Manual v Auto

Trojan · 18 Jun 2011 at 01:23

I've had an auto for the last 2 years and whilst they are indeed a better bet when commuting, I still don't like them and quite simply don't enjoy driving the car.

The next car I buy will be a manual, however this will be a challenge as it seems to be 90% of decent cars have an auto here in Adelaide

Uriel · 18 Jun 2011 at 01:40

I don't think I need to explain why changing gear is enjoyable any more than articulate why I like Chinese food. It's subjective.

Morba · 18 Jun 2011 at 02:59

Uriel said:
I don't think I need to explain why changing gear is enjoyable any more than articulate why I like Chinese food. It's subjective.

That's an odd one to use really isn't it. You like Chinese because you like the taste of it.
I'm not asking which do you prefer, manual or auto.

You said you enjoy changing gears, were talking specifically enjoying a gear change, because.... I don't know. I'm not saying you are wrong or anything, I want to understand what great feeling you get from a gear change.

Going for a spirited drive where a good manual gear change makes a difference to the whole experience is one thing, and quite understandable. Enjoying an actual gear change though, time and time again in all driving situations is something else, that os what I'm not understanding.

coltpython3 · 18 Jun 2011 at 03:10

i prefer manual tbh. got much more control on the car

Scania · 18 Jun 2011 at 07:22

Gayjin said:
Involvement and complete control over the operation. I'm talking about going for a hoon here and not necessarily sitting in traffic or on the motorway.

coltpython3 said:
i prefer manual tbh. got much more control on the car

To my mind, an auto is far better for "complete control" - you have both hands on the wheel and are perfectly set up for left foot braking.....

Sagalout · 18 Jun 2011 at 08:34

Morba said:
That's an odd one to use really isn't it. You like Chinese because you like the taste of it.
I'm not asking which do you prefer, manual or auto.

You said you enjoy changing gears, were talking specifically enjoying a gear change, because.... I don't know. I'm not saying you are wrong or anything, I want to understand what great feeling you get from a gear change.

Going for a spirited drive where a good manual gear change makes a difference to the whole experience is one thing, and quite understandable. Enjoying an actual gear change though, time and time again in all driving situations is something else, that os what I'm not understanding.

There's just something satisfying about completing a smooth gear change. I also like being in complete control of engine speed too - just a feeling of being in complete control of the car, not necessarily for performance, just the feeling of it. Having said that I have had 2 automatic cars and don't mind them all that much - I'd consider one if I had to deal with stop start traffic ever day.

With a bike though I'd hate the idea of an automatic.

Dolph · 18 Jun 2011 at 08:58

I love the DSG autobox on my R36, it seems the best compromise for me (although I would prefer it if it didn't auto upshift at the redline).

Talking about auto vs manual is a bit too simplistic, there are good autos and some absolutely terrible autos out there...

Scania · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:12

Dolph said:
I would prefer it if it didn't auto upshift at the redline

I'm a bit puzzled by this mate, do you say this because the shift can upset the balance of the car mid bend for example? or do you just like bouncing on the limiter?

[TW]Fox · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:13

He said redline not limiter?

Scania · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:17

[TW]Fox;19399268 said:
He said redline not limiter?

Same thing in my book, put another way, the limiter should come in at the red line, not much use if it does not, no?

[TW]Fox · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:19

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
Same thing in my book

Ok well last time I checked cars were not designed according to your book.

Scania · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:24

Bloody good job there not really!

You see my point though don't you?

A rev limiter that cuts in once in the Red (Red for danger remember) line is not much use imo, surely its better that it cut in just prior to the Red line if anything?

Not that taking an engine to the redline serves any useful purpose.

Jonnycoupe · 18 Jun 2011 at 09:53

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
Bloody good job there not really!

You see my point though don't you?

A rev limiter that cuts in once in the Red (Red for danger remember) line is not much use imo, surely its better that it cut in just prior to the Red line if anything?

Not that taking an engine to the redline serves any useful purpose.

Other than making you go faster?

If there the limited kicked in at the redline there would be no purpose in having a red line.

Im not sure where red meant instant danger anyway, its just a legacy/feature of a engine speed indicator.

Car control means you need to have two hands on the wheel regardless of what the gearbox does to the cars tractive effort and hence balance midcorner is a new one to me aswell.

Dolph · 18 Jun 2011 at 10:17

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
I'm a bit puzzled by this mate, do you say this because the shift can upset the balance of the car mid bend for example? or do you just like bouncing on the limiter?

Pretty much, there are some situations when driving hard where you want to push the car to the limiter in say 3rd, but don't want to change to 4th, either for balance or because you want the engine braking a moment later.

Some of the newer dual clutch gearboxes from Porsche et al do allow you to do this however

semi-pro waster · 18 Jun 2011 at 10:32

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
To my mind, an auto is far better for "complete control" - you have both hands on the wheel and are perfectly set up for left foot braking.....

I suppose it depends on the autobox but if you're going for a slightly questionable overtake the manual would allow you to drop a gear for the acceleration while the autobox might not? I'm not saying it's the most sensible way to drive regularly or that it's not going to wear the car more than otherwise but it's a situation where the amount of conditions you control is greater in the manual than in the auto.

Personally I would try not to totally discount a car just because it's an automatic but I do have a somewhat irrational preference for manual cars so if there are two cars that are broadly the same then I'm more likely to go for the manual. I can accept that there's no real logic behind it for me, I might be able to make up reasons if I tried hard enough but what's the point, it's a preference and nothing more.

J1nxy · 18 Jun 2011 at 10:44

Running to the redline/limiter does necessarily make you go faster as you will start to drop off the BHP/Torque curves by then so its a case of shifting at the most optimal point usual at peak power.

Also most modern autos/DSG boxes are programed to be aware of lateral G loadings so will not shift mid corner for the exact reason of not upsetting the balance of the car.

Gaijin · 18 Jun 2011 at 11:28

R420LA6X2/4MNA said:
To my mind, an auto is far better for "complete control" - you have both hands on the wheel and are perfectly set up for left foot braking.....

I would have thought it would be obvious what I meant - in a manual you choose (rightly or wrongly) what gear you are in, at what revs, whenever you like. And I've never had any issues controlling a car with one hand off the wheel.

And I know not all semi/tiptronic auto's do it, but damn, that auto upshifting thing is irritating.

J1nxy said:
Running to the redline/limiter does necessarily make you go faster as you will start to drop off the BHP/Torque curves

Agreed, but some cars, such as VTEC's often make power to the redline.

Jonnycoupe · 18 Jun 2011 at 11:40

J1nxy said:
Running to the redline/limiter does necessarily make you go faster as you will start to drop off the BHP/Torque curves by then so its a case of shifting at the most optimal point usual at peak power..

Just plot a tractive effort curve

Morba · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:02

J1nxy said:
Also most modern autos/DSG boxes are programed to be aware of lateral G loadings so will not shift mid corner for the exact reason of not upsetting the balance of the car.

That's pretty impressive! Good thinking by them

Moeks · 18 Jun 2011 at 12:10

Well I generally prefer a good auto to a manual for regular everyday driving, having said that I have driven some cars that have either had a poor automatic gearbox or just a combination of engine and automatic gearbox that didn't feel quite right together ...in which case I would prefer the manual I suppose. I drive both regularly though, my own car is an automatic of course ...although my gearbox has some 'issues' when cold so I've been tending to avoid driving my car a lot of late.