Sad article on CNN bad-mouthing standard transmissions?

[StageLeft]

Link PLEASE before we even START I know that in some areas an automatic is better than a standard and it's not always slower. This would be generally speaking, however. The article talks about automatics being just as good as standards (not including the obviously convenience of them). Also ignore talk of CVTs since not too many of us have those!

The points he fights:

Stick shift saves gas! He says it's not true but generally it is still true, though the margin is often not more than 1-2 mpg, and in some cases a regular auto will actually do 1 mpg or so better, so I'll give him that.

It gives me more power! This part he backs up with no numbers, so I won't find any either. Sticks DO give more power, or rather suck less away. The difference can be quite significant, although he doesn't wanna believe it.

It's cheaper!He says it may cost more in the long run

Although finding a buyer for a stick can be tricky, no way are you gonna make up the "$800-900" more on a used car just because it has an auto.

The other points I can't be bothered to address. But the short of it is that standards are still more efficient and powerful than automatics!

 

[Howard]

How does this guy keep his job?


Christ, does he really think people have time to listen to this shit?

 

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Link PLEASE before we even START I know that in some areas an automatic is better than a standard and it's not always slower. This would be generally speaking, however. The article talks about automatics being just as good as standards (not including the obviously convenience of them). Also ignore talk of CVTs since not too many of us have those!

The points he fights:

Stick shift saves gas! He says it's not true but generally it is still true, though the margin is often not more than 1-2 mpg, and in some cases a regular auto will actually do 1 mpg or so better, so I'll give him that.

It gives me more power! This part he backs up with no numbers, so I won't find any either. Sticks DO give more power, or rather suck less away. The difference can be quite significant, although he doesn't wanna believe it.

It's cheaper!He says it may cost more in the long run

Although finding a buyer for a stick can be tricky, no way are you gonna make up the "$800-900" more on a used car just because it has an auto.

The other points I can't be bothered to address. But the short of it is that standards are still more efficient and powerful than automatics!

He works for CNN. You have to go into the reading the article KNOWING that he doesn't have a clue.

 

[notfred]

It was my father, an avid sports car enthusiast, who made sure his kids got the "automatics are for weenies" gospel.

most of ATOT is a lot like that guy, except that they drive around in Nissan Sentras and pretend that they're sports cars.

In everyday driving conditions, there really is no advantage to a manual transmission over an auto. Hell, that even applies to a lot of non-everyday driving conditions.

 

[Bignate603]

Some of the advances in transmissions amaze me. The fact that our slushboxes work nearly as well as they do is mindboggling. The CVT is stellar, and I don't know if you ever have seen a DSG transmission but I can't wait to see one in action.

 

[CurtCold]

Tell they guys in BigRigs, and pulling Trailers, hauling supplies that they'll be better off with an automatic, and then prepare to be laughed out of the building. If my Nissan had an auto in it, I wouldn't be able to pull a 16ft flat bed trailer with it.

This guy is full of shiznit, where is the proof to back up his claim?

Besides I like driving a standard

 

[N8Magic]

This is what happens when you ask a business person to write a story about cars. It's pretty clear that this guy has no clue.

The way people drive in the real world, stick shift saves you nary a drop. In fact, you may actually be getting worse mileage than you would have with the car doing the shifts for you.Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

This might apply if you drive around town in first gear all day turning 6000RPMs. With my particular car/engine (VW TDI) I can tell you for a FACT that while I break 1200km on one tank of fuel quite regularly, most people driving the same car with an automatic struggle to break 900km out of one tank.


About the transmissions, see above. Increased efficiency means more engine power goes to moving the car rather than getting sucked away by slow or badly timed shifts. Today's automatic transmissions also offer more flexibility in shift styles. Often, if you want a more power-oriented shifting style you can just press a button.Again, no data to back this up. Not everyone is a crappy driver like this guy. "Just press the button for more power!"

If todays automatics are so great, why don't race cars use them? (F1 paddle shifters don't count)


Maybe, but probably not in the long run. If the car you want even comes with a standard transmission the automatic will probably cost you $800 to $900 more, says Joe Cashen, director of pricing for Carsdirect.com. In most cases, you'll get that back when you go to sell the car.That's funny, i've had no problems selling or trading in my manual transmission cars in the past. I notice that he neglects to mention how much money an automatic tranny costs to fix should it ever break down. You won't save much money after that $1500.00 tranny overhaul.

So, let's think this through: We want to save wear on brake shoes, cheap and easily replaceable parts, by transferring that wear and stress to the clutch and the engine. Brake pads are much easier and cheaper to replace than clutches and the added stress on your engine can shorten its life. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Clutch plates are cheaper to replace (at least in my experience) than a brake overhaul at all 4 corners. And added stress on the engine? From what?

Then there are those hazards caused by the average person's limited number of arms. Between changing CDs, answering the cell phone, drinking coffee and gesturing out the window at "that moron," do you really need something else that occupies one hand and a leg? Two hands on the wheel may be asking a bit much, but most safety experts do recommend at least one, pretty much at all times.After this part, the writer lost ALL credibility.

This guy should stick to business articles.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: CurtCold
Tell they guys in BigRigs, and pulling Trailers, hauling supplies that they'll be better off with an automatic, and then prepare to be laughed out of the building. If my Nissan had an auto in it, I wouldn't be able to pull a 16ft flat bed trailer with it.

This guy is full of shiznit, where is the proof to back up his claim?

Besides I like driving a standard

If LAUST reads this post you are dead meat.

 

[geno]

I (along with many others) like driving standard - that's all there is to it. I don't care about fuel economy, I don't care about decreased wear on my brakes - I like shifting for myself. I see no need to defend my choice in transmissions But that guy is missing the point completely. People don't drive standards to save gas, they drive them because it's fun for them. The evolution of technology has nothing to do with it.

 

[flavio]

automatics suck

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: geno
I (along with many others) like driving standard - that's all there is to it. I don't care about fuel economy, I don't care about decreased wear on my brakes - I like shifting for myself. I see no need to defend my choice in transmissions But that guy is missing the point completely. People don't drive standards to save gas, they drive them because it's fun for them. The evolution of technology has nothing to do with it.

yup thats how i feel also

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

 

[CurtCold]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

 

[CurtCold]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

And you know if I drag race because? Besides REAL men race around curves too, not just straightaways.

Yes autos are prime for the local dragstip I frequent, the artilce is not about dragracing btw

 

[flavio]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

Point?

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

And you know if I drag race because? Besides REAL men race around curves too, nut just straightaways.

Yes autos are prime for the local dragstip I frequent

Real Men don't race on the street but that I am guily of myself. Also you never made any mention of why you thought manual was better. You simply just made a blanket statement. I had to assume you were ignorant and I was pretty right about that.

Do you auto-x?

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: flavio

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

Point?

What was yours? Mine was(like Skoorb explained in the beginning) that each transmission has its better traits. In drag racing the automatics rule over manuals.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

And you know if I drag race because? Besides REAL men race around curves too, not just straightaways.

Yes autos are prime for the local dragstip I frequent, the artilce is not about dragracing btw

So, did you just admit that you're not a real man?

Come on... the "Real racing is done in the twisties" argument is about as stupid as the "manuals are better than autos" argument.

Basis for the first one: My car is too slow to do good at drag racing, so I'll pretend it's a SCCA race car.
Basis for the second one: Manuals are better because they're harder to learn, therefore I am superior cause I drive one, and you dont.

If you really drive a manual because it's more fun than an auto, you wouldn't to post comments like "automatics suck [because they are for the automotive illiterate who can't drive a stick]".

 

[TrueBlueLS]

I can do my own shifting

 

[CurtCold]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

And you know if I drag race because? Besides REAL men race around curves too, nut just straightaways.

Yes autos are prime for the local dragstip I frequent

Real Men don't race on the street but that I am guily of myself. Also you never made any mention of why you thought manual was better. You simply just made a blanket statement. I had to assume you were ignorant and I was pretty right about that.

Do you auto-x?

1. Manual is obviously better for pulling which I mentioned earlier....If not then why do 18wheelers use manual?
2. ASSume is right there bub
3. Me ignorant? We're all ignorant in our own ways about certian things. eg. I'm ignorant in the Taiwanese language. Did mrs. Cleo tell you that I was ignorant...

 

[flavio]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

Point?

What was yours? Mine was(like Skoorb explained in the beginning) that each transmission has its better traits. In drag racing the automatics rule over manuals.

Well, "You don't drag race. I do" was a pretty effective way of expressing that point and I'm sure will be handy info for the average car buyer.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: flavio

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: CurtCold

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: flavio
automatics suck

As do you.

There's no way driving an automatic is as much fun as shifting to 3rd, slamming the rpm past 5k. I had an automatic in my 52, but it was great cause it refused to shift back to 2nd, unless you kicked in the 4barrell.....wooohooo! The good ol 10-12mpg days!

You don't drag race. I do.

Point?

What was yours? Mine was(like Skoorb explained in the beginning) that each transmission has its better traits. In drag racing the automatics rule over manuals.

Well, "You don't drag race. I do" was a pretty effective way of expressing that point and I'm sure will be handy info for the average car buyer.

Because the average car buyer isn't someone who wants to drink coffee while driving or apply make up. Right? They also love shifting in traffic too don't they?

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: geno
I (along with many others) like driving standard - that's all there is to it. I don't care about fuel economy, I don't care about decreased wear on my brakes - I like shifting for myself. I see no need to defend my choice in transmissions But that guy is missing the point completely. People don't drive standards to save gas, they drive them because it's fun for them. The evolution of technology has nothing to do with it.

Exactly. Some people just don't understand. For these, people, cars are appliances, and they have no business writing about cars any more than they do writing about computers.