Manual

Freefaller said:
I think I agree. That said, my cars have always been play things.

I know the new dual clutch autos are much faster at gear changes, you can have launch control, and also accelerate quicker and it makes sense.

But there's something quite engaging about changing gears yourself. Maybe that's the biker side of me coming out, but also I just like to be engaged with the car, and autos just leave me feeling a little disconnected.

That said, I'd love for my next car (as and when and if I can afford it) to be a GTR which is an auto and I'd be happy with that.
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That's the reason I prefer manuals too.
 
Only went for my first automatic because of the DSG box; the novelty of having a car with multiple driving modes, automatic, manual, sport, flappy paddles.. A novelty you quickly get over after 2 weeks and realise the pleasure you can get out of spending 90% of your time in standard drive mode.

I wouldn't touch a manual with a barge pole now...Even blasting a decent manual hire car around the hills of Majorca is tedious.

Despite the negativity towards the CVT setup, I really like Audis 8 speed multitronic, flawlessly smooth for lazy driving and plenty of oomph when you need it. That said, I wouldn't fancy it in anything above a 2.0 petrol engine.
 
I have never had an auto but driven several. I don't see the appeal in them at all; even the places you'd imagine they'd be useful like stop start queuing isn't exactly difficult in a manual, and if you know how to properly use a manual (not saying anyone here doesn't!) it's easy enough to time it so that you crawl along in first gear and don't need to use the clutch continually.

In my view manuals and autos both offer a fine 'normal driving' experience (thinking only about modern good autos in larger cars here), but manuals are much better when you're having fun.

I'll stick with my stick. maybe a poll would be good?
 
wingman said:
I read the below;



... as follows;

  1. It's an auto if the driver doesn't the ability to change the ratios at all.
  2. He can change ratios, so long as it's not a clutch or lever.

The DSG has a lever? I.e. the paddles?

That's my interpretation anyway.
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Read it again:

'Clutch pedal or lever' means clutch pedal or clutch lever, otherwise every automatic with a 'lever' in between the two front seats is a manual by your logic.

You do not have a clutch lever in a DSG car.
 
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lemonade said:
Maybe in the future when my cars or the cars I like become too old and too much of a chore to run, for now and the near future they aren't a problem, most of my car interest is from the late 80's and 90's and early 00's, back when they had mechanical attachment in most areas, new modern cars don't do anything for me and leave me cold, nor do I have any interest in really powerful cars as I find them unusable on the roads.
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Do you get up and turn the TV over, rather than let it be controlled by the remote?
 
Different types of transmission excel at different things.

If you look at driving senstation it's:

manual > single-clutch auto > multi-clutch auto > torque converter auto

If you look at comfort:

torque converter auto > multi-clutch auto > single-clutch auto > manual

If you look at pure performance:

multi-clutch auto > [single-clutch auto and torque converter auto] > manual
 
[TW]Fox;28952437 said:
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy changing gear too. There isn't much as satisfying as hitting the right gear as you power out of a nice bend. It's great fun. Nobody can dispute this.

But whilst there isn't anything quite as fun as nailing a perfect change out of a wonderful bend there isn't anything quite as tedious as sitting in a queue of traffic clutch in clutch out clutch in clutch out and unless you walk to work and have a Cayman S in the garage you'll be feeling the rage of that many times more than you'll feel the joy of the right gearshift.

Which is why I'm now completely sold on a good automatic. I resisted for so long, as I am sure you will remember - I spent months looking for a manual 530i. Then I spent months looking for a manual 335i. This is because frankly the plus-points of autoboxes at that point were, IMHO, still over-shadowed by the negative points - less satisfying manual change, reliability concerns, increased fuel economy, etc.

Now I have an automatic and I have even let a 535i pass me by because it had a manual gearbox. How things change.

The other great thing a good automatic does is get rid of 75% of what makes a diesel so crap. There is no experience in driving more joyless than changing gear yourself on a diesel powered car. Simply awful. There is no thrill of nailing the right gear, there is a constant frustration as you battle with the pittiful powerband to keep the stupid thing in the power zone. I hate manual boxes with diesel engined cars so much I even pay more for hire cars to make sure they are auto.
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In fairness, if I had to drive and commute everyday sitting in traffic etc and did loads of miles a year too, I would prefer an auto too, it's not exactly fun sitting in stop start traffic and constantly engaging clutch and changing gears. but fortunetly I don't have to do that and driving is purely for social and pleasure, and for that reason manual wins hands down, nothing like going out late at night for a blast with a manual and thrashing the car.
 
Clearcut said:
Do you get up and turn the TV over, rather than let it be controlled by the remote?
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Do you sit in your chair and let your TV randomly change channels and choose programmes for you?

I like my TV from the 1840's it's got a great wind up at the back , good for a bit of bicep training.
 
[TW]Fox;28952345 said:
You're probably not getting the best out of it is his point. If you are, new career as racing driver surely beckons.
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I'm probably not. my point was that it makes you feel that way, and I drive my car to feel good and have fun :)
 
lemonade said:
Do you sit in your chair and let your TV randomly change channels and choose programmes for you?

I like my TV from the 1840's it's got a great wind up at the back , good for a bit of bicep training.
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Manual gearboxes to 1840's TV's - only on OcUK :p

By the way - the first transmission of images (basic TV) didn't happen until 1909 ;)
 
I can't see me ever owning an automatic - I've drove a couple of them and just didn't like the feeling of control being taken away from me both times, so I'm much more at home with a manual box.

Another contentious issue with automatics is their emissions and efficiency, as they're generally more polluting and have less MPG than manuals.
 
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