2014 Transmission Poll

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Sentry]

The Aristo with the built trans and high-stall converter and big ass turbo is a blast to drive... But nothing beats a real manual for driving pleasure. :D

[Aleks]

Voted manual b/c of current cars but, my preference: DCT/DSG > Manual > Conventional Auto.

I have found Honda really has best feeling manuals out there in their 6 speed applications.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Both current cars manual and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[never]

To go fast in a straight line, auto for sure. For everyday driving, manual for sure...but this project isn't started yet. So everything I own/am building right now are autos.

[CapnCrunch]

Both have autos and aren't offered in manual. Honestly, the winter is the only time I miss having a manual.

[BavarianBeast]

Both 6 speed manual, wouldn't have it any other way!

[heavyD]

I'm tired of my manual. Looking forward to upgrading to a DCT in my next car.

[ExtraSlow]

I love manuals, but everyone in my house is driving "practical" vehciles right now, and for our pickup truck and minivan, autos were the only choice.

[R154]

Heavy didnt you go from DCT to manual?

[killramos]

But what if your flappy paddle is an automatic

:cry:

[Graham_A_M]

6 speed manual in the Buick and the '38, 5 speed manual in the S10 and my two bikes obviously, and autos in the rest.

[mo_money2supe]

Originally posted by heavyD
I'm tired of my manual. Looking forward to upgrading to a DCT in my next car.

:werd: I've driven manual since I got my learner's licence on my 14th b/d (am 31 now) but everyday sitting in stop & go traffic has been boring & tiring the heck out of me with the stick. I also hate having to rev up to 5k+ RPM in 1st just to keep up with all the heavy-footed drivers out there. Every manual I've owned had short-geared 1st gears! It gets tiring in a stop & go DD very quickly.

[max_boost]

Auto all the way. Lazy now. While it use to be somewhat cool to drive a manual, Prelude/RSX/Civic/S2K/NSX/WRX etc. nah, give me the DSG/8speed etc. :burnout:

[finboy]

Manual, I've always been able to walk to work so traffic commuting isn't an issue.

[Tik-Tok]

Manual, but I don't normally drive in rush hour like you guys, if I did I'd go back to auto.

[Stephen81]

Miss driving a manual but 90% of the time I'm lazy and just want to drink coffee and drive so auto w/paddles works for me.:D

[firebane]

Rush hour traffic? Auto.

Every day driving for shits n giggles ... Manual.

Big old noisy dirty truck? Manual.

[16hypen3sp]

Straight up manual is way more fun.

Auto is... convenient, I guess.

[Axe]

The desire to have a manual was a Must Have when getting a car (legacy gt). No regrets, in any kind of traffic.

SUV is auto because that's the only way it comes; my perspective - most people pay inherently less attention when driving automatics (anything that doesn't have 3 pedals on the floor...yes i'm biased).

[relyt92]

Currently driving a manual, next car will probably be auto though.

[Boostn]

DSG - best of both worlds. It's nice not having to row through gears during rush hour traffic with your dd. The only problem is the high cost for dsg service at the dealer but maybe I can attempt it myself when the time comes.

[speedog]

Auto for 30+ years now - am confident enough to let my vehicle shift it's own gears. :thumbsup:

[Black Gts]

18 speed Eaton ftw!!! Lol. Auto in my personal vehicle

[Darell_n]

I have an 8-speed auto in my truck and I honestly enjoy driving it as much as my wife's 5-speed WRX. The 8-speed is very quick and always seems to be in the perfect gear, plus it will do skip shifts. (8-2 direct for example)

[Zorac]

just got old and bought an auto. the new autos are pretty good about being in the right gear and shift fairly quick. summer car is still a manual for when i want to act like a hooligan!

[heavyD]

Originally posted by R154
Heavy didnt you go from DCT to manual?

Two cars ago yes. Miss the TC-SST greatly as the 6-speed in the Mustang was Chinese junk and while the STI 6-speed is a solid unit it gets old when you have to travel daily across the city.

[Sugarphreak]

....

[A2VR6]

3/4 cars in the household are stick. All of mine (3) are stick. Wouldnt have it any other way

[carson blocks]

Did a factory order to get my '14 Ram 2500 Laramie with a stick. Not the most fun trans, but I prefer manual and Chrysler still hasn't learned how to build an automatic transmission that holds up.

[killramos]

I wonder how many of the "flappy paddle" people are actually automated manuals/DCT's compared to automatics with paddles.

They tend to come on anything with the word sport in it these days.

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by carson blocks
Did a factory order to get my '14 Ram 2500 Laramie with a stick. Not the most fun trans, but I prefer manual and Chrysler still hasn't learned how to build an automatic transmission that holds up.

Mind you, the 68rfe's are a very solid tranny and nowhere near as problematic as the 48re was when they came out. Do you know what tranny you're getting? NV or ZF?

Auto play truck, built 48re, manual work truck, ZF-6. Would love them both to be manual.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by killramos
I wonder how many of the "flappy paddle" people are actually automated manuals/DCT's compared to automatics with paddles. If that were what he meant then that's how he should have worded it. Given that every car with paddles will also self-shift, I have no idea what he meant. It also makes it sound like he doesn't know what he's talking about. But this is Sugarphreak so, you know... He probably doesn't.

[redline]

MDCT FTW

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Mibz]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Really the middle category is just there to appease the DCT crowd who would be unhappy answering "Automatic", I am a nice guy like that :) It's way more fun to hear them whine about how it's not a real automatic.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
haha, yes it is

The problem is if I just put just 2 options of "manual" and "automatic" as the poll, I will get an entire thread of people typing in capitals: "ITS A DUAL CLUTCH MULTI-LINK F1-STYLE SHIFTER WITH REV MATCH AND REALISTIC ENGINE SOUNDS... NOT AN AUTO", and select a the manual option, thus screwing up my poll demographics

What can I say, I like my fellow Beyonders who are in denial enough to give them their own category so they don't feel slighted :love:
Should've just put two poll options then: 2 pedals or 3 :rofl:

[Sugarphreak]

...

[jwslam]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Really though there are a lot of variants out there for shifting options, I just wanted to see how many people still drive on with a clutch pedal on an enthusiast forum
Currently at barely over 50% with no "i don't have a car"'s.
That's probably because everyone here has at least 4 registered plates and need unidriveways :werd:

[bspot]

Between my wife and I, we've had 7 cars and they've all been manual.

Both of us get bored to tears driving autos.

Using the paddles in something like a DSG feels inherently lame, and useless. It shifts fine by itself automatically.

Until you stop.

Or try use reverse.

Then it's jerky as hell :rofl:

[speedog]

So school me here as I've obviously not kept up with transmission technology - to me a manual transmission is a transmission where I physically have to activate a pedal to release and engage the clutch. If a DCT doesn't have a actual clutch pedal, then it would seem that it's just a fancy automatic transmission.

Put it this way, is it possible to stall a DCT equipped vehicle in the same way one can stall a manual transmission vehicle? Can one make a DCT equipped vehicle buck because of a poorly done clutch engagement? Or does one just push/pull some paddles/levers to switch gears in a DCT - if that's all the driver is doing in a DCT, then it's an automatic in my books.

I suppose the only other question is if you're in a DCT equipped vehicle and it is in drive or whatever equivalent there is in them, can the vehicle just get up and go in response to what the gas pedal is doing? Please note I've only owned Chev automatics for the past 30+ years - I have driven regular standards over that time but have never been exposed to a DCT equipped vehicle and thus, have no real knowledge of them.

[lilmira]

You can say that you are no longer physically connected to the throttle too in a lot of newer cars. One day it's gonna be a nostalgia.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by speedog
So school me here as I've obviously not kept up with transmission technology - to me a manual transmission is a transmission where I physically have to activate a pedal to release and engage the clutch. If a DCT doesn't have a actual clutch pedal, then it would seem that it's just a fancy automatic transmission.

Put it this way, is it possible to stall a DCT equipped vehicle in the same way one can stall a manual transmission vehicle? Can one make a DCT equipped vehicle buck because of a poorly done clutch engagement? Or does one just push/pull some paddles/levers to switch gears in a DCT - if that's all the driver is doing in a DCT, then it's an automatic in my books.

I suppose the only other question is if you're in a DCT equipped vehicle and it is in drive or whatever equivalent there is in them, can the vehicle just get up and go in response to what the gas pedal is doing? Please note I've only owned Chev automatics for the past 30+ years - I have driven regular standards over that time but have never been exposed to a DCT equipped vehicle and thus, have no real knowledge of them.

It's essentially a fancy automatic. Leave it in D and it does its own thing. The one I had never stalled on me but it bucked pretty hard in slow driving at times. Going from 2 to 1 and back to 2 sometimes was very rough, so in that sense it was like computer was learning how to drive a manual. Mine didn't have a TQ converter in it. Acura DCT transmission now have TQ converters in them
as well from what I understand??

The fun part is when you throw it in S mode or equivalent and drive it really hard. Or when you use paddles driving it hard. On the downshifts in would revmatch and "fart". Upshifts where lighting fast which made it fun, yet when you just wanted a normal auto you could leave it in D.

Neither the truck nor the van have a fancy auto now, and I don't want them to. I want those to be as smooth as they can be which is not what DCT one are.

[carson blocks]

Originally posted by heavyfuel
Do you know what tranny you're getting? NV or ZF?

It's a G56. First is a little too low for a daily driver, 2nd is a touch too high for starts on anything but level ground when unloaded. Not the best manual trans I've ever had, and had to give up the console, rear heated seats, and I got detuned to 650ft.lb instead of 800. Next time I might try the auto and see if it will last 2-3 years / 80-100k.

[speedog]

Originally posted by Aleks


It's essentially a fancy automatic. Leave it in D and it does its own thing. The one I had never stalled on me but it bucked pretty hard in slow driving at times. Going from 2 to 1 and back to 2 sometimes was very rough, so in that sense it was like computer was learning how to drive a manual. Mine didn't have a TQ converter in it. Acura DCT transmission now have TQ converters in them
as well from what I understand??

The fun part is when you throw it in S mode or equivalent and drive it really hard. Or when you use paddles driving it hard. On the downshifts in would revmatch and "fart". Upshifts where lighting fast which made it fun, yet when you just wanted a normal auto you could leave it in D.

Neither the truck nor the van have a fancy auto now, and I don't want them to. I want those to be as smooth as they can be which is not what DCT one are.

So in effect, there isn't much skill or learning required to get in and drive a DCT equipped vehicle even if using the paddles - I comparing this to an actual manual transmission where there obviously is some skill and knowledge required to use a manual transmission equipped vehicle properly and also effectively. Put it this way, I could probably put my 16 year old daughter in a DCT equipped vehicle and she could effectively drive it in either auto mode or using the paddles - a manual transmission equipped vehicle, well there would be some trials and tribulations involved along the way towards something that might represent successfully operating a manually equipped vehicle.

On a side note, I'd be curious as to how many of the more hardcore 4X4 beyonders are using manual or automatic transmissions because some 10-15 years ago, a 4x4 club I used to hang out with used almost exclusively automatic equipped 4x4's and their reasoning was it allowed them a much quicker transition between forward and reverse when needed in any slippery conditions (snow, mud, bogs, etc)..

[Sugarphreak]

...

[reijo]

Three vehicles - all manual transmissions. S2k only came in 6 speed manual in fact.

I prefer the manual due to the greater control of the vehicle that I have with it. :)

R

[austic]

My car is a manual the wife's car is a auto. She cant drive stick so my car is always safe :clap:

[freshprince1]

The F-150 is a much nicer vehicle, but the Subaru is much more fun to drive (on roads), especially with the Stage 1 clutch.

[Murray Peterson]

Both our cars are standard. We bought one automatic years ago, and couldn't get rid of it soon enough. And, yes, a standard might be a bit more hassle in stop and go traffic, but it's worth it IMO.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by speedog


So in effect, there isn't much skill or learning required to get in and drive a DCT equipped vehicle even if using the paddles - I comparing this to an actual manual transmission where there obviously is some skill and knowledge required to use a manual transmission equipped vehicle properly and also effectively. Put it this way, I could probably put my 16 year old daughter in a DCT equipped vehicle and she could effectively drive it in either auto mode or using the paddles - a manual transmission equipped vehicle, well there would be some trials and tribulations involved along the way towards something that might represent successfully operating a manually equipped vehicle.

On a side note, I'd be curious as to how many of the more hardcore 4X4 beyonders are using manual or automatic transmissions because some 10-15 years ago, a 4x4 club I used to hang out with used almost exclusively automatic equipped 4x4's and their reasoning was it allowed them a much quicker transition between forward and reverse when needed in any slippery conditions (snow, mud, bogs, etc)..

The "skill" of driving a manual transmission is highly overrated. Some of the most incompetent people I have ever met could drive a stick flawlessly. Hell I never drove a manual transmission ever until my first manual transmission car to which I hopped in and drove as it's just as easy as driving an automatic and the difference between driving the two is that driving a manual required a couple of extra steps by the driver to accomplish the same thing.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by heavyD
The "skill" of driving a manual transmission is highly overrated. Some of the most incompetent people I have ever met could drive a stick flawlessly.
The "skill" is to reduce the likelihood of some blondie doing her make up while on the phone while smoking in rush hour traffic down crowchild.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by jwslam

The "skill" is to reduce the likelihood of some blondie doing her make up while on the phone while smoking in rush hour traffic down crowchild.

I know a guy that can steer with one knee, roll a half weed/half tobacco blunt, on the other leg, and talk on the phone at the same time. Now that's skill.

[rage2]

Originally posted by heavyD
I know a guy that can steer with one knee, roll a half weed/half tobacco blunt, on the other leg, and talk on the phone at the same time. Now that's skill.
Either this is a very popular skillset, or we know the same guy lol.

[Cos]

.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[heavyD]

Originally posted by rage2

Either this is a very popular skillset, or we know the same guy lol.

Does your guy paint for a living?

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak

You hoped in a manual for the first time ever and it was as easy to drive as an Auto? Talanted!

LOL seriously?