Stick shift or automatic?

[Eric***]

I'm curious what all of you use for a car transmission.

The car we have now is a manual transmission, and it's the first stick-shift I've ever owned or driven. I wanted to learn, so I figured I may as well just buy one sooner rather than later. It was kind of rough at first, but by now I don't really even think about it. I've had it for about 3 1/2 years.

We will eventually need to replace the car, and the other day I was wondering to myself which type of transmission we'll end up with next. I concluded that it will probably be whatever we can get the best deal on, but I think I'd prefer a manual transmission, if only because they seem to have a lower failure rate than automatics.

So...the point: what type of transmission do you have in your car and why? Do you like it? Why?

[SuperSwede]

We have a automatic gearbox in our VW passat, its a first for us and we both love the simplicity. All cars at my work are automatic so I was pretty used to it, but my wife.. ho ho.. she managed to make a couple of gas/break pedal combos before she learned how to use it properly

[markb]

I drove manuals for 30 years but now it's automatic all the way. I've just bought a cool little Toyota that converts nicely from a boxy wagon to a van when needed. It has a 1.5l VVTI engine that's reasonably powerful but very economical (<8l/100km). I'd be hard put to do better with a manual box.

[bcdon***]

I've always had stick shift but my next car (which I hope won't be for many years) will be automatic. I'm getting old.

[sunvalleylaw]

We have both, but i enjoy driving a stick shift more. The automatics are nice and simple, but boring.

[FrankenFretter***]

We have manual trannies in both our cars. I love manuals except when I'm in stop and go traffic. I've had several of both over the years, and they both have their advantages. Ideally, it would be nice to have the option to have an automatic for when we drive up to Portland or Seattle.

[vroomery]

My first car was a manual as well as my 3rd. I really enjoy it most of the time. I don't even mind it in super hilly areas. My biggest complaint is the situations where you end up in a traffic jam in the middle of a road trip. It sucks to do the stop and go thing in the city, but its even worse when you combine that with extended driving.

I currently drive an automatic and will probably buy the same next time (hopefully won't be for a good while)

[Tig***]

I learned to drive manual transmissions (VW's) as a teen, so I like them the most. I enjoy making a small engined car accelerate as quickly as the same vehicle with a larger engine and an automatic. My old '99 high mileage F-150 5-speed manual with a V-6 is a good example. It moves quickly when needed, but gets much better gas mileage than the equivalent V-8 w/automatic.

That said, many new cars get as good or better mileage with automatics these days, and the cool ones have paddle shifters or at least an auto-stick option. Mrs. Tig likes automatics, so I'll likely go that way on the next vehicle.

I test drove a car with a variable ratio transmission but didn't like it.

[Jimi75]

Stick shift. That's what 95% use here in Germany.

[Tig***]

Americans prefer automatics, since sticks get in the way of talking/texting on the cell, putting on makeup, and eating (usually all done at the same time).

[hubberjub***]

I love stick shifts, but the automotive world (especially the USA) is moving away from them. I have a Saab 9-3 that I bought about eight years ago that is a 5-speed. It's a blast to drive. I just recently replaced my truck. It was a 1995 Ford Ranger with a stick shift that I drove throughout college. I decided that I wanted a really basic F-150. You know, straight up utilitarian work truck: 2wd, regular cab, long bed, V-6. I was shocked to find out that Ford no longer offers the F-150 with a stick. I ended up with an automatic. It's alright, but I miss the manual.

[Brian Krashpad]

I've never even driven a stick shift, much less owned such a car.

What's one supposed to do with one's beer when driving such a contraption?

[wingsdad]

Drove sticks for years, in the Northeastern US....with NYC and Boston traffic and hilly terrains of the Hudson River Valley and New England. Those driving conditions were hard on a clutch. Eventually I grew weary of them in the stop & go traffic and particulary when having to take off from a stop on an uphill grade. Those situations were no fun...especially if it was the guy in front of me with the stick and he didn't know how to handle it, sliding backwards at me while I prayed the sum***** would let the clutch up....

It used to be there was a significant difference in fuel economy, but that's negligible with today's auto tranny's, some with 6-speed capability. It's even gotten to the point where some cars get better MPG with auto, but those are rare. Every automatic tranny on our cars since 1992 has had an 'overdrive cancel' button on the shifter or similar function that knocks out what would be 5th or 6th gear, even 4th at lower speeds. It effectively gives you the control of a stick to downshift to aid in deceleration, but I find it most useful when getting on a freeway here in CA....to sustain or boost acceleration, like how I remember as a kid in the 60's my dad executing 'kickdown' to do the same with the auto tranny on an Olds '88...a sudden, sharp flooring of the accelerator that would 'boost' the power.

Bottom line to me is if I drove 80-90% freeway, a stick would save gas and not be a hassle. But for me, it's more like 10-20% freeway driving and a stick is just a Royal PIA.

[wingsdad]

I've never even driven a stick shift, much less owned such a car.

What's one supposed to do with one's beer when driving such a contraption?

Invest in one of these:

[marnold***]

It's actually remarkably hard to even get a car with a manual anymore, unless it is a performance car. I've only driven a stick once, and that was a Chevy S-10 late at night driving home from college. Once I got on the highway it was fine, before that, well, I think I still owe him a clutch.

[mapka]

I drive stick. The decision was based on two factors. First in my Subaru Outback the manual was better mated to the engine (torque curve). The manual made the car more usable and fun to drive. The second reason is a manual being more a mechanical thing then an electronic controlled box is much much less expensive when and if it needs repair.

[R_of_G]

Both of our current cars are automatics. I've owned several manual transmission vehicles before and would again, though as someone mentioned earlier, in stop-and-go traffic they can become a bit annoying. In the case of our current vehicles, the main car is automatic because my wife cannot drive manual. The other car is automatic, though as we purchased it used, had we found a comparable car for both price and reliablity that was manual, we'd have just as likely bought that one, though it is more convenient to have two cars both of us can drive.

[Bloozcat]

Of 'my' 7 cars I've owned and driven, 6 of them have been sticks - including the one I drive now and the previous 3. I generally keep my vehicles a long time. In the past 28 years I've had 3-Toyota 4WD trucks (2-pickups, 1-4Runner) and all have been 4-cylinder sticks.

I don't know how many different vehicles my wife had before we were married, but since then she's had 5-vehicles with 2 being sticks and 3 automatics including her current RAV 4.

Automatics are easier, I suppose, but I'm so used to a stick that I don't think about it much when I'm driving.

[Eric***]

The other car is automatic, though as we purchased it used, had we found a comparable car for both price and reliablity that was manual, we'd have just as likely bought that one

I think that's about where I stand on it. I might like manual a smidge more, but since I never buy cars new (or anything other than very used, to be honest), it's almost sure to be trumped by whatever deal I get.