Bink

What do you guys drive, an auto or a manual?

I'm just curious as a lot of my friends and some co workers that have moved across here are all buying (or have bought) manuals? I don't get it - we all live in Houston and there are no hills to speak of and no real corners, but there are lots of traffic jams.

I for one drive an automatic, and failing buying an out and out sports car will continue to do so. Sitting in traffic with my foot on the clutch the entire time isn't my idea of fun...!

Anyway, I'm just curious as to what all your thoughts are having travelled from a predominately manual car country to one where automatics are the norm?

It did take a bit of getting used to for me to drive an auto, I'll admit. I nearly crashed the first time I drove one as I was used to assisting my brakes with the gearbox and that doesn't happen in a auto...

Scouse Express

I have an auto truck. The ability to sell or trade-in is far greater than a manual, as many people do not have the ability to drive one.


Jim.

fatbrit

I hate automatics.

- changes down gear unnecessarily when going up a short rise on the freeway with cruise control set.
- never changes up gear at the right time when accelerating up a freeway ramp.
- can't depend on it to stay in the same gear when cornering hard.
- can't push start an automatic when you have a flat battery.
- less reliable than a manual.

SultanOfSwing

I have an automatic because I inherited it from my wife when she got a new car.

I'd prefer manual though, I still drive with my hand on the gear stick as if I'm expecting to have to change. I don't really feel like I'm driving with automatic, more like I'm playing a driving game.

Jerseygirl

I love automatic cars. Had automatics for years in the UK before we moved here. Most of the people who used to tell me that they would never have an automatic car are now driving autos.

SultanOfSwing

My mum is, but that's because she has dodgy knees now. I keep goading my wife that she now has no excuse to not try driving when we go back over there

Bink

I hear you, and I do put my wifes car into it's semi-manual mode when I drive it on my own, but given how much time I seem to spend in traffic jams I wouldn't want to have a manual car.

The semi-manual modes pretty much suck though. We have one in the Elantra and it's okay most of the time but it will refuse to change up or down occassionally or sometimes it will change unecessarily when it feels that it needs to, even though it's not redlining and I know I have another corner to take in 15 feet and there's no point changing...

SultanOfSwing

I'm lucky enough to be travelling the opposite direction to the worst of the traffic so I'd be able to enjoy a manual gearbox. Maybe for my next car I'll get one but I plan to run the one I have for a few more years since we no longer have a payment on it

sir_eccles

I've been contemplating a new car recently. Actually been quite intrigued by the latest Subaru Impreza. Originally I had been thinking it would be nice to get a manual (which is their standard) then realizing most of my Phoenix driving in town is stop start I looked at their auto. It's a CVT which at one of the trim levels comes with paddle shifters which convert it to a six speed.

I haven't actually test driven one yet so I've no idea what it's like. But official numbers actually say the CVT gets an extra mile to the gal over the manual which is unusual for autos.

Rete

Canadian hubby will only purchase for his personal use a manual transmission. While I can drive both, having owned both, prefer the automatic because of where I live. Stop and go traffic was a pain with a manual.

My oldest daughter bought a manual years and years ago and still has the car today and still drives the manual.

Bink

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of going against traffic. I chose to live in a nicer area with more space further from work, which means I pay the price having ~50 mile round trip each day. Actually it's not too bad most of the time as long as I get my lazy arse out of bed to miss the rush hour, then it's only 25 mins each way, which is fine.

I'm on an 8 yr plan with mine; pay it off in 3, have 5 years no payments, which will be nice.
I could only justify a manual as a 3rd car purely for the driving pleasure at the weekends, and there's no way I can justify having a 3rd car so that's out the window for maybe 20 years or so.

SultanOfSwing

I got lucky on both counts (though we're only paying ours off a year early).

ChocolateBabz

Automatic, it's one less thing to think about while dealing with Houston traffic.

Nutek

We have an auto in our Mini as it helps with the pain my wife gets in her knees.

I have a manual in my Miata though, and wouldnt change it to an auto for anything. Too much fun swapping cogs.

tonrob

We have one of each. Jeep Grand Cherokee (automatic) and a VW Jetta Sportswagen (manual).