Anyone else who just can't give up manual transmissions?

[manimal]

At least we will always have classics with real manuals.


Some twin clutch manumatics are really phenominal from a performance standpoint if your looking for tenths of a second but you will have to pry my manual away from my cold dead hands.

Thats not to say that having an auto or two in your stable of cars is a bad thing. I have three autos out of 7 cars now. I am looking forward to cruising in my auto 300zx till it gets swapped. Its almost ready for the road save for the steering ujoint and shaft but around the back streets here is actually a bit of fun with an auto.

 

[pauldun170]

For those that like the manual transmissions, do you prefer the ones with a clutch pedal or are you happy with the "electronic" shift.

My Altima has the "manual" 6 speed, which is an automatic that has a manual mode. (I'm not sure what the proper terminology is)

I drove it in the manual mode and it's just not the same as having a clutch pedal and having to "throw" the stick into the proper position. Flipping the shifter up and down just isn't the same.

I prefer the clutch pedal.

Having a manual mode does not make an automatic transmission (DCT, traditional or sequential) a manual transmission.

 

[nerp]

Never driven a manual car. Hardly anybody does here. I can see why people like them though. More control, faster shifting.

Not anymore. The latest autos shift in milliseconds, faster than the best race car driver and they are usually in the more appropriate gear for the situation than a human much more quickly. Get behind the wheel of a ZF 8-speed and you'll see why assumptions about automatic transmissions need to change. There are a lot of econoboxes with 4- or 5-speed slushboxes, but those are a dying breed (hopefully).

 

[NutBucket]

I guess I'll just have to try it for myself. My general experience with automatics is that they never seem to be in the right gear when I want it to be. But that's an feeling formed by driving MTs for over a decade. Seems dumb but I hate having to floor it and wait for a downshift. Its just easier in an MT to quickly downshift and then punch it.

 

[mmntech]

Not anymore. The latest autos shift in milliseconds, faster than the best race car driver and they are usually in the more appropriate gear for the situation than a human much more quickly. Get behind the wheel of a ZF 8-speed and you'll see why assumptions about automatic transmissions need to change. There are a lot of econoboxes with 4- or 5-speed slushboxes, but those are a dying breed (hopefully).

They're still mostly available in luxury brands. For the econoboxes, automakers are going to use whatever's cheap. I think that will ultimately mean a transition to CVT, especially with greater pressure to improve fuel economy.

 

[tuxberg]

I guess I'll just have to try it for myself. My general experience with automatics is that they never seem to be in the right gear when I want it to be. But that's an feeling formed by driving MTs for over a decade. Seems dumb but I hate having to floor it and wait for a downshift. Its just easier in an MT to quickly downshift and then punch it.

I eagerly await someone insisting that the new 9-speed automatic on their Aston Martin can read minds for just such an occasion.

 

[Vic Vega]

Not anymore. The latest autos shift in milliseconds, faster than the best race car driver and they are usually in the more appropriate gear for the situation than a human much more quickly. Get behind the wheel of a ZF 8-speed and you'll see why assumptions about automatic transmissions need to change. There are a lot of econoboxes with 4- or 5-speed slushboxes, but those are a dying breed (hopefully).

The ZF 8-speed is truly remarkable.

I just did a 1,600 mile trip in my 300 and I was amazed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZF_8HP_transmission

 

[Murloc]

For those that like the manual transmissions, do you prefer the ones with a clutch pedal or are you happy with the "electronic" shift.

if it doesn't have a clutch it's not a manual imho, and it's worse than driving an automatic because I can't feel the car.

Anyone saying there's no real reason for the average user anymore: price, price, price. Everyone in the US drives huge boats but here the most frequent cars tend to be small and shitty econoboxes, it makes a big difference to include an auto or not.
Especially since they're driven by people who don't want to deal with pricey repairs and do not want to pay 3000$ for an automatic.

 

[Vic Vega]

if it doesn't have a clutch it's not a manual imho, and it's worse than driving an automatic because I can't feel the car.

Anyone saying there's no real reason for the average user anymore: price, price, price. Everyone in the US drives huge boats but here the most frequent cars tend to be small and shitty econoboxes, it makes a big difference to include an auto or not.

Especially since they're driven by people who don't want to deal with pricey repairs and do not want to pay 3000$ for an automatic.

What are you basing this off of? I've lived in the US my entire life (and many different parts) and do not find this to be true.

 

[IGemini]

What are you basing this off of? I've lived in the US my entire life (and many different parts) and do not find this to be true.

Slight generalization, but there is truth to it. Especially of what I've seen in the urban centers of Switzerland and France, the average car size there is around subcompact. It's like seeing a mix of cars the size of a Spark, Fit, Fiesta and Smart cars. The average car size in the US is probably between mid and full, factoring in SUVs and trucks.

 

[Ryan]

For those that like the manual transmissions, do you prefer the ones with a clutch pedal or are you happy with the "electronic" shift.

My Altima has the "manual" 6 speed, which is an automatic that has a manual mode. (I'm not sure what the proper terminology is)

I drove it in the manual mode and it's just not the same as having a clutch pedal and having to "throw" the stick into the proper position. Flipping the shifter up and down just isn't the same.

I really hate when people call these kinds of transmissions "manual". They're not, and never will be.

 

[Ryan]

Not anymore. The latest autos shift in milliseconds, faster than the best race car driver and they are usually in the more appropriate gear for the situation than a human much more quickly. Get behind the wheel of a ZF 8-speed and you'll see why assumptions about automatic transmissions need to change. There are a lot of econoboxes with 4- or 5-speed slushboxes, but those are a dying breed (hopefully).

Regardless of how many cogs the transmission has, it's still just an automatic. I want to always have control over what gear I'm in - I don't want a transmission with built in logic that will automatically downshift if the RPMs reach a certain point.

 

[Vic Vega]

Regardless of how many cogs the transmission has, it's still just an automatic. I want to always have control over what gear I'm in - I don't want a transmission with built in logic that will automatically downshift if the RPMs reach a certain point.

The new ones don't work this way in a black and white fashion. It's not 1995 anymore.

That said, I love a manual.

 

[nerp]

I guess I'll just have to try it for myself. My general experience with automatics is that they never seem to be in the right gear when I want it to be. But that's an feeling formed by driving MTs for over a decade. Seems dumb but I hate having to floor it and wait for a downshift. Its just easier in an MT to quickly downshift and then punch it.

The newer ones downshift so quick, you're in the gear before your foot is halfway to the floor and the car is blasting off. It really is very quick response. You're in the gear and flying whereas with the MT, you'd still be in the midst of the shift. I get the whole idea that shoving the stick around "feels" better to some people, but with the better auto trannys, the argument that you can do a better job being in the right gear is out the window.

And as Vic Vega said, the shifts have nothing to do with what your RPMs are. There are sensors calculating a lot of stuff, including the grade of the incline/decline, current speed, how you've been driving for the duration of the trip, whether you're suddenly at highway speed (as in, he got out of traffic and isn't going to be stop and go anymore) etc. I drove stick for years and really took advantage of what you can do with a MT, so I'm not just some douche who read about the ZF on wikipedia and drives his mom's Camry. I never thought I'd drive an auto.

 

[thedarkwolf]

The 5 speed auto in my 04 vw jetta tdi is the best automatic I've ever driven. Still pisses me the hell off all the time lol. At 25-35mph it is constantly switching between 3rd and 4th gear and driving in the city I'm always at those speeds. Really wish it was a manual but like the last car I bought it was such a good deal I couldn't pass it up even with an automatic. Really need to get off my ass and get my manual miata running again.

 

[NutBucket]

The newer ones downshift so quick, you're in the gear before your foot is halfway to the floor and the car is blasting off. It really is very quick response. You're in the gear and flying whereas with the MT, you'd still be in the midst of the shift. I get the whole idea that shoving the stick around "feels" better to some people, but with the better auto trannys, the argument that you can do a better job being in the right gear is out the window.

And as Vic Vega said, the shifts have nothing to do with what your RPMs are. There are sensors calculating a lot of stuff, including the grade of the incline/decline, current speed, how you've been driving for the duration of the trip, whether you're suddenly at highway speed (as in, he got out of traffic and isn't going to be stop and go anymore) etc. I drove stick for years and really took advantage of what you can do with a MT, so I'm not just some douche who read about the ZF on wikipedia and drives his mom's Camry. I never thought I'd drive an auto.

What car should I test drive to experience this awesome technology? ATs I've driven in the last year or so include an MDX, Pilot, Explorer, Flex and Acadia (which we bought). Didn't pay much attention to the trans since I wasn't expecting much nor did I really care much given the application.

We owned an AT WRX for about year recently but that trans is ancient so I'll exclude that from judgment. I was not impressed with the auto box in the current gen Focus.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I have a feeling I already posted here, but here it goes again.

For daily/ a to b car, auto is fine (I don't mind)

for special car/weekend fun car etc.....MANUAL ONLY please

 

[Insomniator]

What are you basing this off of? I've lived in the US my entire life (and many different parts) and do not find this to be true.

I'm in a freakin traffic congested, crowded jersey/nyc area and all I see are SUV's and minivans. Large cars are everywhere, there are no fiats and mini's.

Hell I'd consider a modern camry/accord a boat. Cars are getting huge.

 

[Ryan]

The new ones don't work this way in a black and white fashion. It's not 1995 anymore.

That said, I love a manual.

How many of these automatics will let you bounce off the redline without automatically shifting to the next highest gear?

 

[NutBucket]

Actually many of them will if you put them in manual mode.

 

[Ryan]

Actually many of them will if you put them in manual mode.

Well - I'll be damned. Just looked up the transmission used in the newest breed of SRT vehicles - looks like they will do so.

Still....not as enjoyable as a true manual...but getting awful close...:awe:

 

[NutBucket]

No, still not close. But it was something I asked about when I test drove the 1st gen Mazda6 a decade ago as they didn't have an MT on the lot.

 

[nerp]

What car should I test drive to experience this awesome technology? ATs I've driven in the last year or so include an MDX, Pilot, Explorer, Flex and Acadia (which we bought). Didn't pay much attention to the trans since I wasn't expecting much nor did I really care much given the application.

We owned an AT WRX for about year recently but that trans is ancient so I'll exclude that from judgment. I was not impressed with the auto box in the current gen Focus.

Dodge Charger v6, Chrysler 300 v6, Rolls Royce Ghost, some Audis have it.

 

[NutBucket]

Oh, so cars I would never buy. That makes a lot of sense

EDIT: Wait, I think saw that the Durango, Grand Cherokee and Ram have that 8-speed available in some configs. OK, maybe my first statement was a bit off.

 

[Gillbot]

I just picked this up friday:


And it had this in it:



Took me weeks to find one in a color I liked with a manual. Dealer told me they rarely even order manuals anymore because the $1100 OPTIONAL automatic transmission ones sell faster than even the cheapest manual transmission ones!