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The article seems like a short fluff piece with the ultimate conclusion of: Why? It's easier. I've driven manual transmission vehicles for most of my adult

The article seems like a short fluff piece with the ultimate conclusion of: Why? It's easier. I've driven manual transmission vehicles for most of my adult life, my last 4 cars have been automatic. My wife isn't willing to learn how to drive one. The single thing I prefer about manual transmission vs automatic: direct throttle response If you tap the throttle, the vehicle responds to it. If you take your foot off the throttle, the engine braking starts and you slow down very effectively. You become accustomed to the sounds and feel of your vehicle, and can tell when it's not running correctly. The only place automatics are preferable is in stop & go traffic.

Spartan-S63 6y ago
Random question from someone who knows little about transmission, but aren't CVTs closer to giving the best of both worlds? I've driven automatic transmissions all my life, but I've really enjoyed my CVT transmission because I can go into a seven-speed manual mode (that I mostly only use for engine braking).
- hindsightbias 6y ago
  Reviews of many CVT equipped vehicles are pretty consistent in complaints about the transmissions. Have been looking at 5 different brands and while they offer better mileage, there are many complaints about gearing and reliability.
  - roflchoppa3 6y ago
    checkout the gearboxes that mazda makes, they consistently get good reviews.
  - OldHand2018 6y ago
    Car makers program CVTs to act like automatics, almost completely eliminating the benefit of a CVT. I’ve got a Subaru with a CVT and I’ve become used to it; I’ll never love it. Mine is the H6 engine paired to the heavy duty CVT. It’s a good thing it will last a long time, as it’s going to be my last Subaru (I’ve driven both the NA and turbo 4 with the CVT and would never buy one).
    - bozzcl 6y ago
      Subaru CVTs are especially bad from what I've heard. I tried a WRX with one back in 2015, but unfortunately I wasn't too experienced with them to really tell how bad it was. Went with a manual a few years later, though.
- benjohnson 6y ago
  A perfect CVT is ideal from an technical standpoint. Manuals are just more fun if you enjoy that sort of thing - there's a bit of skill keeping the engine RPM in the power band. As an aside, I do a bit of track time in an Automatic - it's like having a super power if you're a novice as there's very few people who really know how to shift properly. That being said, a Manual is so much more fun.
bozzcl 6y ago
Another benefit: wannabe thieves won't know how to drive your stick shift.
bennysonething 6y ago
Or if you have a partner who burnt out the clutch in your car, cost me a grand to fix. We re getting an automatic.
falcolas 6y ago
Personally, I (also) like the ability to put the vehicle easily into neutral as a part of your normal driving routine.
macintux 6y ago
> The only place automatics are preferable is in stop & go traffic. There are also some off-roading advantages, although in general it’s a mixed bag. You don’t want to shift while your clutch is underwater, for example, and from what I understand driving in sand is easier in an auto due the smoother shifts and corresponding lack of a loss in momentum. Also, for extreme rock crawling, it’s helpful to have feet on both gas and brake, plus no burning up the clutch. (I’m far from an expert, I don’t crawl rocks, and my primary Jeep is a stick, so this is primarily hearsay.)

Spartan-S63 6y ago

Random question from someone who knows little about transmission, but aren't CVTs closer to giving the best of both worlds? I've driven automatic transmissions all my life, but I've really enjoyed my CVT transmission because I can go into a seven-speed manual mode (that I mostly only use for engine braking).

hindsightbias 6y ago
Reviews of many CVT equipped vehicles are pretty consistent in complaints about the transmissions. Have been looking at 5 different brands and while they offer better mileage, there are many complaints about gearing and reliability.
- roflchoppa3 6y ago
  checkout the gearboxes that mazda makes, they consistently get good reviews.
- OldHand2018 6y ago
  Car makers program CVTs to act like automatics, almost completely eliminating the benefit of a CVT. I’ve got a Subaru with a CVT and I’ve become used to it; I’ll never love it. Mine is the H6 engine paired to the heavy duty CVT. It’s a good thing it will last a long time, as it’s going to be my last Subaru (I’ve driven both the NA and turbo 4 with the CVT and would never buy one).
  - bozzcl 6y ago
    Subaru CVTs are especially bad from what I've heard. I tried a WRX with one back in 2015, but unfortunately I wasn't too experienced with them to really tell how bad it was. Went with a manual a few years later, though.
benjohnson 6y ago
A perfect CVT is ideal from an technical standpoint. Manuals are just more fun if you enjoy that sort of thing - there's a bit of skill keeping the engine RPM in the power band. As an aside, I do a bit of track time in an Automatic - it's like having a super power if you're a novice as there's very few people who really know how to shift properly. That being said, a Manual is so much more fun.

bozzcl 6y ago

Another benefit: wannabe thieves won't know how to drive your stick shift.

bennysonething 6y ago

Or if you have a partner who burnt out the clutch in your car, cost me a grand to fix. We re getting an automatic.

falcolas 6y ago

Personally, I (also) like the ability to put the vehicle easily into neutral as a part of your normal driving routine.

macintux 6y ago

> The only place automatics are preferable is in stop & go traffic. There are also some off-roading advantages, although in general it’s a mixed bag. You don’t want to shift while your clutch is underwater, for example, and from what I understand driving in sand is easier in an auto due the smoother shifts and corresponding lack of a loss in momentum. Also, for extreme rock crawling, it’s helpful to have feet on both gas and brake, plus no burning up the clutch. (I’m far from an expert, I don’t crawl rocks, and my primary Jeep is a stick, so this is primarily hearsay.)