Matic Car

[leopard]

I get acquainted with manual transmission car/bike for their responsive acceleration and conventional maintenance. Considering that currently traffic jam is something difficult to stay clear of, matic will give much of less tiredness to the drivers. I can consider myself a calm man, so matic would be the choice. Tell yours.

[jim mcglinchey]

Automatics are great, I wouldnt go back to a manual, not that we have any choice because the wife did her test in an auto so thats all she is allowed to drive. I cant understand why you dont see more of them on the road here in NI and that really limits your choice when its time to look for a new car, but I couldnt fault the transmission on her Fiat.

[Dave B]

Manual. I don't want a computer thinking it knows what gear I'm about to want. :s

[Donney]

Manual, changing gears is not that tiresome.

[Daniel]

Manual all the way for me :)

Jim, what sort of Fiat do you have?

[jim mcglinchey]

The wifes, and I stress wifes, car is a Punto speedgear, mine is a Transit 135T350, 6 forward gears and the bugger will still only pull 27mph/ 1000 rpm in top.

The Fiat system is sweeeett. I dont know much about auto gearboxes but I think its a continuously variable type where you dont feel any steps and it lives between 1500 and 2000 rpm, normally.

[raybak]

Manual is the biz!! Have to have an Auto for my company car though as thems the rules.

Ray

[MrJan]

I want to drive the car so only use a manual. You need a low down grunt sort of car to overtake if it's auto (I assume anwyay), manual you can just bust it down a couple of gears and zoom :D

[Drew]

Manual definitely. I personally think if changing gears is too much hard work for you, you shouldn't be allowed to drive.

[veeten]

actually, the world of transmissions is now a 3-level conversation: Manual, Automatic, and Semi-Automatic. The first two are common options with many passenger vehicles, but the third is strictly to the high performance cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

Some say its a compromise, others say it's the 'best of both worlds', but like most things it depends on the individual.

[Daniel]

actually, the world of transmissions is now a 3-level conversation: Manual, Automatic, and Semi-Automatic. The first two are common options with many passenger vehicles, but the third is strictly to the high performance cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

Some say its a compromise, others say it's the 'best of both worlds', but like most things it depends on the individual.

These days you can get semi-auto boxes on lots of cheap cars :) In fact Jim could buy his wife a Fiat Panda and get a semi-auto box :)

[veeten]

These days you can get semi-auto boxes on lots of cheap cars :) In fact Jim could buy his wife a Fiat Panda and get a semi-auto box :)

actually, what folks are getting is a Constant Variable Transmission (CVT), which can be confused for a semi-auto, even as they operate so dissimular to each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission

[Daniel]

actually, what folks are getting is a Constant Variable Transmission (CVT), which can be confused for a semi-auto, even as they operate so dissimular to each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission

No :p

What folks are getting is a semi-auto transmission ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

http://www.fiat.co.uk/Content/?id=2396
http://homepage.mac.com/paul_denyer/selespeed/page41/page4/page4.html

I know what a CVT is and what we get here in Europe in a lot of cars isn't a CVT :) Jims wifes car actually has a semi-auto gearbox in it.

[jim mcglinchey]

These days you can get semi-auto boxes on lots of cheap cars :) In fact Jim could buy his wife a Fiat Panda and get a semi-auto box :)

The Speedgear on the Punto is a semi auto / auto box. You've the choice of automatic or in the other mode a sequential six speed semi auto. Its great.

[Easy Drifter]

I have driven both auto and manual. Currently auto, but you still can overide the auto and shift down say you want more grunt when the car would normally be a gear higher.
For most NA driving manual is wasted as you are going at a steady speed for miles. Yes there are some fun roads but less and less. In city traffic auto is far easier.
The majority of NA drivers cannot drive manual, or stick shift as it is usually called here.
Even a way back in the 60's when I instructed at a racing school getting a student who had never driven a manual shift was not uncommon. If they didn't tell you, or you forgot to ask, the first downshift could be interesting to say the least.
We weren't there to teach basic driving, nor did we have the space or time to do so. It wasn't just school cars on the track but people testing as well. They would be told the basics of clutch use and sent away to learn on the road until they could master basic manual driving.

[Hazell B]

Manual - I even paid more for it.

Auto's are for lazy men who wear slip on shoes and silly women who can't work out gears.

[steve_spackman]

I have driven both auto and manual. Currently auto, but you still can overide the auto and shift down say you want more grunt when the car would normally be a gear higher.
For most NA driving manual is wasted as you are going at a steady speed for miles. Yes there are some fun roads but less and less. In city traffic auto is far easier.
The majority of NA drivers cannot drive manual, or stick shift as it is usually called here.
Even a way back in the 60's when I instructed at a racing school getting a student who had never driven a manual shift was not uncommon. If they didn't tell you, or you forgot to ask, the first downshift could be interesting to say the least.
We weren't there to teach basic driving, nor did we have the space or time to do so. It wasn't just school cars on the track but people testing as well. They would be told the basics of clutch use and sent away to learn on the road until they could master basic manual driving.

i was told by a car salesman in the US that only 6% of the US can drive a manual

a manual you drive..a auto you steer

[donKey jote]

Automatic to drive. Manual to race.

[Jag_Warrior]

Manual - I even paid more for it.

Auto's are for lazy men who wear slip on shoes and silly women who can't work out gears.

Here, here!!! :up:

I would really like to try out a high performance car with a (true) DSG set-up. But otherwise, I prefer manuals.

[Daniel]

Manual - I even paid more for it.

Auto's are for lazy men who wear slip on shoes and silly women who can't work out gears.

Hey hey! Lets not be insulting :p

My parents have 3 automatics but only because when they went to look at cars the autos were in better condition. When my dad bought his van new there was no doubt as to whether to go for a manual or auto, he went for a manual. My mum can still use a clutch and that thing that sticks out inbetween the driver and passenger as well if not better than most people.

[leopard]

There is tendency that used matic (A/T) cars have more proper condition than manual. Mostly but not all of the first owner neatly drive them and properly maintained. For the same new car, matic price is slightly higher. I think both A/T and M/T have enough longevity as long as you drive it appropriately and make sure you park it in safe area. :)

[Mark]

But there isn't much choice in Europe really. It's pretty much all manual transmission. You have to pay quite a bit more for an automatic and they are only available on a very limited selection of cars. Not to mention the increased fuel consumption.

[leopard]

yeah, it has lower fuel economy, but it save our energy more, imo...

[Mark]

yeah, it has lower fuel economy, but it save our energy more, imo...

I wouldn't really say so. I'd rather move my left foot and arm occasionally rather than pay extra money!

[ioan]

The only automatic (in fact it also had a sequential mode) transmission car I ever drove was a Smart.
IMO it's OK for everyday use in the city and the GF loves it as she has less thing to worry about.
I used it a bit (a few hundreds of kms) in the Alps and I can't stand it on the open roads, the thing almost always chooses the wrong gear when going uphill, so I rather used the sequential mode.

For myself I'm more than happy with cars that have a manual gearbox where I can do whatever I wish.

As for fuel consumption I don't know if it was better in auto or sequential mode as the GF used it in auto and I used in sequential, and our driving styles are very different (still I'm sure hers is more economical :D ). Anyway the little bugger consumed as much as a TD Sierra I used to drive before that, which I find exaggerated.