Why choose to drive manual? :)

Rolandtheroadie

Had a 1985 SD1 around 9 years ago and a 1991 Rangerover about 7 years ago. Both autos, both great.
In fact all my autos (currently a 20 year old Merc) have been fine with no issues and all bought for under £650.

I like them, and through running them, would have no issues buying another one (all bought for what they were, not the box).

londonTiger

notanewuser wrote: »

Their fuel costs are about a third of ours...............

I dont think they drive autos for fuel economy, they drive autos because they drive longer distances. Some places like LA are spread out far and wide and you have to have a car to drive long distances to get anywhere.

fivetide

DUTR wrote: »

So they have an auto clutch.

These can be very expensive to run too. The high powered stuff seems to eat clutches or have issues. Nissan GTR for example.

londonTiger

fivetide wrote: »

These can be very expensive to run too. The high powered stuff seems to eat clutches or have issues. Nissan GTR for example.

is that the car with launch control but if you use the launch control you void your warranty?

slip.digby

because when learning to drive, i had a car , it was a lil 1.1 punto, - manual.
manuals more choice of them
cheaper to fix
plus do we want to be like the yanks , and dont know how to drive a "stick shift"
most manuals work the same way, so can jump in most and drive them,
just better

rev_henry

I've recently bought an automatic, having lusted after one for a year or so. I love it and will not be returning to manual anytime soon. But then I don't particularly care about fuel economy as I don't really need to drive very often,

trailingspouse

I never liked automatics (had an unfortunate incident years and years ago), enjoyed being 'in control', enjoyed the level of skill needed to drive a stick shift (would always recommend anyone to learn to drive in a manual). However - OH decided to change his car, and they only did the one he wanted in an automatic. So, automatic it was. But I was adamant that I would keep my manual.

Then he went to work abroad for 4 months, leaving me with 2 cars. Did I continue to use my car? Did I heck. I've driven a gazillion cars over the years, and his (3 litre Jaguar XF premium sport) is the easiest and most responsive car I've ever driven. Have just chopped my manual in for the 2.7 litre XF (also auto). Not quite so quick from a standing start - but in sport mode there's really not a lot in it.

I haven't driven either of them in snow - it wouldn't be possible to 'rock' an automatic like you can a manual to get out of a hole, but I'm open to ideas on that one. Maybe you could do it with the paddle shift?

jackieb

trailingspouse wrote: »

I never liked automatics (had an unfortunate incident years and years ago), enjoyed being 'in control', enjoyed the level of skill needed to drive a stick shift (would always recommend anyone to learn to drive in a manual). However - OH decided to change his car, and they only did the one he wanted in an automatic. So, automatic it was. But I was adamant that I would keep my manual.

Then he went to work abroad for 4 months, leaving me with 2 cars. Did I continue to use my car? Did I heck. I've driven a gazillion cars over the years, and his (3 litre Jaguar XF premium sport) is the easiest and most responsive car I've ever driven. Have just chopped my manual in for the 2.7 litre XF (also auto). Not quite so quick from a standing start - but in sport mode there's really not a lot in it.

I haven't driven either of them in snow - it wouldn't be possible to 'rock' an automatic like you can a manual to get out of a hole, but I'm open to ideas on that one. Maybe you could do it with the paddle shift?

We had an A4 auto and that was good in the snow. This one is a mercedes and is terrible, but I blame that on the RWD and wider rear tyres. We call it the sledge!

Gloomendoom

Big heavy RWD autos don't need to be an embarrassment in the snow. Mine isn't.

Richard53

iolanthe07 wrote: »

I have heard very good things about the new generation of 6 speed dual clutch autos, though, as fitted to Ford Fiestas, and may go for that next time.

My wife had a Focus with that gearbox. I don't particularly like or dislike autos, but that one was brilliant. It's the only autobox I have driven which knew when to hold down a lower gear going downhill. It chose its gears almost exactly as I would have done, and I was well impressed. Still only returned about 30 mpg average, though.

skivenov wrote: »

My bike's a manual, because automatic bikes are just wrong.

Having an auto bike would completely defeat the point, which is why the few that have been offered have sold more or less in single figures. You see things like Honda's CB400A being advertised as 'rare' - yeah, there's a reason for that.

trailingspouse wrote: »

I haven't driven either of them in snow - it wouldn't be possible to 'rock' an automatic like you can a manual to get out of a hole, but I'm open to ideas on that one. Maybe you could do it with the paddle shift?

It's quite possible. I did quite a lot of off-road driving in my 4.6 Rangie (ZF auto) and it was easy to rock, probably easier than a manual. Just keep switching from D to R and apply a little throttle at the right moment. It worked for me in thick mud, and I imagine snow would be the same.