Automatic or Manual?

xospec1alk

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2002
4,329
0
0
Im looking to pick up a new car, and i want to know manual or automatic? i've driven a manual maybe twice in my life, and i would have to train myself to drive it. and it would be a new car, so y'all think that mite be a bad idea and i should just stick to auto? and tips on driving a manual?

edit: i do think it would be kind of fun to get a manual....im just worried about how practical that is...

edit2: Mazda 3 in NYC
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
0
What kind of car, and where will you be driving it? A lot of people on here think manual's are the be all and end all of existence, but there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Get a Mazda6 or 3 and you'll have both. Well, sorta.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Yeah man, manual is awful in heavy traffic. My friend was trying to tell me to not get an auto for my next car. He just stells me "Manaul will keep you more alert while driving". My response was "You have not dealt with Boston rush hour traffic".
 

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: ElFenix
manual is a bitch in heavy traffic.

oh bullsh!t. I've been driving manual in ann arbor for over 2 yeras now. No problems at all.

People who say that stick is difficult in heavy traffic probably never owned one...
 

Kipper

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2000
7,366
0
0
So true...driving stick in DC was a nightmare, especially around the Key Bridge/Georgetown...go 2 feet, pop back into neutral. Two feet, into neutral, etc.

I'd still drive stick over anything else, though...regardless of the irritation it might cause in traffic.
 

Czesia

Senior member
Nov 22, 2003
296
0
0
I'm personally fond of the manual tranny, myself, but automatic is getting better all the time, so really it's just a matter of preference.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: ElFenix
manual is a bitch in heavy traffic.

oh bullsh!t. I've been driving manual in ann arbor for over 2 yeras now. No problems at all.

People who say that stick is difficult in heavy traffic probably never owned one...


It's not difficult, but unless you're getting paid to drive a manual (semi-retired truck driver here) it's tiresome day to day.


 

Mermaidman

Diamond Member
Sep 4, 2003
7,987
93
91
AUTO! It'll make driving less stressful and you will get fewer traffic tickets. Save the manual for your second/weekend car.
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,062
0
76
I live in NYC too and I drive occasionally around the city. It really depends on where you are and where you go. On the UWS up around Harlem there isn't that much traffic so driving stick around here would be ok, but around midtown I would imagine it to be quite a hassle.