Automatic Vs. Manual

hmm lets see.. im guna get a car soon.. and i dont know with is better

i just learned how to drive stick shift.. so its all fun n games right now.. but i hear that its going to be a hassle later in life.. like when u hit traffic.. or go up a hill in traffic.. or something like that.. like when i learned how to drive stick shift.. my dad test me.. he put me on a hill.. n told me.. u can't roll back.. if u do then you dunno how to drive stickshift.. but i pulled the handbreak.. gas the released the clutch jus enough so that i didn't roll back n release the handbrake.. but that was so much friggin hassle.. what happens when i hit traffic going up a friggin mountain..

but for automatic.. its easy to drive.. all u needa do is press the gas pedal.. and i know from experience.. i can jus about fall asleep while driving.. n its really boring.. n some ppl say u just can't have as much fun

well gimme ur insight ppls.. n plz think about all the aspects of both.. like the good/bad thx

I can start an 8ton truck on a maximum gradiant with out useing the handbrake.

All it takes is practice.
To start with driving a manual can be a pain, but after a little practice it soon becomes second nature, and things like rolling backwards on a hill start simply cease to be a problem.

It also gives you the most control over a car, having a clutch simply gives you another pedal to help control the car with, and there are very, very, very few cars where the auto version is even as fast as the manual.

I drive a manual. London traffic is pretty horrendous so yes, in these circumstances i do often wish i had an automatic. BUT, when the roads are empty, automatic doesnt begin to compare with manual for a bit of "spirited driving". Plus, automatic transmission saps power and makes for slightly worse mileage... So i'd take manual, it's an easy choice for me... at least until i get old and lazy...

i have never heard of using the handbrake for starting on a hill. i would much rather get a manual because they are a lot more fun. plus, like moppie and jay said, automatics make a cars performance go down. and it is also fun to roll backwards and freak the people around you out at a stop light.

Manual just takes practice and time. From the time I got my learner's permit 161/2 till I was 20 the only cars I had owned were manual. I can do it in my sleep. Things like traffic and hills don't even phase me cause I was just use to it. So what I'm saying basically is you will get to a point were it's not a hassle except when your trying to drive a manual, eat, and talk on a cell phone LoL it can be done!


P.S. You need to do that hill w/o the E-brake trick. That is the point of the challenge.

i have never heard of using the handbrake for starting on a hill. i would much rather get a manual because they are a lot more fun. plus, like moppie and jay said, automatics make a cars performance go down. and it is also fun to roll backwards and freak the people around you out at a stop light.
You have a weird idea of fun!

Most (if not all) new drivers are taught to use the handbrake on a hill start to avoid stalling and/or rolling back. With the handbrake on, select first, find biting point, release handbrake, and off you go, without rolling back an inch. As you get used to manual you can ditch the handbrake process.

lol sorry guys i've only driven manual like 6 times n the longest was for 2 days when i had my uncles 89 accord.. i guess im a newb but i'll learn.. i never really had a situation where i had to deal with hills or was in alot of traffic.. the most was at stoplight traffic in san marino in so cal.. there were like 20 cars my god i hated that day.. lol

If your gunna be in rush hour traffic alot, get an auto
If you want to be a little faster, and have more fun go manual
If you pay enough money a steptronic/tiptronic type transmission is pretty nice
If you get an M3, get SMG, quickest damn gearbox ever, period.

steptronic/tiptronic type gearboxs are a joke and shallow marketing ploy.
They give you no more control than a normaly auto box, and most will still shift at redline even when in "manual" mode.
All they do is give an alternate way of working an auto shifter. They are still autos, and still suffer all the same draw backs.

my friend has a prelude with steptronic and he says he goes faster with it in automatic mode rather than in "manual" mode. one of the first times i drove a manual up hill was in my dads truck with our boat hitched to the back taking out of the water on the steep boat ramp. i rolled back like 2 feet. but now im used to it.

I voted auto since thats what I have. Manual is more "sporty", but I like auto b/c I have a long drive to school and I'm too tired to shift. Overall manual is better than auto tho.

i drive 30 miles to school in long island in traffic each way. so on average i sit in traffic for 2 hours a day. and i would never choose an auto over my car. the only time i hit traffic is when i commute. any other time when i'm having fun with my car there is hardly any. plus the throttle response on the auto just plain sucks balls. i would never want to own a automatic car. and the steptronic crap is garbage they shift slow as hell.

bottom line: you want to drive for fun and make your driving experience a joy get a manuel.

if you want a car to commute to work back and forth and want nothing more from your car. then get a auto.

shifting becomes second nature. it's as natral as putting on your turn signal once you get used to it. i feel foreign in my dad's automatic. always reaching for the clutch when it's not there

Think about this: Semi automatic.

Any of you ever kill your battery by leaving the lights on by accident?

My nissan being a manual has saved my ass on more than one occasion because you can bump start a manual by pushing the vehicle and popping the clutch while it's in gear and the ignition is on.

You can't do that with an automatic unless there's something special done to it, (don't remember what though).

Sometimes an auto can be good though. The auto 350 tranny in my 76 chevy truck is a very strong reliable transmission. I have also added a B&m Shift Kit and have a Hurst ratchet shifter on the floor. It shifts a lot harder and quicker than a manual shifter would.

i have heard that with older cars, automatics are better to have than a manual.

ive actually never heard of the e-brake trick before... though this is mostly to do with the first vehicle i had ever driven and drove for a good year was and old toyota pickup with a broken e-brake that wouldnt engage (so from step one that option was never there so i just learned not to use it when driving)

I would get a manual as your first car so as you can learn to drive properly and perhaps sometime down the track you can get an auto. I mean anyone can drive an auto.

i have heard that with older cars, automatics are better to have than a manual.

Actually, that depends on the use. With an old 4x4, manual, they have much lower gearing that way, with an old car, or at least an american one, I'd go with an auto. The 3spds back then didn't add anything to the driving experience and the 4spds weren't much better.

let me give some advice. The grass is always greener on the other side. If you get a manual there will always be times you wished you got an auto, and same goes for the auto.

Automatic = Practical, Hassle Free
Manual = More fun, Hassle in traffic, and you have to worry about clutch repair.

When it comes to racing, more often then not the auto is slower or but always consistent.

Just want to pose the question... which is faster, i've heard many say the auto is better for drag racing... but i always thought manual was better. Less power loss, better gear ratios. Am I wrong?

Just want to pose the question... which is faster, i've heard many say the auto is better for drag racing... but i always thought manual was better. Less power loss, better gear ratios. Am I wrong?
Nope. Manual will be faster 99% of the time.

i would much rather get a manual because they are a lot more fun. plus, like moppie and jay said, automatics make a cars performance go down.

Manual is more fun to drive. A four speed with a short V-gate shifter is fun. As for power loss, not nessesarily so. I've owned both, stock and not so stock. A PROPERLY BUILT 350 or 400 turbo with the right converter will out run a manual. There's no way you can shift as fast as an automatic. Just run a manual shift through the gears then an automatic. go back and check the tire marks on the road. Way bigger gap with the manual. That's time you're not using power. 4 speed that's 3 times you have to shift NO POWER. The power loss of the automatic is more than compensated for by the faster shifting. I should note I have had an automatic and a manual in the SAME car and the automatic was faster. I was once a die hard manual fan until I was told I couldn't shift as fast as an automatic. When I finally switched I was sold. I can't tell you how many times I've raced someone door to door until they had to shift. Then it was by by manual.Then, if you have enough H.P. under the hood 1000 or more, and your car is light enough 2,500 lbs. or less, it is best to run a 2 speed automatic like a powerglide. Powerglides have fewer moving parts than a turbo and so rob less H.P.
Now if you move up the food chain to a LENCO then I'd say THAT manual would out perform an automatic. They use a clutch off the line, then shift like a manual but without the need to push in the clutch @ each shift point.
Then the ultimate would be the TOP FUEL tranny. They don't have a gearbox, only a reversing gear similar to the one on a boat. Instead of that a clutch of centrifugal type that locks up in steps is what is used. This is done with a clutch-cannon that is controlled by a pneumatic timer that is activated at WOT. The cannon is backed up during the run until the clutch is fully engaged. That normally occurs at about the 990 foot mark. The clutch resides inside a bulletproof housing of titanium.

Ok, but what about normal street cars, automatic trim vs manual... which is faster. I just bought a manual becasue i have been under the impression that they are faster, or at least have more usable gers and better gear ratios, which in turn makes them faster. And there are a few guys I know who seem to shift just as quick as an auto.

Ok, but what about normal street cars, automatic trim vs manual... which is faster. I just bought a manual becasue i have been under the impression that they are faster, or at least have more usable gers and better gear ratios, which in turn makes them faster. And there are a few guys I know who seem to shift just as quick as an auto.
It depends on the trans. Some are better than others. I had a v-gate shifter on a rock crusher 4 speed and thought I shifted pretty fast. Engine @ full throttle, the tac would only jump about 500 RPM between gears but I still wasn't shifting as fast as the 400 turbo with just a shift kit and 2,800 stall converter and H.D. clucth pack. Bone stock the automatic will probably hesitate some between shifts. I would never use a bone stcok trans. for racing. Not that it can't be done, I just wouldn't do it when it's so easy to upgrade them for racing.

Well... I mean, you're on a different level there... I just want to make sure I didn't make a mistake in my purchase of an LS1 Camaro 6spd... It has to be faster than the auto version, which is only 4spd, and 3rd gear is a 1 ration and 4th is a .7 ratio, both of which suck, so the only two usable gears are 1st and 2nd, while on the 6spd, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are all numerically higher (lower) than a 1 ratio.

a stock automatic transmission sucks. the only way an automatic might beat a manual is if you get a performance at. stock at's dont shift at the optimum point for racing and lag a little bit in shifting. plus, with an automatic, it isnt near as fun as a manual.

One more question... will a Stall converter and a shift kit make an auto better than a manual?

i couldnt think of the words when i put performance at. a shift kit will make an automatic faster. it MIGHT make it faster than a manual. i dont know what a stall converter is so somebody else will have to answer you on that one.

A stall converter will only help you off the line. Instead of racing right off of idle, your car wont move until it hits whatever rpm stall converter you get. So if you had a 2200 rpm stall converter, once your floor it and your rpms hit 2200 it will give you a better launch. Its the same affect as dropping the clutch in a manual.

Ok, well, I could power break in an AT to launch at 2200 or even higher, and even w/ a shift kit, I think i have some manual driving friends that could still shift faster, so i fail to see what makes an auto good.

I bet they can't shift instantaneously. I used to think the same way. I was a died hard 4 speed nut. I had a v-gate shifter that had at most a 3" stroke from 1st. to 2nd. etc. I would pull hard on the shifter and at red line I would jam the clutch and let my foot slip off it on the way down. At most a 500 RPM surge between gears. I never timed it but I'll bet the shift still took ,.1 to .2 sec,. at least. If you shift 3 times with a 4 speed that's pretty close to 1/2 second give or take that you are not under power. How far can a car go in 1/2 Sec. quite a ways if it's a fast car. A properly prepared powerglide will shift seamlessly (1) time. it's true you need a good power to weight ratio to use a powerglide, and i wouldn't use a stock case for high H.P. Better to use a J.W. or ultraglide case which is already SFI Certified. Then there's no need for a blanket. You can set up a glide to leave at any RPM with your converter selection. A trans. brake coming off the line @ 6,500 RPM is pretty tough to beat. The powerglide is the overwhelming transmission of choice at the track. Unless your talking high end users like lenco, but then your spending Big $$$$$$. You can get a powerglide and converter for $3,500 or so. A Hughes glide will run closer to $4,500. Way less than a lenco. A 4 speed won't handle as much H.P. as a glide either. A properly built glide with handle 1,000 to 1,200 H.P. with no problems. A 4 speed will handle maybe 400 to 500 H.P. Build for competition maybe 1,000 h.p. If your comparing stock to stock a manual trans. will probably be faster, but why would you race with stock components? :banghead:

A stall converter will only help you off the line. Instead of racing right off of idle, your car wont move until it hits whatever rpm stall converter you get. So if you had a 2200 rpm stall converter, once your floor it and your rpms hit 2200 it will give you a better launch. Its the same affect as dropping the clutch in a manual.


The converters "Stall" is determined by a combination of things. Generally the smaller the converter the higher the stall speed. But it is also determined by the pitch of the fins inside the converter. Another factor is engine torque. More torque higher stall speed.
When buying a Converter there are many thing to consider to get the best "Launch". Engine displacement, Vehicle weight, Rear end gear ratio, rear tire size, Horsepower, transmission gear ratio, Power curve of the engine.

oh yeah, now i remember about stall. i learned it in auto. tech. last semester. now im rebuilding an at and there is tons of snap rings and clutches. my teacher is having me put the tranny back together with no book, it is really hard.

oh yeah, now i remember about stall. i learned it in auto. tech. last semester. now im rebuilding an at and there is tons of snap rings and clutches. my teacher is having me put the tranny back together with no book, it is really hard.

The trans. has all the snap rings. The converter is a welded unit that slides over the input shaft of the tranny and bolts to the flex plate (flywheel) and acts as the clutch.
Puttin' trannys back together:
The more of um' you put together the easier it will get. You'll be a pro in no time.

I was asking about modified street cars, you are telling me for about $3500 I can make my Auto better than stick... I can't think of one person I know who would do that... if you were to give my $3500 it would go straight into the engine, and it would make a hell more of a difference than it would in the transmission, i think you misunderstood me.

The trans. has all the snap rings. The converter is a welded unit that slides over the input shaft of the tranny and bolts to the flex plate (flywheel) and acts as the clutch.
Puttin' trannys back together:
The more of um' you put together the easier it will get. You'll be a pro in no time.

we didnt take the converter apart cuz we already looked at one last semester. if somebody hasnt seen inside a converter, its nuts looking with the design of the fins. but after taking this tranny apart (and we rebuilt a differential) i have noticed how much weight is in the parts. damn they are heavy.

I was asking about modified street cars, you are telling me for about $3500 I can make my Auto better than stick... I can't think of one person I know who would do that... if you were to give my $3500 it would go straight into the engine, and it would make a hell more of a difference than it would in the transmission, i think you misunderstood me.

Actually I WAS talking about modified street cars. I am building a Pro Street 70 Z-28. I put some pics. in the gallery to show you.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=13016&password=&sort=1&size=medium&cat=500&page=

This will be a street legal Pump gas (w/octane booster) car. It will have an Ultraglide trans. After doing much research I found that anything less behind a blown-injected 572 BBC will not withstand the torque. A 4 speed behind a high H.P. engine would not hold up with sticky tires.

Ok, my bad, that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun
Can you answer me one question though, do you think I made a mistake then buying a m6 02 Z28 rahter than the AT? I wanted the m6 because I thought it w

ould be faster? sorry got cut in half

ould be faster? sorry got cut in half

Na. The M6 will be fun to drive.

It is believe me, and i think it is faster too, every ratio except first is better, and the gears are closer together which means less power drop after shifts, and it has more usable gears... these are the reasons i bought it... my auto sucked after you were out of second, it was the 4l60e.

i have an automatic right know and i pretty much got the car from my gram and never wanted a standard at first for the same reason now im selling the car and i want a standard cause like the other said soon you will be able to do all that with barely any hassle and no matter what traffic is a bitch

Everyone's gonna say manual basically. This is a forum for automotive people, and despite their real preference, it sounds cooler to talk about manuals.

The choice is completely personal preference. Unless you have a really bad left knee and couldn't do with the clutch in everyday traffic, then you're stuck with automatic :( Or things like shiftronic, or whatever it's called, or paddle shifters, both costs a bit more money, but are really cool to have.

Anyway, your options are if your car is for a fun ride, and something you actually plan to race or drive around a track for fun, then manual is probably the only way to go.

But if you're not really hardcore into racing, and just like a little bit of oomph in your car, but not so much into top-end performance, and you want to be able to eat, change your shoes, take off your jacket, and all those things while driving... wait, that's not safe, nevermind! :iceslolan

Um, anyway, yah, if you're not really hardcore into racing and just like a bit of oomph but don't care about top-end performance then it's not a problem to have an automatic since it would be a lot easier, and you'd be glad you made that choice in heavy traffic, especially if you're in stop and go traffic on an incline... But one really obvious disadvantage is mechanical problems. You're much more likely to run into mechanical problems with an auto then with a stick. Also, you don't have direct control of which gear you're in, which could get a bit annoying, but after a while, you get used to how much and how fast you need to open up your throttle to force your tranny into the gear you want.

So it really is up to your personal preference. Sorry I can't be more decisive for you, but I think you should look at your own style of driving and where your priorities are and make up your own mind, you'll get what you really want that way, instead of what the majority of the forum really wants.

Anyway, your options are if your car is for a fun ride, and something you actually plan to race or drive around a track for fun, then manual is probably the only way to go.



Go to the track and see what the hardcore guys are running. 2 speed powerglide. Unless they are high dollar pro cars, (Alot of pro cars run them too tho) then you will see lencos, etc. which are manuals but don't require a clutch once you leave the line. It takes a light wt. car,w/ high H.P. to run a powerglide, but most hardcore cars do have high H.P. and light cars. A well built powerglide will handle up to 1,800 H.P. A powerglide will be much more consistant in brackets which is what most street cars run. A four speed IS more fun to drive, and if that's what your buying it for than I agree. I've had both, 4 speed is great fun. But, if your a hardcore racer automatic is the trans. of choice.

Powerglide, High stall converter, you can put any gear ratios in it you need, trans brake, SFI housing, CO2 shifter,
All you do is let go of the trans. brake button on green...... hit the CO2 button @ red line and your done. Simple is best when it comes to hardcore..."consistant" racing.

but who is actually going to put a powerglide on thier normal car

but who is actually going to put a powerglide on thier normal car


That would be me.
572 BBC Blown/Injected 1,000 h.p.
Tube chassis with funny car cage Certified for 7.50 Sec.
Aluminum modular 9" rear. w/4 link
Strut front end
Powerglide
2,800 Lbs.

Street leagel/ but not a daily driver. Weekend Nice day driver.

Yes, but the original thread was asking for advice for whether he should buy an automatic or a manual. Everything you've mentioned is quite irrelevant...

2 things...
1) so what kind of car... is it a funny car or what?
2) I must a agree w/ you Demon

1st. post.
hmm lets see.. im guna get a car soon.. and i dont know with is better

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Demon_Mustang
Anyway, your options are if your car is for a fun ride, and something you actually plan to race or drive around a track for fun, then manual is probably the only way to go.

Um, anyway, yah, if you're not really hardcore into racing and just like a bit of oomph but don't care about top-end performance then it's not a problem to have an automatic since it would be a lot easier
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[QUOT/]=Demon_Mustang]Yes, but the original thread was asking for advice for whether he should buy an automatic or a manual. Everything you've mentioned is quite irrelevant...[/QUOTE]

Thanks for pointing that out. I only brought up the powerglide because it sounds (in your posts) like a manual is the only choice for racing. If you go to the track and check out the cars in the pits you will find MANY automatics. Fast automatics. Also, if you read all the posts on this thread you will see more than once, I said a manual IS more fun to drive and that he should buy what HE likes best. What I probably didn't mention though.... shifting a manual, especially in city traffic will eventually get old. It's entirely up to the car owner. I was merely pointing out pros and cons. How is that irrelevant??? I've been driving manuals and automatics for over 35 years. If you don't want to believe me, I have no problem at all with that.

2 things...
1) so what kind of car... is it a funny car or what?
2) I must a agree w/ you Demon

It's a street legal car. Pro Street. Pump gas.

oo good u guys are still debating, almost every post helps me out more, and today i talked to a guy that got a manual xB, he said it was his first stick shift car, hes had it for one year, and he said in that year he learned everything he needed to know about stick shift, he told me it just takes some getting used to, but then i think back to how i drive now

...when im driving, i tend to play around with my head unit, change songs constantly, an occasional smoke, while still holding my head unit remote, and steering with my knees, drink soda/water and maybe eat when im in a rush, im wondering if i can do all those things in a stick shift, im not saying its impossible, but that'll be hard, my friend is onthe stage where he can eat a burger, answer his cell and still be pretty alert driving

also my accord is a 4 speed auto, and you can actually "control" the gears, i mean if i put it on 1, it'll be on first gear and i can't really go fast without revving all high, and same goes for the rest, and downshifting is easy as hell, i just put it from 4 to 3, and the rev jumps and it goes down as i slow down, i think its not good for my car, so i stopped doing it, now im driving as slow as a granny

so yea, still awhile til i get my car, i've also got it down to 2 choices, its between the Scion tC, and the Nissan SE-R spec V, i took everything else out because either it has low torque, or it cost too much, as for auto vs manual... im still deciding heh

so yea, still awhile til i get my car, i've also got it down to 2 choices, its between the Scion tC, and the Nissan SE-R spec V, i took everything else out because either it has low torque, or it cost too much, as for auto vs manual... im still deciding heh

Another way to look at it... this won't be the only are you ever own. If you buy a manual and don't like it, buy an automatic the next time or vise versa. There really is no right or wrong answer. It's all about choice.

Spec V is a nice ass car. my friend had one.
I just want ot point out that in most situations Manual is faster... most situations being 99.9% of the cars driving around out there with me everyday.

70z, I know there are automatics that race. Prime example is the Mercedes Benz SLR, it ONLY comes in automatic.

But I am giving advice in general, without getting to specific with any specific cars. Obviously there are exceptions to almost everything.

Anyway, not doubting what you say is correct or anything.

But to aznthuggie, please don't get the scion, we'll all laugh at you if you do. :rofl:

:p

I'll take CVT over manual. That's what this poll should be. CVT vs manual.

70z, I know there are automatics that race. Prime example is the Mercedes Benz SLR, it ONLY comes in automatic.

But I am giving advice in general, without getting to specific with any specific cars. Obviously there are exceptions to almost everything.

Anyway, not doubting what you say is correct or anything.

But to aznthuggie, please don't get the scion, we'll all laugh at you if you do. :rofl:

:p

lol but.... the tC has 160hp and 163 torque, and has a supercharger that gives it 200hp!!!!! come on that can't be so bad right?

How many of us have even encountered a car on the street with a CVT... I know I haven't.