OT: Manual vs Automatic

[Wyldnwoody44]

Yes I'm talking about the car, for those with minds in the gutter *cough chz cough* ;)

 

I recently bought a WRX and its a stick, and I just wanted to get a a feel for those who prefer manual shifting vs auto.

 

Auto is nice for eating while driving and extracurricular activities, however I've got my multi tasking while driving down to a fine art in the subaru.

 

Rant away

[SwampD]

It depends how drunk I am when I get in to drive.

[darksabre]

Automatic. I'd love to have a manual car for a second car, but I'm lazy and have a bad left knee. So I don't ever want to be stuck in traffic with a stick.

 

I'm sure Josie will chime in about here love of manuals soon enough. :P

[josie]

I refuse to drive auto. I paid extra/waited forever to get an Impreza with manual when trading in my last lease. My first car was a mustang with stick, and I just fell in love with manual transmission. I'm a control freak and I like being able to feel the gears/make my own decisions. I love it on a winding road, too. I may or may not be rather arrogant/proud about this choice.

 

Also, I know it sounds kinda silly, but the necessity of paying attention to shift keeps my millennial mind off checking my phone/messing around. Keep my mind on driving.

 

The only time I want to go back on my decision is any time I get stuck in a slow moving (not stationary) traffic jam. Massachusetts, your awful sluggish yet slightly moving traffic nearly made me amputate my leg/buy a new car. Roll as slow as you can in 1st. Ugh. If I lived in an area that constantly had that kind of traffic, I would probably reconsider.

 

Automatic. I'd love to have a manual car for a second car, but I'm lazy and have a bad left knee. So I don't ever want to be stuck in traffic with a stick.

 

I'm sure Josie will chime in about here love of manuals soon enough. :P

Darn tootin'

Edited October 8, 2014 by Josie914

[Weave]

Old age has inspired comfort. I'll take an automatic transmission thank you.

[MattPie]

It depends how drunk I am when I get in to drive.

 

I've never had any trouble shifting after a few. I'm not going to say it's smart either way, but shifting keeps your head in the game. The only automatic I've owned since 1994 is my wife's Outback (which we bought from her parents). The standards include 2 WRXs (2002 and 2011), I love those cars and I love driving standard.

 

Auto is nice for eating while driving and extracurricular activities, however I've got my multi tasking while driving down to a fine art in the subaru.

 

ProTip: depending on which extracurricular activities you're talking about, learn to shift with your left hand so you don't have interrupt what your right is doing. ;)

[TrueBlueGED]

Automatic. I'd love to have a manual car for a second car, but I'm lazy and have a bad left knee. So I don't ever want to be stuck in traffic with a stick.

 

I'm sure Josie will chime in about here love of manuals soon enough. :P

 

This is exactly where I'm at (minus the bad left knee). I love driving manuals, and if I'm ever in position financially to have multiple cars, I'm absolutely going to have a fun manual (WRX calls my name regularly). However, I do so much city driving that more often than not I find manual annoying rather than fun.

[LastPommerFan]

I refuse to drive auto. I paid extra/waited forever to get an Impreza with manual when trading in my last lease. My first car was a mustang with stick, and I just fell in love with manual transmission. I'm a control freak and I like being able to feel the gears/make my own decisions. I love it on a winding road, too. I may or may not be rather arrogant/proud about this choice.

 

A recent study by GCOESO showed that nearly 100% of people who make that choice are arrogant/overly proud about it.

[LTS]

So.. I love automatic for convenience and I love manual.. for when you know... I don't feel like being lazy.

 

I have shifter paddles I can engage.. no clutch.. it's not bad... not quite the same. But.... I can override the shifting :)

[Hoss]

 

 

A recent study by GCOESO showed that nearly 100% of people who make that choice are arrogant/overly proud about it.

 

Right. It's not that a lot of people drive stick. It's that every single one that does makes sure you know about it.

[JJFIVEOH]

Depends what kind of car you're driving. You don't get a car like a WRX without a manual transmission. But, an SUV for the soccer mom, that gets an auto.

 

I'm eventually going to end up in western NC and I'll buy another car more appropriate for the mountains, and it will be small with a manual.

[Weave]

Right. It's not that a lot of people drive stick. It's that every single one that does makes sure you know about it.

 

stick drivers = vegans hmm. I could see that. :P

[Mox]

Every car I've owned since I was in high school has been a manual. Driving an automatic just ruins the fun of driving. There are times I get a rental car while on vacation and within the first 10 minutes of driving it I'll slam my face into the steering wheel by hitting the brake really hard with my left foot while looking for the clutch.

 

Current Cars: 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, 2008 Mini Cooper S.

[TrueBlueGED]

Depends what kind of car you're driving. You don't get a car like a WRX without a manual transmission. But, an SUV for the soccer mom, that gets an auto.

 

I'm eventually going to end up in western NC and I'll buy another car more appropriate for the mountains, and it will be small with a manual.

 

Neither here nor there, but I don't even think you *can* get a WRX with an auto. When I was car shopping three years ago the only option for that can was a 5 speed. Good to see a company tell people how things should be and actually be right about it :lol:

[JJFIVEOH]

Neither here nor there, but I don't even think you *can* get a WRX with an auto. When I was car shopping three years ago the only option for that can was a 5 speed. Good to see a company tell people how things should be and actually be right about it :lol:

 

Right on!

[josie]

Right. It's not that a lot of people drive stick. It's that every single one that does makes sure you know about it.

How do you find a stick driver at a party?

 

Don't worry, he/she will tell ya.

[MattPie]

Depends what kind of car you're driving. You don't get a car like a WRX without a manual transmission. But, an SUV for the soccer mom, that gets an auto.

 

I dunno, I loved my 5-speed Jeep Cherokee as far as SUVs go. And someone upthread is right: WRX doesn't come in manual. It's 5-speed only, or the STi is 6-speed.

[dEnnis the Menace]

Every car I've owned since I was in high school has been a manual. Driving an automatic just ruins the fun of driving. There are times I get a rental car while on vacation and within the first 10 minutes of driving it I'll slam my face into the steering wheel by hitting the brake really hard with my left foot while looking for the clutch.

 

done this a number of times in my fiance's car. I've almost bounced her head off the dash once or twice...she isn't too happy when that happens.

 

And like Josie, I special ordered my car (manual legacy sedan) so I could get the manual (dealer didn't have any). I'll never go back.

[JJFIVEOH]

I dunno, I loved my 5-speed Jeep Cherokee as far as SUVs go. And someone upthread is right: WRX doesn't come in manual. It's 5-speed only, or the STi is 6-speed.

 

Oh I know, I was talking more along the lines of the soccer mom SUV's like Expeditions and Suburbans. There is no way in hell I get a Jeep with an auto. I think the Wrangled is a very close 2nd choice for me for mountain driving.

 

My F-250 is auto, I tow with it and I wouldn't have it any other way. Wish I had a different daily driver.

[Hoss]

The very first time I drove it was a manual car... Didn't stall it and only bounced it once, but I still said "###### that" and won't go back.

[spndnchz]

Corvette, stick. Mini Van, automatic.

[Hoss]

Backup quarterback? Manuel. Dan Carpenter? Automatic.

[biodork]

The very first time I drove it was a manual car... Didn't stall it and only bounced it once, but I still said "###### that" and won't go back.

 

lol that's pretty close to my experience... I'd driven a little bit in my dad's automatic, and my parents bought a manual 1987 Ford Escort hatchback for $375 for me to use. While out driving that for the first time, my dad took me up to an intersection with a hill and never mentioned what would happen when it was time to start moving again. Car started rolling backwards, I freaked out, car stalled and wouldn't start again so we had to push it over to a nearby parking lot until we could come back later for it. Screw that nonsense.

[IKnowPhysics]

Right. It's not that a lot of people drive stick. It's that every single one that does makes sure you know about it.

How do you find a stick driver at a party?

 

Don't worry, he/she will tell ya.

 

Since when is this a thing? Why is this a braggable skill? Have I been in LA (land of almost entirely automatics) too long? Why I would think that's interesting enough to bring up in conversation?

 

Anyways, I drive a manual and wouldn't have it any other way. When I drive compact automatics, I feel like I'm driving a go kart. Gas. Steering wheel. Brake.

Edited October 8, 2014 by IKnowPhysics

[Claude_Verret]

I only owned manual transmission cars until I got T-boned 8 years ago and that car was totaled. I bought a automatic truck after that and my wife drives a minivan. I've thought about getting a Wrangler for weekend and around town driving and if I did I'd only go with manual.