OT: Do you prefer an Automatic or Manual...

[ThankU4Vaping]

TRANSMISSION on an automobile?

Do you have a preference? Does your current vehicle have your preferred transmission?

I must have a five-speed manual or I am not a happy camper!
1997 Saturn 5-speed owner here. Yeah, I know it's old but she's my baby!

 

[Morandir835]

LOL Ms. ThankU4Vaping

Prefer manual, but in the DC area automatic. 2 hours's to go 10 miles in rush hour is hell on one's knee....

 

[jbmcdan]

yep...I love driving with a stick, but had to switch to auto when my knees crapped out....

 

[wildgillis]

I prefer manual....but this hippy liberal prius (jk) the wife makes me drive only has a cvt and it sucks

 

[Wintering]

Waaaaa.... I just sold my '81 5 speed Conv' Rx7. I miss that little car.....

 

[Mookelboo]

Manual baby... all day, every day.

 

[EleanorR]

Automatic.

My ex-husband once tried to "teach" me to drive on his new stick-shift Accord. I think it traumatized us both for life.

 

[Bogey]

Nothing but manual transmission. I would be to embarassed to go to the track with an automatic. List of manual cars from the past:
VW Rabbit Diesel
VW Rabbit GTI
VW Golf
Jeep CJ5
Mazda RX8

Current Cars:
Mazda Miata (Modified for Racetrack)
Mazdaspeed 3

I don't think I would know how to drive an automatic, someone would have to teach me

 

[plantlvr]

This was my daily driver for years ( not this color, it was a brownish maroon color)



Three on the tree baby
Always loved 4 on the floor though...but have had a bum left knee since I was little, operation for 'football' knee they called it.

 

[Chesterwiz]

have both, manual on the 99 transam and auto on the others. '10 silverado, 04'ion, and work vehicle '10 HHR panel

 

[katydid]

Manual in my youth...automatic in my old age

 

[Lisa66]

Manual my entire life, including in the UK (shipped my car over, wheel on the wrong side, didn't care, cars too expensive over there), until I purchased a car here in the Chicago area. Often there's more time spent idling than actually moving. It's even more annoying with a manual!

 

[Mirage Hart]

Manual in my youth...automatic in my old age

Same here! Manual was great.... but now... coffee in one hand, e-ciggie in another.. no spare hand to shift!!! LOL

 

[TechnoDestructo]

Manual in my youth...automatic in my old age

EEK! I thought it said Manual in my mouth ... Stopped me reading dead in my tracks.

I forgot to put my preference. Manual all the way. I think I would punch myself for driving a automatic Harley.

 

[FantWriter]

For me, it really depends on the car. My 442 was a 4-speed, my LeSabre is an automatic.

One of my Toronados was an automatic, but the one on which I polished the ports and put on dual quads earned a 6-speed (which wasn't easy fitting into the space meant for an automatic).

On pick-ups, my shortbed was a manual, the club cab was auto.

I'm sort of in the market now for an older Jag, which will have to be a manual.

 

[teslastick]

I have an automatic 5sp 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T. It has a new stick shift option to it as well if you like to manually shift too. Just go left to downshift, right to upshift, hold 3 secs to go back to fully automatic. The wifes R/T Charger has the same tranny. Mercedes designed it.

The only way to do a proper burnout....

 

[Macks]

I've been partial to manual transmissions since my father taught me to drive with one, but as time goes by and I am involved in more and more traffic jams on the Chicagoland highway system I increasingly yearn for an automatic.

 

[HarmonyPB]

LOL!!! Love the thread ThankU!!
It was hell learing to drive manual (just ask my mom!)!! But I've never looked back! I ONLY drive manuals.
My first was a '90 Dodge Dakota (love of my life). I drove that one (shifting and all) asleep! That is also how he passed Broke my heart!
Second was a 2006 GMC Canyon (work truck, all manual, no carpet just rubber mats). He was my baby! That one was killed by a bus. Broke my heart again
My third, and current, is a 2007 GMC Canyon (same as the first). But I just call him "little truck".
I hate driving automatics! I stopped at a stop sign once and put the stupid thing in park! And then when I got out I left it in drive (couldn't figure out why it kept dinging at me, so I closed the door and walked off)! I have slammed on the brake thinking it was the clutch so many times! Any time I drive an automatic I have to warn everone that I will slam on the brake and reach around with my hand. I have to position my left leg between the seat and the door just to keep myself from trying to hit the clutch.
After all that...I must admit that I'm seriously considering an automatic for my next vehicle I've lived in the big city for going on 4 years now and traffic in a manual SUCKS!!!! Especially with all the overpasses! Lol, everytime I'm stuck in traffic all I can think about is getting an automatic! Although I'm afraid I would miss my stick...oh, and on the floor is the only way for me!

Btw, I've only been driving for 6 years now

 

[katz-in-boots]

I have always preferred manuals. Didn't own an automatic until 13 years ago when expecting. Thought I wanted a manual again after the past 8 years driving a slug! But bought an Alfa Romeo 166. Automatic, but with sports option. Mmmmm. Not quite the same as a really good, high-revving double declutch down 2 gears, but maybe in the city driving I do now it is the better option. For now....

 

[waylonjessi4ever]

Learned on a manual and had exclusively those until late 30s...still more fun in a manual but age plays a factor on your knees/ legs sometimes and as mirage said above ...coffee and vaping ....and city traffic makes it too much to do ! I miss my old manual rx-7 more then words can say not to mention parking anywhere and turning on a dime .....drive an auto grand prix gt now ( its my old lady version of my rx-7 and i love it too .