View Poll Results: what kind of transmission do you have?
Voters: 902. You may not vote on this poll
Transmission Poll: Manual vs Automatic
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 361
From: Delray Beach, FL
I got a manual as well. I can understand why some people might want an automatic for traffic or whatever, but it's never bothered me driving a 5 speed in traffic. For me it's a small price to pay in order to have that extra level of control and the tight, direct connection between the power and the transmission to the wheels versus having a lazy torque converter and waiting for fluid to spool up to move the car foward and having a computer "guess" what gear I should be in.
I will say that the newer automatics are much better than they were in the past though. I can tolerate driving an automatic now, as long as it shifts quickly and smoothly and the car has a good amount of torque. In that case I am just bored with driving it, but at least I'm not annoyed by it.
But in the case of a 1.5 liter with 105 lbft of torque an automatic was out of the question for me. Not to mention having a stick makes even a slow car "feel" fast and having a stick just seems to suit the character of a nippy little car that you squirt around in. An automatic seems antithetical to the type of car this is. I associate automatics more with a big cruising type car that is more about ride comfort than actually being involved in driving. Something like a large, leather lined sedan with a big lazy V8 with gobs of torque so it doesn't feel gutless when the automatic leaves you stuck in 4th when you should be in 2nd accelerating away from a light or in 4th when you should be in 3rd climbing a hill and so forth.
I will say that the newer automatics are much better than they were in the past though. I can tolerate driving an automatic now, as long as it shifts quickly and smoothly and the car has a good amount of torque. In that case I am just bored with driving it, but at least I'm not annoyed by it.
But in the case of a 1.5 liter with 105 lbft of torque an automatic was out of the question for me. Not to mention having a stick makes even a slow car "feel" fast and having a stick just seems to suit the character of a nippy little car that you squirt around in. An automatic seems antithetical to the type of car this is. I associate automatics more with a big cruising type car that is more about ride comfort than actually being involved in driving. Something like a large, leather lined sedan with a big lazy V8 with gobs of torque so it doesn't feel gutless when the automatic leaves you stuck in 4th when you should be in 2nd accelerating away from a light or in 4th when you should be in 3rd climbing a hill and so forth.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 495
From: Just to the right of Hell
Got an auto. But if things go the way they are now, I'll get a manual for myself and give this box to my wife. I buy an auto so she could drive it if needed... now I barely get to drive it... sigh.
Member
SL Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 84
From: Portland, OR
2 hours of stop-and-go traffic in Portland was enough to convince me to get automatic.
I'm used to manual (Put 70,000 miles on my first car, which was manual), but I'm definately lovin my automatic now!
I'm used to manual (Put 70,000 miles on my first car, which was manual), but I'm definately lovin my automatic now!
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1
From: Cerritos/Chicago
the poll is skewed. more autos are sold. and now more used autos are available... shoulda kept it open...
2 hours+ of Chicago-city traffic driving and sometimes 400miles a day in sales call driving. both of my cars (s2000 and saab 9-3) are manuals...
2 hours+ of Chicago-city traffic driving and sometimes 400miles a day in sales call driving. both of my cars (s2000 and saab 9-3) are manuals...
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8
When I get mine she'll be an auto. I've always enjoyed manuals more, but after a bad bout with an '89 Integra LS that had a bad gear synchro, I've been scared from manuals ever since. It was nice when it did shift, but I'll tell you there's not much more worse than red lining down the highway in fourth gear because the car refuses to shift into fifth. It's really too bad.
Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 21
From: Los Angeles/Hollywood
Automatic - My left foot is about to fall off!
Living and driving in Los Angeles, I pray for the day my XB arrives. I've been driving a manual Mazda 626 and while I love the bursts of speed it gives me (which I will sorely miss), I can safely say that my left calf is twice as big as my right and the ankle is twisted with carpal tunnel. Okay, so maybe I am exaggerating a wee bit. All the same, automatic tranny, come on down!!!
no food comes out in my car at all.
Senior Member
SL Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,735
Manual.
Whenever I have driven automatics with such little engines, I beat the transmission to death with gear changes, sudden demands, quick lifting of the foot. For steady cruising and stop and go traffic, the auto is good. But for driving with a small engine, stick is best.
Whenever I have driven automatics with such little engines, I beat the transmission to death with gear changes, sudden demands, quick lifting of the foot. For steady cruising and stop and go traffic, the auto is good. But for driving with a small engine, stick is best.
