Manual v Automatic


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I've drove automatics since 2010 & wouldn't voluntary go back to a manual. I'd always had manuals because they were cheaper but my wife developed arthritis in her left knee so we went automatic. We're now on our 2'nd Hyundai i10 automatic & very happy with it. Used to drive in-laws automatic Hyundai Santa Fe & Citroen C4 Picasso, most of the time towing a caravan...

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Our main use car has an automatic electric handbrake, put the auto gearbox in park and on comes the handbrake, simples. The only trouble is that our other car has a "manual" handbrake and sometim

I've got 2 cars, both Auto, neither with flappy paddles tho'..

Both do have manual up / down shift option.

I've had 3 others in previous years out of a total of 21 or so cars /van.

 

Modern autos are as if not more fuel efficient compared to manual.

Partly because of the number of gears 6,7,8,9 or 10, partly because they are computer controlled.

 

If new combustion engined cars were going to be around in the future they would all have been auto's.

As they'll all be electric they don't need gears, except maybe commercials

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I still prefer manuals, a manual transmission requires little maintenance and can outlast the car itself, clutches, depends on the driver, can outlast a torque convertor by many miles, manual transmissions are much cheaper to rebuild should it need it, whereas an auto transmission costs in excess of $1500 to overhaul and is an expert technicians job. I could get more mpg from my old truck with a manual transmission and 5.7 litre engine than I can with my present auto truck with a 5.3 litre V8 engine. It does have some good points that the old truck didn't have, hill start assist, even without it, it's much easier hill starting than a manual, not that I found it difficult, just hard on the clutch.

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Never, ever had a problem with an auto box in 40+ plus years of driving them. I have had a couple of clutch failures on manuals. I always change our cars well before they become unreliable as living where we we do, with no bus or easily accessible train service, a reliable car is essential.

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Finding a manual this side of the pond is like looking for hens teeth.

The "Big Three" stopped making them several years back, and it's only imported cars/trucks that have manuals now.

It wasn't the American buyer that changed, we were dictated to by government and the auto makers.

Even the big semi tractor makers are changing to auto transmissions, some truckers hate them, takes a lot of experience to back an auto tractor trailer into a loading dock, most on the first attempt with an auto run out of compressed air and have to wait until they build air pressure up before the brakes unlock.

Trucks also have manual select over ride for taking their rigs down steep grades in the right gear.

I've been driving an auto pick up for just over a year now, one thing I do like is I can back a trailer much easier in an auto, than I can a manual, but beyond that, give me five on the floor and a clutch.

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Please forgive my ignorance, but what is a 'flappy paddle'? Never having owned an auto , I have no idea. Thank you someone, in anticipation.

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Under the steering wheel are two 'paddles', one each side. You flick them up towards you, ( not both together!) one changes gears up, the other ...

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I don't have those, I have to select "M" for manual on the column shift, then use the - or + buttons to select the gears manually.

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I’ve never actually owned an auto but driven quite a few. I was rather against them, a trend I inherited from my dad as he was dead against them saying they were less economical and were heavy on brakes as there was no engine braking. Nowadays though with 6 plus speed autos with computer control they are often the more economical choice. My son and daughter in law both have autos which are delightful to drive. 

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There are, or used to be, ideas that automatics are slow and thirsty to drive. Below is a picture of my dash. This is on the M1 with myself and a passenger plus two heavy suitcases. The car weighs a tad over two tonnes and is a three litre turbo diesel. (photo taken by passenger).

75jsocT.jpg

 

The second picture shows the same journey on the way back sans passenger and luggage. Picture taken in services.

 

wKKtxFe.jpg

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It's an S350 Bluetec. When I bought it I virtually told the salesman he was telling porkies about the fuel economy...…….  sorry mate

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There was a limited edition of the Lincoln Continental Mk7 produced in the 1980's that had a BMW turbo charged diesel engine, it was supposed to get around 50mpg (US that is), had plenty of torque for towing, but was supposed to be a bit sluggish, it was an automatic.

 

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4 hours ago, Brew said:

There are, or used to be, ideas that automatics are slow and thirsty to drive.

They were thirsty compared to a manual. Generally only 3 gears and not necessarily selected at the optimal moment. I think my sons Honda is a 6 speed and auto and according to the published government economy figures is the most economical in the range including the manual geared models.

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My pickup has six, starts in 2nd though. It's also 4x4 and has hi and lo range.

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I drove a few different automatics in the US 25 or so years ago now. Basic mid size rental cars with 3 speed automatic and petrol engine. Very easy and pleasant to drive until we had four people in with luggage in the boot/trunk going up a long drag into the mountains at the then max speed limit of 55 mph caused the box to continuously hunt between 2 and 3. I had to settle for 50 mph in 2nd for a comfortable ride. 

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I don't think any 3 speed autos are made anymore, as I said previously, mines a six speed, wife's old truck was five speed, not sure what her Toyota Rav4 has.

When we first came over her in 89, we bought a Subaru station wagon as we found them perfect in Oz. This one had A/C, from a standing hill start with the A/C running, it struggled, and that was a manual.

I'd imagine it would have lost some more power had it been an auto, with the hydraulic pump in the transmission.

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My Hyundai i10 has 4 gears, you can change manually if you want & also keep it in a low gear for long downhills by moving the shift lever to the right when in drive. I just leave it in drive most of the time unless going down long hills like that one going into Whitby through Sleights...

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17 minutes ago, colly0410 said:

I got in my car, put it in drive, released handbrake, pressed the accelerator & nothing happened = I hadn't started the engine. I'm sure I'm going daft, lol... 

 

Well it wouldn't be daft if it was an Electric car..but I'm guessing it's not

 

 

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I am even dafter, keyless entry so keys in pocket, all I have to do is get in the car press the start button into drive and off I go. Arrived ok into park, handbrake goes on automatically get out of the car and touch the door handle, its supposed to lock automatically. It will not, damn another problem, finally sort it out I forgot to press the start button to stop the engine, sod this new technology , bring back the original Minis with proper keys.  Its my age you see.

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