why do americans drive automatics?

no, its cause they prefer the driving style that large torquey engines and autoboxes give?

or is your brain too small to comprehend that? ;p
 
Because
a: It suits the style of roads that the majority if the US has
b: It's easier.

I drive an automatic and apart from driving enthusiasts, I can't understand why a 'normal' driver would choose to drive a manual, it must be murder in traffic.
 
sam83uk said:
are their brains not big enough to think about the concept of gears?
Click to expand...

I have to wonder what it is about manually changing gear that you find so appealing? In an out and out sports car i can see the merit, but in anything remotely luxurious or anything that isnt built for speed i truely cannot see the point. In all likelyhood i will never buy another manual car.
 
When I was in New York last year, I told the taxi driver that most UK cars are manual and he laughed and said they haven't really had manual cars their for years (except the odd few) and whats wrong with our technology lol
 
jake000 said:
When I was in New York last year, I told the taxi driver that most UK cars are manual and he laughed and said they haven't really had manual cars their for years (except the odd few) and whats wrong with our technology lol
Click to expand...

They have plenty of manuals, but sensibly the manuals only ever tend to be seen in proper sports cars. The rest are auto. It seems perfectly logical to me and i truely cant understand why people here seem to have this strange aversion to automatic cars.
 
A) They have new roads compared to us, they are straight long and boring, we have roads that there started by the horse and carts men centries ago.

B) They can afford the petrol for them.

When petrol starts to run out they are going to be in for a shock, no A/C no 3.0l SUV with automatic gearbox. :p
 
no, its because they are fat and lazy. Any country that cant even be bothere to put their own seatbelt on and needs it done automatically is either obeses or unintelligent. In addition, the stalks of most old Yank mobiles was on the steering column because they couldnt be bothered to move their hands too far away and have to look what gear to put it in
 
Flat4 said:
In addition, the stalks of most old Yank mobiles was on the steering column because they couldnt be bothered to move their hands too far away and have to look what gear to put it in
Click to expand...

The same could be said about the more common placing of stereo controls on/near the steering wheel!
 
Flat4 said:
no, its because they are fat and lazy. Any country that cant even be bothere to put their own seatbelt on and needs it done automatically is either obeses or unintelligent. In addition, the stalks of most old Yank mobiles was on the steering column because they couldnt be bothered to move their hands too far away and have to look what gear to put it in
Click to expand...

the intellgence of some people in this country astounds me
 
cheets64 said:
A) They have new roads compared to us, they are straight long and boring, we have roads that there started by the horse and carts men centries ago.
Click to expand...

Have you ever Driven a long straight road before? :p

You get driving and you reach 5th gear and you sit in that, No need to change down at all unless you want to over take and even then most cars these days can still gain speed.

The only places Autos are better then manuals are driving around town where there is lots of starting and stopping or for people with some disability or something that prevents them from driving a manual
 
Flat4 said:
no, its because they are fat and lazy. Any country that cant even be bothere to put their own seatbelt on and needs it done automatically is either obeses or unintelligent. In addition, the stalks of most old Yank mobiles was on the steering column because they couldnt be bothered to move their hands too far away and have to look what gear to put it in
Click to expand...

The gear change being on the steering column was done so that a bench seat could be used in the front, ie 3 people in front 3 in back. That is why they don't have a handbrake but instead have a foot brake, usually annoyingly close to the bonnet release.

I have no idea why manuals are still so common, when most autos had 3 forward gears then it made sense economy wise. Most modern autos have at least 5 gears and economy is equivalent to their manual variants.

Never again will I have a clutch peddle, those that do are living in the past. :D
 
manual transmission is more fuel effiecient, you have more control over the car in tricky situations where the automatic changing gear when you dont want to is very annoying
 
I imagine an average American drives much further due to the size of the country and hence doesnt want to press a clutch all the time and select gears constantly.
But looking at our traffic, its a wonder we dont drive more autos!

I dont really like auots though. No matter how good they are there is still a lack of control and uncertainty about it and the worry of it going wrong!
 
sam83uk said:
manual transmission is more fuel effiecient, you have more control over the car in tricky situations where the automatic changing gear when you dont want to is very annoying
Click to expand...
It's no longer the case with most modern designs - jap autos in imported 4x4s for years had better or identical economy to manual versions, if you look nowadays at gearboxes in beemers, or VAG's DSG, for example, they often achieve better economy than manual equivalent.
 
sam83uk said:
manual transmission is more fuel effiecient, you have more control over the car in tricky situations where the automatic changing gear when you dont want to is very annoying
Click to expand...
As before, have you driven many modern Automatics?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom