Manual or Automatic Transmission
 

I'd just like to know who preferes which type of transmission and why. I personally prefer the manual. They are lower maintenance, last longer, have a simpler design, so easier to fix and diagnose, and they are more efficient with fuel and power (a necessity for the 240D), and, of course, they are more fun to drive.

So far 100% in favor of manuals!

Very much depends on the chassis and engine.

I prefer the automatic with the Turbocharged engines because they pull really hard before during and after the shift with no loss of boost. They are a very robust automatic.
I prefer the standard with 240's without a doubt, and probably with the NA OM617 also.
I prefer the automatic for the E300 diesel because an autotranny "fits the car"...

Another question. For manual dieselheads like me, as in we prefer a manual transmission diesel to any car, would you rather drive a manual gasser, or an auto diesel (I assume nobody would touch an auto gasser)?

My thoughts are along the same line, tom. Age is catching up with me. I've generally had standards for my daily drivers but my knee is at the point where I want an auto. And plowing snow really takes its toll now. For a weekend fun/sports car I'd still want a standard.

In the area I live in I favor an Automatic at this time only because 98% of my driving is city driving and much of it stop and go. In stop and go traffice I sometime find myself lugging the Engine or slipping the clutch because of the traffic situation.
The other reason is my Wife cannot use a Manual Transmission. While I managed to do the daunting task of teaching her how to drive a car to the point were she passed here on the road driving test the 1st time. I do not think I could handle the stress of training here to use a Stick Shift; nor do I want to ruin my clutch or transmissin in the process.
So for the practicality of the above I now favor an Automatic.

That being said I am most often driving my Volvo (the Mercedes is the Wife's car) which has a Manual Transmission with an Overdrive. It is at its best on the Freeway in Overdrive.
If I knew I was going somewhere where there was a good chance of long periods of stop and go traffic I would make sure I took the Mercedes.

Perhaps because I've always driven early cars with stick and clutch I consider it second nature,and some of my cars have really heavy clutches.

Despite it's comfort and smooth ride I sometimes fancy swapping my '98 E300 for a manual 123.

I peffer manual in any car, diesel or not. But hold on a second..

So You are saying that auto in turbo diesel is actually better and has better power transfer?

Indeed it does. I'd not want a manual in my cars....unless it was for a fun weekend driver. Too much stop and go traffic around here....no point. Driving the Rav4 is a pain because of the 5speed, you always have to shift! No relaxation!

Manual in my Jetta,The MB is supposed to be my wifes car so its automatic,she rarely drives it anyway seems wherever we go i end up driving.Not that she cannot drive a standard,she learned to drive before she ever heard of an automatic,says she "just does not want to" Don

Up until about 5-6 years ago I flat out WOULD NOT BUY a vehicle with an automatic. Waste of power and mpg, plus one less aspect of the vehicle's operation being under my complete control.

However, once I started four-wheeling my Jeep (with an automatic) I quickly learned to like it. I wouldn't even consider choosing a manual tranny for an offroad vehicle now. After getting used to driving the auto in traffic, I have come to prefer automatics over manual transmissions in everything but pickups and sports cars.

Guess I'm gettin' old too...

x2 --- old sports injury.

depends on the car and type of engine. for instance, when i drive my dads 190E 2.3-16, thats a car that needs a manual transmission. i drove an auto 190E of the same year and it wasnt the same. but when im driving a 300SDL, i much prefer auto transmissions. just the size of the car and how much pedal it needs to get moving wouldn't be beneficial i think. and the auto trannys in those cars are pretty solid. i don't think that many of the old diesels are nice with manuals but ive never driven one so don't take it from me. if i could find a manuel 280SL, that would be great.

i guess it just depends. of the car. if you have a good feel with the clutch any car is possible to drive, but is it nice to drive

Since both my legs remain functional (at least so far as a clutch is concerned), and since I no longer have to drive my vintage Benzes in heavy traffic, and since I still enjoy deciding what gear I should be in, I just prefer the manual shift. Especially since the vintage automatics in the smaller-engined Mercedes I've owned haven't exactly been models of efficiency.
Though I have become rather fond of 'Miss Diesel', my 1982 'lazy man's' automatic 240D, the fuel mileage penalty is pretty stiff when compared to my heavier & quicker 5-speed '84 Euro 300TD, which typically manages at least 5 mpg better.

Happy Motoring, Mark

Stick shift forever!
 

All my cars have been stick. I hope to never own an auto! :D

What about "Tiptronic"
 

From the Other German Automobile Manufacturer...
'Best of Both Worlds.

Triptronic is a joke, it has no clutch so it's still auto.
I have triptronic in my 300SD:) Because what difference does it make to move shifter side to side or back and forth?

Automatics are for play.
Manuals are for work.

Many years ago, my first Fintail was an automatic 1966 230. The jerky-shifting I could live with. But engaging first-gear requred burying the gas-pedal into the kickdown-switch, or rowing the shifter into low-range. Not pleasent! Otherwise, it would start off in second-gear, which made for leasurely acceleration.
The fact that, the same week I went too sell that car, the tranny died on me, also soured me on vintage automatics.

Now my modern work-vehicle, a Nissan Altima, happens to be an automatic (It's hard to find one of these with a stickshift) This Nissan automatic works very well. But there are still occasions where I disagree with the gear it has selected.

Happy Motoring, Mark

I have a 300CD with a turbo and the 4 spd manual, soon to be 5 spd. It feels faster but, it is not. I still like it very much. I have it highway geared right now so the turbo lag issue is aggrevated, when I take off, accelleration is slow.. then wait for it.... good. But I still llike the manual, once its rolling faster then 10MPH, its lots of fun to drive.

I forgot to mention the control issue. Hard to believe that because that is one of my biggest issues with the automatic. I need to know what gear I'm in or else I kinda loose it. I guess I'm a bit of a control freak. I needed to drive my brothers auto ford escort once and I decided to just floor it to see how much power it has, forgetting that it's an automatic and the thing shifts down to 1st or 2nd, not good. The tiptronic kinda solves this problem, but none of the others, not to mention it defeats the purpose of an automatic: not to worry about the gears. I have to sympathize with the auto guys because I do like every now and then to drive our auto Honda Odyssey, which has plenty of power and shifts well.

Another note: apologies in advance to all you old folks, but I hear a story about some elderly driver accidentally jamming on the gas instead of the break and plowing into a group of people or a store or something about once a week. I feel this problem could be solved with manual transmissions considering a) manual transmission helps you concentrate on driving and b) generally, you step on the clutch and the brake at the same time, so if you DID hit the accelerator instead of the brake, you'd just end up revving the engine. I do understand the knee problem some people have though, so this shouldn't be set in stone, but instead, advised.

As a mechanic: Manual

Daily driver in traffic: Auto

Besides the ailing knees, us “elderly” folk have a limited resource of neurotransmitters and can’t be overloaded with unnecessary tasks like trying to figure out when to stomp on the clutch and jiggle on the stick while we’re juggling with the burgers, fries, coke, cell phone and the GF :)

Stupid fat and lazy Americans, keeping many of the car companies from giving up higher end cars with manual transmissions.

When you go to the BMW dealership and the salesman says that BMW had/will not EVER sell a diesel with a manual transmission...anywhere. Yes, the guy was obviously uninformed and rather full of himself, but that's not the only occasion that's happened. It happened with Mercedes dealerS <-- (emphasis on the 's') too!

I've got a lot more, but we'll just leave it at that. Rant over.

Manuals are just more fun and I feel give you more engine and consequently car control. Simpler to maintain too.