Which Transmission Do You Have?

And why?

I got manual because I wanted to learn how to drive one. Now that I know how, my next vehicle will be an automatic.

I got my 98 corolla VE, and yes it is a 5 speed. Actually, it's my wife's car, and, yes, she can drive a stick shift, too. They are much more fun and get better gas mileage. A manual shift can be a pain in traffic, but we both like to shift for ourself, thank you very much. I have owned 11 cars, and 8 of them were standard shift.

I got a 5 speed so my wife could learn how to drive manual. I took 2 or 3 weeks for her to feel comfortable with it. Now she likes it.

Hank

Auto - Too much traffic in my commute (NJ) to justify another stick at this point. Although I do miss it from time to time.

Manual. Better control in all driving conditionns.

I like the manual for better control and overall performance. Makes a cheap econo car feel a little more fun and sporty. Plus it's cheaper, more reliable/costs less to repair, and handles any trailer towing duties better.

3 spd auto, '00 CE

I was shopping for a cheap (as in low cost to purchase and maintain) used economy car, and couldn't pass up on the deal on this one. I bought this car to soak up the miles of a daily 100 mile commute, and it seems to be well up to the task.

So far, no regrets. 34 - 36 mpg highway.

Got the manual cuz it's all I've ever driven. Control. Mileage. Fun factor. And if I bought an automatic now, my left foot would punch a hole through the floor!

Enjoy the greater control on hills here in NC. Why upshift when you can see a downshift requirement coming a block away.

Manual here as well... although I do get better mileage, there's a ton of traffic on my commute everyday and I wish I had a rear bumper sticker that said "If you can read this then it means I am bitching at why I got a manual..."

Ha! But I love using it when there isn't much traffic... I always wanna get perfect shifts everytime and I enjoy that challenge and the "feel" so to speak. I feel more like I'm actually driving compared to the van we got as well.

Frost

As of now, the poll is 52% for manual vs 48% automatic.

We must be an unusual group since last I heard only 8% of passenger vehicles are being shipped with manuals.

Bob, you're right- we are an unusual group. Methinks we are enthusiasts.

98 base,

lacks power in 3rd & 4th.

had most fun in 2nd gear.

Lacks power in 3rd and 4th? Hmm... 2001 CE here but 2nd and 3rd gear are the most fun for me... 1st gear is quite often useless since I can't pick up any speed fast (feels more like a torque gear than anything else). It's funny how people beat me off the line UNTIL I hit second gear and bam, the thing jumps forward and then when I hit third gear it jumps again though less significantly.

Cheers to stick shiftas!

Frost

for the past 5 years i've driven a manual car, luckily it was wrecked and now i have a 3spd Prizm. I wish i had a 4spd over the 3 because of all the highway driving. But i live in NYC and there is no replacement for an automatic here. I was so sick of my manual transmission. 5 yrs in gridlock will make you get tired of manual. Just depends on your preference. When i was 17, i cared about peeling out and doing more fun stuff with stick, but now at 22, i just want to take it easy and enjoy my drive

i have an auto. i didn't choose it, its just what came with the car (i bought it used). when i was looking, the more appealing cars (in nice colours, higher level models with more equipment) were auto only. if i wanted manuals i could only get white, could only get base models. i have only driven a manual 4 times anyway. interesting fact - 58% of all new licences issued in New South Wales are auto only.

the auto is ok around town, out on the highway some steeper hills require locking out the overdrive, or even changing into 2nd. but, following a friend of mine from port macquarie to newcastle in his 4.0 litre, 6cyl ford falcon i kept up with him.

if i had the choice i'd go for a few manual lessons and get a manual. whilst at work today i got to drive a toyota hilux diesel aropund the paddock - fun galore.

Lacks power in 3rd and 4th? Hmm... 2001 CE here but 2nd and 3rd gear are the most fun for me... 1st gear is quite often useless since I can't pick up any speed fast (feels more like a torque gear than anything else). It's funny how people beat me off the line UNTIL I hit second gear and bam, the thing jumps forward and then when I hit third gear it jumps again though less significantly.

Cheers to stick shiftas!

Frost

Got a manual. I just enjoy them more. They give me something to do when I'm driving and they tend to get a little better gas milage, they have less drivetrain loss and more power goes to the ground, changing the fluid is cheaper and is drained like oil, and last, the car is cheaper with a manual.

just checked the poll numbers: 50/50 with 15 people driving each transmission.

if you haven't voted, vote and i am interested in seeing what most people in this forum drives.

I have a 1993 that is automatic, because my wife drives it and she prefers not to shift manually. - besides that is how it came from e-bay. I have a 1994 that I drive and it is automatic, only because that is how it came from e-bay. Personally I prefer a standard. My car in the garage is an automatic 1994, just because it also came from e-bay that way. My daughter has a manual 1995 and she has no problem driving it that way. It also came from e-bay and is a fine car.

I wanted to vote four times because I have 4 Corollas. One is standard, the others are all automatic. That's just the way they came when I bought them. To me, manual is better, but automatic seems to be more common. I prefer to drive a standard, but automatic or standard are both fine.

I think everyone is relieved that I am driving an automatic...considering how much money a manual might cost me...since I am horrible at it...

there was a tale about a teenager that wore out a clutch after driving 50 miles...I immediately felt dread when the thought that that could've been me...

My friend tried to teach me how to drive a manual...after several tries, and days, he grew afraid of me damaging his car in the process...so he gave up, and so did I...

I guess manual just isn't for me...

The trick (not really a trick, but more of a rule) is to make sure you foot is OFF the clutch pedel when you are not changing gears. If you let your foot rest on the clutch pedel, you can push it in a little and cause the clutch disk to slip because the pressure plate isn't out all the way. This is called riding the clutch.

It really isn't that big of a deal and a clutch job doesn't even cost that much. I acually learned to drive on a manual and my first car (hand me down) was a auto and I never really liked it that much. I have never bought a auto in my life. I'm sure when I'm older or buy a different type of car or truck, I will get a auto, but for smaller cars or sports cars, it's manuals all the way.

My '03 Corolla LE is an automatic. I find it quite adequate, performance-wise, and nearly dead-even economy-wise with my former '01 Corolla LE 5-speed. I traded the '01 after 2 years and around 21,000 miles for the '03 Automatic because my driving is 99% city in heavy traffic and lots of stop-and-go. The stiff clutch on the '01 was really getting to be a pain. I was able to get a good deal on the trade-up from my '01, so I made the switch, and haven't regretted it for one minute.

BTW as of my own vote, automatics have a 3-vote edge over the manuals. It will be interesting to see the final tally.