Manual vs Automatic

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DrewChan

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Is it just me or are more and more cars Automatic... I have been looking on the sedan side of things and everything is bloody Automatic :( here I am specifically mentioning the Sonata, however most c-class mercs and Audi A4s seem to be Automatic too.
 
DrewChan said:
Is it just me or are more and more cars Automatic... I have been looking on the sedan side of things and everything is bloody Automatic :( here I am specifically mentioning the Sonata, however most c-class mercs and Audi A4s seem to be Automatic too.
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Since automatics become more and more efficient and having more gear ratios, it makes sense in times where the market is very competitive in terms of performance and fuel efficiency.
 
I love driving a manual - but for an auto is a pleasure in traffic.

If I was going for a sedan I would take an auto over a manual in a heartbeat.
 
Quantum Theory said:
I struggle to see a problem... Will never buy a manual again :D
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This is the sort of thing you hear people at Bowls clubs saying. :whistle:

I'm a big fan of manual, it's the purist/enthusiasts choice. However it should be reserved for fun cars (Sports Cars, Off roaders etc.).

For something almost exclusively limited to traffic, I'd probably go with an auto.

If it's an allrounder it has to be manual.
 
TehStranger said:
This is the sort of thing you hear people at Bowls clubs saying. :whistle:

I'm a big fan of manual, it's the purist/enthusiasts choice. However it should be reserved for fun cars (Sports Cars, Off roaders etc.).

For something almost exclusively limited to traffic, I'd probably go with an auto.

If it's an allrounder it has to be manual.
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You just have to get a dual clutch with paddle shift. Great in traffic and great acceleration, with paddle shift or sport mode, when you need it.
 
DrewChan said:
Is it just me or are more and more cars Automatic... I have been looking on the sedan side of things and everything is bloody Automatic :( here I am specifically mentioning the Sonata, however most c-class mercs and Audi A4s seem to be Automatic too.
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Mercedes haven't made a manual for years...and when they did you needed to pay extra for it.

It's the future, get with the program...manuals were silly to begin with in most cars.

Now that modern automatics are more fuel efficient or at least on par in most cases manual no longer makes much sense.


Keep it for the proper sports cars...and then only if it's a second car.
 
TehStranger said:
I'm a big fan of manual, it's the purist/enthusiasts choice. However it should be reserved for fun cars (Sports Cars, Off roaders etc.).
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And not even that is happening any more.

Lamborghini have stopped making manuals completely and I think Ferrari make very few if any.

Porsche still make them...but most of their cars are sold with PDK.

Nissan GTR also comes in automatic only as I recall.

It's bigger, better and faster. The "control" was always an illusion and more so because it made small cars feel faster than they really were.

On the road a manual makes very little sense. On the track in select cases the automatics are problematic (not holding onto gears etc) but even then it's few and far between that most people take their cars on the track ever...and even then only a very small amount of the time actually spent in the car.
 
Quantum Theory said:
You just have to get a dual clutch with paddle shift. Great in traffic and great acceleration, with paddle shift or sport mode, when you need it.
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Doesn't come close to being as involving or as fun as a proper short-shifting manual box though.

SauRoNZA said:
And not even that is happening any more.

Lamborghini have stopped making manuals completely and I think Ferrari make very few if any.

Porsche still make them...but most of their cars are sold with PDK.

Nissan GTR also comes in automatic only as I recall.

It's bigger, better and faster. The "control" was always an illusion and more so because it made small cars feel faster than they really were.

On the road a manual makes very little sense. On the track in select cases the automatics are problematic (not holding onto gears etc) but even then it's few and far between that most people take their cars on the track ever...and even then only a very small amount of the time actually spent in the car.
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This is true, auto boxes are getting better and are most likely the future of all cars, performance ones included. They're faster than manual and experience less driver stress than a manual. However in terms of an involving drive that makes you feel part of the car, not much can touch a manual.

I've driven more than my fair share of performance autos and manuals, and I'll pick the manual every time. But then again I'm still quite young - this mindset might change when I hit 30, well for road cars at least. I do plan on some dedicated track toys in the future, and they'll all be manual.
 
TehStranger said:
Doesn't come close to being as involving or as fun as a proper short-shifting manual box though.



This is true, auto boxes are getting better and are most likely the future of all cars, performance ones included. They're faster than manual and experience less driver stress than a manual. However in terms of an involving drive that makes you feel part of the car, not much can touch a manual.

I've driven more than my fair share of performance autos and manuals, and I'll pick the manual every time. But then again I'm still quite young - this mindset might change when I hit 30, well for road cars at least. I do plan on some dedicated track toys in the future, and they'll all be manual.
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What. Your other posts make you sound over 40.
 
Like with most engineering, the biggest fault is the human machine interface i.e. the idiot operating it.

Taking us out of the decision making is becoming the norm with all machines because we aren't consistent or predictable enough.
 
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