Topic: Manual transmission or Automatic?

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Just interested, that's all.

DSG's and 'tiptronics' count as Automatics, in my book.  It's only a manual if you have to use your left foot.

I'm interested to see the results.  As this is somewhat of an enthusiast site, I might be pleasantly surprised with the number of manual transmissions that are driven around here.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Let's see, out of the 6 vehicles I've ever owned in my life, all but one were manuals.  And that vehicle was a freebie given to me by a family member a long time ago.

[Arthur Dent]

My car is manual - the wife has an automatic in her van though.

[tpl]

I owned an automatic Pinto in 1975. Other than that all our (me and  mrs tpl)cars 1966 through 2008 have been manual. Until the GTI where I bought a DSG just see what it was like.  The Fit is manual of course.
I believe that manuals in NA will probably disappear over the next decade (and I hope that slushboxes will disappear as well) and  be  replaced by ever more sophisticated DSG type transmissions.

Anyway I might or might not buy a manual again on the next car. I'll decide when I get there

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I owned an automatic Pinto in 1975. Other than that all our (me and  mrs tpl)cars 1966 through 2008 have been manual. Until the GTI where I bought a DSG just see what it was like.  The Fit is manual of course.
I believe that manuals in NA will probably disappear over the next decade (and I hope that slushboxes will disappear as well) and  be  replaced by ever more sophisticated DSG type transmissions.

Anyway I might or might not buy a manual again on the next car. I'll decide when I get there

I sincerely hope not.  If that happens, I'll probably start commuting on my bike.  Which, ironically is a singlespeed, meaning it doesn't have gears to change.

[Jaeger]

Manual Honda Fit and manual Nissan Altima at our house.

Jaeger

[tpl]

I owned an automatic Pinto in 1975. Other than that all our (me and  mrs tpl)cars 1966 through 2008 have been manual. Until the GTI where I bought a DSG just see what it was like.  The Fit is manual of course.
I believe that manuals in NA will probably disappear over the next decade (and I hope that slushboxes will disappear as well) and  be  replaced by ever more sophisticated DSG type transmissions.

Anyway I might or might not buy a manual again on the next car. I'll decide when I get there

I sincerely hope not.  If that happens, I'll probably start commuting on my bike.  Which, ironically is a singlespeed, meaning it doesn't have gears to change.

So few people buy manuals now and, as more and more cars  no longer have manuals it is a self fulfilling prophesy.  Once the population of the EU  are convinced that a DSG can use less fuel than a reasonably well driven manual some manufacturers will save money by just having one type of transmission... like Ferrari for instance.

[Minou]

All my previous cars from 1980 to 2010 were manuals.  Santa Fe is my first automatic and likely not the last.

[CanuckS2K]

I own both, but my preference will always be a manual.  I doesn't matter to me one bit how quick today's DSGs, SMG,s etc shift, there is no replacement for the third pedal when it comes to the fun factor.  I'll row my own gears any day of the week. 

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with those who chose to drive autos either.  Everyone has their own reasons. 

[Mike]

All 5 cars I owned were manual. Gf has an automatic, but not my thing.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Manual only at our house.

[tpl]

I own both, but my preference will always be a manual.  I doesn't matter to me one bit how quick today's DSGs, SMG,s etc shift, there is no replacement for the third pedal when it comes to the fun factor.  I'll row my own gears any day of the week. 

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with those who chose to drive autos either.  Everyone has their own reasons. 

To me its not the speed of the shift at all.  It is that the shift is a shift like a manual.  You can see this on the tach. It is just like a manual, you are either in a gear or in another gear, no 1/2 way state for a second while the torque converter is converting.

[Dante]

Since I moved to Canada I only owned auto. Before that, only manual (auto was a rarity back then and where I was - Euroland).
If I could park a third car at my house and if insurance wouldn't be too crazy, I would have a manual just for myself. This is the way I would like to have a car of my own.

[initial_D]

Have both types in our vehicles, and I prefer the manual.

[PJungnitsch]

Two manuals, three if you count the motorcycle. Ownership history is about half and half.

Prefer modern automatics, will replace the the manuals with them as circumstances allow.

Have thousands of hours driving various manuals, the novelty is long gone.

[Bullet Blue]

Manual only for me. If it's not, it's a deal breaker.

[CanuckS2K]

I own both, but my preference will always be a manual.  I doesn't matter to me one bit how quick today's DSGs, SMG,s etc shift, there is no replacement for the third pedal when it comes to the fun factor.  I'll row my own gears any day of the week. 

Having said that, there is nothing wrong with those who chose to drive autos either.  Everyone has their own reasons. 

To me its not the speed of the shift at all.  It is that the shift is a shift like a manual.  You can see this on the tach. It is just like a manual, you are either in a gear or in another gear, no 1/2 way state for a second while the torque converter is converting.

But again though, without the third pedal it doesn't matter to me.  It might shift "like" a manual, but it's still not a manual.  I've driven a DSG and thoroughly enjoyed it, however my personal preference is still to have a third pedal.  To each their own.   

[ArticSteve]

I have a seasonal sports car with manual.  Love rowing the gears and using the left foot.

However, the maximum legal speed limit in almost all rural highways is 49.9 mph.  The lunacy of the speed limit presents itself better in miles.  If Trudeau had not shoved metric down our throats the Ontario Conservative lunatics of the day would have never got the limit lowered to 80kph from 102 kph (60 mph).

Having expressed all that  ,  here is my problem with manuals for everyday driving.  It just is too tedious to drive a manual slowly.  It ruins the experience.  The only way to survive the OPP and other regional Police, who are under daily pressure to bring in the speeding fines, on a daily basis, is to relax and set the cruise to just under 100 kph, which most cops have the human decency to respect.  This can only be accomplished with an automatic.

[Ex-airbalancer]

 If Trudeau had not shoved metric down our throats the Ontario Conservative lunatics of the day would have never got the limit lowered to 80kph from 102 kph (60 mph).

I believe the limited change before metric came in , I REMEMBER SEEING SIGNS AT 70 mph and then dropping to 60 mph along the 400

What was the speed limit on Ontario's early highways?
A. Ontario's first province-wide speed limit on rural highways was introduced in 1903 at 15 mph (24 km/h). The speed limit was increased to 25 mph (40 km/h) by the early 1920s and increased further to 35 mph (56 km/h) by the late 1920s. In 1937, the opening of the new Middle Road superhighway between Toronto and Hamilton prompted another review of the speed limits on Ontario highways. The speed limit on most rural highways was increased to 50 mph (80 km/h) in May 1937. During World War II, the speed limits were temporarily lowered to 40 mph (65 km/h) to conserve Canada's fuel supplies. The next speed limit increase took place in 1959, when the speed limit for passenger cars using the new superhighways such as Highway 400 and Highway 401 was changed to 60 mph (100 km/h). The speed limit for trucks and heavy vehicles on the superhighways was increased to 55 mph (90 km/h) in 1959. On some high standard two-lane highways, the speed limit for passenger cars was increased as high as 60 mph (100 km/h) in 1959. In the late 1960s, the speed limit on the 400-Series Highways was increased again to 70 mph (115 km/h) for passenger cars and 60 mph (100 km/h) for trucks and heavy vehicles. During the energy crisis of the mid-1970s, the speed limit for passenger vehicles was changed back to 60 mph (100 km/h). The energy crisis also brought about the reduction of speed limits on most conventional highways back to a maximum of 55 mph (90 km/h). During the conversion to Metric measurements in 1977, the speed limit on most conventional highways was reduced even further to 80 km/h. Since the 1970s, the speed limit on Ontario freeways has generally remained at 100 km/h (60 mph), while conventional highways have generally remained at 80 km/h (50 mph).
 

[wing]

Annoying really, in Quebec the two lane highways are generally 90 and some 100.