[OFFICIAL] Manual v. Automatic Thread

[JARblue]

Originally Posted by 11Thumper

How many 6MT divers have been caught in horrible traffic and think (or wish for) the 7AT and are scared to admit it? I would venture to say many here have imagined this.

Never.


Ever.


And I've been stuck in some traffic that shut down I-35 for hours. I contemplated crossing over the grass to get to the frontage road several times and finally did, joining only a couple of pick up trucks willing to go down a 15' tall embankment into weeds up to the window in my Z and back up a 10' embankment to get onto the frontage road (where there was no curb). Not once did it cross my mind in those three hours that I should have gotten an AT.

[11Thumper]

Originally Posted by JARblue

Never.


Ever.


And I've been stuck in some traffic that shut down I-35 for hours. I contemplated crossing over the grass to get to the frontage road several times and finally did, joining only a couple of pick up trucks willing to go down a 15' tall embankment into weeds up to the window in my Z and back up a 10' embankment to get onto the frontage road (where there was no curb). Not once did it cross my mind in those three hours that I should have gotten an AT.

Jesus, I would have just pulled over and grabbed a pint (or 4) to wait it out...

You took the damn thing off road 4x4 style?

[airikrankin]

Perhaps i view things differently, i bought my z as a toy. Anytime i take it out it is for the fun of it. Bought mine 3yrs ago only put 10k miles on it. Its just not practical for anything else other than spirited driving. Not once did i ever wish it was auto, if i got stuck in traffic alot on say to work, i would wish i had a second car to drive to work that was an automatic. If i go to pittsburgh i just dont drive the z. Tho probly more because of the pot holes than anything. Where i live its open roads so the manual is for me. As far as saying all new sports cars are going auto and manuals are obsolete, this is true because not only are they automatic, there are many other features that keep the car on the road and under control. Allowing bad drivers to be good drivers with the false belief they were the reason for their track times, ignoring everything else that kept them from loosing it around a turn. People with money want to go fast, not all of them have the skills to do it.


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[JWillis72]

I can tell you I have never gone into a turn on a race track and thought " wow a clutch pedal would make this fun!", if you think a 7AT is boring then I'm guessing you haven't driven one hard. Using a clutch isn't rocket science or hard to use, the paddles are just faster.


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[b15]

Originally Posted by JWillis72

Using a clutch isn't rocket science or hard to use, the paddles are just faster.


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Actually, if you think about it, it is. Majority of drivers would be clueless about why there's a third pedal Let alone how to use it.

[airikrankin]

[Shotta]

This thread is full of awesome. It's clear manual guys love manuals and auto guys love autos. I am firmly in the I never ever want to own a auto sports car camp no matter how fast an auto can shift. There is a hell of a lot more getting enjoyment out of driving a car and for me having a third pedal and stick shifter adds to a great driving experience. I'm sure this is the same feeling for every other manual transmission sports car driver on the planet. They didn't buy the manual because it was cheaper, in fact I had to search through a pile of used autos before I finally found a manual in the color I wanted. There's probably 20 autos for sale for every 1 manual I like that.

Jaguar just brought a manual transmission back into their sports car after not having it for years, that what their buyers demanded.

It's funny because coming from the bmw world for the past 20 years, none of the bmw performance people will even touch an auto coupe bmw, rwd and the ability to shift kept them ahead of the other euro cars.

[Memphis370Z]

Just thought I would weigh in on the discussion.

Originally Posted by airikrankin

auto can shift faster than manual but you are pointing the car and hitting the gas, not really racing. someone with no driving experience would get the same 1/4 mile time. if everyone raced autos it would be car vs car, not driver vs driver

Originally Posted by airikrankin

Racing auto in a straight line, pointless. Just curious as to why someone would choose auto if they planned on racing it and was able to drive a manual?...Auto vs man...auto wins, your not going to be able to shift faster than an auto or be nearly consistent. But in the end do you feel that your the reason you won that race?

Your comments seem to imply that drag racing, in general, is pointless. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. For a lot of the guys that I grew up with, drag racing (street or track) was the gateway that led them to road racing, off road racing, and oval track racing. I've found that each type of motorsport offers its own unique challenges and learning curves, which is only compounded by the drivers choice of equipment.

As you pointed out, if one wants to go from point A to point B, an AT is a great choice because it shifts quicker. If I want to win a 1/4 mile race, to me, choosing which tranny to use is no different than selecting any other part on my car. I drove cars with MTs for nearly 30 years and won my share of races, but most of my losses came at the hands of AT-equipped cars with similar set ups - WHP, weight, etc. Just sayin'.

Originally Posted by airikrankin

...As far as saying all new sports cars are going auto and manuals are obsolete, this is true because not only are they automatic, there are many other features that keep the car on the road and under control. Allowing bad drivers to be good drivers with the false belief they were the reason for their track times, ignoring everything else that kept them from loosing it around a turn....

Do you ever use SRM when you drive your Z?

Originally Posted by airikrankin

Perhaps i view things differently, i bought my z as a toy. Anytime i take it out it is for the fun of it. Bought mine 3yrs ago only put 10k miles on it. Its just not practical for anything else other than spirited driving.

My Z is a DD and I find it quite practical. It's comfortable, starts when it should, and goes quick/fast enough for me when I ask it to. My previous car had a backseat (albeit small) and in twelve years of ownership, I can count on one hand the number of times that I had more than two people aboard. Practicality is subjective and ever-changing.

Originally Posted by JWillis72

I can tell you I have never gone into a turn on a race track and thought " wow a clutch pedal would make this fun!", if you think a 7AT is boring then I'm guessing you haven't driven one hard. Using a clutch isn't rocket science or hard to use, the paddles are just faster.

Agreed.

When I bought my Z last September, I didn't necessarily set out to buy one with an AT, but once I drove the MT, I wasn't that impressed, plus I read about the problems with the CSC and didn't want to fool with that. I can't say one is better (whatever that means) than the other, just different. I was ready for something different, so I chose the AT.

All this noted, I am not trying to stir the pot, nor am I attempting to vehemently argue that one type of tranny is better than the other. Just sharing my comments, especially given that I drove MT cars for so long and have only had my Z for less than six months. Thanks for reading.

[airikrankin]

I dont think drag racing is pointless, just buying an auto to drag race. Those similarly equipped cars that were auto, the car beat you, not the driver. Do you think if that car was a manual u would have won? Thats the only point im trying to make with drag racing. If i were to race an auto i would probly loose but i wouldnt think it was because that guy was better than me. I know that an automatic shifts faster than a human. But if i were to race someone else in a manual and loose, then that person is a better driver

Racing on a road coarse or anything with hard turns the transmission means almost nothing(other than fun factor for some people) much skill/balls are required. It would be a drivers race.

Drag Racing an auto, well not much skill required

Also no i do not use rev match, i bought a base, had no interest for it

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[Memphis370Z]

I respect your opinions. We'll just agree to disagree.

[Jordo!]

And so it goes.

At least the tarring and feathering of the heretics around here (including me ) seems to have petered out.

It is interesting that a few DCT/super-slush-box only sports car manufacturers have brought back a clutch pedal operated car for a few specialized models. I think that is a-okay by me.

I also think its great that I can use the pedals or gear shift for rapid up and downshifts when I want to play around (and you can tune them to suit your driving style at load, such that gentler at light load and neck-snapping under moderate load), and then when Tampa traffic forces me to drive at 30 mph in a 45 (meaning up to 50 is technically okay...), I can slide the car into D and cruise with (somewhat) less cursing and screaming.

Nothing against folks who prefer to work the clutch under any and all conditions, but so long as I have control when I want it and can just cruise comfortably when merely trying to endure my commute, I'm happy.

If not a Z35, the next car is going to be a 4c. Bring on the DCT

[foss]

Originally Posted by Shotta

I am firmly in the I never ever want to own a auto sports car camp no matter how fast an auto can shift. There is a hell of a lot more getting enjoyment out of driving a car and for me having a third pedal and stick shifter adds to a great driving experience. I'm sure this is the same feeling for every other manual transmission sports car driver on the planet.

You are reading my mind.

[JC-Nismo]

It's all preference, no right or wrong in any of the choices. My Srt8 is Autoshift and I've always driven it like that since day 1 and have always changed the gears myself and you grow to love it. My Nismo is fun too and can't even imagine it being anything but a manual as a lot of us believe sports cars should be. If it's noted by car manufacturers that no one can shift gears faster than today's modern gearboxes and reaction time is the only flaw in a drag race between two stock cars, then why do some argue racing autos are pointless when the car is faster and winning races seems to be the whole point? Fun Factor maybe?

[b15]

I could never use the Z as a daily driver, it's just not practical for me. I guess if I could only have one car and it had to be a Z, then I would probably pick the AT, and mainly because of traffic.

[FPenvy]

Originally Posted by airikrankin

Perhaps i view things differently, i bought my z as a toy. Anytime i take it out it is for the fun of it. Bought mine 3yrs ago only put 10k miles on it. Its just not practical for anything else other than spirited driving. Not once did i ever wish it was auto, if i got stuck in traffic alot on say to work, i would wish i had a second car to drive to work that was an automatic. If i go to pittsburgh i just dont drive the z. Tho probly more because of the pot holes than anything. Where i live its open roads so the manual is for me. As far as saying all new sports cars are going auto and manuals are obsolete, this is true because not only are they automatic, there are many other features that keep the car on the road and under control. Allowing bad drivers to be good drivers with the false belief they were the reason for their track times, ignoring everything else that kept them from loosing it around a turn. People with money want to go fast, not all of them have the skills to do it.

the Z is practical in many ways I feel in the warm weather months at least. I mean if you're hauling kids or a construction worker I can see why it wouldn't be practical. I DD mine when the weather is warm (end of march-nov.) and it's perfect. even can fit 2 golf bags in the back.

I rarely take my Z into the city either based on parking. also based on the dbags who also park terribly there. Pittsburgh has the worst parking ever.

and just because a car is auto doesn't mean it gives a false sense of driving ability. I don't even know how my car actually reacts in "auto" mode. I never use it as an automatic.

Originally Posted by JWillis72

I can tell you I have never gone into a turn on a race track and thought " wow a clutch pedal would make this fun!", if you think a 7AT is boring then I'm guessing you haven't driven one hard. Using a clutch isn't rocket science or hard to use, the paddles are just faster.

preach!

Originally Posted by airikrankin

I dont think drag racing is pointless, just buying an auto to drag race. Those similarly equipped cars that were auto, the car beat you, not the driver. Do you think if that car was a manual u would have won? Thats the only point im trying to make with drag racing. If i were to race an auto i would probly loose but i wouldnt think it was because that guy was better than me. I know that an automatic shifts faster than a human. But if i were to race someone else in a manual and loose, then that person is a better driver

Racing on a road coarse or anything with hard turns the transmission means almost nothing(other than fun factor for some people) much skill/balls are required. It would be a drivers race.

Drag Racing an auto, well not much skill required

Also no i do not use rev match, i bought a base, had no interest for it

you realize top fuel runs automatics right? lol the auto being pointless in drag racing argument doesn't hold much water.

and the SRM is one of the greatest features on the Z. you're missing out on that one especially being a manual transmission advocate. unless you're the purist type then you'll think its pointless.