Manual Transmission Guys!

[Fritzo]

I've driven two 6 speeds before...seems like first gear is almost useless. I always ended up starting in second.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Whether a 5 speed or 6 speed is better really depends on the engine its mated to and what the ratios are. Sometimes engines do fine with a 5, sometimes automobile manufacturers feel they need to add a 6 speed "just because" the competition did.

 

[tigerbait]

s2000 has 6 speed as well


on a related note, if I want to buy a car in 6 months with a stick, but never driven one, how do I go about learning a stick before I go test drive?

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: notfred
I suggest you learn how to drive a stick before you start contemplating whether to get a 5 speed or a 6 speed.

You tell him notfred!

 

[SWirth86]

Originally posted by: tigerbait
s2000 has 6 speed as well


on a related note, if I want to buy a car in 6 months with a stick, but never driven one, how do I go about learning a stick before I go test drive?

Find a friend w/ a crappy car that's a stick and take it to a large parking lot for a few hours. Remember, when you test drive the car, the clutch is going to feel a little different (you might have to let it out slower, or faster). Just takes some time to get used to.
Driving stick is pretty easy, all you need is a little practice.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: tigerbait
s2000 has 6 speed as well


on a related note, if I want to buy a car in 6 months with a stick, but never driven one, how do I go about learning a stick before I go test drive?

I taught myself on the test drive. I was suprised I never stalled it. It was a suzuki, so it was more forgiving than a sports car.

The 2003 Dodge Ram is going to have a 6 speed manual

<---- wishes he had a unimog. 15 gears, and that is only in reverse! 15 reverse gears! Nuts!

 

[vegetation]

6 speed can actually make the car feel a bit more sluggish than a 5 speed on the freeway when you don't shift at top gear. You're more likely to have to shift a notch to do any accelerating. This can be terrible if you have freeways that are congested but still moving at or near the speed limit.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: HiTek21

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
There really aren't that many 6 speeds available, pretty much only exotics and a few "attainable" cars.

Ones I can think of:

Camaro / Firebird
Celica GT-S or whatever trim level it's in
Corvette

There are probably more, but the point is that for most people the 5 vs 6 really isn't a debate - There just aren't that many 6's out there.

Viper GTS

Don't forget about the RSX Type S =P

and the beloved supra

 

[bolido2000]

I am surprised no one has mentioned it yet....350Z!!!
BTW, Tha Altima doesn't have 6 speed neither the G35 (yet)
On a side note I think the Nissan Murano will have selectable 7 speeds .................................thats for the CVT version so they could have made 20 selectable gears if they wanted

 

[Boogak]

Audi S4's and 3.0 A4's have 6 speed options. I really wish my 1.8T A4 had a 6th gear, not necessarily for performance reasons but because of engine noise when cruising at 85mph at 4k RPMs.

 

[Desturel]

I believe the Ford Mustang is 6 speed as well.

 

[StattlichPassat]

Originally posted by: yakko
Better will depend on the driving you are doing.

Yep. Also, if you only have a little 4-cyl. Honda, there's no need for a 6th speed. Five is plenty. The bigger the motor and powerband, the more gears you'd like to have. Don't 18 wheelers have like, 25 gears or something insane? Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about... Anyway, a 6-speed is not 'faster'- it doesn't necessarily make a car faster. I suppose in the long run of a full acceleration period, the 6th gear allows the car to stretch its legs a little farther, but that's about it. It's a good cruising gear on the highway if you've got it. If you can get a 6-speed transmission in your next car, that's cool. I wish I had one.

 

[Priit]

Yep. Also, if you only have a little 4-cyl. Honda, there's no need for a 6th speed. Five is plenty. The bigger the motor and powerband, the more gears you'd like to have. Don't 18 wheelers have like, 25 gears or something insane? Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about... Anyway, a 6-speed is not 'faster'- it doesn't necessarily make a car faster. I suppose in the long run of a full acceleration period, the 6th gear allows the car to stretch its legs a little farther, but that's about it. It's a good cruising gear on the highway if you've got it. If you can get a 6-speed transmission in your next car, that's cool. I wish I had one.

It's the exact opposite, at least with heavy trucks: to get 50 tons moving with 500HP you need more gears than to get 1ton moving with 100HP I've driven with a trucks with 16-speed gearbox The bigger (wider) the power band, the least gears you need to move around easily (unless you have something really heavy to move). You're right about good cruising and economy with 6-speed gearbox in street cars, of course...

Oh, my off-roader is practically 6-speed also: 3-speed manual gearbox with 2-speed transfer case - let's you to move 2 tons with 50HP through rough land easily...

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Desturel
I believe the Ford Mustang is 6 speed as well.

I think it's a 5spd, unless maybe some certain trim offered a 6spd.

One proof that a 6spd isn't always better than a 5spd: Lamborghini Diablo has a 5spd

NASCAR race cars also only have a 4spd! (although CART & IRL has a 7spd)

Really when it comes down to it in a passenger car it doesn't make any difference. A 6spd would just mean you shift once more, but you can also skip gears, so it doesn't matter.

 

[KokomoGST]

Ok... there is no "better" IMHO... it's all in the gear ratios.
Sure a lot of people wish they had a 6th gear for high speed highway cruising, myself included... but do I want that at the sacrifice of a weaker tranny or even less ideal/longer gearing? No thanks... I'll live with the sound of my engine at 4k.

I like my close ratio gearbox... heck, all you Mustang & Fbody guys should know how much better a properly geared car will run down the 1320. I like it's nearly endless 2nd gear (70+mph @ 7k)... being stuck at 55 or 62mph in 2nd sucks for faster autoXs. I like the fact that most good 5speeds out there will take a beating and keep on ticking. Some 6 speeds out there are crammed into the same space as the former 5 and thus, not quite as strong. However, there are some really strong 6 speeds out there too.

So... 5 or 6... it's like asking which is better apples or oranges? I like both!

 

[Lithium381]

I wish i had a 6th speed, same gear ratio....just another one on the top to go to.....at 65mph i run around 3krpm that where i normally shift, and i just feel so bad for my engine......

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Desturel
I believe the Ford Mustang is 6 speed as well.

Only the new cobras.

 

[bolido2000]

In theory 6 speed IS better than 5 speed. The more gears you have the longer the engine can stay at its peak power points (think CVT). The problem is that in real world applications this is not necessarily true due to costs, realibility, and the time you waste shifting.

 

[Desturel]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: Desturel
I believe the Ford Mustang is 6 speed as well.

Only the new cobras.

Hmm... so my job has Cobra's as travel cars. When we need to go on business travel they have a car pool for us to use so they can keep track of milage.