Manual Vs Automatic LifeSpan

[RNB11]

I know almost all of you here drive manual transmissions but i want a non-biased opinion.

I want a reliable car, not abused in anyway. Just regular city driving with plenty of traffic lights.

What is more suitable for me? Automatic or Manual? Which will last longer for my needs?

Thanks

[pf0sh0]

By the sounds of it.... automatic

But it really comes down to personal preference.

[Disoblige]

Depends what you prefer more. You mention lots of traffic lights.. Obviously it's a bit more work in a manual, but most find it more fun to drive when you are more in control. I have an auto and a manual, one is a reliable daily driver, one is a fun RWD summer car.

[Dilmah]

For me it's all about being in control, so manual it is.:thumbsup:

[msommers]

Stop and go traffic gets old when you have a manual but in general driving, manual is more fun.

More reliable...well, my gut tells me manual, less moving parts, but I could talking out my ass ;)

[Masked Bandit]

Lifespan isn't going to vary as long as the car hasn't been beaten to death. While I love rowing a stick for spirited driving my last manual ('03 Maxima with a 6 sp) was a pain in the ass in stop & go traffic. For the main family vehicle I'll always stay automatic.

[adam c]

i prefer driving an auto lately, since the tourist season is here and all, traffic is getting worse and worse, the only time i drive my manual now is in the evening or on the weekends

[masoncgy]

Automatics tend to burn out a lot quicker than manual transmissions do...

...but an automatic is also a lot more desirable when it comes to stop & go traffic... the manual gets tiring after awhile.

[adam c]

I'll also add, while driving in stop and go traffic with a manual my road rage tends to increase as well

[Sugarphreak]

...

[FiveFreshFish]

Third choice: dual-clutch transmissions like VW's DSG, Mitsubishi's SST.

[rage2]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
Third choice: dual-clutch transmissions like VW's DSG, Mitsubishi's SST.
That is the only way to go! :thumbsup:

[Awd-Tsi]

I would say it depends how hard on the clutch you are. If you beat the crap out of clutches you will be replacing them on standards unlike auto's.

[Scuderia]

Auto is more suitable, manual is more reliable. I like my DD's to be automatic and my babied/weekend cars to be manual.

[DeeK]

I can't drive auto for the life of me. They put me to sleep, not even kidding.

I have to drive manual. I'll never buy anything else.

In my experiences, with all the cars I have ever driven. Auto's burn out WAY faster than any manual tranny.

[Alak]

I dont see how automatics are unreliable. Sure if you neutral drop it and dont perform proper and timely maintenance, you'll have problems. But the same goes with anything.

[Kloubek]

Auto Pros: Easier to drive. Can have a smoke, drive, and drink all at the same time. Easier on the left leg. No clutch to replace.

Auto Cons: Reduced fuel mileage, reduced performance, more parts to break down (and probably will do so before a manual would), less fun to drive.

So really, it is all about personal preference, as already stated. Which things are more important to you?

[derpderp]

I think one of the big problems with auto isn't that they are just less reliable, it is drivers who drive strickly auto still don't understand how a transmission operates, so they are more likely to wear it out by doing things like flooring and holding the gas when stuck in snow, or not using over drive options in appropriate situations, putting needless stress on the car.

I bet you if you put most people who drive auto in a car with auto on a huge hill they would just floor it and keep flooring it tell they clear the hill.

[Dodobird]

I vote manual all the way. Driving an automatic transmission car makes me want to put a bullet in my brain. It really isn't too difficult to push a clutch in is it? And if you're stopped for more than a few seconds... Drop it in neutral.

[bigboom]

Originally posted by adam c
I'll also add, while driving in stop and go traffic with a manual my road rage tends to increase as well

+1.

[911fever]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Auto Pros: Easier to drive. Can have a smoke, drive, and drink all at the same time. Easier on the left leg. No clutch to replace.

Auto Cons: Reduced fuel mileage, reduced performance, more parts to break down (and probably will do so before a manual would), less fun to drive.

So really, it is all about personal preference, as already stated. Which things are more important to you?

great answer! QFT

[GQBalla]

i dunno i can smoke, drink, drive and text with a manual?

for me manual is more fun

but would depend what the car is.

[Unknown303]

I am voting for manual. Mainly because it's more fun, I get better control and my Jeep's a blast to drive.

[masoncgy]

Originally posted by Alak
I dont see how automatics are unreliable.

Often, they come straight from the factory that way. They are built poorly or have a flawed design which results in premature failure.

Look back at all of the recent automatic transmission failures in various vehicle makes & models over say, the past decade...

...then compare to the number of manual transmission failures over that same period.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by DeeK
Auto's burn out WAY faster than any manual tranny.

However by the time the automatic burns out, the guy driving his manual transmission car has replaced his clutch a few times.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Auto Cons: Reduced fuel mileage

Only if you drive your manual car like a grandma and shift at the factory recommended shift points.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
Third choice: dual-clutch transmissions like VW's DSG, Mitsubishi's SST.

With stuff like becoming more common I doubt I'll buy another manual car again.

Better performance, better fuel milage, more fun when you want, easier in rush hour...the only downside currently is availability and possibly uncertain long term reliability.

[CokerRat]

In modern performance cars, I don't believe automatics exact a penalty in performance. These things can shift faster than the vast majority of drivers can. While they do have more drivetrain losses, the instantaneous nature of shifts makes up for it in 99% of my driving. Automatics also now have just as many gears as manuals, and sometimes more. 5 years ago I never would have imagined I'd buy an auto transmission but pieces like the ZF 6-speed have changed that. I've read the M-B 7-speed transmission is also fantastic and as others have said, the DSG's.

[Alak]

Im curious to know how an automatic transmission just 'burns out'.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by sputnik


However by the time the automatic burns out, the guy driving his manual transmission car has replaced his clutch a few times.

Many cars have well documented automatic transmission failures at between 150,000-250,000km. If the transmission hasn't failed by that time it is often flaring shifts and slamming into gears and other symptoms that show the transmission is quite worn out. This is especially true of cars that are driven mostly within large cities in stop and go traffic.

In my previous experience, I have found the following:
1) if you drive properly, clutches last 150,000-200,000km
2) you can get at LEAST 1.0L/100km better fuel economy with a manual transmission than with an automatic, especially in the city. You can't trust the EPA numbers here as they do not reflect real life conditions.
3) Automatics cost ~$1500 more than manuals brand new, and clutch replacements cost ~$750

So, if you buy the manual version of the car, by the time the automatic transmission has failed you will have replaced the clutch once, for a savings of $750, and over the approx 250,000km it would take to kill the automatic transmission you have saved around $2000 in fuel.

IMO buy a manual transmission car and drive it PROPERLY.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by Alak
Im curious to know how an automatic transmission just 'burns out'.

Within the automatic transmission there are metal bands which are cinched down on drums to set the gear ratios. All the time these bands just skim the surface of the drums, but when they are locked down or released for a brief time they are sliding under relatively high pressures. Yes there is transmission fluid between the 2 surfaces but these parts do wear out over time. As they wear out they get out of adjustment (many are not adjustable at all any more) and then they wear even quicker. This is usually what causes cars to slam into gears or flare shifts.
The metal filings from these bands circulate within the transmission and only accelerate the wear of themselves and other parts. Some transmissions use wet clutches instead of bands but the same problem exists for them.


This can be partially mitigated by properly servicing the transmission (regular fluid flushes, filter changes and cleaning the magnet in the pan) however most people only do a "drain and fill" which changes 1/3 or less of the transmission fluid, and for some reason there is a stigma about changing transmission fluid at all since it is thoguht to "provoke failure". Alternatively, people just do a flush, this leaves a dirty filter so the fluid flow is diminished (causing valve body malfunctions and accelerated wear) and also don't clean the magnet, so all of the new metal filings go directly towards plugging the filter up even worse.


Basically, the biggest killer of automatic transmissions is a lack of maintenance and a lack of education. I suppose it doesn't help that the transmissions themselves cost significantly more than manual transmissions and so does a transmission service (~$100-$150 vs $30-$50).

[rogermiles]

I prefer manual driving... Automatic sometimes cracked up...

[topmade]

Manual for me. Stop and go downtown traffic has never bothered me. If the traffic is heavy I just put it in 2nd gear and go with the flow of traffic. I also think it depends how powerful the car is that you want to buy. Especially with hondas because of their shitty torque, you'd be able to squeeze a bit more juice out of them with a manual. My step mom and I have the same CRV but mine is 5spd and her's is auto and everytime I drive hers it's feels slow as hell.

Some of you guys must drive like crazy or something. I drove my old civic like an asshat all the time and I replaced the clutch at around 200k.

With all that said, I enjoy taking a break once in a while and drive our Sienna around. Maybe it's because it has more pep and faster then the CRV :rofl:. Or I'm just getting old.