most annoying part.

It's fine, you're just not the right type of person for it.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by laingmui

I drive a BMW 1-series and I think getting a BMW in automatic is a sin.

The worst is when you see a Porsche.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Suzles

Can I ask, do you take different driving tests here in Canada if you drive a manual or an automatic? In England if you take a test in a manual car you can drive both manual and automatic - if you take a test in an automatic that is all you are licensed for.

My parents used to have different tests, but not any more. This came up when I was 17 and was buying a car with a manual transmission- my mom didn't believe it at first.

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The worst is when you see a Porsche.

Or any vehicle that is over $70k.
And especially with the updated muscles cars. Some of those I don't think you even have the option of getting it in a manual.
Damn lazy drivers..

[The Yen Man]

I only learned how to drive manual a few years ago, when I purchased my first manual car. I must admit, for the first couple of weeks, I HATED it. I regretted buying manual and cursed my decision daily. I got freaked out on hills, I was scared of constantly stalling, or it lurching forward if I let go the clutch too quick, and I was super aware of my surroundings making sure I don't hold up traffic with my noob driving. But gradually, before I even noticed, I found myself getting the hang of it, and starting to enjoy driving again. Now I absolutely love manual more than auto. It's my daily driver, so I use it for stop and go traffic as well, but I honestly don't really mind it. Driving manual has almost become second nature to me now, and it is way more fun than auto.