automatic vs manual...which makes the CAR faster

[MrDudeMan]

ok, assuming you are able to shift reasonably fast...if you had the exact same car and you wanted it to go as fast as possible and accelorate as fast as possible, which one be better?

i said manual because you get to choose the shift intervals. in an automatic, it does it for you. what do you think?

 

[Rubicante]

manual. you control the shifts, so if youre good, the car can go faster. you get more HP at the wheels, too.

 

[notfred]

That's really a stupid question. Depends on the type and quality of the driver and transmissions.

 

[stso]

Originally posted by: Rubicante
manual. you control the shifts, so if youre good, the car can go faster. you get more HP at the wheels, too.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Depends on the car. Sometimes the torque converter helps with launches and keeps the RPM more constant, other times it's the weight and power loss that causes it to lose to a manual. Dodge Dakota w/ a 4.7: the manual is faster. Dodge Ram w/ the diesel: the auto is faster.

 

[Ladies Man]

Auto

A computer can shift much better than any of you idiots can.

 

[Snapster]

Manual, more scope for changing.

 

[Mingon]

You want the VW based DSG auto gearbox as a good compromise. Whilst auto gearboxes are less efficient, they allow the car to make reliable 0-60 runs.

 

[Jeff7181]

A manual should have the highest top speed because there's no slippage at all assuming the clutch works properly. An auto will have some slippage in the torque converter even if the torque converter is equipped with a lockup clutch because it won't engage at wide open throttle, and if you're trying to reach top speed you'll be at wide open throttle.

You also don't have the parasitic powerloss from the pump that must be operated in an automatic, so you have more usable power with a manual transmission.

 

[TheAudit]

He said faster which is different than quicker.
Doesn't matter which shifts more quickly (anyone who knows what he is doing should be able to get a manual to go quicker than an automatic) then what would determine the top end is the gear ratios. And manuals generally have a higher top gear than automatic so should be able to attain a faster speed. Although a lot of cars do have five speed automatics now, a lot of autoshifters are still four speeds with each gear being a compromise in ratio as compared to a manual gearbox with a lower 1st and a higher 5th or 6th gear. The compromise in gearing also equals slightly less fuel economy as well.

A manual should be quicker and faster than an automatic in the same car.
AND
more importantly
it's more fun.

 

[MaxDepth]

I have beaten automatics with less hp using standard.
But what really matters the most is the gearbox.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: notfred
That's really a stupid question. Depends on the type and quality of the driver and transmissions.

can you read? maybe you should read my first post, idiot

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
A manual should have the highest top speed because there's no slippage at all assuming the clutch works properly. An auto will have some slippage in the torque converter even if the torque converter is equipped with a lockup clutch because it won't engage at wide open throttle, and if you're trying to reach top speed you'll be at wide open throttle.

You also don't have the parasitic powerloss from the pump that must be operated in an automatic, so you have more usable power with a manual transmission.

cool...i was wondering about the specifics, and that seems to hit on it a little bit

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Ladies Man
Auto

A computer can shift much better than any of you idiots can.

no. i'd say my auto makes a moronic mistake at least 2 or 3 times every time i commute. it's slightly better in sport mode, but then it waits way too long to upshift when you're just cruising at a steady speed, so that's no good either. if you can't shift better than your auto, i pity you.

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

Originally posted by: thomsbrain

Originally posted by: Ladies Man
Auto

A computer can shift much better than any of you idiots can.

no. i'd say my auto makes a moronic mistake at least 2 or 3 times every time i commute. it's slightly better in sport mode, but then it waits way too long to upshift when you're just cruising at a steady speed, so that's no good either. if you can't shift better than your auto, i pity you.

You must have a crappy car and/or broken transmission and/or don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Mingon
You want the VW based DSG auto gearbox as a good compromise. Whilst auto gearboxes are less efficient, they allow the car to make reliable 0-60 runs.

Max torque capacity of the DSG has yet to be tested, and it's slightly heavier than a normal manual, although it should make up for it with 8ms upshifts.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: TheAudit
He said faster which is different than quicker.
Doesn't matter which shifts more quickly (anyone who knows what he is doing should be able to get a manual to go quicker than an automatic) then what would determine the top end is the gear ratios. And manuals generally have a higher top gear than automatic so should be able to attain a faster speed. Although a lot of cars do have five speed automatics now, a lot of autoshifters are still four speeds with each gear being a compromise in ratio as compared to a manual gearbox with a lower 1st and a higher 5th or 6th gear. The compromise in gearing also equals slightly less fuel economy as well.

A manual should be quicker and faster than an automatic in the same car.
AND
more importantly
it's more fun.

Generally, this is the case, with cars equipped with manuals have a lower drivetrain loss than those with automatic transmissions. However, automatics serve some purposes better than manuals (high-torque dragsters).

 

[vi edit]

CVT

 

[GermyBoy]

Why do you even care? Your penis will not magically change sizes if you win a race or have a fast car. Live with being normal.

 

[bernse]

Depends. Auto's weigh anywhere from 100-200lbs more than an manual too... that's something that goes in the sticks favor.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: notfred
That's really a stupid question. Depends on the type and quality of the driver and transmissions.

can you read? maybe you should read my first post, idiot

You're acting like a dumbsh!t. A Lentech Street Terminator is a FAR better, and faster, auto transmission than most manual transmissions. The stock auto transmission in a Ford Focus is not. Auto LS1 Camaros w/ a shift kit are significantly quicker off the line than their 6 speed manual counterparts. A stock mustang GT's T-5 manual is faster than the stock AOD-E. And "reasonably fast" is hardly specific. What exactly is "reasonably fast" faster than?

Note: By "faster transmission" I mean that it's been shown to be faster by lots of drivers getting consistent results on drag strips.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: notfred
That's really a stupid question. Depends on the type and quality of the driver and transmissions.

can you read? maybe you should read my first post, idiot

You're acting like a dumbsh!t. A Lentech Street Terminator is a FAR better, and faster, auto transmission than most manual transmissions. The stock auto transmission in a Ford Focus is not. Auto LS1 Camaros w/ a shift kit are significantly quicker off the line than their 6 speed manual counterparts. A stock mustang GT's T-5 manual is faster than the stock AOD-E. And "reasonably fast" is hardly specific. What exactly is "reasonably fast" faster than?

Note: By "faster transmission" I mean that it's been shown to be faster by lots of drivers getting consistent results on drag strips.

Faster in a straight line .

I'm sure that even my car is faster with an auto than with me driving because I'm not good at shifting. How much practice do you suppose I have shifting at 7k rpm?

 

[BaboonGuy]

I tried making this argument, and heard that auto is faster. I heard they use auto in those funny car races and other race stuff.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Yahhh right! The guy in the video posted last week was "faster", then he made a 3rd to 2nd shift and went off the road.

Straight-up drag racing probably a stick.
In the twisties for an hour drive a good auto. I'm shiftless.
A good turbo/auto any day. Holds its power at altitude and very little turbo lag between shifts.

I'm probably wrong.........

 

[thebestMAX]

Too many variables for a good answer.