i'm going to say auto. i've spent about the last 6 years with a stick, and i'm looking forward to driving an auto again. i don't race or anything like that, so i don't see any real advantage to the manual.

after 4 years with a full manual car (powerless steering, manual transmission, crank windows, manual locks, no cup holders, etc.) i'm looking forward to a car with auto-everything.

to each his own though. if you don't mind constantly paying attention to what gear your in (it becomes habit, but you still have to always do it) but have complete control over your car, then go stick. if you just want to drive places and not worry about your transmission, go auto.

 

The auto gets better gas mileage than the manual does.

Sort of off topic but eventually you probably won't have a choice since everything will use a CVT.

 

Um, if I'm not mistaken...most standards (manuals) have better mileage than automatics. It's a known fact.

On another note, automatics have better resale and more demand as a used car. That is, if you plan on only owning this car for like 5 years or less. Beyond that, I don't think it would matter much.

 

Usually, yes, but on the TC, no. The manual in the tc has shorter gear ratios, so it gets worse mileage, but it is slightly quicker!

 

************Learning to Drive a 5-Speed************

This is how I learned to drive a 5-speed when I was 14-15 and my Dad was teaching me on Private Land.

Part 1 - Starting the Car

Put the key in the Ignition
Push in the Clutch and Hold the Brake(Or make sure the e-brake is on)
Turn the key to Start it

Simple Huh?

Part 2 - Taking off in 1st Gear

Turn the stereo off so you can hear

Push in the Clutch and Move the Shifter into the 1st Gear Position
Slowly start letting off the clutch until you start to hear the car slightly start to stall
Note: You will also feel it starting to vibrate slightly
Ease onto the gas pedal as you slowly release the clutch the rest of the way out.
Now you're cruising.

Note: This will take time to eventually learn exactly when to give it gas. Hit the gas too early and the engine revs high, hit too late and you stall or get a jerky start.

Part 3 - Shifting gears

I generally wait until around 2000-2500 to shift gears, but eventually you won't need to even look at the Tach to know when to shift. It becomes a matter of 'feel' between you and the car.

When you're reasy to shift:
Press the clutch in and shift into the next gear up.
Release the clutch and ease into the gas.

Part 4 - Downshifting

Slow down until the RPMs are fairly low
Press the clutch in and shift down to the next gear
Release the clutch

Note: Downshifting after the RPMs have dropped will be easier on your transmission. You don't want to be cruising at 3,000 RPM in 4th and drop it into 3rd.

I hope this helps.

Eventually it will be second nature to you. Once you learn, you never forget. It's been 4 years since I drove a 5-speed and when I traded the xB in on a 5-speed tC it was like I had been driving it for years.

-Z

 

please get a stick. i was in the same situation as you. i had little to no stick knowledge when i bought the car. i wanted something fun. i wanted to control the car. my previous car was an auto, you can be half retarded and drive that...no fun. i chose stick, because i didn't want to pay more for an auto, because it's more fun and because if makes you pay attention to the road more. in my previous auto car, i could be half asleep and driving, i had some close calls like that. i didn't want this to happen with a new car, i wanted to be in control.

as for the dude that said that auto have better resale value, you are correct, but you have to realize, anyone who totally apprieciates what this car can do would demand a 5 speed.

with stick shift, it's all about the timing. you will pick it up immediatly, now, to make it comfortable for passengers, it will take you a couple of weeks. i drive mine daily, in traffic, stopping on hills, in parking lots etc. this only helps you learn to work the clutch better, parking lots are great for getting a real feel for the clutch. in taffic, i don't mind driving stick shift at all, reason being, the car is so beautiful to me, a little extra effort to make it move is all worth it

heres some tips -

on steep hills, if you don't want to roll back, use your ebrake
never force it to shift into 1st unless you are under 10 mph
to make things smooth, let the clutch out slower, with a little more gas
if you bump every gear, you are letting the clutch out with little or no gas
only use 5th gear if your going over 50 mph, or your on a flat street that is long and you won't have to change your speed, then you can use 5th, if your going around 40 mph

don't get discouraged if you stall. i stalled out 4 times on the way home from the dealership. i stalled out about 7 more times that week. after that, i have yet to stall, it's been about a month.
i used to bump all my shifts and let the clutch out with too much gas in 1st, i have changed that.
some of my passengers say that i can shift better than an automatic

please please get the stick shift...if you got an auto, eventually you'll kick yourself for not getting a stick shift

 

I drive a ton for work and mostly in heavy traffic. I couldnt be happier with my tC and its an automatic <shock>. I could care less about driving a manual transmission and I'm glad I got the auto. It's not like your driving a sports car. I eventually plan on getting a stick but that will be in my little 2 door convertible. Not my commuter.

 

I stalled last night

I was wearing flip flops and they don't quite reach as far as my normal sneakers

But I was real quick to start it back up and take off. Gotta remember to scoot the seat slightly forward when wearing my flip flops.

-Z

 

thanks all! cheers and safe cruising.

 

go stick i was in the same situation didnt know how to drive stick and owned and auto and disliked it. ill never go back but if you cant drive it and live in a big town dont drive it home. have somebody you trust take it home for you. youll thank yourself later

 

go auto besides not having to manually shift, the rpm's are considerably lower at high speeds in an automatic.

 

I actually was in the same situation as you when buying my TC. I had two cars and they were both automatic. I ended up getting the TC in stick and dont regret it one bit, even in the horrible miami traffic. I would never ever be able to go back to automatic, its so boring driving automatic. Also I noticed that when driving automatic i would get alot closer to rear ending people or causing accidents because i wouldnt focus on driving as much. You pretty much hold the gas and just go, and your there bored falling asleep, so then you start messing with the radio, eating, or talking on the cellphone or w/e the case might be, then you look up and ur almost going to hit a car. Thats happened to me like 100 times with AT. Once i got my manual, i am 100% focuses on the road, and it makes driving less boring. I actually dont mind driving anymore.

 

I went through the same situation a few months ago. I have been driving stick for 7 years and since I don't race anymore and go through alot of traffic I bought an auto.
When I went to the dealership I drove both and liked both.
The stick has a hell of a first and second gear(it was cool) but the auto was so smooth if felt like I was driving a lexus. You can also keep the car in 3rd gear buy shifting the auto stick to the side, it will turn off the overdrive and keeps the rpms up, good for fast passing on the highway.
At the end its up to you and your lifestyle. I only wish I had enough money to take them both home.

 

So basically, stick is for people with short attention spans

 

manual all the way! more control of ur car, better for cornering, cheaper, and more fun to drive

 

 

Stick is for people who love to DRIVE and savor the experience, whether its a quick run to the store or a long road trip.

Automatic is for people who drive to get from point A to point B and have other things on their mind while driving.

 

WORD.

You hear people wishing they had gone with a stick all the time. I don't ever remember hearing anyone regretting choosing a 5 speed over the automatic. Think about it.

As far as traffic goes, I drove a stick in DC beltway traffic every day for 4 years and never had a problem with it. It gave me something to do!

If you think it's a pain in the ___ to simply press the clutch and shift a gear then you probably should get an automatic.

I can't see why anyone would choose automatic, especially in a tC. Auto transmission removes any pretense of sportiness from just about any car. You sacrifice control and feel to have a computer second guess you and fumble around through gears, upshifting too early to save fuel and leaving you having to stomp the gas to get a downshift. The whole experience is beyond ____ IMO. I don't even like driving other peoples cars if they are automatic. I grow bored quickly...

 

Yeah, let's blame the tranny cuz we've got bad driving habits...

Geez, you'd think stick drivers get a commission for each new customer that buys a stick. I've never seen people worry so much about swaying other people to reinforce their choices.

It literally takes an arm and a leg to do what I can do with the flexing of my big toe. And most of the "auto tranny" complaints are based on old technology. You don't see too many Scion auto drivers complaining about these advanced devices.

 

Are shot knees a good enough problem to get an auto? Try pushing a clutch all day in traffic with no cartilage in your knees. Anyway, the last manual I owned was a Porsche so had I gotten a manual tC it would've undoubtedly come up short.