automatic or manual?

[NewEnglandLady]

I drove both, prefer manual but when I am buying my present used car, can't seem to find any after a long wait.

Kenny, is that the old or new Insight?

NEL, probably because holding the steering wheel with the dominant hand is more important, more controllable, while the stick shifting seems complicated, it has a restricted motion? Always believe the Brits design makes more sense, but I am from a former Brit colony...

Good point, Stone-cold--I do think I prefer to keep my dominant hand on the wheel.

 

[charbie]

Well then...as a lefty myself, maybe this is one invention that works in our favor! I've never experienced driving in britain, but I'm sure id be frustrated at first.

 

[chrono]

I've always driven manual so this is my first automatic car. It's less tiring on my foot when I'm stuck in traffic but I do miss my left leg having something to do. As for the dominant hand thing, it doesn't bother me as I actually favour my left hand over my right hand even though I'm supposedly right handed. Yeah....I'm strange. I've driven manual cars both in the US and Britian, and it doesn't bother me one bit which hand is the one doing the shifting.

My automatic car has those paddles at the steering wheel for a more manual feel and control but it just doesn’t feel the same as actually driving a manual car. I guess I like to feel more involved (coordinating the hand and foot with the correct timing) than just pushing the paddles.

 

[soocool]

When I met my DH he drove a Porsche Turbo Carrera. Since we just started dating,he of course taught me to drive it - a stick. (I don't think he would let me today, though) Boy my left leg got a workout clutching. I think I'll stick to my boring automatic.

 

[stone-cold11]

Boy my left leg got a workout clutching. I think I'll stick to my boring automatic.

Driving automatic too much, sooner or later the left leg will atrophy...

It is like useless in the modern car if there is no clutch, I always do not know what to do with it.

 

[elrohwen]

I drove both, prefer manual but when I am buying my present used car, can't seem to find any after a long wait.

Kenny, is that the old or new Insight?

NEL, probably because holding the steering wheel with the dominant hand is more important, more controllable, while the stick shifting seems complicated, it has a restricted motion? Always believe the Brits design makes more sense, but I am from a former Brit colony...

Good point, Stone-cold--I do think I prefer to keep my dominant hand on the wheel.

I've never had a chance to drive a car in England, but I always wondered whether it would be easier or harder. Makes perfect sense that it would be easier to drive with my right since it's my dominant hand.

I have driven in Germany a few times and it was very hard to get used to a shifter up on the dashboard area - darn you tiny Euro cars! I kept reaching between the seats and wondering why the shifter wasn't there.

 

[soocool]

Boy my left leg got a workout clutching. I think I'll stick to my boring automatic.

Driving automatic too much, sooner or later the left leg will atrophy...

It is like useless in the modern car if there is no clutch, I always do not know what to do with it.

No both will atrophy since I use "cruise control" too much!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I have always driven manual cars. The first time I drove an automatic was a few weeks ago, when I rented a car in the US. I had to get the car manual, read it carefully and do a few test laps around the parking lot - I think the rental company considered cancelling the contract.

The worst part was not having my left foot idle - it was remembering to use it whne I got back home.

 

[Jennifer W]

I've never actually tried driving an automatic. Not many people have them in the UK. My best friend drives one because she hates driving and can't get used to manual gears.

I think I'd quite like an automatic, but my gear changing hand would twitch around for something to do.

 

[elrohwen]

For the Brits in the group, why haven't automatics caught on over there? I've never understood that. I fear I won't be able to find a manual transmission in the states in 10 years, yet automatics are hard to find over there.

 

[Jennifer W]

Some people do have them in the UK, and if you really search, you can find one to rent when you visit (I do this for my cousins when they come from NYC). However, they seem to have a bit of an image problem here. They're for old people and nervous / dreadful drivers. (Don't shoot me, that's what people think. Other people. Honest).

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I have both right now (Subaru STI; manual and VW R32; auto), though technically my auto is a DSG, so it has not one, but two clutches.

 

[zoebartlett]

I think it's funny when people say that they prefer to have control over their car, and that's the reason they drive stick. I've never been in a manual car when the ride was a smooth one. Every time the driver shifted, the car jerked. That doesn't seem like control to me.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I think it's funny when people say that they prefer to have control over their car, and that's the reason they drive stick. I've never been in a manual car when the ride was a smooth one. Every time the driver shifted, the car jerked. That doesn't seem like control to me.

It shouldn't be jerking. Sounds like the driver wasn't that in control.

 

[zoebartlett]

I've driven a manual before when my dad had a sports car years ago, but I MUCH prefer to drive automatics. I get panicky when I can't change gears correctly, and I HATE the thought of being stuck on a hill with cars behind me. Since it's too nerve-racking to drive a manual, I'm planning on only driving automatics.

This is the only thing I hate about a manual - and it's not even about my own driving. I loooovvveee driving my manual. When I'm sitting on a hill I always give the car in front of me at least half a car lenght if not more. I can't tell you how many times that half a car length has been used so the person driving the manual in front of me could figure out how much gas to give thier car to get it up the hill

Yeah, it freaks me out. I'd be the one holding up the line of cars behind me because I wouldn't be able to get up a hill.

No thanks! Automatic all the way.

 

[elrohwen]

I've driven a manual before when my dad had a sports car years ago, but I MUCH prefer to drive automatics. I get panicky when I can't change gears correctly, and I HATE the thought of being stuck on a hill with cars behind me. Since it's too nerve-racking to drive a manual, I'm planning on only driving automatics.

This is the only thing I hate about a manual - and it's not even about my own driving. I loooovvveee driving my manual. When I'm sitting on a hill I always give the car in front of me at least half a car lenght if not more. I can't tell you how many times that half a car length has been used so the person driving the manual in front of me could figure out how much gas to give thier car to get it up the hill

Yeah, it freaks me out. I'd be the one holding up the line of cars behind me because I wouldn't be able to get up a hill.

No thanks! Automatic all the way.

I learned to drive in Pittsburgh. That'll teach you to drive up hills! Haha. I got over that fear and now I'm a pro. It was super scary when I was starting out for the first few years though.

And if your friends are jerking while shifting, they're not driving very well! I like that I can control my acceleration (I get far more out of my puny engine than I would with an automatic) and I can control what gear I'm in. I hate how automatics constantly downshift on the highway going up hills or passing someone when I would easily keep it in 5th gear the whole way. It feels much more jerky and "off" than my driving since I'm staying in one gear the whole time. For me, that's where the control is key. Also the driving in snow part!

 

[kittybean]

Even though we live in a city, I love my manual. When I drive an automatic, I feel like something is missing, and my left foot gets antsy for something to do.

today's manual are easy to drive. i learned to drive a manual shift on a 1969 Dodge Charger with no PS,no power clutch...

I learned to drive a stick-shift on a '66 VW Beetle. It was much more difficult than the modern stick-shift I have now. In high school, I occasionally drove my best friend's manual '77 Land Cruiser (no power anything), and that was a job and a half. I would get to our destination all sweaty from trying to park that beast with no power steering and a clutch that required me to almost stand on it to get it to the floor.

 

[stone-cold11]

Yap, no jerking during gear shift is the sign of experience in a stick shift driver.

We also learn to park and go on a hill slope, a requirement to pass in Singapore's driving test. If you slide down the slope even a little, immediate failure, better luck next time and a test cost 200 Singapore Dollars (1994) then and you have to book 2 months in advance.

Got my license on my first try with a chief examiner, instead of normal examiners.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

Automatic

But I absolutely HATE to drive.

 

[diamondringlover]

Automatic, I never got the hang of manual transmissions, my school tried to teach me and then my hubby tried to teach me and he said his transmission couldnt take it

 

[Dancing Fire]

Automatic, I never got the hang of manual transmissions, my school tried to teach me and then my hubby tried to teach me and he said his transmission couldnt take it

plus he probably gotton dizzy from all the jerking...

 

[diamondringlover]

Automatic, I never got the hang of manual transmissions, my school tried to teach me and then my hubby tried to teach me and he said his transmission couldnt take it

plus he probably gotton dizzy from all the jerking...

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Even though we live in a city, I love my manual. When I drive an automatic, I feel like something is missing, and my left foot gets antsy for something to do.

today's manual are easy to drive. i learned to drive a manual shift on a 1969 Dodge Charger with no PS,no power clutch...

I learned to drive a stick-shift on a '66 VW Beetle. It was much more difficult than the modern stick-shift I have now. In high school, I occasionally drove my best friend's manual '77 Land Cruiser (no power anything), and that was a job and a half. I would get to our destination all sweaty from trying to park that beast with no power steering and a clutch that required me to almost stand on it to get it to the floor.

My first car was a '69 VW Baja Bug that my dad jerry-rigged to his hearts desire. No power anything, a gas pedal that got stuck all the time. Total pain in my rear. After the Baja Bug, I drove a manual Datsun/Nissan (Datsun insides, Nissan body) truck and while it was easier than the Bug, it pales in comparison to how easy the new German transmissions work! My manual 05 Jetta is way easier than I remembered any other manual to be (I had two automatics in between the truck and the new car)! I drove my friends M3 and it was like butter. I love German cars. But I will drive a few extra blocks to find an easy parallel parking spot. Parallel parking is no fun on a hill.

 

[reader]

Currently driving a diesel manual, and automatic gasser, VW New Beetles. I much prefer my diesel manual.

 

[bee*]

Manual. It's much more common over here to have a manual car than an automatic.