[poll] Auto or Manual next gen?

[Rickycardo]

Hybrid! :barf: Plug-in Electric!
Mustang Stick! :cheers: Mustang Auto!
:focus:

Sponsored

 

[OppoLock]

The biggest regret I've made with my 335i was choosing to go auto. The paddle shifters are not a substitute. I chose it because I thought that stop-and-go traffic would be a pain and that it would be more practical, but also thought hey, I could always select my gears with the paddles or console shifter! Huge mistake. If you're the type of person that likes to select your own gears then you will always be hurting for manual. I've been driving in manual mode with this thing like 95% of the time.

I want a manual...
...not because it's faster - the automatic choice will typically be faster these days.
...not because it gives me "more control" - most autos these days will give you full range of gear selection voiding that old point. They've also become much more responsive which is huge.
...and not because it's more economical - a good auto will typically be more fuel efficient now.

Because it's just more fun and involving. It doesn't make you a better driver; you aren't a better driver by choosing to go manual. It's just way more enjoyable on a daily basis.

Not making that mistake again.

 

[phil1336]

Thread has been cleaned up.

This is a warning for those who were not warned individually (you know who you are):
Insulting other members, whether it be personal attacks or an entire group of people whose preferences happen to differ from yours, is going to quickly lead to infractions and loss of posting privileges. Refrain from posting if you can not discuss/debate in a civil manner.

Thank you! Not that I feel that I`m involved in the above mentioned fray, I will work on when and when not to capitalize, use both then and than correctly, and work feverishly to improve both my grammar and punctuation. By the way, what was the original Topic? Finger dexterity exercises to improve paddle function shifting?

 

[Horse]

Thread has been cleaned up.

This is a warning for those who were not warned individually (you know who you are):
Insulting other members, whether it be personal attacks or an entire group of people whose preferences happen to differ from yours, is going to quickly lead to infractions and loss of posting privileges. Refrain from posting if you can not discuss/debate in a civil manner.

Looks like I missed something this afternoon. Everyone be cool.

 

[Horse]

That is precisely why, when looking for a daily driver, it has to be a manual transmission. If i'm going to spend a large amount of time in this vehicle, it needs to be enjoyable.

I've been in hours long stop and go freeway traffic, driving both manual and automatic and I can crawl slower and decelerate faster without having to always hit my brakes when I'm driving a manual transmission. It's at the point that when I'm stuck in traffic with an automatic, I'm hating my lack of control over the vehicle. The more traffic I drive in, the more I'd insist on manual transmission. I've wondered if I'm just too much of a control freak though.

:cheers:

 

[Horse]

The biggest regret I've made with my 335i was choosing to go auto. The paddle shifters are not a substitute. I chose it because I thought that stop-and-go traffic would be a pain and that it would be more practical, but also thought hey, I could always select my gears with the paddles or console shifter! Huge mistake. If you're the type of person that likes to select your own gears then you will always be hurting for manual. I've been driving in manual mode with this thing like 95% of the time.

I want a manual...
...not because it's faster - the automatic choice will typically be faster these days.
...not because it gives me "more control" - most autos these days will give you full range of gear selection voiding that old point. They've also become much more responsive which is huge.
...and not because it's more economical - a good auto will typically be more fuel efficient now.

Because it's just more fun and involving. It doesn't make you a better driver; you aren't a better driver by choosing to go manual. It's just way more enjoyable on a daily basis.

Not making that mistake again.

Yes, more fun and more involving when driving a stick-shift. To me, it's simply (more) satisfying operating a manual. Whatever you just did, you know you did it all (or most) by yourself.

 

[phil1336]

Having a Manual Transmission is even more fun and challenging when someone is (tailgating) you and say a foot or so behind your rear bumper and your on a hill or a slight incline. Even with so called "Hill control" built into some Manuals, its always fun attempting to leave your foot of the brake and pressing the accelerator while you release the clutch and hope that your vehicle doesn`t roll backwards a few inches. You could always hold your manual transmission in place by simply using the accelerator and clutch to maintain your braking as you prematurely burn away at your clutch to remain stopped in place, a non warrantied item of course. Guess you could always engage your emergency brake lever and use that to maintain braking and slowly release the lever as your press the accelerator and release the clutch pedal. Its fun practicing ones co-ordination.

 

[Nitro]

As someone who loves driving and doesn't have a whole lot of stop and go during my commute; the answer will always be manual.

 

[phil1336]

As someone who loves driving and doesn't have a whole lot of stop and go during my commute; the answer will always be manual.

Each driver and their own personal driving habits and preference will determine what works best for them. Like I Posted in earlier threads, with the exception perhaps of the GT V8 Mustang, resale and residual values of manual transmissions are horrible. I should know, I work part-time at Manhiem Auto Auctions and the Sale prices of stick shift Vehicles, even Audi, Infinity, BMW, Volks, both Golf & Jetta are terrible compared to those equipped with A/T.

 

[Horse]

Having a Manual Transmission is even more fun and challenging when someone is (tailgating) you and say a foot or so behind your rear bumper and your on a hill or a slight incline. Even with so called "Hill control" built into some Manuals, its always fun attempting to leave your foot of the brake and pressing the accelerator while you release the clutch and hope that your vehicle doesn`t roll backwards a few inches. You could always hold your manual transmission in place by simply using the accelerator and clutch to maintain your braking as you prematurely burn away at your clutch to remain stopped in place, a non warrantied item of course. Guess you could always engage your emergency brake lever and use that to maintain braking and slowly release the lever as your press the accelerator and release the clutch pedal. Its fun practicing ones co-ordination.

All 2015 manual mustangs will have hill assist built in. I don't know how I should feel about this. I have been driving just fine without hill assist. I might like.

 

[Norm Peterson]

phil - what you're telling me is that cars with automatic transmissions are eminently more disposable than cars with manuals.


In hindsight, I'm kind of glad that I never went into a car purchase with its ultimate disposition in mind. Since there isn't any way to go back and undo/redo any mistaken choice of $ over enjoyment, I'd hate to think I'd sold off the fun-to-drive that cheaply. Besides, my own previously-new cars have always made better second/third/etc. cars for less money than buying anybody else's used car could ever have been.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

All 2015 manual mustangs will have hill assist built in. I don't know how I should feel about this. I have been driving just fine without hill assist. I might like.

As long as Ford continues to provide a way to turn it off, you shouldn't have much to worry about. It's GM who thinks people shouldn't ever be without this.


Norm

 

[Horse]

As long as Ford continues to provide a way to turn it off, you shouldn't have much to worry about. It's GM who thinks people shouldn't ever be without this.


Norm

thanks, good to know :ford:

 

[phil1336]

Resale and residual value

phil - what you're telling me is that cars with automatic transmissions are eminently more disposable than cars with manuals.


In hindsight, I'm kind of glad that I never went into a car purchase with its ultimate disposition in mind. Since there isn't any way to go back and undo/redo any mistaken choice of $ over enjoyment, I'd hate to think I'd sold off the fun-to-drive that cheaply. Besides, my own previously-new cars have always made better second/third/etc. cars for less money than buying anybody else's used car could ever have been.


Norm

If you keep a Car until "death do you part" or its ready for the "crusher-smelter, it doesn`t really matter. However, if your like me that typical trades in or replaces their vehicle every 3 to 5 years, it makes a huge difference what residual trade-in values are.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Our natural new car buying cycle is a bit longer than yours, being more like 6 or 7 years (and having 3 or 4 years at a crack without a car payment has been a nice little fringe benefit). Somehow, we've always still liked the soon-to-be-the-old/even-older-cars well enough to have never thought of them as trade bait or as something to sell in order to raise down payment money.

I'm convinced that our transmission choice - since 1971 they've all been manuals - has had something to do with this.


Norm

Sponsored