The only vehicle I'd want a manual transmission is a sports car/sports sedan or a serious HD work truck. Everything else I'd choose automatic. Of course modern automatics outperform manuals for sheer speed and often efficiency as well, but I still don't trust the long-term durability... yet. Eventually nearly all consumer vehicles will be automatics and the only thing I will miss is skipping gears. I really don't like being forced to use every single gear when I'm just cruising around, normal driving.
Drove a 6spd manual yesterday...don't miss it
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Originally Posted by A_Harman
I might have overstated that first comment. Somedays I believe it more than others. Like the days I'm towing a big trailer through small New England towns, I'm not such a fan.
But I really believe the second.
Your second point has merit where you're more engaged so it definitely can't hinder. Not sure how much given it's second nature for most experienced drivers. One thing I will add to the manual camp, or having driven one, is mitigating bad habits:
One thing that bugs me is the prevalence of red light creepers where the cumulative effect opens larger gaps the farther your back. With a manual this is annoying be it on an incline or a dedicated left turn lane where you're not fully over. If more people drove a manual this etiquette faux pas would be greatly reduced where the driver understands the importance to properly gap their vehicle from the get go and leaving it there until the light changes less inconveniencing others.
I might have overstated that first comment. Somedays I believe it more than others. Like the days I'm towing a big trailer through small New England towns, I'm not such a fan.
But I really believe the second.
Your second point has merit where you're more engaged so it definitely can't hinder. Not sure how much given it's second nature for most experienced drivers. One thing I will add to the manual camp, or having driven one, is mitigating bad habits:
One thing that bugs me is the prevalence of red light creepers where the cumulative effect opens larger gaps the farther your back. With a manual this is annoying be it on an incline or a dedicated left turn lane where you're not fully over. If more people drove a manual this etiquette faux pas would be greatly reduced where the driver understands the importance to properly gap their vehicle from the get go and leaving it there until the light changes less inconveniencing others.
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You'll have to pry the gear shift knob from my cold dead hand.
My Focus is far more fun to drive when one can effectively utilize the 3000-4500 rpm power band on the 2.3L engine.
Two, I do rush hour traffic better in a stick. Many times I can utilize 1st and 2nd over a 15 mile stretch and never touch my brakes. Using my brakes constantly is far more annoying to me. As an example the Le Sabre is great at coasting so I need to constantly use the brakes in traffic as there is no slowing down by the engine. However, it is a great open road cruiser. Conversely, the Mazda 3 (wife's auto), does actually slow some when you let off the gas which is of little help to me as it is my wife's car. My Focus, faulted for brakes back in 2004, still has the original rotors with 35% left on the pads at 170,000 miles now.
My Focus is far more fun to drive when one can effectively utilize the 3000-4500 rpm power band on the 2.3L engine.
Two, I do rush hour traffic better in a stick. Many times I can utilize 1st and 2nd over a 15 mile stretch and never touch my brakes. Using my brakes constantly is far more annoying to me. As an example the Le Sabre is great at coasting so I need to constantly use the brakes in traffic as there is no slowing down by the engine. However, it is a great open road cruiser. Conversely, the Mazda 3 (wife's auto), does actually slow some when you let off the gas which is of little help to me as it is my wife's car. My Focus, faulted for brakes back in 2004, still has the original rotors with 35% left on the pads at 170,000 miles now.
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