POLL: Standard or Auto?

[StageLeft]

I know this has been done but today is a new day.

BTW for intents of this poll the tiptronic transmissions (little buttons on steering wheel) are to be considered automatic. I don't think anybody here has a ferrari so I'll leave it at that.

 

[Cyco]

Drive auto
Prefer standard

 

[Maggotry]

Automatic. It makes it easier to slam cheeseburgers and talk on the cell phone while I'm driving.

 

[Rallispec]

6 spd

 

[Atrail]

Ferrari is not Tiptronic! The paddle shifter is different and much more sophisticated.
Tiptronic was a Porsche thing to begin with, of course some Hondas and Acuras have a similar shifting mechanism.
Good Article
If you wanna know what is in store for transmissions.

 

[hoihtah]

drive standard... male

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I know this has been done but today is a new day.

BTW for intents of this poll the tiptronic transmissions (little buttons on steering wheel) are to be considered automatic. I don't think anybody here has a ferrari so I'll leave it at that.

You can get them on a Dodge Intrepid...

EDIT: I assume you just meant F1 style or steering wheel shifters. Lots o' cars are coming out with clutchless manuals (is that what you'd call it?)

 

[GTaudiophile]

Actually, a Ferrari has SMG, which is different from steptronic (tiptronic). With the former, a hydraulic actuator actually shift the gears on a standard transmission and the buttons on the wheel control the actuator. With the latter, the driver basically just gives the automatic transmission the hint that he is ready to up- or down-shift, but it far slower than SMG.

As for me, I drive both automatics and standards, but mostly drive a 1992 Mazda Miata with a 5-speed these days. It's the only way to go if you want full control of your car. It ain't the best for rush-hour, but otherwise it will always keep you engaged in the driving experience.

 

[Parrotheader]

Standard's fun for a car with lots of pickup and for driving things like trucks where you can get a kick out of that guteral torquey feel. But for commuting in heavy traffic, regardless of vehicle type, it gets old REAL fast to me personally. While I still like to drive fast at times, I don't feel the need to feel like I'm racing or anything like that anymore. So my next vehicle will more than likely be an automatic with decent power like a Maxima.

 

[Vic]

I've never even owned an auto...

 

[Vadatajs]

Anybody who doesn't drive standard is retarded!

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

6 speed Spec V baby.

 

[StageLeft]

Yeah I know that ferrari has the real setup instead of the crappy stuff the cheaper cars use - that's why I said if you're using the steering wheel buttons just consider yourself to be driving an auto. I don't think anybody here has a $10k transmission!

 

[Viper GTS]

Auto is like Pan & Scan:

It's just not right.

Viper GTS

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
6 speed Spec V baby.

:Q

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Auto is like Pan & Scan:

It's just not right.

Viper GTS

What he said.

 

[Dedpuhl]

Standard

 

[Beau]

I usually have driven a manual, but I chose auto on my XTerra so that I could get the addtionaly towing power.

 

[kami]

Auto for me.

Probably because I am not a car guy...I just want a vehicle that works and gets me from point A to point B.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

How do you folks learn to drive manuals? I've thought about one in my next car, but not really good at it. The car I originally learned in I had no business practicing on. Rental company would have sh!t if they found out. Didn't get a whole lot of time in and don't know folks with a manual. Would be cool to have one for a week or so to get used to it before I buy a car with one. Would hate not being able to test drive the bastard

Would it be best to just rent a cheap little car for a week? Or just chance it and hope my relatively little time on a manual will be enough to get me by on a new car?

 

[StageLeft]

If u can rent a manual do it that way, bruno. I learned on my dad's car.

 

[DocZaius]

I am male and drive standard.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Yeah, I'd rent one to just get the general idea of how it works: finding the friction point in the clutch, learning to let the clutch out slowly, and timing that right with adding small amounts of gas with the accelerator. No two manual transmissions are created equally of course, but it's like riding a bike. Figure one out, and you'll get the rest with a small learning curve.

You first have to learn how to coast in first and reverse by just slowly letting out the clutch to the friction point and adding no gas (for parking usually). The hardest thing is learning to get out of first without stalling or buring out your clutch. Once you master that, move on to starting while sitting on a hill.

Once you've mastered all that, you can get into the fancy stuff and perfect your shifting technique. It is an art and requires some time to master. You could very easily burn out the clutch on your new car, and that would be bad. If you can't rent one, maybe borrow a friend's old POS car that he doesn't care about anymore.

I was lucky enough to learn on a 1991 BMW M3

 

[AdamK47]

I love my 6 speed hurst. Putting it in 3rd grear doing 55 makes my LS1 sound so soothing when the engine is churning at 3500 RPM. Makes it sound like a wild beast. Another great aspect is the 28 mpg I get doing 70 MPH in 6th. The engine barely hits 1500 RPM.

 

[PsychoAndy]

auto. i'm lazy and its less work.