View Poll Results: What do you drive?
All my vehicles are automatic
44
63.77%
All my vehicles have manual (stick) transmission
10
14.49%
I have both manual and automatic vehicles
15
21.74%
Voters: 69. You may not vote on this poll
Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
Mar 22nd 2007, 1:06 pm
#48
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: South Florida
Posts: 2,068
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
I know this has been covered in the past, but I find the longer I stay in The States the more my opinions change (read: become more American!)
When I first got here (11 years ago) I was a firm believer in manual transmission cars. I only drove manuals in the UK, liked more control over the vehicle and actively looked for the gear shift when buying a car.
Then about four years ago, when we were looking to replace my wife's car, the model we settled on only came in automatic. We were hesitant, but decided to give it a go - and it did have the "sportstronics" automatic gearshift, if we ever felt the need to shift.
Slowly I got used to the automatic transmission, especially when stuck in traffic. Eventually I preferred to drive the automatic car over the manual car. Then when it was time to buy a new car for me - I bought an automatic car too!
So, what do you drive? Automatic, manual or both?
When I first got here (11 years ago) I was a firm believer in manual transmission cars. I only drove manuals in the UK, liked more control over the vehicle and actively looked for the gear shift when buying a car.
Then about four years ago, when we were looking to replace my wife's car, the model we settled on only came in automatic. We were hesitant, but decided to give it a go - and it did have the "sportstronics" automatic gearshift, if we ever felt the need to shift.
Slowly I got used to the automatic transmission, especially when stuck in traffic. Eventually I preferred to drive the automatic car over the manual car. Then when it was time to buy a new car for me - I bought an automatic car too!
So, what do you drive? Automatic, manual or both?
My Honda rarely has a problem up hills and kicks down/accelerates really fast :-)
Iron-bru: I do like your ever-changing icons btw
Mar 22nd 2007, 1:43 pm
#50
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
All depends on how you drive. The way I drive I probably get less mpg than the auto version of my car. But on the other side, I can easily coast in my car so I make some of that loss up. Also, I've never understood the logic in an automatic being better in traffic, I found it to be the complete opposite.
Mar 22nd 2007, 3:22 pm
#51
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: The Big Apple
Posts: 1,834
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
Cos you dont have to keep riding the clutch, and in traffic you dont need the extra control - what is the benefit of manual in traffic (i am assuming stop start traffic BTW)?
Mar 22nd 2007, 3:33 pm
#52
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
The traffic lights take a long time to change here and I put the car in neutral and put the handbrake on. It's really hilly here and I have become very good at hill starts but rather that than burn out the clutch.
Mar 22nd 2007, 3:56 pm
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
In an automatic you still have to 'ride' the break. Most of the time when I drove an automatic in stop and go you needed to get off the break and then get on the gas, it wouldn't kick in right away so you'd press a little more, then you jump forward a bit and have to get on the break again because the car in front had stopped in an equally sudden way. In a manual I find none of that, generally I don't use the break very often in stop and go, just bring the clutch up a bit to get moving and then back to neutral. Also, if you are on a downhill slope you can just whack it in neutral and either use the hand break or foot break to move. Also, well for my car anyway, you can go down to almost stopped speeds in 1st so a light tap on the gas is all you need to get going.
Mar 22nd 2007, 4:33 pm
#54
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
In an automatic you still have to 'ride' the break. Most of the time when I drove an automatic in stop and go you needed to get off the break and then get on the gas, it wouldn't kick in right away so you'd press a little more, then you jump forward a bit and have to get on the break again because the car in front had stopped in an equally sudden way. In a manual I find none of that, generally I don't use the break very often in stop and go, just bring the clutch up a bit to get moving and then back to neutral. Also, if you are on a downhill slope you can just whack it in neutral and either use the hand break or foot break to move. Also, well for my car anyway, you can go down to almost stopped speeds in 1st so a light tap on the gas is all you need to get going.
Mar 22nd 2007, 4:42 pm
#55
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Avon Lake, OH
Posts: 5,270
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
Spelling was never my strong point.
Mar 22nd 2007, 7:28 pm
#56
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Bay Area, from Plymouth UK
Posts: 317
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
I'm a convert to automatics. Never really experienced them in the UK because they weren't widespread.
In slow moving traffic I often move the shifter from 'D' into '2' or '1', so that gets around most of Duncan's comments. I only have to press the brake when I need to stop.
And when I'm at a red traffic light I'll move the shifter from 'D' into 'N' and put on the handbrake. No need to sit there and needlessly apply pressure on the foot brake.
The only thing I don't like is driving up steep hills in the wife's car with its hand brake you apply/release with your foot. That's scary! Much prefer my car which has a proper handbrake - but its still an auto box.
In slow moving traffic I often move the shifter from 'D' into '2' or '1', so that gets around most of Duncan's comments. I only have to press the brake when I need to stop.
And when I'm at a red traffic light I'll move the shifter from 'D' into 'N' and put on the handbrake. No need to sit there and needlessly apply pressure on the foot brake.
The only thing I don't like is driving up steep hills in the wife's car with its hand brake you apply/release with your foot. That's scary! Much prefer my car which has a proper handbrake - but its still an auto box.
Mar 22nd 2007, 7:33 pm
#57
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Automatic or Manual (Stick Shift)
I'm a convert to automatics. Never really experienced them in the UK because they weren't widespread.
In slow moving traffic I often move the shifter from 'D' into '2' or '1', so that gets around most of Duncan's comments. I only have to press the brake when I need to stop.
And when I'm at a red traffic light I'll move the shifter from 'D' into 'N' and put on the handbrake. No need to sit there and needlessly apply pressure on the foot brake.
The only thing I don't like is driving up steep hills in the wife's car with its hand brake you apply/release with your foot. That's scary! Much prefer my car which has a proper handbrake - but its still an auto box.
In slow moving traffic I often move the shifter from 'D' into '2' or '1', so that gets around most of Duncan's comments. I only have to press the brake when I need to stop.
And when I'm at a red traffic light I'll move the shifter from 'D' into 'N' and put on the handbrake. No need to sit there and needlessly apply pressure on the foot brake.
The only thing I don't like is driving up steep hills in the wife's car with its hand brake you apply/release with your foot. That's scary! Much prefer my car which has a proper handbrake - but its still an auto box.
