What's the big deal about...(insert car here)?

Driving an automatic is like driving auto-scooter. That's not necessarily a bad thing and to my mind it's all about what you're more familiar with. If you know your auto-box (or better yet, if it has a manual mode), you can control the gear changes pretty good. Short of racing the car, that's usually enough.

I don't mind driving an automatic if it's a good one, especially in stop-and-go traffic. I actually don't mind driving my father's Sc?nic despite its automatic is not that good (and the manual mode is completely useless to me). But my default is manual shifting because I'm used to it.
 
I'm just as "familiar" with manual transmissions as the next guy. My achilles heel is that almost all the stick shift driving I've done over the last 5-6 years has been in diesel vehicles that are forgiving and really hard to stall. Whenever I get behind the wheel of something with a smaller engine and a manual box I stall 4-5 times before my left foot gets its Fingerspitzengef?hl back.

Most people drive stick shift here, even people that are terrible at it. Some actually realize it and plan their driving so they don't have to stop on hills, etc. Then there's the token old person that doesn't hear very well anymore. You can tell because his parking maneuvering is done very slowly at 5,000 rpm.

Both these kinds of drivers buy manual after manual after manual without realizing there might just be a better option out there for them. The usual reasoning is:

1) It's a costly option on a new car. Sure, so buy slightly used instead.
2) They get terrible fuel economy. Maybe, not if you buy the right one though. And it's certainly not a dealbreaker if you're a pensioner that does 5000km a year.
3) Autos are dangerous in winter. What? That's bullshit. Unless we're talking a 18 year old 4-speed RWD with no electronic aids. Then I might understand.
4) They break down a lot. There's more to go wrong, but a clutch (and subsequent dual mass flywheel) job on your average modern car can be just as expensive. And I've had exactly zero issues in six years of driving four different two-pedal cars.
 
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The fuel economy hit that may exist with autos is negated by not parking at 5000rpm :lol:
 
3) Autos are dangerous in winter. What? That's bullshit. Unless we're talking a 18 year old 4-speed RWD with no electronic aids. Then I might understand.

You just described my Caprice as of two years ago; still no more dangerous than a similarly weighted and aged RWD vehicle with a manual. :p
 
I like having a manual in the Clio because it's fucking awesome to drive. I live in a place where one minute I can be sitting in traffic cursing my heavy clutch, and literally the next blasting up the side of a mountain with no traffic around. The few times I have commuted to Sydney by car I find it bearable but yes, I would much rather an auto for that job. The DSG Passat I had in the UK was great, I can definitely see myself buying a DSG in the future. Relaxing in the city but still fun with paddles in the mountainous B-roads of the Lake District. The problem I have more is with smaller-engined cars with archaic 4-speed autos like my mum's Astra. It's boring (and slow and dimwitted) as hell. And CVTs, that groan is something I just don't want to hear.

I like having a manual in the BMW because the thing probably wouldn't move or make it up hills if I wasn't able to rev out the engine properly.
 
One other benefit of driving a manual in the city.

http://jalopnik.com/5980922/corvette-thieves-thwarted-by-stick-shift

You're not very likely to get carjacked on the highway.
That said, I love my 6MT, but when you're stuck in 5mph start/stop bumper to bumper traffic for 8 miles, it starts to piss you off. But thats only happened to me once so far.
 
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Did some city driving in my 99 Z28 with a 6 speed manual. I got sick of hitting gears quick, so I started doing a 2nd gear start, then 4th then 6th. If I was getting on a highway I'd just leave in 2nd and take it to redline only to hit 6th. I got some looks for that. :lol:

In my 5 speed Focus, city driving was the bane of my existence. But I got rid of that and got a dirt cheap Saturn with an automatic...now I'm missing owning a stick since my "racecar" is now an automagic. :/
 
Did some city driving in my 99 Z28 with a 6 speed manual. I got sick of hitting gears quick, so I started doing a 2nd gear start, then 4th then 6th. If I was getting on a highway I'd just leave in 2nd and take it to redline only to hit 6th. I got some looks for that. :lol:

In my 5 speed Focus, city driving was the bane of my existence. But I got rid of that and got a dirt cheap Saturn with an automatic...now I'm missing owning a stick since my "racecar" is now an automagic. :/

If I take 1st to redline, I'm just at the bottom of operating range of 6th :D
 
I miss driving a torque-y diesel. My driving instructors car would pull in first without need for any pedal interaction...

THey're wonderful, mine will pull off in 5th with a little clutch slipping and will quite happily run along at idle. Low range I'll admit. Close to 2nd high. :)
 
whats the deal with putting PDK-dual clutch in the new 991 GT3 and GT2? It should be MANUAL!

Blasphemy! that is madness!
 
Most people drive stick shift here, even people that are terrible at it. Both these kinds of drivers buy manual after manual after manual without realizing there might just be a better option out there for them.

Auto manufacturers over there should do what US brands did. Make old people cars come in automatic with no other option. How many Buick's(minus the regal), Oldsmobile's, Cadillac's, Lincoln's, Mercury have manual's? As far as I know, it's quite low.
 
How many Buick's(minus the regal), Oldsmobile's, Cadillac's, Lincoln's, Mercury have manual's? As far as I know, it's quite low.

Have you contracted Hamilton Disease (the perpetual misuse of the apostrophe when attempting to designate plurals)? There is a cure for that, you know. And unlike Rick, I am within range of coming over to administer it to you, white shit or no white shit.
 
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