Manual transmissions

Moneywaster said:
I only owned manual transmission cars my whole life. The car I drive now does not have the option of a manual transmission, so an auto box it had to be. Now, I can fully understand why autos are so popular. It is much nicer to drive, especially in peak traffic to work and back, but I must admit. I would not hesitate to swap this car for the same car in a manual transmission. Manual transmission cars are faster and use less fuel. This is true for all the same cars that comes in manual and auto (manufacturers figures)
I love to drive my auto car, BUT, yes its a very big but. I just hate it when I step on the throttle and it downshifts 2 gears. In most situations 1 gear or even nothing would have provided adequate acceleration for the situation, but every time you kick down it goes in ''racing mode''. You can step on the throttle less hard then it won't downshift, but then there is poor acceleration.
I also like to get to top gear as soon as possible. Driving downhill on a lazy Sunday with a manual transmission it is so easy, but with an auto you do need to reach a minimum speed before it changes gear.
Then, I have only a 5 speed auto box. Perhaps if it was one of the latest 8 speed auto boxes it would have worked better for me.
If you like driving and do not just use a car to go from point A to point B, then a manual is so much nicer.
But, that is just me.
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As others have said, it sounds like you have an old/cheap crappy auto. My dad has a previous model Merc C class, which also has one of those terrible 5 or 6 speed autos. I would rather have an 80% in stop and go traffic in my manual car than that thing.

The ZF 8 speed is a completely different animal though. It also downshifts shifts 2 gears when you floor it, but it does so in what feels like less than half a second. You just see the rev needle jump twice and off you go.
Claimed 0-100 times are also 0.2s faster on the auto (not even DSG/DCT) and claimed fuel economy is also better.

I have found that with my manual gearbox, you have to drive fast with intent if you want to be faster than an auto, probably even an older one. If you are caught off guard in the wrong gear, you will be slower than when the same thing happens with an auto.
 
When I had a manual, I had to replace the clutch every two years, at R10K each time. That was all thanks to almost completely stop-start traffic every day. In an auto, no clutch to replace, and so far it's been 3 years without an issue.
 
I.am.Sam said:
the only scary part about the new auto boxes is when it breaks ...your pockets break

where as with a manual you can get away with the fix for way less ..if it does break
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Just buy a car that is pretty common and you can get a gearbox for a steal from a scrap yard. Never had an issue with gearboxes.
 
Claymore said:
When I had a manual, I had to replace the clutch every two years, at R10K each time. That was all thanks to almost completely stop-start traffic every day. In an auto, no clutch to replace, and so far it's been 3 years without an issue.
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Just another case where someone doesn't know how to drive.
 
Claymore said:
When I had a manual, I had to replace the clutch every two years, at R10K each time. That was all thanks to almost completely stop-start traffic every day. In an auto, no clutch to replace, and so far it's been 3 years without an issue.
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There was something wrong with your driving or something wrong with you car, was it a Yaris 1.0l by any chance? Or any of those small engine cars like Picantos?
 
My car is in for a service this morning so used my wife's automatic Atos to drive to our Stellenbosch office in the rain, 25km from home. Not the same experience as my automatic ballade, not at all. Also more than a decade difference in age and I can feel it.

You really need to compare apples with apples.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
Just fck off already with your holier than thou condescending attitude.

If someone doesn't share the same commute and conditions as you, it doesn't make them a bad driver...
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No but if they burn through a clutch in a year it does make them a bad driver or it just means they're useing the clutch wrong.

Stop being so triggered, I haven't said anything holier than thou or condescending.
 
rietrot said:
No but if they burn through a clutch in a year it does make them a bad driver or it just means they're useing the clutch wrong.

Stop being so triggered, I haven't said anything holier than thou or condescending.
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Condescending could be your middle name, thus Riet Condescending Rot...
 
rietrot said:
No but if they burn through a clutch in a year it does make them a bad driver or it just means they're useing the clutch wrong.

Stop being so triggered, I haven't said anything holier than thou or condescending.
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Your definition of those things is different to most other people it seems then.... most of your posts have been condescending and holier than thou in my opinion.
 
Barbarian Conan said:
As others have said, it sounds like you have an old/cheap crappy auto. My dad has a previous model Merc C class, which also has one of those terrible 5 or 6 speed autos. I would rather have an 80% in stop and go traffic in my manual car than that thing.

The ZF 8 speed is a completely different animal though. It also downshifts shifts 2 gears when you floor it, but it does so in what feels like less than half a second. You just see the rev needle jump twice and off you go.
Claimed 0-100 times are also 0.2s faster on the auto (not even DSG/DCT) and claimed fuel economy is also better.

I have found that with my manual gearbox, you have to drive fast with intent if you want to be faster than an auto, probably even an older one. If you are caught off guard in the wrong gear, you will be slower than when the same thing happens with an auto.
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The ZFs can actually downshift from 8th to 2nd in a single action. Comparing this to the auto used in a Ford is like comparing a pocket calculator to a modern cellphone
 
rietrot said:
Just another case where someone doesn't know how to drive.
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Lol, yes. I owned a 2.5 V6 Mondeo for 12 years. It did not even needed a clutch replacement in that whole 12 years. And I did not drive like an old man, at least not 100% of the time:giggle:
 
Go auto. Just be sure it is proper auto and not CVT or event worse, VAG DSG or Ford PowerSh...t.

My next car will be automatic but for the moment I really enjoy the smooth slick shifting 6 speed manual in my car. After blowing R9k on a clutch I sure as hell gonna get my moneys worth from it.
 
Rouxenator said:
Go auto. Just be sure it is proper auto and not CVT or event worse, VAG DSG or Ford PowerSh...t.

My next car will be automatic but for the moment I really enjoy the smooth slick shifting 6 speed manual in my car. After blowing R9k on a clutch I sure as hell gonna get my moneys worth from it.
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It's my first auto but the 6speed Auto in the Land Rover is amazing :o I just love it!
 
rietrot said:
No you don't, just easing of the fuel is almost always enough if someone cuts in. And you don't need to use the clutch everytime you brake a little bit. You are doing it wrong.
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Tell me something, Mr Expert, have you actually driven a car with, say, a ZF-8 speed box?
 
rietrot said:
No but if they burn through a clutch in a year it does make them a bad driver or it just means they're useing the clutch wrong.

Stop being so triggered, I haven't said anything holier than thou or condescending.
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While you are probably right, burning through a clutch in a year points to riding the clutch it may also be a case of a poorly designed clutch/transmission system.

The thing is though you're being very disingenuous with your posts and you're assuming most other posters here can't drive based on what you saw on the road from your average numpty.

I myself love manual and a straight six manual BMW(e91 330i!) is a thing of beauty,no auto can deliver that pure joy but I will one day buy one as a second car for weekends as in peak JHB traffic on the M1 I've found that sometimes traffic is so slow that you simply cannot coast slowly enough without riding the clutch.This is a fact of extremely slow moving traffic in certain areas,don't be a douche and try to gloss over it.

For traffic,coasting slowing with an auto is the better way without a doubt,a diesel auto is even better as they have lots of torque so they don't ever feel lazy.
 
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