Practical Differences Between Manual and Automatic?

[DkknightX]

I've always been wondering this for quite some time. Though I am a car enthusuast, my technical knowledge of them isn't the greatest. I've usually always driven an automatic and had some kind of transmission problem of sorts. Like a Servo Spring cracked, or one of the electronic shift sensors fail to shift correctly. My general understanding is that when you drive a manual car, you eliminate all of those computer controlled elements, thus effectively eliminating many of the small glitchy problems automatic transmissions have that make it extremely expensive to fix. Am I correct for believing this? Thanks in advance!

[LkyCzx]

Originally Posted by DkknightX

I've always been wondering this for quite some time. Though I am a car enthusuast, my technical knowledge of them isn't the greatest. I've usually always driven an automatic and had some kind of transmission problem of sorts. Like a Servo Spring cracked, or one of the electronic shift sensors fail to shift correctly. My general understanding is that when you drive a manual car, you eliminate all of those computer controlled elements, thus effectively eliminating many of the small glitchy problems automatic transmissions have that make it extremely expensive to fix. Am I correct for believing this? Thanks in advance!

the real problems surface with a stick when you have to shift while drinking a beer....just kidding....

[Conflict]

they suck in cities, If your in stop and go traffic a lot and its your daily driver I would stick with an auto

[gunslinger]

After having my 1998 Z28 manual camaro up on blocks for four weeks, I can't stand the automatic car I am borrowing!!!

You just never quite know when, or if it will down shift and to what gear it will shift.

There is not, and never will be, a replacement for rowing your own gears, not even a dual clutch auto!!!

A clutch pedal and REAL manual are all I will ever buy for my performance cars!

[DkknightX]

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate your input. I own a Cobalt SS Supercharged manual and I'd never go back to an automatic tranny, but do you think that mechanically, things go much less wrong with a manual tranny over an automatic? Does this hold true? Is this fact or fiction? Thanks again!

[zebra]

generally speaking, if there's less electronics in there to screw up, the less electrical problems you'll have. manuals don't usually run into many mechanical problems unless you're really laying into it (and poorly executing your shifts) all the time

[DkknightX]

That's what I thought, zebra, but it is odd that manuals do save on tranny repairs and doesn't get better play when you actually try to research this, unless it is such common knowledge that it ever need not be mentioned.

[Beamer]

I prefer manny's to auto's but I do not mind getting behind the wheel of an auto on occasion because shifting can get annoying if you are tired, dealing with even alittle traffic and stop and go. eventually the true manual is gonna go to the way side, with the new tech coming out and the improvements in auto's well make a stick just for the true blooded row your own gear geeks. I well say if I were to have a choice in a car with a real clutch, stick manual or a auto with shifts quicker than you can think of shifting and it has a manual that well hold each gear no matter what you do and blah blah I would take the auto, like one of the new Porsche's.

But yea, less to go wrong in a manual than an auto unless you rag on it and all that time to time and such.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by DkknightX

That's what I thought, zebra, but it is odd that manuals do save on tranny repairs and doesn't get better play when you actually try to research this, unless it is such common knowledge that it ever need not be mentioned.

as stated before, there is a lot less to a manual than there is to an auto. and obviously, less parts = less parts to break.

[CDBiker220]

To actually answer your question, yes manual tranny's in general will have much less problems. However when they go, they go bad, its all just gears in there really, not clutches and bands and springs and servos like an automatic. Given the Manual in the camaro, its rated for 650Ftlbs of torque, and is also in cars like the ZR1, Z06, GT500, Viper. It can handle alot more than then 400ish ftlbs of torque the camaro has, the only thing you have to worry about is ruining clutches, which usually arent that expensive compared to a whole transmission

[undrcop2010]

Originally Posted by LkyCzx

the real problems surface with a stick when you have to shift while drinking a beer....just kidding....

[diddiyo]

automatics suck. i'd like to decide myself what gear i wanna use.

[zebra]

Originally Posted by diddiyo

automatics suck. i'd like to decide myself what gear i wanna use.

drop it in 'M' & the TAP shift lets you tell the car what to do (and the only thing it won't let you do is completely screw the **** out of the transmission or engine)

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by zebra

drop it in 'M' & the TAP shift lets you tell the car what to do (and the only thing it won't let you do is completely screw the **** out of the transmission or engine)

naaah, i like to use my left foot & right arm like in the old days, you know, with an actual shiftknob :>