5 spd vs Auto

How many of you have a 5 spd or a auto. Witch do you think is better. I just kind of want an over all idea of how many decent drivers are in here. Thanks
Ohh i have a 5spd

I have the one that shifts automatically :screwy:

I as well have an auto. I drive an auto simply for the ease of driving itself. All I want to do is get in hit the little peddle on the right and go, thats it. Dont want to up shift or down shift or maybe mix it up a little and put it in nutral and coast to a stop.

I save all that manually shifting crap for at the track.

I as well have an auto. I drive an auto simply for the ease of driving itself. All I want to do is get in hit the little peddle on the right and go, thats it. Dont want to up shift or down shift or maybe mix it up a little and put it in nutral and coast to a stop.

I save all that manually shifting crap for at the track.
dude if you know how to drive a 5 spd there is no reason why you should have a auto. 5 spd is way better WAY better i would not get any car that was auto. Honestly if you a auto no matter what you will always have a limit to what u can do to your car. The only reason why im even decently fast is because i have a 5spd. Honestly the only way that people can honestly tell is when two people with the exact same car race but with one being a 5 spd trust me the 5 spd will win.

An auto with a shift kit will pretty much keep pace with a 5 spd. Also, since when does performance necessarily REQUIRE a manual? Last time I checked, plenty of incredibly high horsepower muscle cars use automatics for various reasons. Also, lets not forget the sheer tank-like damage taking ability of the hydramatic, such as the 3 spd I had on my old Z24. Damn thing was a TANK!

For the record, I drive a 4spd auto. I've driven my share of manuals, and I initially was going to pick up a black drop-top Z24 with a manual, but it was sold by the time I got there so I now have the car you see in my sig. I learned how to drive on an older Supra Turbo with a 5 spd. Yeah, I can tell the difference, but I still like the auto more. I'm just too lazy, I suppose.

lol this tool needs to learn somethings about racing before he opens his mouth.

First of all, an auto is gonna be 100X times better than a manual in a race no matter what. Its fast by maybe .2-.4 tenths of a second. But where the 5 speed lacks, the auto owns. Automatic transmissions are ungodly consistant. They are very easy to launch. 2 words for you, bracket racing.

And please dont tell me there is a limit to how much power you can make with an automatic. An automatic transmission will handle more power than a 5 speed transmission.

I got an auto for one reason, when i bought the car i didnt plan to mod it. I just wanted something to get me around in. Now i like running consistantly fast, do you know how many races i have one because the moron in the other car missed a shift or couldnt launch?

I just kind of want an over all idea of how many decent drivers are in here. Thanks
Ohh i have a 5spd

you cant tell if a person is a decent driver by what kind of transmission they have.........

btw, i have a 5 speed, i got it cuz they're more fun to drive and theyre a hair better on gas milage, if driven right, but i mainly got it cuz i think they're more fun

I've got an auto, but I'd rather have a 5 speed.

I like an auto becasue I can eat and drive at the same time. Oh and text message too. The manual would get rid of those beacsue I would have to shift.

I like an auto becasue I can eat and drive at the same time. Oh and text message too. The manual would get rid of those beacsue I would have to shift.

i can do both of those at the same time while driving my manual, you just have to learn to work around it....

lol this tool needs to learn somethings about racing before he opens his mouth.

First of all, an auto is gonna be 100X times better than a manual in a race no matter what. Its fast by maybe .2-.4 tenths of a second. But where the 5 speed lacks, the auto owns. Automatic transmissions are ungodly consistant. They are very easy to launch. 2 words for you, bracket racing.

And please dont tell me there is a limit to how much power you can make with an automatic. An automatic transmission will handle more power than a 5 speed transmission.

I got an auto for one reason, when i bought the car i didnt plan to mod it. I just wanted something to get me around in. Now i like running consistantly fast, do you know how many races i have one because the moron in the other car missed a shift or couldnt launch?
Dude you got to be kidding me i can understand why people like autos but saying its better than a five spd im not going to say that your stupid but you are .... well stupid lol. Under no sircumstance is a auto better than a 5spd do you even know how to drive a 5 spd? In a 5spd you shift faster than in a auto transmission unless you get a shiftkithen it will prob b the same. If you have a five spd you get a better idea of how your car works better cause you can see where you have more torque or power. You can shift into powerband you can wide open throddle shift, you can double clutch, you can actually launch not the hold the brake and gas or ebrake and gas thing which actually messes up your car. I raced a 80something 5.0 mustang on the freeway from 70 to 105sh and lost by ONE car WHY? becaus 70 is where my 3rd gear powerband starts meaning that where i have most power. After the third honk when we flored it i beat him untill 90 becaus thats where i hit limiter for 3rd gear. Then i shifted and thats when he started passing me. 5 spd OWNES ALL but my respects to all who have auto tranmissions.
Ohh and by the way if i put 2gs into my car it would be in the high 13 why cause its a five spd, i know how to mod cars properly,and im not going to waste my time on a supercharger. Build your motor and once you do that boost will do the rest.

ok, i think it makes a big difference. ive raced alot of other cavaliers that were automatics, and beatem all.

Ohh and by the way if i put 2gs into my car it would be in the high 13 why cause its a five spd, .

YEAH FUCKING RIGHT, even if you have the 2.4, theres no way your going that fast on that budget

Xx ReasoN xX, stop making yourself look like a moron. You could throw 10g's in that car and not hit 13's, and some people will like auto better than manual. Neither is better, they both have thier advantages. I raced an auto 5.0 off a light and missed 2nd and my front bumper still stayed with his back bumper. Why? because his tires were squeeling, he and his two friends were quite large, and didnt take car of the car at all. Its not just the tranny, its the driver and the conditions. You asked for what people are driving, now dont jump down their throat when they tell you.

ok, i think it makes a big difference. ive raced alot of other cavaliers that were automatics, and beatem all.
:eek2: NO WAY! Are you for real? That still doesn't prove really anyhting at all. Besides the shifting is better. That is pretty much it.

lol noobs, gotta love em.

Now, I won't pretend to be a transmission guy, but hasn't the entire usefulness of "double-clutching" been eliminated through modern synchros?

ok, i think it makes a big difference. ive raced alot of other cavaliers that were automatics, and beatem all.

Ill race you.

i got 100 bucks says my auto will spank your 5spd...same bet for the guy who started this thread too...doesnt matter what kinda tranny youve got...from stop to go every drives the same way..500-1000 RPM to redline before they shift...then from whatever RPM it landed on in second gear to redline to shift to third, believe it or not..an auto does this aswell when the pedal is pushed to the floor...now after thats been said..autos have perfect launches cuz theres no clutch to worry about ...the shifts are flawless well...cuz theres no clutch again...so since autos dont have to worry about over rev'ing and under rev'ing when shifting and starting...they are better...oh did i forget to mention they run off the same fuckin engine too...same specs..same outputs..same everything ?....both of you quit while your ahead cuz your only making yourselves out to be dumb.


for all you auto drivers...auto here aswell..and it rocks out with its cock out :lol:

i got 100 bucks says my auto will spank your 5spd...same bet for the guy who started this thread too...doesnt matter what kinda tranny youve got...from stop to go every drives the same way..500-1000 RPM to redline before they shift...then from whatever RPM it landed on in second gear to redline to shift to third, believe it or not..an auto does this aswell when the pedal is pushed to the floor...now after thats been said..autos have perfect launches cuz theres no clutch to worry about ...the shifts are flawless well...cuz theres no clutch again...so since autos dont have to worry about over rev'ing and under rev'ing when shifting and starting...they are better...oh did i forget to mention they run off the same fuckin engine too...same specs..same outputs..same everything ?....both of you quit while your ahead cuz your only making yourselves out to be dumb.


for all you auto drivers...auto here aswell..and it rocks out with its cock out :lol:

You know, it helps if you make it clear who you are directing comments at when making them. Its just confusing when you pop off with a bunch of stuff and no one has a clue who you are talking to.

You know, it helps if you make it clear who you are directing comments at when making them. Its just confusing when you pop off with a bunch of stuff and no one has a clue who you are talking to.

im guessing he was talking to pompadour and xxreason,

yea...sorry..i meant those 2..i forgot to add the quotes in

Xx ReasoN xX, stop making yourself look like a moron. You could throw 10g's in that car and not hit 13's, and some people will like auto better than manual. Neither is better, they both have thier advantages. I raced an auto 5.0 off a light and missed 2nd and my front bumper still stayed with his back bumper. Why? because his tires were squeeling, he and his two friends were quite large, and didnt take car of the car at all. Its not just the tranny, its the driver and the conditions. You asked for what people are driving, now dont jump down their throat when they tell you.
Just to let ya know i know it can be in the high 13's because a guy i know a guy from the street races i got to, shot a 130 shot nitrous on a sunfire it held it not for long though it was in the high 13's the only bad thing is that he did that to a complete stock motor meaning after like a month he blew his motor. When his motor blew he was in the 1/4 mile track and it blew half way and he still managed to run a 14 flat. A complete nitrous kit cost about $500 and if you invest the rest of that money into building your motor you can defenately be at least in LOW 14's or high 13's. I would not recomend anyone doing that though, the guy that did it was extreamly experienced and he defenately knew what he was doing. Ohh and by the way he had a 5 spd and auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 spds.

Just to let ya know i know it can be in the high 13's because a guy i know a guy from the street races i got to, shot a 130 shot nitrous on a sunfire it held it not for long though it was in the high 13's the only bad thing is that he did that to a complete stock motor meaning after like a month he blew his motor. When his motor blew he was in the 1/4 mile track and it blew half way and he still managed to run a 14 flat. A complete nitrous kit cost about $500 and if you invest the rest of that money into building your motor you can defenately be at least in LOW 14's or high 13's. I would not recomend anyone doing that though, the guy that did it was extreamly experienced and he defenately knew what he was doing. Ohh and by the way he had a 5 spd and auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 spds.

oh man i cant wait to see how everyone else replies to that post....

personally i find it hard to believe that a stock cavalier/sunfire 5 speed transmission can handle the power it would take to get that car into the 13 second range, an automatic i might believe, but a 5 speed.... i drive a 5 speed just like you do and even i can admit an automatic is stronger, take a look at the ford lightning, 4000 lbs in 12 and a half seconds, (both of those numbers are estimates) that truck only comes with an automatic, you know why, cuz they cant make a manual strong enough to handle that

A 130 shot in a stock Sunfire? Yeah ok, I would be damn suprised to see that think make it through a full gear with the nitrous activated. Do you realize that shot would give the car more power than it makes stock? That engine would last a grand total of about half a second with that shit. Thats almost 250 hp on stock rods, do you think they would hold up? Nope. That guy was a complete retard for throwing a shot like that on a stock car, if he had any knowledge or experience what so ever, he would still have a running car now wouldnt he?

Just to let ya know i know it can be in the high 13's because a guy i know a guy from the street races i got to, shot a 130 shot nitrous on a sunfire it held it not for long though it was in the high 13's the only bad thing is that he did that to a complete stock motor meaning after like a month he blew his motor. When his motor blew he was in the 1/4 mile track and it blew half way and he still managed to run a 14 flat. A complete nitrous kit cost about $500 and if you invest the rest of that money into building your motor you can defenately be at least in LOW 14's or high 13's. I would not recomend anyone doing that though, the guy that did it was extreamly experienced and he defenately knew what he was doing. Ohh and by the way he had a 5 spd and auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 spds.


wow...do you honestly expect anybody to believe that someone who is experienced would run a 130 shot on a stock sunfire ?..experienced with what ? fucking up cars ? that would make sense then ...auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 speeds ?..well yea..so would the auto sunfire..whats your point, its not how many gears a vehicle has its how they are set up..if you think that the more gears a car has the better your seriously wrong right there...but i dont know man..to each his own..it just sounds like to me your digging yourself a hole in this battle

This thread sucks.

This is almost as bad as those Turbo vs S/C threads.

This thread sucks.

This is almost as bad as those Turbo vs S/C threads.
:iagree:

Well I bought a 5 spd only because too me it is fun to drive, I learned to drive on a 5 spd and to me autos are boring but as for speed I would have to say they would be about the same depending more on the driver of the 5 spd then anything else...

i have an auto, mainly cuz i had to share the car w/ my sister and she didnt know how to drive a 5 speed. i wish my parents got me a manual mainly cuz they are a hella lot funner to drive, u can do easier burnouts, they are faster, not but much but they are, AND i like the control over the car they give u. tried to convince my parents into letting me get a 5 speed of the exact same car i have now, but she said no, WHY? i have no idea, so i guess im stuck w/ the 03 cavy stock SHITHOLE of a 4 speed auto...................

The only reason I could think of that makes the 5 speed better is that the transmission would weigh less... It's certainly one of the things that is brought up about the 3800 S/C Grand Prix's not being a standard. How much of a weight difference is there?

i really enjoyed reading this thread, aside from it being funny i actually learned a lot of good stuff.

i have a 5spd, but would have to agree that an auto of my car exactly would beat me in almost any kind of race. i like racing my roomate because he has a 5spd too and we are near equal skill. i don't like auto because it's not the same kinds of driver skills... it's like a samurai vs a marine. both kick plenty of ass, but it's just not the same game.

i feel bored with auto.. my hand keeps going for the shift and hitting air, it's so dissapointing.

and eating while driving... i try to stop to eat.

i have an auto, mainly cuz i had to share the car w/ my sister and she didnt know how to drive a 5 speed. i wish my parents got me a manual mainly cuz they are a hella lot funner to drive, u can do easier burnouts, they are faster, not but much but they are, AND i like the control over the car they give u. tried to convince my parents into letting me get a 5 speed of the exact same car i have now, but she said no, WHY? i have no idea, so i guess im stuck w/ the 03 cavy stock SHITHOLE of a 4 speed auto...................

what're you complaining about, that's a good car

Just to let ya know i know it can be in the high 13's because a guy i know a guy from the street races i got to, shot a 130 shot nitrous on a sunfire it held it not for long though it was in the high 13's the only bad thing is that he did that to a complete stock motor meaning after like a month he blew his motor. When his motor blew he was in the 1/4 mile track and it blew half way and he still managed to run a 14 flat. A complete nitrous kit cost about $500 and if you invest the rest of that money into building your motor you can defenately be at least in LOW 14's or high 13's. I would not recomend anyone doing that though, the guy that did it was extreamly experienced and he defenately knew what he was doing. Ohh and by the way he had a 5 spd and auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 spds.

...lol. Yeah I'd agree with the above posters. I know little about cars really and that sounds like complete BS. If this guy was so experienced with cars he would've bothered with Nitrous at all. A stock engine is just going to go "poot", or at the very least be stressed out and go out on you quicker. :lol:

As for the subject at hand! I drive a 5 speed. Why? Because my Beretta was a 5 speed and I enjoy driving them. Keeps me from eating and all that rot while driving. You shouldn't really do that, it kind of distracts the driver. Plus I find them alot funner to drive, and because I've had some good times racing with a 5 speed. If you know how to shift right you generally can get an upperhand. I'm not saying 5 speed is better though. I mean, with the manual you're going to need to know when to shift and stuff. If you don't the auto will kick your ass. I think it really just depends on the driver. In the long run though, the auto could be the better tranny. And yeah we know that the auto Cavalier has "4 or 3 spds" and that the manual has 5. What is your point? You think that having a gear or 2 more is going to make you run circles around an auto? Please. :rofl:
And that's my 2 :2cents:.

I drive a stick
1. my first car i bought was a stick and i got hooked
2. my dad told me i needed to learn so i could drive his porshe when he gets drunk
3. ever seen gone in 60 seconds when Cage and Jolie are in the driveway on the stake out nuff said

i have an 03 5-speed, and ive beat 2 z24's that were auto and also an 02 auto, i always thought that in a 5 speed you could always shift at better times because you can feel when you start to lose power. idk, i like my 5 - speed (=

i have a 5 speed and pretty much refuse to drive a car with an auto. every car/truck i have had has been a manual.

And for the racing part.. i would much rather have a manual.. its all about the deep stage.. theres more lag from the auto....cuz u can just rez it up and dump it. (unless u hold the break and gas at the same time and stand on it to the point before the tires will break loose or make them move..but what are the odds of breaking something by doing that?) with the manual at the track.. just wait for the 2nd yellow and go..cuz if u see green u lost.

And the manual is easier to rebuild.. u just replace whats broke...auto u have to go tho the whole thing pretty much.

And the top fuel cars and what not are (manual type) clutchless cars. they have the clutch to launch but then its just grab and go (-) the clutch.


And the main reason i have a manual...cuz ANYBODY can drive an auto..not to many can drive a manual..main reason... not a diss.. just truth.

If anyone (not everyone just the auto haters and you know who you are) wants to braket race in the 1/4 for cash and is or is going to be in the AZ area give me a jingle. When I take a walk with your money then we will see. :lol:

If anyone (not everyone just the auto haters and you know who you are) wants to braket race in the 1/4 for cash and is or is going to be in the AZ area give me a jingle. When I take a walk with your money then we will see. :lol:
Dont you have an ecotec

Whoa not much gets by you does it? :loser: How does that have any relevancy to anything?

i challenge jj to a race to four peaks and back

Well thats a lame ass run. At least give me a challenge like up to canyon lake or something I can at least get the car sideways on or near a cliff.

Whoa not much gets by you does it? :loser: How does that have any relevancy to anything?
To know his stats in case you didnt know the kind of motor you got has to do with you peformance. :screwy:

Well thats a lame ass run. At least give me a challenge like up to canyon lake or something I can at least get the car sideways on or near a cliff.


i do that run 3x a week or so, and i find it relaxing. and i went up yesterday, so i already won.

i'm scared of real racing, none of that for me as of yet. but i love driving. you know of any aggressive/race driving schools in the phx area?

hey psychojj, i live in avondale AZ where abouts do you live? when i went to the track in my 5 spd Z24 i was running within about .1 or so... thats pretty consistent of a time if u ask me... and to the dumbass who said that his ecotec beat some Z24s he can kiss my ass cuz hes full of shit, i think it was rebellion...

Im over in mesa.

hey psychojj, i live in avondale AZ where abouts do you live? when i went to the track in my 5 spd Z24 i was running within about .1 or so... thats pretty consistent of a time if u ask me... and to the dumbass who said that his ecotec beat some Z24s he can kiss my ass cuz hes full of shit, i think it was rebellion...
Eco can beat z24 and for the record i dont have a eco meaning im not standing up for it because i have one.

Man you guys, arguing over which 140 hp car is better. Basically the same power, basically the same weight, its going to come down to the driver, the run, and the track.

ok sry for those here who say that automatic is better...but..not realy..the automatic trasmition is slower than the manuel..if ur a good driver u can win some mph on an automatic ezly!! im not a pro in crazy shiftin..but my friends 2.2 95 auto sunfire isnt that great in the 0-40/50 mph than my 2.2 97 cavalier manual!! its just proved man!! everybody knows that!! yes its confortable to drive an auto, i realy like it..u can change ur beat eat smoke and try to find ur fk*ng phone in ur pockets and if theres a prob!! just brake!! and when ur on a hill!! u dont start going back at 10mph so u need to giv a crazy boost to get off!! but manual have that mecanical/simple part that makes it fun..like i said when ur on a hill!! thats fun!!when u wana giv a boost and shift fast, all these things and many more givs u more fun in driving...we cant say manual is better for this or that...yes for speed its better but for fun or as a decision of the driver to buy a manuel or auto its not necesserly better...if u dont wana bouther urself shiftin and bla bla or when a bumbfuk brakes sudently and u have to go from 4th to 2nd speed or 3th its ur choise!!! its like the color of ur car!! its more a point of view...both are good!! but still manual is a bit bit bit faster u have to admit it when well drived ;)

In my personal opinion, arguing about whether an automatic is better than a manual, or vise versa, is completely pointless. It is true that an automatic transmission is more durable than a manual, and in the presence of an experienced driver, someone who is fully aware of their cars' shift points and max power/tourque ranges, as well as the abiltity to shift quickly and smoothly, will have a slight advantage in a race. (not a huge one as they are more susceptible to mistakes while shifting such as under rev, over rev, and missed shifts)

As for all the guys in this thread who are only interested in feeding their own ego by stating that their car is better than another's is really getting old. Don't get me wrong, I race my 00' Z24 5 speed as often as possible, but no one needs to hear you run your mouths off to avail. It's annoying and it doesn't prove anything.

My 03 Cavy is a 5 speed, I think they're a lot more fun to drive than the autos. And they are faster. If you put two identical cars side by side, one 5spd and one auto, and raced them the standard would win. You'd have to drive standard pretty shitty for an automatic to beat you, IMO.

lol noobs, gotta love em.
AMEN. I own a 5 speed but my alero is a 4 speed auto... sad thing is that both cars have pretty much the same mods and well my alero will own my cavi on the track...but in truth both sides have advantages and disadvantages...

I would not recomend anyone doing that though, the guy that did it was extreamly experienced and he defenately knew what he was doing. Ohh and by the way he had a 5 spd and auto cavalier only have 4 or 3 spds.[/quote]


Ok im not trying to be a dick about this but come on....first off, I have been working on cars almost all my life and 1. if the moron was as experienced as you say he is, then he would have NEVER put that much spray on a stock ass motor! 2 cavi's rate around high 16's low 17's stock....there is no godly way he could run a 13 second even if he did run that much spray!I have ran a 50 shot before and it barely uped my time by 1-10ths of a second... so dont come on here ranting about some shiit that you havent a clue as to what your talking about...

i think theres a whole lot of ppl who didnt make it to the dealership in time to buy the 5 speed and got stuck with the autos, and are now stickin up for them. look at any specs of 2 identical cars, one standard, one auto, and the auto off the bat has less horses. i drive 5 speed, i dont like not being able to choose what gear im in... a stock auto cant keep up to a 5 speed, unless the driver is a complete idiot, with a shift kit i can see it keepin up... and about the 13 second car, if its ecotec, then i can believe it a lil, only cause the ecotec is GMs I4 front runner, you can boost the hell out of it and not have to change the internals. i live 2 minutes from Mission Raceway (in British Columbia), and talked to the gm guys. downside to the ecotec, is that its a one-time-use engine. after that one 1/4 mile race the engine is basically toasted.

i look at any specs of 2 identical cars, one standard, one auto, and the auto off the bat has less horses.

when you said horses, you werent talking about horsepower were you??

a transmission, weather its an auto or standard, does not effect your horsepower AT ALL. plain and simple. your quarter mile time, yes, but your horsepower, well thats just funny

:iagree: when you said horses, you werent talking about horsepower were you??

a transmission, weather its an auto or standard, does not effect your horsepower AT ALL. plain and simple. your quarter mile time, yes, but your horsepower, well thats just funny
:iagree:

i have to say i enjoyed reading this thread...lol but i gotta put my :2cents: in so here it goes
I drive a manual because after the first year of driving my automatic i became bored of driving....i got a manual the next time around...learned how to drive it...and have been loving it ever since...for most ppl its just what they prefer because as far as i can see the manual and automatic transmissions are pretty equal
my advice? if you have never driven a manual....ur missin out

yeah i mean horses, at the wheels there is a slight difference, at the crank none... lets think about it real quick, a 5 speed has how many clutches? 1.... an auto has how many clutches? much more... that means that when all that power goes through the auto, theres more power being lost because there are more...

auto's also have torque converters which DOES take away power, no matter what anyone says. manuals get more power to the wheels and the power comes on sooner cuz the auto has to decide which gear to put it in....i drive an auto by the way, not by choice. i would much rather drive my step dad's accord v6 manual, but hey, ill take what i can get.

yeah i mean horses, at the wheels there is a slight difference, at the crank none...


ah yes, i stand corrected, i didnt even think about the horsepower at the wheels