Cars: Manual or Automatic transmission?

[JoyousLemons]

I've never seen a manual transmission car before and I don't see any point in wanting one

[Fishandchips]

I think over here you have to learn and pass your test on a manual to be able to drive both. If you do it using an auto then you aren't allowed to drive manual

In the good ole US, you dont need to worry about any of that. If you can drive an auto, you're allowed to drive any car.

I think you guys can drive at a younger age than us too. Think it's 17 here.. well it was when I was 17 lol

[Interested Nudist]

I think you guys can drive at a younger age than us too. Think it's 17 here.. well it was when I was 17 lol

Depends on the state. Some places you can drive as young as 14. Other places you gotta wait til 16 or 17.

[coolstolSE]

I've never seen a manual transmission car before and I don't see any point in wanting one

Murica huh

[NaturistBeez]

Have owned both, learned in a manual car (also had no power steering so 3 point turns were great craic). I think manual is preferred here for the most part because our roads are quite small, so most people would gravitate towards something smaller. Lower powered engines typically don't do too tell with automatic or CVT setups.

Of the cars I've owned, 10 have been manual, 1 automatic. My preference would be for an automatic purely for traffic, honestly, but they're a bit thin on the ground here as I said unless you want a luxury or executive car.

[Dylan]

I have my learners and we have both auto and manual and I drive both

[Paula MZ]

My own car has a manual gearbox and my parents' has an automatic gearbox. I can operate both types of cars

[Longingtobenude]

My daily driver

[Sofia]

I can drive both

[NudistMetalHead]

My personal vehicle is automatic.  But I first learned to drive with a stick shift.  That learning does come in handy with one of the work vehicles I drive, especially for a lot of uphill that gets involved.

[coolstolSE]

Bruh if you can drive a manual you can drive an auto. Like, there has never been a person that knows manuals that got in an auto and said "i give up, this is too hard"

[spongeman]

As far as longevity goes, if you buy a used car with a standard transmission, it's almost a given that it will need a new clutch soon, and probably a throw-out bearing, maybe a clutch cylinder if it's hydraulic, and quite possibly some new synchros or gears in the transmission.

Although hot weather and deep water prematurely kill a lot of automatic transmissions around here, in theory, an automatic transmission should last several hundred thousand miles without problems.

It's the complete opposite here in Lithuania. People know how to drive stick and don't abuse it that much, probably because automatic is still sort of a luxury. And with automatic all you have to do is press both pedals at once.

[steffy21]

my dad had a stick shift when i was little that i was starting to learn to drive but we moved to the city and he got rid of it becouse we did not need a gas swallowing 4 wheel drive and i have not had the opportunity to drive one since

[Jake15]

Trucks or large suvs with automatic transmission are known for the transmission breaking much faster than if it were a manual. A manual transmission in general will always be more reliable especially in large trucks or when hauling heavy things.

Driving a manual can also be the most satisfying thing ever. Newer cars might not let you do this, but once you learn your car and get the rev matching perfect. You don't need the clutch to change gears when in motion.
It may seem challenging to learn how to drive manual at first but. The hardest part imo is just learning how to take off smoothly. You got to learn where the clutch starts to grab and give it a little bit of gas as your start to move. I've had a lot of years to practice so I may be biased lol.

[Sofia]

Trucks or large suvs with automatic transmission are known for the transmission breaking much faster than if it were a manual. A manual transmission in general will always be more reliable especially in large trucks or when hauling heavy things.

Driving a manual can also be the most satisfying thing ever. Newer cars might not let you do this, but once you learn your car and get the rev matching perfect. You don't need the clutch to change gears when in motion.
It may seem challenging to learn how to drive manual at first but. The hardest part imo is just learning how to take off smoothly. You got to learn where the clutch starts to grab and give it a little bit of gas as your start to move. I've had a lot of years to practice so I may be biased lol.

I agree with what you said there. I know some people here have a stigma about manual transmission but with a manual I feel you have more control and can get the best from your vehicle.
My dad taught me when I was young on some work vehicles and I did learn what you said about changing gears without using the clutch just by the revs. I also got to drive a 5 ton truck with a 2 range transmission (i'm not sure about the terminology) and getting used to that was fun and satisfying