Cars: Manual or Automatic transmission?

[Andreasanno]

Manual Manual Manual.
To be honest: I am not sure if I'll be able to start automatic (had NEVER driven one...)
I learned driving at the age of (Yes not a mistype) 35.
It was manual right from the beginning, and it goes on like this.
One thing I can't understand, why people are complaining about stop and go traffic.
In my area with not so few slopes the traffic jams are constant and I feel driving manual through them like fun.
The only thing that actually annoys me is that I am getting late for all kinds of my appointments.

[simonalexander2005]

Living in the UK, I can't understand why anyone would take a test which limits them to driving an automatic car (disabilities aside) - surely it's not worth limiting yourself to just automatics?

[hemingway]

We also have the open license and restricted automatic in Australia, and yes anyone with an auto only license is subject to ridicule at the pub.

I've always had manuals. The one auto I've owned I found frustratingly clumsy - never knowing what gear it should be in. Just because I floored the throttle, doesn't mean I want you to select first gear at 60kph and light the tyres! It was a late 90's model car, and a friend noted that modern ones would have eliminated the idiot automatic syndrome, but a few weeks ago I drove the current year model of the same car, and it was equally unable to determine what gear I wanted.

Clutches don't die that often and I can change one myself if needed. However if you blow your auto, it costs a mint to rebuild it and I would never attempt it myself.           

[420nudist]

I learned to drive on a Manual and to this day would rather drive one. I like having control in the corners, take offs and down shifting. Automatic is boring in my book.

[tommy3]

As has been said already, it's just the norm to learn in and drive a manual car in the UK. I love it, i live in a rural area so the roads are generally long and clear and being able to flick through my car's six gears makes me feel a bit like a rally driver :)
But, having said that, when i get close to a traffic jam, I do start to wish i had an auto, it just makes it that much easier!
I enjoy driving the autos when I visit the US, but it does make it fun when I get back in a manual car at home!

[adls1989]

My vote goes for CVT . I just love the way cars/bikes with CVT accelerate . DCT too seems to be better than manual though not as good as CVT . But the worst type of transmission is definitely conventional automatic transmission . I find manual way better than conventional automatics .

A demo of CVT can be seen here
. CVT emerges as a clear winner .

Aadil

[cc71]

Automatic for me. The advantages are that you can concentrate on your driving without fumbling with the clutch and gears and stuff. The one disadvantage which is lack of engine braking on downhill sections can be overcome by applying the brakes.

My scooter is also automatic.

[natureboy1776]

Automatic for me. The advantages are that you can concentrate on your driving without fumbling with the clutch and gears and stuff. The one disadvantage which is lack of engine braking on downhill sections can be overcome by applying the brakes.

My scooter is also automatic.

If you shift your automatic down from overdrive to drive, it will engine brake too. I'll take manual whenever possible. With experience, there is NO fumbling or distraction, but better control. With good technique mileage is better as one can shift sooner.

[Dave82]

I learned how to drive in a manual and all of the vehicles i had access to were manuals (my truck, my parents cars and my grandfather's truck). My driving instructor spent the entire first session telling me to take my hand off of the shift lever (it was an automatic) he almost didn't believe me when i told him that it was the first time i had ever driven an automatic.

I would love to drive a manual full time right now... but it is just not practical, driving in traffic really sucks and the wife still hasn't learned how to drive it.  I do still have my manual truck to drive on the weekend though

[AElf]

Automatic for me. The advantages are that you can concentrate on your driving without fumbling with the clutch and gears and stuff. The one disadvantage which is lack of engine braking on downhill sections can be overcome by applying the brakes.

My scooter is also automatic.

If you shift your automatic down from overdrive to drive, it will engine brake too. I'll take manual whenever possible. With experience, there is NO fumbling or distraction, but better control. With good technique mileage is better as one can shift sooner.

Right on all points.  I was wondering how cc71 could be "fumbling with the clutch and gears" -- if you drive enough and it becomes muscle memory -- I haven't missed a gear since my second driving lesson.  And if you want to be greener you drive stick, unless you go the all-electric route.

[Dan]

Right now, I'm very glad for automatic. I can drive with a stick just fine but I'm using a car sharing service (way cheaper than owning and so much more convenient) and I don't want the other drivers to break the car while learning to drive manual.

[dmutah]

We reciently got a 1983 Peterbilt with a very strange transmission setup. It has 2 gear shifts. A 13 speed for one shifter and a 4 speed for the other. Lets say its been realy interesting leaning this setup. Fun part is each tranmission has an over drive gear so between the 2 gives double over drive. I have only been in double overdrive 3 times. Last time i backed out when my gps said it was going 93 mph and still was not at the engines governed speed  .

[Flounder]

I've only ever driven an auto once and that was an Infiniti FX35 in California. The car I normally drive, the one I also passed my driving test in a few months ago, is a manual. I honestly prefer it, there's a lot less of a delay and you can adapt your gear changes to your driving style a lot better.

Over here, it's very rare you'll find someone with an automatic only license, partly because autos are a lot more thin on the ground in terms of used car availability, but also because manual transmissions are just kind of engrained in us. It's tricky at first but second nature after a little bit of practice.

[Padraig]

I'm still working on my license, so far I only drive automatic transmission, but I'm planning on learning stick shift pretty soon. 

[irmantas]

Right now I'm driving automatic transmission car, I like it more than stick shift, but it uses more fuel :/