AT or MT?

[NAC]

OP, you are thinking of getting an RX8?
Therefore you are a bit of an enthusiast and want to have fun driving.
DEFINITELY get a manual. I couldn't imagine driving an RX8 with an auto.

IMO, manuals are simply much more fun to drive day to day. Lets face it - day to day driving is about as simple as can be. You can't really learn and continue to improve. But I've been driving MT for 18 years, and I still get great satisfaction from doing a perfect downshift, or even when shifting during acceleration. I've had one AT, and hated it, and sold the car less than two years later taking a huge depreciation hit.

 

[Stefan Payne]

OP, you are thinking of getting an RX8?
Therefore you are a bit of an enthusiast and want to have fun driving.
DEFINITELY get a manual. I couldn't imagine driving an RX8 with an auto.

In that case I'd agree.
The MT is a little better for high reving engines while the auto isn't bad with a lot of torque...

IMO, manuals are simply much more fun to drive day to day.

I disagree.
It really depends on the engine you drive - how much torque it has and so on.

In my Toyota Supra MK3 the automatic is just right on the other hand, the RX7 I've owned wouldn't be that much fun to drive with the same transmission as the supra - and vice versa.

 

[phillyTIM]

The MT is the best for many reasons! Downshifting can save significant wear (and $$$$) on brakes. Gas mileage is typically higher than AT when you shift properly. And theft occurs less because actually more people take then lazy way out by only buying AT. It's a cryin' shame that there are less MT these days just because people are so intent on having an AT so they can eat and text and talk while they drive! But then again, of course only in America is this true as most other countries have the majority of MT and actually pay attention to their driving!

 

[exar333]

You ask people in a garage forum "AT or MT"? Of course the answer will be MT!

 

[Stefan Payne]

The MT is the best for many reasons! Downshifting can save significant wear (and $$$$) on brakes.

Can do that with my auto too, though have to do it manual...

Gas mileage is typically higher than AT when you shift properly.

Well, that's not the case anymore...
At least with those crappy automated manual transmissions...

And theft occurs less because actually more people take then lazy way out by only buying AT.

Well in the US maybe...

It's a cryin' shame that there are less MT these days just because people are so intent on having an AT so they can eat and text and talk while they drive!

I don't think so.
If you're eating an ice or so on a main stead, you get quite anoyed by howling engines, 'cause some people forget to change gear...
Especially if they drive an older (not direct injecting) Diesel...

But then again, of course only in America is this true as most other countries have the majority of MT and actually pay attention to their driving!

Well, you american people are smart, in some ways...
For example buying an automatic instead of a manual...

The truth is that most of the average drivers are to dumb to drive stick ('cause they don't care about shifting)...

So fuel consumption isn't always better on the manual, just when used properly - what most people don't do...

And yes, I've got the balls to drive automatic and likin it...

 

[Tristicus]

Wow...
So profound...
I now want an AT...

 

[mb]

The MT is the best for many reasons! Downshifting can save significant wear (and $$$$) on brakes.

Can do that with my auto too, though have to do it manual...

What's the price difference on replacing brake pads vs repairing a transmission?

 

[Stefan Payne]

For my car a used AT costs about 300€, Brakes about the same + the time to replace that.

But downshiftig and using the motor brake shouldn't cause any damage, especially on MTs, but it's safer to use the brakes (due tue the missing brake lights when using the motor brake)

 

[Zenmervolt]

What's the price difference on replacing brake pads vs repairing a transmission?

As long as you're not a hamfisted moron downshifting to engine brake does not create any additional wear on the transmission whatsoever.

ZV

 

[IcePickFreak]

It depends on the type of car really. While I never complained when I had a manual for a DD, it is nice when you have something with a decent auto trans. If going for something sporty though and manual is an option I would opt for it hands down.

 

[amdhunter]

It took me 10 minutes to figure out how to get a manual moving - never touched a manual before this day.
4 hours and I could drive ok enough to get from point a to point b.
One day, and I was already driving back and forth to work.
1 week and I was confident enough to deal with medium traffic and not stall too much.
1 month and I was good enough to not stall at all.
2 months and I was good enough to deal with everyday driving.

For as long as I have a working left leg, I will not buy an automatic. Sure it can be a pain in the ass in traffic...but I don't mind it at all. I just like the whole connection between myself and the car.

 

[HarryLui]

The MT is the best for many reasons! Downshifting can save significant wear (and $$$$) on brakes

Brake pads are cheaper than clutch replacement.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Brake pads are cheaper than clutch replacement.

Unless you absolutely suck at shifting, you do not add any meaningful clutch wear by engine braking.

ZV

 

[HarryLui]

If you give proper distance when you follow the car in front of you, brake pads would have much longer life as well.

 

[Howard]

Unless you absolutely suck at shifting, you do not add any meaningful clutch wear by engine braking.

ZV

Do you revmatch when downshifting for engine braking?

 

[Zenmervolt]

If you give proper distance when you follow the car in front of you, brake pads would have much longer life as well.

Engine braking has absolutely nothing at all to do with tailgating. You comment is a non-sequitur and you clearly do not understand engine braking.

ZV

 

[Zenmervolt]

Do you revmatch when downshifting for engine braking?

Yup. In street use, engine braking is very mild. I don't bother with heel-and-toe downshifts to combine it with actual braking. I'm just talking about dropping down a gear or two to prevent gaining excessive speed on long downhill runs or scrub a little speed so you don't catch up to the guy who's 100 yards ahead but going 15 under the speed limit. Very easy to do without stressing the clutch.

ZV

 

[LTC8K6]

I often engine brake the hemi simply because it sounds wonderful.

 

[LTC8K6]

It took me 10 minutes to figure out how to get a manual moving - never touched a manual before this day.
4 hours and I could drive ok enough to get from point a to point b.
One day, and I was already driving back and forth to work.
1 week and I was confident enough to deal with medium traffic and not stall too much.
1 month and I was good enough to not stall at all.
2 months and I was good enough to deal with everyday driving.

For as long as I have a working left leg, I will not buy an automatic. Sure it can be a pain in the ass in traffic...but I don't mind it at all. I just like the whole connection between myself and the car.

I had never driven a manual before when I joined the US Army. I ended up in South Korea still never having driven a manual. I was shoved right out into Seoul city traffic with a civilian Kia van with a 5 speed.

No idea what the rules were, or where I was going, or how to shift gears.

It wasn't long before I was wheelin' and dealin'

 

[Stefan Payne]

Unless you absolutely suck at shifting, you do not add any meaningful clutch wear by engine braking.

I must agree with this statement.

The hardest job for the clutch is to get moving, once you're moving, there's almost no wear on them.

 

[TwinsenTacquito]

Upside to an automatic:
You can do everything worse, but way lazier.

Upside to a manual:
The car never does anything stupid. Automation is bad.

I had to drive an automatic as my last company car. I caused 2 non-collision accidents because of the automatic. Both times was because I had to hurry up, and instead of the car accelerating when I gave it gas, it decelerated. Because I wanted it to open the throttle, but there is no way of telling an auto to do that. You have the one "go faster" pedal that controls too many fucking things. So I gave it gas, instead of accelerating, it does it's hour long shifting ritual instead of just opening the throttle, so I lose speed instead of gaining it, and I cut two people off that had to get on the brakes to avoid hitting me. So if you are stupider than the computer inside an auto tranny, get an auto. If you are smart enough to know what you want the car to be doing, get a manual. Personally, I think if you can't drive a manual, that should be enough proof that you shouldn't be able to drive. But considering a good 99.9% of the driving population doesn't know how anything works (anything.), have fun swerving away from scary ass FWD owners.

 

[mb]

Upside to an automatic:
You can do everything worse, but way lazier.

Upside to a manual:
The car never does anything stupid. Automation is bad.

I had to drive an automatic as my last company car. I caused 2 non-collision accidents because of the automatic. Both times was because I had to hurry up, and instead of the car accelerating when I gave it gas, it decelerated. Because I wanted it to open the throttle, but there is no way of telling an auto to do that. You have the one "go faster" pedal that controls too many fucking things. So I gave it gas, instead of accelerating, it does it's hour long shifting ritual instead of just opening the throttle, so I lose speed instead of gaining it, and I cut two people off that had to get on the brakes to avoid hitting me. So if you are stupider than the computer inside an auto tranny, get an auto. If you are smart enough to know what you want the car to be doing, get a manual. Personally, I think if you can't drive a manual, that should be enough proof that you shouldn't be able to drive. But considering a good 99.9% of the driving population doesn't know how anything works (anything.), have fun swerving away from scary ass FWD owners.

Wow major shens.... unless maybe your company car was a Yugo or you confused the brake pedal with the accelerator.

 

[Howard]

Yup. In street use, engine braking is very mild. I don't bother with heel-and-toe downshifts to combine it with actual braking. I'm just talking about dropping down a gear or two to prevent gaining excessive speed on long downhill runs or scrub a little speed so you don't catch up to the guy who's 100 yards ahead but going 15 under the speed limit. Very easy to do without stressing the clutch.

ZV

I see. I thought so, but I don't like blipping the throttle because of the extra gas it uses.

 

[Howard]

Engine braking has absolutely nothing at all to do with tailgating.

ZV

Yes, but what he says is not incorrect. A driver that leaves more distance to the car in front can brake more gradually rather than abruptly. Moreover, the greater distance allows a greater overall contribution to deceleration through engine braking.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Yes, but what he says is not incorrect. A driver that leaves more distance to the car in front can brake more gradually rather than abruptly. Moreover, the greater distance allows a greater overall contribution to deceleration through engine braking.

I've bolded the part in your posts that shows he was off-base. He was implying that the reason for engine braking was to save brake pads (which it isn't) and that instead of engine braking a person should simply increase following distance. As you point out, the smoothest solution is to maintain a good following distance and use mild/moderate engine braking.

ZV