Let me just say that my first car had a manual, and I miss the finesse and control that it gave me.

Every automatic (with the exception of the 5-speeder in this '97 Audi A4 Quattro I drove for like 15 minutes) I've driven has felt pretty disconnected and brainless, never knowing when to shift. Frustrating, to say the least.

What are everyone else's thoughts on the manual vs. automatic idiom? I'd like to hear....


-Sam

The amount of power the engine has can make a difference.... a 240d with a manual is a gift from heaven... but a 427 Cobra would be sacraledge with an auto..... LOL

Sam,

I prefer a manual, but like leathermang said, it depends on what car it is in. I have an auto z-28 that is fine. I'd prefer a manual with the big V-8, but the driving experience is still pretty good. I normally drive a 190 D 2.2 5 speed and don't see how that car can be useful without a manual to keep it moving forward.

That being said, when you go through a drive through and get a drink, it is harder to drive with a drink held between your legs.

Sholin

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.

I definitely prefer a manual transmission. I can then decide when and which gear I need. Automatics also cost extra to buy, add extra maintenance, are extremely complicated internally, sap power and hurt fuel economy.

That said, the first automatic to get my attention was the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). You get simplicity of design, no power or fuel economy losses, and still get the convenience in heavy traffic. I have one in my Saturn VUE, and absolutely love it.

I have a '72 250 automatic and a '60 220S manual. While the 250 has modern amenities, that we take for granted, like power steering and disc brakes. I now prefer driving the 220S, even with the 4 speed on the column. The autobox in my 250 just isn't any fun.
I wish there was a way to fit a 5 speed.
As someone once told me "these cars feel 500 pounds lighter with a stickshift!"

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

I like it like this:

Nice free revving engine, with good manual = heaven
Any engine, with clunky manual = often leaves me thinking, can't I have an auto?
Torquey engine = almost always prefer an auto


All in all, I like GOOD auto/engine combinations almost as much as I like GOOD manual/engine combinations.

I think they can transform a car. I hated driving Audi A4s until recently I drove an automatic one (2.6 V6). Suddenly, it seemed 200% better and became the nice cruising car it deserves to be (and sadly, will only ever be).

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

The 533i I would go crazy having an auto I enjoy nailing it in first and flying. The 528 is so slow it really doesnt matter all that much.
The 500 would have been cool to have a manual but it would have gotten old with it's size I think.
I think as long as I live where it doesn't snow I will buy manuals.
But thats just me

I have fallen in love w/ stick shift. My first car was an auto, I think it is better to learn how to drive w/o having to worry about shifting. The 240D was my first standard trans car. I have to say, w/o the stick, I'd hate her. I can't imagine how painfully slow a 240D is w/ an auto. As for my newest aquisition, an '85 Volvo 740 Turbo Wagon, it has a 4 sp Standard trans w/ overdrive. Being a college student, I had though that I wouldn't have a station wagon for another 10 years, but this deal came around and I took it. This car is the most fun I have ever had on four wheels. I owe a lot of this to the standard trans. The car is fast too, faster than my fathers C-class. Oh man, it is fun to blow the doors of riced out civics and V6 Camaros in my old brown station wagon. Oh wait, this is an MB board Yea, I like stick shift, as long as I am not stuck in Chicago traffic

-Volkl42

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'05 Ford Escape 100,000 miles
'87 560SL 92000 miles
'89 300TE 199,000 miles
'02 Audi TT 100,000 miles
'00 Ford Excursion V-10 121000 miles
'92 Mercury Capri 100000 miles
'02 BMW 325XI 60000 miles
'92 230CE 160000
'87 BMW 535SI 160,000 miles
'93 Rinker Captiva 209
5 Kids
2 Dogs
1 Wife

Having driven with both an auto and a stick, they both have good points as well as bad. Rush hour traffic is really the pits with a stick. Riding out in the country the stick is better for fuel economy and driveability (IMHO). When I was in Germany, while serving in the Army '80-'81, the first thing I noticed is most all of the cars had sticks except for the taxi's and even a few of them had sticks. Here in America, hate to say this but..., we have become lazy in a lot of things we do and having an automatic makes driving easier. It used to be that getting a stick was standard but now has to be special ordered on most cars. I guess I've rambled on enough but if only they made a transmission that could be one or the other at the flip of a switch........

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1991 300SE (my ride, 279,000 miles, looks almost new
1954 Cadillac (21 yo son's car, he bought when age 15)
1972 SeaBird 19 ft runabout (old but solid, slant six, Volvo sterndrive perfect condition, undergoing complete overhaul and refit)
1998 Toyota Rav4 (my sons daily driver when he is in the Continental US, PROUDLY serving in US Navy)

I have the best of both worlds.

If my back and left leg aren't hurting, I much prefer driving a clutch; I like deciding which gear I'm in and it's more fun as well as being more economic. However, my back and left leg are hurting almost constantly, which makes pushing a clutch pedal next to impossible (especially since my truck's clutch is very stiff). Very frusturating. That's why my truck mostly sits in the driveway these days...poor beast; I wish I was feeling well enough to drive her. My truck hates sitting.

Hopefully my back'll get better someday, and I won't have a problem driving a gearbox...except in heavy traffic, I don't really like driving a slushbox...

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

I re-affirm my feelings on the rare ocasion when I rent a car, I don't like the lack of control. My wife feels the same way too. Every car I've had was a stick and hopefully every car I will have will be a stick. My Peugeot turbo-diesel is a 5 speed and its great, I don't know why Mercedes didn't standardize their diesels more. I could go on for a long time, but back to work...

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5 speed '91 190E 2.6 320,000 mi. (new car, fast, smooth as silk six, couldn't find any more Peugeots)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.5l Turbo Diesel 266,000 mi. (old car, fast for a diesel, had 2 others)
5 speed '01 Jetta V6 (new wifes car, pretty quick)
5 speed '85 Peugeot 505 2.2l Turbo Gas 197,000 mi. (wifes car, faster, sadly gone just short of 200k )
5 speed '83 Yamaha 750 Maxim 14,000 mi. (fastest)
0 speed 4' x 8' 1800 lb Harbor Freight utility trailer (only as fast as what's pulling it)

Unfortunately, the only stick in my fleet is the VW Beetle... Considering its legendary spirited engine and slot car track handling (NOT), it certainly didn't inspire love for the manual transmission.

It was bulletproof though...over 25 years and the transaxle has never been violated!

I have had other manual cars since then, but as I got older and opportunities for shalom weekends proved scarce, I have settled into the more mundane autobox.

And since my driving has primarily been relegated to rush-hour traffic, the auto suits me fine. As Bruce B stated, it sucks driving a manual in stop-and-go traffic...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car