[OFFICIAL] Manual v. Automatic Thread

[KRH]

Originally Posted by arcticreaver

to me, a car is just a car, of course you gotta take care of the thing but, it's still a car. i drive it from point A to B.

it's down to preference i guess. i just like a good ride.

If thats how you feel ( and theres nothing wrong with that)... then why on gods green earth would you pay a premium for a car like this.

Just go buy a Yaris....save thousands of dollars not just on the price but at the pump and do something else with all the money you saved.

[epod86]

Originally Posted by semtex

Because it's not all about speed. For some people, they'd gladly sacrifice a little speed for more fun, and they perceive MTs as being more fun. This whole thread is kinda silly, to give my honest opinion, because the answer to the question 'Which is better? MT or AT?' is entirely contingent on one's criteria for what makes something better, which makes it entirely subjective. If speed in a drag race is what you're after, AT may well be the way to go. If convenience is what you're after, AT is definitely the way to go. But if you enjoy doing your own shifting and enjoyment is what you're after, then MT makes more sense. Point being, the question that this thread poses has no objective answer one way or the other. Everyone should just figure out what his/her priorities are, and then get the one that best matches up with those priorities and be glad that (a) the Z is offered with both AT and MT (unlike the S2000, for ex.), and (b) both transmissions seem to be very good.

Edit: I forgot to add -- we should also be glad that (c) Nissan didn't decided to scrap both AT and MT and replace them with a CVT (like they did with the Maxima).

I third. And thank god no sports car breed will ever have a CVT if they listen to the owners. A sports car must have a viscous-coupling-less option. Period. We'll cross the bridge into sequential when it happens, but there are still clutches in those.

For me, the manual makes me a (somewhat) safer driver, in a very narrow and qualified way (and I completely understand why most people think I'm wrong for saying it). The manual makes me stay in a more alert and aware part of my attention and situational awareness, which is backed up by numerous human factors studies (the two worst regions of attention/S.A. are over-tasked and severely under-tasked, your reaction time goes way up, you want to be in the middle). Because I'm constantly thinking things like "the car lineup at the next light is pretty long for this time of day, the lights probably going to change, so I should go ahead and heal&toe into 3rd rather than coax til idle" I'm actually aware that I'm driving. To the naysayers, yes i do have to concentrate on the revs, and yes the manual does take my eyes off the road and add something for me to worry about. But if I add the 'fun' I have the manual is worth the cheaper price tag in spades in my opinion. If I know how to drive a manual, and I'm not hauling anything (trucks get more hauling capacity from the auto because of the V.C.), I will always go for the cheaper manual option.

I also grew up in the UK, where autos are the anomaly, and I can remember being 12 and asking my best friends mom why her car didn't have a 'stick.' I was amazed by the explanation of what an auto let you do and she found my 'why would you want to do it that way?' response hysterical. My dad had just finished the Shelby Cobra replica, though. God I loved that car. I'd almost pass on a Z to drive that car.

end nostalgia.

[m4a1mustang]

Manual definitely keeps me more focused. I have a tendency to zone out just cruising in an auto.

[psteng19]

Originally Posted by wellarmed

It's not a good point. The point he is making is that because the manual is for him, anybody who would want a auto must be stupid. "People are considering the auto??!!"

I'm sure he hasn't driven one so I'll bet he would be surprised to know that the auto also has downshift synchro-rev matching when using the paddles.

Until somebody puts the two head to head in a real world performance match, nobody here can say for sure whether that auto might just out perform the manual.

In fact in a drag race I'll put my money on the auto. Why would ANYBODY want to use a clutch?

I never cared much for auto's with paddle shifting, rev-match downshift or not.
I'll be honest, I never drove an auto 370Z (or even a 350Z) with paddle shifting, but I've read comments and driven other paddle shifted tc autos and the end result is always the same.
The delay is annoying, and you still get that disconnected feeling from the torque converter. If it has an automatic mode, I'll just let the car shift for me.

I don't drive manuals because they're faster.
The main reason I buy it is for the feeling of being "one with the car" - something that no other transmission can come close to reproducing, be it auto, or CVT or even DSG.
Secondary reasons include cost (usually $1k cheaper), and instant weight reduction (~50 lbs or so).

But nice of you to assume

I'll regurgitate what was said in the Winding Road review.
"Do yourself a favor; buy the manual if you're going to buy this car."

[Skaterbasist]

7AT: More practical!

6MT: More fun!

Someone who really wants a 6MT makes no excuses. Personally, I don't see why anyone would get an automatic on a sports car like the 370Z.

And not to mention, you save money by going with 6MT. That's just the added bonus

[shumby]

wow 7 pages and we all kept it clean sort of. For me I like the ^MT and 7AT but the 7AT won out as the wife drives it from to time. She drives a stick infact it was all she drove until 4 years ago. But she said a luxuary sport car (G37S) should be AT so that6 is what we got. She controls the fun hole so she wins.

[Crash]

Originally Posted by wellarmed

In fact in a drag race I'll put my money on the auto. Why would ANYBODY want to use a clutch?

In drag racing, they're using manual valve-body autos. True they have no clutch, but they also have only 2-3 speeds. Most high power drag cars use power-glide or TH350 transmissions. Less shifts = less lost time.

Not worth it to me. Even if Auto is faster in the straight line, it's not nearly as fun.

[epod86]

It's true, manuals aren't exactly faster, they just sound it. If I want to pull ahead of suburban-runaround-with-an-inferiority-complex-to-sports-coupes, have to rev like I'm already deaf, and scare said runaround, or piss them off more, it depends.

[LenZToy]

Originally Posted by shumby

wow 7 pages and we all kept it clean sort of. For me I like the ^MT and 7AT but the 7AT won out as the wife drives it from to time. She drives a stick infact it was all she drove until 4 years ago. But she said a luxuary sport car (G37S) should be AT so that6 is what we got. She controls the fun hole so she wins.

Great observation! Kinda tired of keeping up with this subject...You get what you like. Doesn't mean anything about you but personal preference IMO.

[Zxces50]

Nice to dream every day is track day, curvy roads, blue sky & no cops but reality is 90% time in traffic, stop-go so AT has a valid place in the real world. Tried the 7AT and you can have some reasonable fun with it but not get beat to death in traffic- so have fun on the weekends but get to work M-F (to pay for the Z). Have a 7AT in my driveway and NO regrets- love to drive it everyday (except in snow)

[tru_Asiatik]

my celica was a paddle shift auto......it was fun but i got bored

i told myself my next car is going to be mt for sure
and thats what i got
6MT-----i love it!!

[3SeventyZ]

Theres no other way to go but 6MT.

[Forumite]

I always get a kick out of the die hard M/T guys acting like it's a totally different car. I've had sports cars in both A/T and M/T and neither were that different unless I put them on a track.

How many people here are putting theirs on a track regularly? I'm gunna say less than 5%.

[msl82]

Originally Posted by Forumite

I always get a kick out of the die hard M/T guys acting like it's a totally different car. I've had sports cars in both A/T and M/T and neither were that different unless I put them on a track.

How many people here are putting theirs on a track regularly? I'm gunna say less than 5%.

It is totally differenct car in regards to car's driving experience, control of the car, and once again, driving the car in any distance and purpose. Even driving the car for less than one mile, it is totally different from Manual vs Automotic. You dont have to take your car to the track to feel the difference.

Having drove one of my friend's automotic/paddle shift 370z only further confirmed my belief that it was so much boring, no excitement due to less control of the car. It was just smash the gas and let the car go, like my grandma's Buick..

And when I drove my Z, it was much more fun and exciting, shifting and downshifting using SynroRev having full control of the car, it just felt right! The way sports car should feel like...

The only reason I understood my friend's purchase of automatic 370z is that, that particular individual was a she......

[Forumite]

Originally Posted by msl82

It is totally differenct car in regards to car's driving experience, control of the car, and once again, driving the car in any distance and purpose. Even driving the car for less than one mile, it is totally different from Manual vs Automotic. You dont have to take your car to the track to feel the difference.

Having drove one of my friend's automotic/paddle shift 370z only further confirmed my belief that it was so much boring, no excitement due to less control of the car. It was just smash the gas and let the car go, like my grandma's Buick..

And when I drove my Z, it was much more fun and exciting, shifting and downshifting using SynroRev having full control of the car, it just felt right! The way sports car should feel like...

The only reason I understood my friend purchase of automatic 370z is that, that particular individual was a she......

Some people have different views on performance. As long as the power is there I really dont care if it comes from cramping my shins or with my elbow on the door.

I drove both, the power was still there with the A/T and it felt worlds smoother than the M/T. I like my sports cars to be smooth, I like my muscle cars to be jerky.