Auto or Manual

I was wondering in street racing would people have less repect for you if you have an auto/siquential gearbox? Because ive got my first car and it's an auto and i want to be a street racer but since i have no experiance wit a manual i would prob have to use an auto. So anyway does it matter if you have an auto or a manual?

ROLF 1st teh hell you posting this in here for. 2nd you said it your self your a wanta be street racer. 3rd there is a reason but i really doubt your knowagle would be enough to understand it. gwad someone lock this.

The only reaosn i posted it in here is because i thought someone could help. Anyway why the hell would you bother replying anyway if you want it locked, get a life. The question was what would people think, not about the performance.

Ok well most likley people will think you are a poser. Cause you have an auto and cant drive stick. What is your first car anyway. That is more of an important thing than if it is auto ar standard.

It's a vt commodore and they are heaps rare in a manual. Parents got me one because it was ok with insurance. Theres no way i would street race with it lol. But i would of liked a manual just to have more experiance with it. I wanted a 300zx but no one would insure me lol
Thanks for helpin.

dont let mogg scare you ...

i had two auto's before i got this here CX and im still learning to drive it. Actually bought it tonight and drove it for the first time ... If i can manage to speed up my take off ill be set. Figure i'll have three nights to figure this out before i have work.

sweet lord never call me mogg again i'm not that cool he'll kill me for the confusion. OH and be scared of me also unlike mogg i'm crazy *sets self on fire*

You finally got a stick shift nemo? Bought time, they are a hell of a lot faster than that slush box you had.

My best advice to you sam, get a standard, even if you don't know how to drive it, you will learn really quick. That is my advice to anyone who wants me to teach them how to drive one, just buy one.

Manual

Manual is the way to go.
There's nothing wrong with learning how to drive with an auto. It's more logical to learn the basics first before having to deal with a clutch and shifter.

Hey thanks for all your help exept for the first guy but yeh.
We got a loan car when one of our cars got serviced and it was a 5 speed so i drove that for a few hours and thrashed it lol but it's really easy to get used to so thanks everyone.

For the real car enthusist it is natural to start off with an automatic. It gives you time to understand the mechanics of the vehicle itself before you get into somthing more complicated. Once you understand the engine then shifting gears is like second nature. In the end however the manual is far better for racing, and so much more fun aswell. If you are going into street racing remember this, to get respect you have to give it too, so don't be like the first guy that replied and you'll get a lot farther in your racing career. Or at least get there a lot smoother. The best way to shut up the assholes isn't to be one back, but to beat them on the street, preferably in front of a lot of people :).

Thanks man, well said ;)

auto sucks? Maybe until you get beat by an automatic trans am or camaro with a 700R4 or a TH400

The big deal with the automatics is they shift excellently, and will usually get better acceleration then the manuals unless however you have mastered the manual transmission.. If you can shift your manual just as well or better than an auto then thats where you get your cool points on the street.. Plus burnouts are easier to do in manuals as well as many other tricks of the trade.. You'll see when you really get into the manual cars that you have so much more control over everything and at least for me I feel much more comfertable knowing I have that control..

auto sucks? Maybe until you get beat by an automatic trans am or camaro with a 700R4 or a TH400

or a 3000GT TT :iceslolan

as for the question, most people lay smack on autos and will give you more respect for having a manual. Now, autos are generally preferred for drag racing (not street racing) mainly because of consistency and you'll never miss a gear, and with a valve body upgrade, a manual will never be able to outshift you, plus, if your a 2WD car, autos are a form of traction control. Also, why do you think supra tt autos trap higher than the manuals? I know this is a little irrelevant to your question, and i've already answered it saying that a manual will get more respect, just for the fact that autos aren't given the time of the day, but thats what just makes it soo fun when you kick someone's ass and they find out that you were an automatic.

I use an automatic , since the gears are so wide it doesnt have the take off I would like till i got a artificial stall , the stall helped out quite a bit and is superior to the manuals used in the same cars as mine , 0-60 7 or less seconds dont cut it for drag racing but beats more than 90% of whats out there trying to drag so thats all good. 1st gear is 46mph 2nd is 87mph , its less challenging but consistant and nobody in the world can outshift a properly working machine so why not use an auto?
Anyhow my car is for fun not serious competition other wise id do it a bit different. sorry for replying if this thread dont belong here btw

I was wondering in street racing would people have less repect for you if you have an auto/siquential gearbox? Because ive got my first car and it's an auto and i want to be a street racer but since i have no experiance wit a manual i would prob have to use an auto. So anyway does it matter if you have an auto or a manual?

I agree with every one else. I think automatics should be illegal or at least less popular. I did want to clear up one thing though. There is a big difference between automatic and sequential gear box. In fact on a scale of coolness it would go

automatic weak

Manual Sweet

Sequential dog box OMFG #(#^$$ Sweet f#&@* $&@#@ that #*@^# thing is so $&#^($& $^#&^^# cool

It's more like a motor cycle transmission, when shifting you don't pass through neutral, therefore you don't need to clutch. You can shift quicker and easier. Of course there very expeisive too.

Manual is the best!!!!!
I have never driven an atomatic on a road in my life. Just when I did not have a permit i drove auto on parking lots. Then I started driving my dad manual civic, I am not driving auto ever again unless I am really old.
Nobody can outshift auto my ass, I bet an equally modded car with identical power to weight but different trannies will not have the same 0-60 time. Manual would be faster with a good driver, it is also faster than sequetial*, racers use it just because it is easy. Look at porsche torbo for example sequetial* 0-60 is 4.8 while manual is 4.2 seconds. Manual is also the lightest out of all the trannies named in this forum
Also some one said autos are used for traction? Are you retarded? I go to Chicago sometimes in winter, no way you get better traction with an auto. ON manul you can brake by down shifting or deccelerating wich is way better than locking your brakes if you don't have abs. Than if you let go gas in auto it automaticly shift to nutral, how the f*ck are you going to slow down with it if you dont have ABS? Autos are only better in older muscle cars, it could out perform its manual version. Manual can also withstand a lot more stress (i am not saying power*) And I have seen people do better times with a manual than auto on the same stock cars.
And if want to drive manual you should just buy a manual car and within a week I think most people can learn how to drive it well enough.

Manual is the best!!!!!
I have never driven an atomatic on a road in my life. Just when I did not have a permit i drove auto on parking lots. Then I started driving my dad manual civic, I am not driving auto ever again unless I am really old.
Nobody can outshift auto my ass, I bet an equally modded car with identical power to weight but different trannies will not have the same 0-60 time. Manual would be faster with a good driver, it is also faster than sequetial*, racers use it just because it is easy. Look at porsche torbo for example sequetial* 0-60 is 4.8 while manual is 4.2 seconds.

>>>>>>>>>>>Show me proof of this. I have never seen the two compared side by side but I do know a standard manual takes longer to shift. I also know racers rarely do something because it's easier, they usualy do it because it's faster. The other advantage of a sequential system is you can run paddle shifters. Every time you take your hand off the wheel you have much less controll over it.(Not as important for a drag racer but for any one who takes corners it makes a big difference)
You think F1 and WRC rally cars use sequential setups just because it is easier?



Manual is also the lightest out of all the trannies named in this forum
Also some one said autos are used for traction? Are you retarded? I go to Chicago sometimes in winter, no way you get better traction with an auto. ON manul you can brake by down shifting or deccelerating wich is way better than locking your brakes if you don't have abs. Than if you let go gas in auto it automaticly shift to nutral, how the f*ck are you going to slow down with it if you dont have ABS?

>>>>>>>>>>>Here you are only half wrong. Autos do reduce controll of the car in slippery conditions and I would much prefer a stick in such condtions. You do not want to use your engine to slow down in questionable traction situations, especially in a 2wd but in any car. Any time you want to stop in a situation where breaking traction is possible you should use a threshold brake. If you don't know what that is then I don't think you should be driving. Of course that is not meant to offend you because I think people should be taught how to drive before they can get their licences.


Autos are only better in older muscle cars, it could out perform its manual version.

>>>>>>>>> Why? Why would it be any different with an old muscle car?

Manual can also withstand a lot more stress (i am not saying power*) And I have seen people do better times with a manual than auto on the same stock cars.
And if want to drive manual you should just buy a manual car and within a week I think most people can learn how to drive it well enough.
...

Manual is the best!!!!!
I have never driven an atomatic on a road in my life. Just when I did not have a permit i drove auto on parking lots. Then I started driving my dad manual civic, I am not driving auto ever again unless I am really old.
Nobody can outshift auto my ass, I bet an equally modded car with identical power to weight but different trannies will not have the same 0-60 time. Manual would be faster with a good driver, it is also faster than sequetial*, racers use it just because it is easy. Look at porsche torbo for example sequetial* 0-60 is 4.8 while manual is 4.2 seconds. Manual is also the lightest out of all the trannies named in this forum
Also some one said autos are used for traction? Are you retarded? I go to Chicago sometimes in winter, no way you get better traction with an auto. ON manul you can brake by down shifting or deccelerating wich is way better than locking your brakes if you don't have abs. Than if you let go gas in auto it automaticly shift to nutral, how the f*ck are you going to slow down with it if you dont have ABS? Autos are only better in older muscle cars, it could out perform its manual version. Manual can also withstand a lot more stress (i am not saying power*) And I have seen people do better times with a manual than auto on the same stock cars.
And if want to drive manual you should just buy a manual car and within a week I think most people can learn how to drive it well enough.

..... uh .....

Hey man manual are used for braking, the car slows down when you let go of the gas. I lived in Ukraine for a while, everybody has manual, because it is more relieble and better in snow conditions.
Thats what I ment when I said that sequential is easier for racing, more concentration.
I saw two civic ex s one had manual the other auto. The manual had a really god driver. That guy can do better times on manual than ony other person I know (on the same car) and auto was pretty old, prolly crappy one. For drag a nice tuned up auto with a nice torque converter is really good and easy. But there are drivers out there that I am pretty positive can outshift an auto.
And muscle cars are better than autos because in manual you need to double clutch, no synhrons*.
Oh yeah and sorry for the lenguage, I was under the influence. :)


*-prolly spelled wrong.

Downshifting to slow down in snow will work great for FWD, but try it with a RWD. My nissan will break loose downshifting into 2nd on dry roads, so on a RWD you would have to a lot more careful, which a RWD in the snow you have to be a lot more careful in the first place.

He does have a point about sometimes racers will use a gearbox because it's easier. That is why some racers will use an auto, but its not fully because its easier, its also because its more reliable on getting the shifts done and when they want it. You don't have to worry about the driving missing a gear or taking too long.

As far as which is faster, it all depends on the driver. Anytime someone races a car, it depends on the driver.

I just want to make sure we all are on the same page here, it seems like some people are using the terms automatic and sequential interchanegably, maybe I am just reading it wrong.

A manual trans is completly gear based, as you shift you must pass through nuetral which gives you the oppertunity to miss or grind gears.

( this is in reference to most sequentials since the ones used in F1 and possibly other applications are more advanced and I dont understand all the details, I also might mention that sequential shifters don't come on stock cars, other than a couple ferarris and such)
A sequential gearbox is completly gear based as well, the difference is you don't pass through neutral on shifts, and instead of having a shift pattern it is a tap forward and tap backward, kind of setup. You can also use paddle shifters. This transmission in function is basicly identical to a motorcycle trans, very fast shifts, and no missed gears.

Now we have automatics. I don't know a lot about them but here are the basics. The trans uses hydraulic pressure to tell it when to shift. This process adds resistance and saps horsepower, this makes it less effeciant over all. With the stock torque converter they tend to shift slower as well but much of that can be tuned out. One advantage of a auto is with a turbo motor because you can maintain near full boost on shifts.

One thing I was thinkig of was people may be confusing the triptronic,sportronic style shifter with a manual dog box. This is basicly an automatic transmission with manual or electronic controll over which gear you are in. If you see a sequential style setup in a car under $100,000 it is this type of setup, unless it is a race car.

By all means the Sequential is a lot better than either the manual or auto, because of the lack of going through neutral and the time it takes to move the shifter through the gears. But Sequential gear boxes are very expensive for cars, so until they become cheap i will stick to a manual. I know the Pontiac Gran Prix auto box is supposed to be a really good tranny, i read something somewhere that they were thinking about making different kits to it to mount up to different motors, like hondas, etc., because of how good of a tranny they are.

My advice, go with what feels good for you. Me i gotta have a manual, if i could have a sequential I would, but that will probably never happen.

By all means the Sequential is a lot better than either the manual or auto, because of the lack of going through neutral and the time it takes to move the shifter through the gears. But Sequential gear boxes are very expensive for cars, so until they become cheap i will stick to a manual. I know the Pontiac Gran Prix auto box is supposed to be a really good tranny, i read something somewhere that they were thinking about making different kits to it to mount up to different motors, like hondas, etc., because of how good of a tranny they are.

My advice, go with what feels good for you. Me i gotta have a manual, if i could have a sequential I would, but that will probably never happen.

I agree with that. I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page with our terminology.

I would love to have a dogbox as well but yeah five grand would go a long ways in other areas of my car.

I personally don't like automatics but it is a matter of preference. I do think every one should know how to drive a manual.

learn by driving one, my dad made me do it since i was 13, by the time i was 16 i hated driving, but i am very experienced........just get a stick, teach yourself.

Yeah the best way to learn is just get one. Don't worry you ll be good enough to drive on roads in under a week (unless you have mental disabilities).

Automatics are alright of the line, unless you practice with a manual a lot. I agree with some of these posts though. I first learned to drive with an automatic, but I learned how to drive a stick a few months later. It is more fun and just plain better overall.

problem: i have an automatic, but i learned to drive stick on my dad's BMW 850i (yea i can drive stick) is it possible to race at all (not that i could in a stock tc) with an automatic? i mean how do you downshift around turns and stuff?

I was wondering in street racing would people have less repect for you if you have an auto/siquential gearbox? Because ive got my first car and it's an auto and i want to be a street racer but since i have no experiance wit a manual i would prob have to use an auto. So anyway does it matter if you have an auto or a manual?
They tend not to care for street racing unless they lose to an automatic then they will put you down , it happened to me I told the guy it was auto and he said that was cool we could race anyway and when I kept beating him my auto became retarded. He was the only person I ever raced that made a big deal about auto's. Me personally autos are fine however I will not be buying another one cus there not even as close to as much fun as stick.

problem: i have an automatic, but i learned to drive stick on my dad's BMW 850i (yea i can drive stick) is it possible to race at all (not that i could in a stock tc) with an automatic? i mean how do you downshift around turns and stuff?
You can downshift a automatic but its hard on the drive train and eats rings when excessively used that way. Some automatics are made to be shifted semi automatically and have a spot where + and - and some have D , 3 , 2 , 1 and some have O , D and 2 theres lots more out there but if the shifter can be put into a lowwer gear then it could help launch a car a bit better than letting the machine automatically shift. You can achieve a few extra mph out of each gear that way but then its up to the power band if the extra rpms will help or hurt. But for slowing around corners it shouldnt really hurt them too much unless your pumping the gas pedal and letting the transaxle slam and disengage over and over. If you want your tranny to last dont shift it semi automatically but if you dont care you might find some better ways to turn tight and launch the machine a bit better. Press the shift lock in and pull it into a lower number gear its a lil softer on the trans axle if you apply the gas half way then pull it in or else it slams it into a lowwer gear. Sorry I have trouble explaining this Im not that scientific with transmissions but I do sympathise with you since I own a auto as well.

Street racers should be shot, then run over by a truck, then their mutilated corpses left sprawled across an 8 way railroad intersection.

yosh, if the only comments you have are ones like that, no one here will want to hear them. Please refrain from making comments like that on the forums, if your comments are like that, keep them to yourselve, that should still entertain you, if not, oh well.

seems that few people know the reasons a manual will beat an auto. its all about transmitting horsepower. the maual transmission has a flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, and an input shaft with some gears to spin. an automatic has a flex plate(think extremely thin flywheel) and a monsterous thing called a torque converter to spin on top of a few pack of clutches and a planetary gearset. rotational weight in a automatic is very high compared to that of a stick. usually when flywheel hp is estimated off of wheel hp it calculated using 15% loss for the manual and 25% loss for an auto. a manual transmission mainly has an advantage because its directly connecting the motor and the tires, and auto's torque converter is allways slipping unless youve got a converter that locks up, usually only found in a stock cars (or in the case of my mom's lincoln navigator, SUVs and trucks) because it adds more weight and complexity thats not needed in a race car. allthough there are advantages to running autos in drag racing, you will NEVER miss a gear in an auto. also autos can handle a bit more power before they need to be upgraded based solely on the fact that they dont have a large friction plate that can slip easily if too much power is applied to it. an auto you can simply add a shift kit from B&M or another manufacturer and there you go, for less then $50 youve got much faster and just as firm of a shift as a stick while being able to handle more HP. now my :2cents: on this is a stick. its much mroe fun then jsut nailing the go pedal, you become closer to your car, youve got to rev-match, youve got to select the right gear. its much more satisfying, especially in a porsche :iceslolan now if only i can get the cooling system bled so it wont overheat.....

Manual..
Automatics are good to learn on, get used to the rules of the road before going to a manual, but true racers shift thier own gears. Automatics are for girls, soccer moms, and cars with too much power to put to the ground with a clutch. Bracket drag racing is usually dominated by automatics because of the consistancy of thier shifts. But drift, autox, and road racing are manual sports. Once you swich, you won't go back to an automatic until you have a family and need to focus less on driving and more on what your kids are doing in the back seat.

All of the above are my opinions, based on my experiences in racing. You may not agree, but your question has no definitive answer, just opinions.

Parking lot terrorist :evillol:

72 Datsun 510
built L20b race engine
dual Dell'orto DHLA 40's

there is actually alot of controversy around atx's and mtx's. personally im a stick kinda guy. but dont let stick scare you. if you drive one, you will kill it, you will grind gears, you will ride the clutch, you will chirp the tires, and the one i hate the most, you will headbang. and believe me it isnt going through the gears thats the hardest... its those 2 ant 3 inches ad burger king to get to the window that will piss you off the most. especially if your car is finiky. but give it 4to 5 months and you will be able to blast with the rest of us. its like all those little quirks that you will find in every car. my laser 90 model, i had to be very accurate with my rpm because i was on slicks out front (yes worn that bad) and if i went too high the low gearing of the car would break traction, too low and ild bog. but in an auto you dont have to worry about any of that. i got an email from a friend that ground off 4th in his talon, racing. <stick. another thing you wont have to worry about.

I've heard that with some auto's, like my '95 TA, you can get better quarter mile times..but i'm still tryin to find out if thats true or not..

thats what i heard but i too am a little skeptical. its hard to believe that an atx could out run a stick.

they can, they are dead consistant, no missed gears, ever. with a transbrake, its like having a clutch for the start, they can take alot more power. and with the proper torque converter stall speed, allways in the motors powerband and theres no time where an auto tranny isint giving atleast some power to the wheels.

this is true, but the mtx is ussually lighter by almost 75 lbs, the torque converter weighs an easy 35... 40 (which i already added in my previous figure) depending on the model. and the tranny needs more fluid and all the whatsits and doodads. not to mention there is like a 40 % power reduction on atx's compared to about 20 in the mtx. thats whats killing me. how can the power drag, because there is no direct conection between motor and tranny in a atx, and in a mtx the engine is tied to the tranny physically through a clutch.

of course i could be wrong... i have been before.

The way to get the ATX to hook up like a MTX and not eat as much power is a different converter mainly. I don't know for sure, I hate ATX, just don't seem right not to shift. ATX are a lot heavier than MTX, not only in the converter, but the tranny itself is alot heavier. I can toss around MTX all day long, after a few ATX w/o a converter, I'm tired. There is a significant weight difference between the two. I have to deal with them all day working at a salvage yard.

true, there is a big weight difference. but power transfer can be nearly the same as a stick with cirtain converters. there are lock-up converters that stop slipping and go into a direct link with the rest of the drive train. ive got one in my 93 F-250. its a 2000 rpm stall with lock up. off the line i get massive torque then it locks us and it just moves out from there. also in my place of work i drive some medium duty trucks *international 4600 w/the DT466E motor i.e. really big diesel.....* we have 2 of them, same weight, same load capacity, same motor, but ones an auto and ones a stick. the auto comes off the line alot faster and gets up to about 30-40 mph alot faster, after that the stick takes over and has more outright speed and climbing ability.

you are right the atx's has it at the line. unless you are psycic, the guy with the stick will be left sitting there every time. i have to admit though some cars are pretty fast with the auto's like the gxp's and the bonnevilles. those can go. but ild like to se the grand prix in a stick... i just think of the grand prix as the modern front drive muscle car. its got power out the ass but since its front drive... only so much can happen.

I agree, you can beef up a A/T and it will do great, I'm just not a huge fan of them. Yes, A/T don't misshift, they don't make human errors, but I just prefer the feel of a M/T over a A/T. Plus I'm more of a road course type of guy and I use the gears to help slow down, can't pull that off in an A/T....just don't have to worry about shifting gears at all.

Don't worry bout those other guys Sam50. Your new to the forums. If you have questions about your car go to the forum which it belongs to. People with the same car as you tend to be more helpful and less of an asshole. If you want a stick get one. It doesn't take long to learn to drive one and in my opinion there more fun to drive. Generally with an auto not as much hp gets to the wheels but go with whatever you like.