mclaren05 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Hey I was wondering why in most parts of the world cars are manual instead of automatic. I mean I know manual allows a bit better speed/accelaration and use to be cheaper than automatic but other than that automatic is better as it is one less thing you have to worry about when driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnuman Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Well that's how its always been really. Majority of Europe uses manual and most drivers in NA use automatic. Guess it's a cultural thing. Personally that whole speed and acceleration thing is nonsense at this point as automatic cars have gotten "smarter" unless you're a great driver and know how to change gears at the exact moment for optimal performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Veteran Posted December 11, 2008 Veteran Share Posted December 11, 2008 Automatics use more petrol than manuals. Plus they're simply no fun whatsoever to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farstrider Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Why would you assume that this is correct? Certainly in SA the variety of brands and models has both auto and manual versions and what's more you can buy just about any brand that you can think of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revvo Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Why is it like that? I have no clue but I'm Canadian and I have no need of an automatic transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disken Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 My guess: Heavy Traffic! Compare the big cities of north america to the big cities of Europe, you have lots of highways, lots of distance beween point A and point B, also there's alot of rush hour traffic where the movement is minimal. Sitting in those queues for a few hours each day would seriously get me to change to automatic (else my clutch foot would fall off) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BinaryFragger Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Manual transmissions are simpler and generally more efficient, and usually cheaper (automakers usually charge around $1000 extra for automatics). They also usually get better fuel mileage, but as gnuman mentioned, automatics are improving. With up to 7 gears (or even 8, such as some Lexus models) and dual clutches, automatics are pretty much as efficient as manuals these days. On the other hand, manuals are still much more entertaining to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gollux Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 A manual transmission is bonehead simple in design and operation, and if treated properly will survive through several engine overhauls. It can also reduce the initial cost of the vehicle as an automatic is quite complex in construction and relatively difficult to repair for the average DIY. In the US where we have extensive infrastructure to repair your car, or sell you a new or used one, and most car owners nowadays wouldn't know where to look for a dipstick, let alone repair anything, automatics are preferred for the start/stop traffic encountered in city driving. Newer overdrive/lockup converter electronic shift transmissions can be pretty efficient and not give the large fuel mileage penalty that older automatics were known for. The electronic shift system also can reduce the transmission's cost and complexity by eliminating the mechanical valve body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix XII Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 My guess: Heavy Traffic!Compare the big cities of north america to the big cities of Europe, you have lots of highways, lots of distance beween point A and point B, also there's alot of rush hour traffic where the movement is minimal. Sitting in those queues for a few hours each day would seriously get me to change to automatic (else my clutch foot would fall off) That's a good point. Driving standard in heavy traffic isn't very fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duritz Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 unless u are god of stick shift driving, the gas mileage is very minimal between an auto and stick. back when auto's only had 3 gears i would say manuals get better mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeblogg Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 in australia automatics are very popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malskazz Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Automatic are for girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spy beef Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 A real man drives manual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lechio Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Nothing beats a manual transmission. Gives the driver more control over his driving and it is a lot more efficient. Automatic are for girls. [jk] Was just about to say that. Automatic transmissions make driving more simple when compared to the manual ones, thus intended for use by the girls... :p [/jk] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 A real man drives manual. This :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnuman Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Wait until you break a leg or ankle and come crying how you can't drive anywhere because you can't change gears you'll see why automatic is better. That is exactly what happened to my neighbour she broke her leg and couldn't drive because she couldn't change gears. If you're flexible enough you could drive automatic with either leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 After learning to drive a manual I'd probably fall asleep at the wheel of an automatic because it's so damn boring. Nothing beats being able to shift down a gear and rocketing off into the distance. In an automatic you go up and down sequentially - where's the fun in that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eat68 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Automatic are for girls. win also, I think people really need to talk on their cells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusuf M. Veteran Posted December 11, 2008 Veteran Share Posted December 11, 2008 The first car I ever drove in my life was automatic but I quickly switched over to manual. After a year or so of driving manual I went back to automatic. The way I see it, it's all about preference. Automatic for ease of use or manual for "driving fun". In Canada, you can choose to buy a manual or automatic. Manuals however are generally cheaper than automatics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelticWhisper Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Yeesh. I'd hate to see what you guys have to say about CVTs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouldy Punk Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 @ Whoever it was that said about heavy traffic being the reason; You get heavy traffic in every city/big town here in the UK. The M25 used to be known as the world's biggest car park because of the traffic problems that had - so your argument doesn't really apply everywhere. Wait until you break a leg or ankle and come crying how you can't drive anywhere because you can't change gears you'll see why automatic is better. That is exactly what happened to my neighbour she broke her leg and couldn't drive because she couldn't change gears. If you're flexible enough you could drive automatic with either leg. By that logic, I'll get a wheelchair in case I break my leg, so I can still be mobile. I would buy an automatic, if I were disabled and couldn't use a manual. But I'm not going to buy an automatic, just in case I break a leg :p In my opinion, it's just a culture thing. It's like saying, "Why do a lot of American-brand cars have unnecessarily huge, badly engineered engines" (especially older cars). Reason is, they just do. Whether you could read into it and see some sort of ego thing going on there, I don't know, nor care. Point is, it's just the way it is. Maybe when autos we're being introduced, they were just marketed more in the US than they were in Europe/Asia/where-ever else. Just for the record; I'm not slating American engines. Old muscle cars are great. It's just, it takes an American 6L V8 to do what a Japanese 2L V6 can do :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[B00] Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 to be honest i had a hire car recently for business a Saab 1.9 TiD Sport Automatic now saying that auto's are no fun u have to be joking me slotted it into sport mode as i was going onto a motorway put my foot flat on the sliproad felt a little delay then next i know am pushed back into my seat and it flys forward by the time i got onto the motorway bearing in mind we are talking a few hundred yards i had to go straight out into the fast lane i wont say what speed i was doing but dont try this at home kids i have been driving for over 24 years hell that was a helluva lotta fun especially with thumb paddles on the steering wheel. Even with my heavy foot the myth about auto's being juicier forget it. Take for example the merc 220 i had again an auto optimal fuel efficiency was at 88mph doing 54 to the gallon (petrol and was watching the clock lol) the saab was doing more than that (ok it was a 1.9 diesel). TBH i love manuals but knowing when i got a long drive on business to where i go to all the time it is nice to be able to have an auto rather than a manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argote Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 As in many other parts of the world, here both kinds of transmissions are available for some cars though the higher end ones usually come with a tiptronic and the lower end ones are usually manual only (for cost reasons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lezard Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Manual for life, I hate driving my Automatic Grand Prix, there is no absolute fun.. I miss my old manual Kia Sephia.. crappy car, but was tons of fun to drive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revvo Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Wait until you break a leg or ankle and come crying how you can't drive anywhere because you can't change gears you'll see why automatic is better. That is exactly what happened to my neighbour she broke her leg and couldn't drive because she couldn't change gears. If you're flexible enough you could drive automatic with either leg. Right, so if you broke your right leg, you should break and throttle with the left leg on an auto? I'd like to see you try that with your broken right leg in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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