Automatic or Manual, your opinion

bluedove

I’m looking at buying an automatic car, preferably people carrier, i never owned an automatic car before, but had the opportunity of using my mum’s to travel from Norfolk to Cornwall last year and Norfolk to Surrey recently.
Most people reckon that it costs more in maintenance and petrol compared to manual engine though my mum thinks is still same as she has used manual before changing to automatic.
I’m looking for opinions from people who have used both regarding which one is preferable please.
Cheers.

tomstickland

More losses in the transmission means worse fuel consumption.

emmell

I would say it depends on the type of car. Larger cars I prefer auto, better hill starts, easier parking. My husband wouldn't have anything but auto, my son is better with an auto (he used to wear clutches out), but I'm quite happy with my manual mini. The only thing I wouldn't consider is those clutchless manuals or mmt's or whatever else they call them.
I like driving both manual and auto but you don't have to be as agile with your feet in an auto.
ML.

MX5huggy

For me it depends on the type of driving if its stop start rush hour driving mainly then auto. if its open road the manual.

hothothot_3

having driven a manual car for 10 years, and just recently bought my first automatic - I dont think I ever want to go back!

fuel consumption is fine, and is far more reliant on driving style and also how good your engine is designed, than it is transmission.

manual may give you more control, but in my automatic I also have sports mode, which basically means it automatically takes longer to change gears, therefore giving more power (great for overtaking).

harveybobbles

Auto people carriers will be quite thirsty. I remember we had a Sharan 2.0 Auto at work and that only used to do 20-22mpg. Wasnt as bad as the Grand Voyager 3.3 which used to do 16mpg...

AdrianHi

The problem with answering this question is that it depends completely on whoes automatic gearbox your talking about.

As said earlier in the thread, most MMT / clutchless manual gearboxes are not that great, but the VW group (VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat) do something called a DSG gearbox which is essentially clutchless manual which is fantastic and matches or beats a manual gearbox for fuel.

Some of the latest automatic gearboxes are very good and also manage to match or beat the manual gearbox on fuel and performance.

You need to look at the figures and test drive the specific car your interested in and not discount all automatics if you try one you don't like.

Atasas

Agree with most posters!
The better/bigger car- auto!
the smaller/less refined- manual
My experiences: Mercedes e220- Manual OK, Auto- superb; Saab 93 manual- OK, Saab 9-5 auto- awesome!, Renault megane estate manual- OK, renault megane coupe auto- undrivable nonsense!

Mark_Hewitt

It depends what you want from a car. If it's just A to B then Auto is fine. Personally I like driving down country roads and changing gear, but if I had to switch to an auto, I wouldn't miss it much.

Certainly in stop start traffic an auto is *much* better.

I'm used to driving manuals so the few times I've driven an auto it's quite a strange experience because there are so many things that you don't need to think about!

bluedove

I'm looking at buying a Hyundai Matrix 1.6 ltr engine, cos of kids and tight budget.

movilogo

If you buy an auto, go for conventional automatic and not the automated manual (or DSG/tiptronic etc. as different folks call them). They are expensive to fix if broken (which they often do).