why do americans drive automatics?

Flat4 · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:30

Mickey_D said:
*snip

Hi Mickey, whilst I fully understand your post I find something I would like clarification on. Do you think with your straight roads and limited traffic light numbers your 'rush hour' in any major city is a patch on what we have to put up with in the UK? I've travelled most of Europe and its major cities and even in France you can cruise around a cities circular in rush hour in 5th gear at a nice steady pace.

In addition, I would think that there are hundreds of people in the UK who can change gear as smoothly as an auto. A lot of autos over here (cheaper brands) can be quite jerky on the change up and as the stats for UK motorists, most drive manuals, we have far more experience of regular gear changing than our colleagues on the other side of the pond. I have no problems delivering smooth power in ice or snow, in fact I oftern like to get some wheel spiinage just for the hell of it

, its always controlled.

What are your thoughts?

Flat4 · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:31

Adz said:
I've owned manual and automatic cars so I'm not really biased.

I find the manual or "stick shift" is much more appealing when you're really "making progress" as the power delivery is far more direct, you have complete control over what gear you're in, there is more engine braking... it's just better.

But, when you're feeling lazy or tired or you're in a traffic jam or your left foot is in a plaster cast, having an automatic is bliss.

I think, and you'll have to forgive me Mickey D and co, that the reason Americans primary drive autos is that driving in america is boring! In the UK we have all manner of tight corners, mini roundabouts and not so mini roundabouts to chuck the car around where instant power delivery is what you need rather than waiting for an automatic to kick down. There's also a certain stigma about driving an auto in this country, that they're primarily for old men and disabled people which puts people off.

Finally, there is the fact that, as the market is limited, european car manufacturers don't put the effort into their auto gearboxes that American manufacturers and/or cars made for the American market do. As such, European autos are often clunky, power sapping and hideously unreliable. Not only that but they don't do a great deal for resale value, especially once the car is out of warranty.

Horses for courses, I'd say. DSG is a nice compromise but equally likely to fail .

So we're saying, steptronic for the win?

Adz · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:34

Flat4 said:
So we're saying, steptronic for the win?

Personally I'm saying everyone should own 2 cars, an automatic Mercedes S class when you want the car to drive you and a manual Lotus Elise/Exige for when you want to have some fun!

alle · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:36

...The worst thing about autos is you always suffer when you pull up behind one at the lights/junction/turning etc at night.

Blackpool illuminations or what!! expecially 4x4s with high rear brake lights!!!

Morba · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:38

alle said:
...The worst thing about autos is you always suffer when you pull up behind one at the lights/junction/turning etc at night.

Blackpool illuminations or what!! expecially 4x4s with high rear brake lights!!!

no, thats just ignorant drivers regardless of transmission (its also stupid of the auto driver to do).

Mickey_D · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:49

Flat4 said:
*snip*

Actually, I've driven in London, Glasgow, Paris, Tokyo, Dubai, Pusan, Hong Kong, Reykjavik (sp?), Prague, Berlin, Rome, etc.

In all the above instances I would much rather have had an automatic than a stick. There's only one instance where I would have rather had a stick and that was when that silly taxi driver in Milan wanted to stay in front of me regardless....

Mind you, in that instance I DID have a rather "spirited" stick car

Mickey_D · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:50

Morba said:
no, thats just ignorant drivers regardless of transmission (its also stupid of the auto driver to do).

It's the norm over here. If you're stopped in a running car, your brake lights are on. In fact you'll fail your driving examination if you use the hand brake at a light except for pulling away on a hill. You hold your car with the foot brake.

DiG · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:54

I learnt on a manual and have never driven auto so I can't comment on that but I like manual, don't know why, I think I would get really bored driving auto, theres nothing to do!

JRS · 16 Nov 2006 at 21:57

Flat4 said:
Hi Mickey, whilst I fully understand your post I find something I would like clarification on. Do you think with your straight roads and limited traffic light numbers your 'rush hour' in any major city is a patch on what we have to put up with in the UK?

Christ, you should see the highways around Seattle during the rush period.....

Worst. Traffic. Jam. Ever.

Mickey_D · 16 Nov 2006 at 22:03

JRS said:
Christ, you should see the highways around Seattle during the rush period.....

Worst. Traffic. Jam. Ever.

Heh, used to live there. Brother still does. Hence why I listed the I-5/I-90. When you add in the other floating bridge across Lake Washington and then chuck the I-405 in as well, you've got a complete nightmare of parking lot traffic. Portland Oregon is just as bad. The Banfield freeway can actually crawl to a complete stop for minutes at a time. And then you travel the next 5 miles where you never achieve enough speed for the speedometer needle to actually move off its peg. Try that in a "spirited" sports car. You'll either have a left leg of a body builder, a worn out clutch, or all of the above!!

SgtTupac · 16 Nov 2006 at 23:00

Volvo I-Shift, Manual style box with a clutch etc, but automatic gear change! Very good setup and on the 12 litre 500's it can make the truck pull hard!

dilated · 16 Nov 2006 at 23:39

Flat4 said:
show me one European built car from 1970 onwards that had a column shift!

dont forget the current model mercedes ml

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

exactly what is it that excites you about changing gears?

why is it that i get the impression that your car is something slow and boring that you drive like a ****** to prove a point?

s0ck · 16 Nov 2006 at 23:47

I drove an automatic the other day.
Unfortunately, I got a bit excited and forgot it was an automatic so in went the 'clutch' as I pulled back the 'gearstick' in my usual *let's make some progress, y0* fashion.
The following four seconds were interesting, to say the least.

cheets64 · 16 Nov 2006 at 23:55

I think automatics are like go karts, well they remind me of go karting, I much prefer the acceleration from a manual gearbox, automactics are good for cities but give me an manual on a country road any day.

jamoor · 17 Nov 2006 at 01:40

this confused me totally
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=15453

silversurfer · 17 Nov 2006 at 01:48

Yea that is weird but apparently its down to poor sales and america is not a market they can afford to ignore unlike us lot.

JRS · 17 Nov 2006 at 01:58

silversurfer said:
Yea that is weird but apparently its down to poor sales and america is not a market they can afford to ignore unlike us lot.

I'm not sure they can ignore the UK market to the same extent that they used to be able to. A few years back, people would sell their children into the slave trade if it meant they could get their hands on a poverty spec 316i. These days, I'm not sure if BMW still has that pull.

It does amuse me that a great many people claim that the only way to drive a performance car properly is to have full control over the gears and clutch, and BMW sell what is supposedly the ultimate example of The Ultimate Driving Machine without that option

Lopéz · 17 Nov 2006 at 06:31

dilated said:
exactly what is it that excites you about changing gears?

why is it that i get the impression that your car is something slow and boring that you drive like a ****** to prove a point?

And what gives you such a hardon over not changing gear?

It's personal preference. Some people like autos and some don't. Get over your hatred of manuals.....

Dr Who · 17 Nov 2006 at 07:53

Flat4 said:
Dam you

I can add a few more as well...

Citroen DS, Ford Zephyr and Zodiac.. there are many more as well, just cant remember them all..

Auto is far superior in traffic or on long journeys as it is less fatiguing to the driver...

Modern electronic autos learn your driving style as well, plus on top of that, if you want to change gear you can... you just dont suffer the fatigue of going up and down on a clutch all the time...

I have 2 cars, one auto turbo forester and one 6 speed sequential lotus 7...

Both are very satisfying to drive in different ways..

Entai · 17 Nov 2006 at 08:59

It has been said by several people in thread already that the majority of American cars have had auto gearboxes virtually as standard since the 40's/50's.
The so called American Obesity "epidemic" did not start untill the late 1980's (source here about 3/4's the way down), so how can you say that the prolific use of auto's is because of the obesity when the cars had auto's long long before the epidemic started ?

The ONLY reason for auto boxes on American cars is because it is by far and away the ideal for their style of driving.