Why choose to drive manual? :)

Iceweasel

There is still the idea that autos are for folks who have difficulty with managing a manual correctly / find gear changing difficult / dont particularly enjoy driving / or (my favourite) they think autos are for the elderly.

One person even said to me they didn't think they were ready for an auto yet.

Manual boxes are actually getting scarcer on performance cars.

Ferrari don't offer manual boxes any more and IIRC the last time they did - out of 260 cars sold in the UK only one was a manual.

There is a story that Eric Clapton's car had a specially commissioned one-off manual box - but that possibly isn't true.

No one makes powerful sportscars with manual boxes anymore (I can't think of one anyway) and someone said if they did it would be like Lady Gaga's releasing her next album on a cassette.

duchy

Most people drive manuals because they have better availability and choice in the second-hand market- after all only people who lease cars and those who don't mind massive depreciation get brand new as a rule.

I've driven hire cars that are automatic but always owned cars with gears. If the perfect car came along secondhand and it happened to be automatic it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

I always think it would be crazy to learn in an automatic as it limits your choice if you take a test in an automatic as your licence is restricted. My ex MIL couldn't get on with changing gear so took a test in an automatic and was then left with no choice - Personally I'd rather have the choice.

BillJones

motorguy wrote: »

Although well suited to large cars, autos arent terribly well suited to smaller engined vehicles. They can be clunky and not very intuitive.

It depends what car and which gearbox, really. A little 911 with a PDK 'box is a pretty nice combination.

Iceweasel

duchy wrote: »

Most people drive manuals because they have better availability and choice in the second-hand market- after all only people who lease cars and those who don't mind massive depreciation get brand new as a rule.

I've driven hire cars that are automatic but always owned cars with gears. If the perfect car came along secondhand and it happened to be automatic it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

I always think it would be crazy to learn in an automatic as it limits your choice if you take a test in an automatic as your licence is restricted. My ex LIL couldn't get on with changing gear so took a test in an automatic and was then left with no choice - Personally I'd rather have the choice.

I agree completely about learning to drive in a manual.

But your comment about chice in the 2nd hand market is not always true.

The BMW, M-Benz and Audi forums are full of folks complaining that it's difficult to find some particular models with a manual box as the new buyers predominantly choose the auto option.

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Mercedes are more or less designed around auto boxes and sell far more autos than manuals - and if you have driven a Merc manual (like my Vito) you have to be a fan to tolerate the nonsense required to use the foot operated handbrake. Generally, Mercs get poor reviews on their manual gearboxes, but Merc owners generally don't care about those reviews as they just take the auto.

I've driven autos for years, though still drive manuals. In heavy traffic, changing gear is a pain, on the motorway who changes gear anyhow, so most people don't really get to drive with much fun use of the gearbox anyhow.

I remember driving a 1.0 Metro auto. It probably had a 0-60 of about 23 seconds, and as it was in the days of manual chokes it was quite possible to stall it.

I've driven one of the semi-auto A class Mercs of around 15 years ago, that was the worst of both worlds - having to prod the gear, and having the vague acceleration of a half-heartedly engaging clutch.

Since then, I've had an auto Cavalier 1.8iL - adequate and reasonable box with a sport button to help it out when stressed, a Ford Explorer (big sloppy American box) and an old C240 with a 5 speed auto (+ 2 reverse gears!). The Merc had a winter setting which stopped it using first gear and kept revs low. It had an adaptive box, but if you got stuck in a long queue for ages it did go to sleep and was reluctant to kick down when you finally got a chance to get going, and you had to anticipate to accelerate, wind it up either by manually changing down, or pressing the accelerator and waiting.

On the other hand, current Merc has a 7 speed auto, flappy paddles where you can hold the change down and it will jump straight to the best gear for acceleration or engine braking down hill, it integrates with the speed limiter and cruise control, engine restart system and braking system so it can hold any speed set. The changes are just about imperceptible and when you suddenly realise you didn't have all the time in the world for the overtake all you do is press your foot and the car will give you the optimum acceleration the car can give. There is a load of stuff you just can't do with a manual box. You can supposedly drive it as a manual change, but it is just too much like hard work in comparison to put it in D and go. No lag or anything, and very smooth pull away.

Autos fit very well with diesels too.

So I drive autos because I want to think about where I am going and what is going on, and I can trust the car to be in the right gear at the right time. On the Merc, the driver assistance that is enabled through having an auto is all good stuff that helps, so basically driving is as simple as looking where you are going, deciding how fast to go and pointing in the right direction.

I've also been driven by so many drivers who don't know how to use a gearbox, the super-economy diesel drivers who think that grinding along at 800 revs in any gear is good driving; de-clutching round corners; inability to chose the right gear; that it is clear to me that "being in control" is a fantasy for most drivers of manuals.

In terms of reliability, the only problem I've had on an auto box is losing a cooling pipe so it lost fluid and got a box of neutrals. Filled up again and it was still going at 150000 miles. I think there might have been an oil change at some point in the car's history, but autos are pretty much maintenance free in my experience.

1886

Four reasons for me

1. takes the enjoyment out of driving
2. harder to sell on, autos are less popular
3. no confidence in the gearboxes. I've driven autos before and when I go to overtake there's always a massive lag and I end up wondering if anything is ever going to happen, does'nt inspire confidence. Maybe it would be better in an RS6 etc.
4. I'm not lazy and American

Twiggy_34

For me, much like another poster here, it's all about control. I regularly have this debate with my other half who always chooses automatics for his car, whereas I have always chosen manual. I simply like being able to change gear and having something to do!

However, I have only ever driven older automatic cars (13yo or more) and imagine newer automatics are even nicer. I fully appreciate the general benefits, especially WRT economic driving with newer models. In particular I do like driving automatics in unknown, busy, area's, as they take away an element of stress leaving you free to focus on getting the correct lane, following road signs etc. I'll still favour manual's for a while longer but would be more willing to consider an automatic than I was even just a couple of years ago!

DUTR

1886 wrote: »

Four reasons for me

1. takes the enjoyment out of driving
2. harder to sell on, autos are less popular
3. no confidence in the gearboxes. I've driven autos before and when I go to overtake there's always a massive lag and I end up wondering if anything is ever going to happen, does'nt inspire confidence. Maybe it would be better in an RS6 etc.
4. I'm not lazy and American

1) That's the car not the gearbox
2) Probably back in the day
3) Probably the old technology boxes
4) Aren't the F1 cars auto?

tberry6686

I've been driving auto's for a few years due to a knee injury that means long runs in manuals are uncomfortable/painful.

Get the right car with an auto box and they are as much fun as a manual, not quite as good on snow and ice but put winter tyres on and they will beat any car on summer tyres.

They are more suited to bigger engined cars than crappy litlle euroboxes.

Auto's are finally getting rid of the reputation they have been carrying since the sixties/seventies.

wba31

After spending time with friends in the US in 2012 who all had autos, I have come to the realisation that my next car will be an auto. I changed cars last year and for some reason didnt consider it, but now i commute into birmingham every day, an auto would be much better in traffic (I imagine...)

It amazes me that the US is all about autos yet we are all about manuals...