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Why Automatics Are Better Than Manuals

Shadow277

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They are faster. That's what I always hear across the internet. I've also heard that the paddle shifters are just as fun. It seems people are always debating this when 10 years ago it wasn't really a conpetition. From browsing the internet as a kid, I was told to learn stick or forget about driving a fun car. "A fun car that's an auto does not exist." Even some cars did not have an automatic option.

The last car meet I was in, a guy has a manual in his and said he regrets it but congradulates his friend with an old Corvette on getting a manual. He asked me what transmission I have and he said Why? The manual transmissions are terrible in those.

I understand automatics are faster. There is no disputing that. It just isn't as much fun, even if it is a performance car with an auto. There is just something about myself shifting thay creates a grin on my face. My friends are pretty impressed at how well my shifting is (I have been to plenty of track days). I am not a pro driver and cannot appreciate every minute difference in vehicle packages and I doubt a majority of car enthusiasts are. I think Jay Leno says it best: "Driving is like sex. Everyone thinks they're great at it until they actually have to do it."
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LSchicago

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They are faster. That's ehat I always hear across the internet. I've also heard that the paddle shifters are just as fun. It seems people are always debating this when 10 years ago it wasn't really a conpetition. From browsing the internet as a kid, I was told to learn stick or forget about driving a fun car. "A fun car that's an auto does not exist." Even some cars did not have an automatic option.

Theast car meet I was in, a guy has a manual in his and said he regrets it but congradulates his friend with an old Corvette on getting a manual. He asked me what transmission I have and he said Why? The manual transmissions are terrible in those.

I understand automatics are faster. There is no disputing that. It just isn't as much fun, even if it is a performance car with an auto. There is just something about myself shifting thay creates a grin on my face. My friends are pretty impressed at how well my shifting is (I have been to plenty of track days). I am not a pro driver and cannot appreciate every minute difference in vehicle packages and I doubt a majority of car enthusiasts are. I think Jay Leno says it best: "Driving is like sex. Everyone thinks they're great at it until they actually have to do it."
Winning is more fun than losing. BJ's are more fun than Masturbation. I'll take the A10.
 

mindo389

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It boils down to a matter of preference. I've owned both but now prefer to go automatic. Some of us older guys will remember a guy named Ronnie Sox, who dominated the NHRA Super Stock/Pro Stock class, driving a 4 speed manual Chrysler or Plymouth in from the late 60's to the early 70's. It took the invention of the Lenco planetary transmission to level the field for other drivers.
 

galaxy

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Personally, I think it's a stretch, a long stretch, that we still call a modern transmissions in a car with no clutch pedal an automatic. There's no comparison to a modern transmission of today with what most of us reference to that word, minus the missing pedal.

Although not a performance car, I do have an auto with paddles in an otherwise fun car (Lexus IS). The paddles lasted about 2 minutes and I haven't touched them since.

But for the sake of entertainment....my son has a manual S197 car (I did not give him the option of an auto, but that's a separate story). He has buddies and friends at school that not only do they not know how to drive a manual, they've been in his car and didn't even understand what they were looking at. They had zero idea what a manual tranny is or that such a contraption even existed. They had no clue or comprehension of what they were seeing.
 
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Hack

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I feel lucky that Ford still sells cars with manual transmissions. I always figured that they were a lot more likely to be damaged by incompetent drivers - hence more warranty claims. You have to really do something crazy to damage an automatic with driver error.

I can definitely understand if you make money from how fast your car is or if you are looking for the easiest or most comfortable option then buying the car that is faster or more comfy to drive is important. And if you want better fuel economy and that's really important to you I can understand buying an automatic equipped vehicle (not a Mustang if you want fuel economy - that seems silly).

But I personally prefer a manual transmission.

Personally, I think it's a stretch, a long stretch, that we still call a modern transmissions in a car with no clutch pedal an automatic. There's no comparison to a modern transmission of today with what most of us reference to that word, minus the missing pedal.

Although not a performance car, I do have an auto with paddles in an otherwise fun car (Lexus IS). The paddles lasted about 2 minutes and I haven't touched them since.

But for the sake of entertainment....my son has a manual S197 car (I did not give him the option of an auto, but that's a separate story). He has buddies and friends at school that not only do they not know how to drive a manual, they've been in his car and didn't even understand what they were looking at. They had zero idea what a manual tranny is or that such a contraption even existed. They had no clue or comprehension of what they were seeing.
Not sure why a modern automatic should not be called automatic. It definitely shouldn't be called manual. Maybe autotragic or something, but not manual. The thing shifts automatically, for heaven's sakes.
 

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Shifting_Gears

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Autos have evolved so much that there’s generally no benefit to having a manual trans for a “faster” car. They shift faster, more precisely, more efficiently and never stop putting power down. No human can replicate that.

That being said, no auto can replicate the human interaction of man and machine rowing the gears. When your brain is the transmissions computer, you really have control over what you want the car to do.

Save the manuals!
 

Tacswa

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Bought a 20' GT A10........it was fast and quick but regretted not getting a manual. Traded it for a Bullitt
 
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Shadow277

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Chevy is working on newer tech that allows manual gearboxes to shift without lifting off the gas pedal while shifting accurately. Because of added human interaction, a manual gearbox will always be more efficient naturally. Automatics get more research and development because Americans want it over manuals, therefore the market adjusts for it, no matter how dumb the product is. It's going to be internesting to see if manuals will be able to overthrow automatics.
 

Fatevilmonkey

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The aspect of just enjoy to drive your car is what you’re missing. I’m not a track guy , don’t care about the numbers. I enjoy rowing the gears gently around town , doing fun downshifts heel/toe. Its fun . It’s also something else when you slam on the gas and you have to blast down on the clutch and throw first to second . There’s no feeling to describe that.

A pull of the paddle or the throw of the auto stick isn’t the same .

Again autos are faster , you take some of the human error out of driving .

But at competitive levels I feel we should have manuals.

Please watch Senna qualifying lap around Monaco . He’s got a twin turbo v8 formula 1 car , he’s doing a 140 through a turn and he upshifts manually. It’s just an amazing thing .
So yes autos faster, manuals are special
 

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Automatics lol. K, I'll play along. With manuals you drive the car, the car doesn't drive you. Automatics are for the poser, manuals is a real drivers car. More control over the vehicle than automatic transmissions can offer. Without drag mode its nothing. Without the PCM controlling it it's nothing. Fastest s550 MT82(stock) car runs nines. Fastest NA Manual trans coyote runs 8.40's. Good luck doing that with the A10 and have it live beyond a couple runs.
 

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hiccup

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I don't know..for me it will always be the stick if it's being offered...there's something about cruising and coasting along and being able rev the exhaust...and not having to worry about slamming it in reverse.
 

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Automatics lol. K, I'll play along. With manuals you drive the car, the car doesn't drive you. Automatics are for the poser, manuals is a real drivers car. More control over the vehicle than automatic transmissions can offer. Without drag mode its nothing. Without the PCM controlling it it's nothing. Fastest s550 MT82(stock) car runs nines. Fastest NA Manual trans coyote runs 8.40's. Good luck doing that with the A10 and have it live beyond a couple runs.
I’m not so sure that’s true. The mt82 isn’t that strong of a transmission so when considering the A10 versus the MT82 for the power levels needed to get the times mentioned I would pick the A10 because stock it’ll handle more power. The MT82 really isn’t that great which means putting in a better manual or building the MT82. In terms of autos handling the power for a purpose built drag car theres plenty of options to swap in. Superglides come to mind and I believe are preferred by most of the high horsepower race cars. Safety is an issue on those though and if you can have a transmission that shifts for you more easily where you don’t have to take your hands off the steering wheel then it’s better. Another factor is the fact that you can miss a gear in a manual so the competitive guys want to eliminate that factor.
 

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Superglides come to mind and I believe are preferred by most of the high horsepower race cars.
6r80 with a PHB 4 speed hub or TH400's are the hot ticket. Anyways, point being manual trans cars can be just as fast as autos. But the fastest s550's 7's/8's none run the A10 afaik, it's clutches are the very weak point.
 

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In for the stupid game...

I guess they are, for the uncoordinated. Me a person that can walk and chew gum at the same time. Totally enjoy the manual box. Can leave the car, windows down. Fob in glove box, sign on the dash take it for a ride. And not worry about it being stollen.

I've heard on the internet the paddles chip the diver's finger nail polish :question:
 

17Magnetic5.0

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This discussion has been brought up so many times and it’s always the same. There’s the people that prefer auto and the people that prefer stick and everybody is right because it comes down to preference. For me an auto fits my daily requirements since I’m not racing the car and when I want to take some high speed turns on some country roads I’ll use the paddle shifters to hold gears and stay into the power. That’s my preference because it fits what I use the car for. Although I would prefer a DCT eventually.

I’ll offer another idea though, a clutch less manual. It’s been done on other cars in the past and I believe Hyundai is doing it now on a car. The how it works I’m not sure but from reading I see it says “it predicts” when you want to shift. I’d like to see a system that maybe knows by pressure being put on the shifter that the driver is ready to shift and instantaneously engages the clutch and tells the PCM to do all the appropriate stuff to allow the shift into a higher or lower gear.A transmission like this would help those that want to drive a manual but have never driven one and would help the popularity of the manual while bridging the gap between a manual and an auto.
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