Stick or Automatic?

[salikriaz]

The thread is about which transmission to have in a car while learning to drive.

I quit. How is the original question so difficult to comprehend? How many people came in here thinking this was yet another auto vs manual thread. You guys are making me hate humanity right now.

...If he has any drive to learn stick then that's what he'll learn on, otherwise auto.. The only difference is clutch control. Otherwise if you can change radio stations while driving you can shift a manual.

My opinion of course.

 

[EmpJoseph]

I use Manual . That way its easy for me to drift

 

[niky]

Which is not something a learner driver should be doing.

That was the point, same with his nsx. All racing drivers and known car enthusiasts can't stand autos in cars they own, no matter if it is more relaxing for daily driving.

As you get better and better it's weird driving an automatic. Actually not having that much of lift off oversteer, no engine braking, power that doesn't completely stop if lifting, not choosing gears and not being as focused (that last one is probably a personal thing) is kind of dangerous if you are not used to, even for daily driving. I'm more cautious with autos than manuals lol.

Any journo or racing driver who owns a fast AMG owns an auto. Tsuchiya has one or two, Clarkson has one. Hamilton has one. Button has one. I'm pretty sure Vettel's Infiniti(ly ugly) SUV has one.

Keen drivers may prefer manual transmissions for their weekend toys, but for their workday cars, some of these people don't give two hoots about playing clutch monkey in a rolling passenger conveyance for four.

Not every single automatic is as dire as you'd like to think they are. Big engined cars are often wonderful with autos. The torque converter lessens the shock to the drivetrain (which is why AMG prefers traditional ATs) and makes for smoother power delivery. It's arguable that the M5 is worse with the manual tranny, and it drifts perfectly fine with the SMG. Hell, a Sentra or a Prius gets decent lift-off oversteer with their CVT / Planetary gearset...

I've never felt a lack of control at all when driving a DCT or SMG on the racetrack, or even a traditional AT with a proper +/- function (then again, GM's 6-speed AT in the Cruze is horrid compared to their dire 6-MTs).

If you need a clutch to stay focused, that's definitely personal, and pretty short-sighted. Me? I find it perfectly possible to have a burger in one hand, a phone at the ear and a soda in the shifter hand while going down the road.

Many drivers are perfectly fine with an AT on the road or the racetrack. Yes, a clutch is more fun in certain situations, but that's all there is to it.

 

[avens]

Which is not something a learner driver should be doing.



Any journo or racing driver who owns a fast AMG owns an auto. Tsuchiya has one or two, Clarkson has one. Hamilton has one. Button has one. I'm pretty sure Vettel's Infiniti(ly ugly) SUV has one.

Keen drivers may prefer manual transmissions for their weekend toys, but for their workday cars, some of these people don't give two hoots about playing clutch monkey in a rolling passenger conveyance for four.

Not every single automatic is as dire as you'd like to think they are. Big engined cars are often wonderful with autos. The torque converter lessens the shock to the drivetrain (which is why AMG prefers traditional ATs) and makes for smoother power delivery. It's arguable that the M5 is worse with the manual tranny, and it drifts perfectly fine with the SMG. Hell, a Sentra or a Prius gets decent lift-off oversteer with their CVT / Planetary gearset...

I've never felt a lack of control at all when driving a DCT or SMG on the racetrack, or even a traditional AT with a proper +/- function (then again, GM's 6-speed AT in the Cruze is horrid compared to their dire 6-MTs).

If you need a clutch to stay focused, that's definitely personal, and pretty short-sighted. Me? I find it perfectly possible to have a burger in one hand, a phone at the ear and a soda in the shifter hand while going down the road.

Many drivers are perfectly fine with an AT on the road or the racetrack. Yes, a clutch is more fun in certain situations, but that's all there is to it.

That's because in those cases you can't choose, and it's not like they all are completely automatic (paddles). That's the best of both worlds.

Me getting distracted in AT cars (or rather needing to force getting focused) is because the AT car I drive from time to time is way to quiet inside so I guess I get bored. As I said on the first page it's not like I hate ATs, as they are the thing to buy for daily driving for most people, but the OP said he likes car so he should learn how to use a manual. I even recommended him to buy one.

 

[MatskiMonk]

As you get better and better it's weird driving an automatic. Actually not having that much of lift off oversteer, no engine braking, power that doesn't completely stop if lifting, not choosing gears and not being as focused (that last one is probably a personal thing) is kind of dangerous if you are not used to, even for daily driving. I'm more cautious with autos than manuals lol.

Nope.. only dangerous if you don't know how to drive.

 

[1241Penguin]

The logic behind why driving an automatic is better for new drivers is because there's one less thing to worry about than manuals. Given that you are a new driver, using an automatic will let you focus more of your attention on proper lane changes, proper turns, basically good driving.

 

[Spree]

Like Penguin said, when you first start driving, you are pressured by a lot of things, and it can be very scary. Rolling down a hill while using manual, is one less thing you should be worried about.

 

[homeforsummer]

That's because in those cases you can't choose, and it's not like they all are completely automatic (paddles). That's the best of both worlds.

Still waiting for actual evidence that "All racing drivers and known car enthusiasts can't stand autos in cars they own, no matter if it is more relaxing for daily driving".

Or, as Danoff is hinting, how discussion like this is relevant to someone choosing between the two for his first car.

 

[eight6er]

I'd go for manual just because that's what I learned in and that's what the majority of people in my country learn in.
Yes it's much easier in an auto, but it's still not so hard to use manual that it's worth worrying about it being dangerous, once you learn in an appropriate area. If you're an enthusiast you'll probably pick it up quite easily.

Some people I feel should only drive auto, but you'll never know if you're one of those people or not until you try. Some people always feel like they are in a box, pulling levers, while rolling down the road, rather than driving a car without having to think about it.

I've only driven normal automatic cars and they are great in traffic or just getting from A to B, but for me they are not fun at all to drive fast, if you ever wanted to do a track day.

 

[Bopop4]

Me getting distracted in AT cars (or rather needing to force getting focused) is because the AT car I drive from time to time is way to quiet inside so I guess I get bored.

Driving from A-B should be boring.
If you are distracted because it's not a manual then I don't think you should be driving at all.

 

[C_Raccoon23]

Why should it be boring to drive though? Is it wrong to want to enjoy driving your car?

 

[Skygrasper550]

Stick Shift. It's more usable.

There are actually some countries that issue AT and MT driving licenses separately. If you own an MT license, you are permitted by law to also drive an AT car, but if you own only an AT license, you're not allowed to drive an MT car.

 

[playnthru]

Driving from A-B should be boring.
If you are distracted because it's not a manual then I don't think you should be driving at all.

With logic like that ?

How about? If you need a Automatic, you should not be driving at all 💡.

Why make driving A-B more boring with a automatic?

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

All auto's do, is give people more time for.. Cell calls, make -up, fiddling with the radio, reading a good book ?? Anything except driving their CAR! All well proven facts..👍

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

^Knowing that, then our future is looking bleak with boring drones ( car ) occupied by passengers with no driver in them. Reminds me of Minority Report cars.

 

[Villain]

My truck is automatic, girlfriend has a manual Saab.

 

[Azuremen]

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

Oh, then my friend who has an excellent E36 M3 that has tasteful mods must be soul less because he also drives a 530i with an automatic



Or I, another M3 driver with a history of owning MR cars, must be soul less and lazy because I want an E38 740iL, which only had automatics in the US.

Though, now that I think about, I guess I am soul less since I'm an atheist.

 

[Joel]

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

Yeah, I'm lazy, soulless, and mindless because I drive an auto! Silly me, I should have gone out and bought + insured my own MT car at 16 with a part time job instead of driving the AT Corolla my parents held on to for me! Forget that the Corolla is in really good shape, safe, fuel efficient, and didn't cost me anything to buy, I should have gone out and bought a MT Cobalt or something so I could fiddle with a knob while I drive!

Also, my dad is totally a soulless, lazy, and mindless person because he didn't buy a car with a MT...that doesn't offer a MT. Silly dad, should have completely changed what car he wanted to buy so he could fondle a knob while he drives. Should have flown over to Slovakia and made VW put a manual in his Touareg.

I totally wish I didn't have an automatic, I really wish I had a car where I had to wiggle a stick and a knob to drive it. It just must make you feel so connected to the car, every time you shift you have to grab onto a stick next to you, exhilaration! I wish I knew how to hold a stick and a knob while I drive, autos are just soooo gay.

Christ.

 

[Slash]

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

Then why are they so popular among racing enthusiasts? Auto's don't suck. You need to figure out what the hell you are saying. They have plenty of good uses.

 

[homeforsummer]

All proven facts.👍

All well proven facts..👍

Do you have any evidence of these facts of which you speak?

 

[Theace37]

I personnaly think autos are usefull but soul-lessly boring...

My opinion.

 

[1241Penguin]

With logic like that ?

How about? If you need a Automatic, you should not be driving at all 💡.

Why make driving A-B more boring with a automatic?

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

All auto's do, is give people more time for.. Cell calls, make -up, fiddling with the radio, reading a good book ?? Anything except driving their CAR! All well proven facts..👍

 

[Theace37]

^ the aventador doesnt have an automatic option, neither do any of those cars....


Flappy paddle is NOT automatic...

 

[McLaren]

No, but every single one of those cars has an Auto mode that makes the car do everything an automatic do without a torque converter.

@playnthru
I'd also like to see evidence to back up those "facts" but the real truth is you're another elitist whose just full of BS. I don't think anyone here takes you anymore serious than avens now.

 

[Theace37]

True, so its a manual with an auto built in, beast of both!

 

[kikie]

Watching "Bait Car" earlier today I was surprised to see that there are even Americans whom don't even know how to put an automatic in D (Drive).




When I was visiting the US, I wanted to rent a car with a manual gearbox. There weren't any and I got an automatic instead, a Ford (American version of the Ford Escort). I had no problems driving an automatic. I remember one moment that I tried to push the clutch pedal because I made a mistake. I drove, at night, in a one way street. I immediately made an illegal U-turn and automatically reached for the clutch pedal with my left foot. This was the only time I did this.

When there is a traffic jam, an automatic is much easier than a manual.

 

[Villain]

With logic like that ?

How about? If you need a Automatic, you should not be driving at all 💡.

Why make driving A-B more boring with a automatic?

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

All auto's do, is give people more time for.. Cell calls, make -up, fiddling with the radio, reading a good book ?? Anything except driving their CAR! All well proven facts..👍

It's posts like this one which make me yearn for a rep system on GTP.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Errr.... I think playnthru was trolling.... try not to feed him.

 

[Bopop4]

With logic like that ?

How about? If you need a Automatic, you should not be driving at all 💡.

Why make driving A-B more boring with a automatic?

Face it.. Auto's SUCK! They exist because people are LAZY! And only soulless, mindless people buy them.. All proven facts.👍

All auto's do, is give people more time for.. Cell calls, make -up, fiddling with the radio, reading a good book ?? Anything except driving their CAR! All well proven facts..👍

Logic is that when it is not boring, then it's not going to be as safe.
How would you like your airplane flight to be more "exciting" by an engine failure?

A car on a public road is designed to go from A-B with as little fuss as possible, that's also the safest way.

All autos do is lessen the load on the driver in a tight situation, you can still read a book with a manual.




And so what if it's lazy? Do you really want to work a heavy clutch in rush hour? When I want to get from A-B I do it in the easiest way possible.

And if I'm so lazy then why do I bang down a gear, rev match, modulate the front and rear brakes for the correct balance, and then go from brake slide to powerslide on my bike?




Edit: So a diesel Chevy with an Allison is soul-less? Choose your next words carefully...

 

[Jet Badger]

Driving a manual for me is something more than just driving. It's the feeling of control, knowing and feeling of every mechanism and linkage working precisely and synchronically. The knowing how my inputs change various processes in the car and that it depends only on me. That and the responsibility of manipulating it well is what makes me enjoy driving. Driving an auto for me feels like "adapted to special needs". Embarassing.

Though I'm still astonished by the lazyness of people, especially in US. If you are ****ing driving a car just to stand in traffic jams for hours, then why don't you get your fat ass on a bike and save your time, save everyone elses time, save the planet, improve your health and improve the state of your community instead of ranting about how much less of an exercise is driving an automatic? I am doing my best trying not to offend anyone, but all those talks about instant death if you drive a manual are just wow.

 

[Bopop4]

You would have to come here to understand, one minute you're doing 120 clicks on a highway for half an hour, then you are stuck for 20 minutes, and then you are back up to speed. A bike wouldn't get you very far.