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auto vs. manual: is it really THAT serious?

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chefbrown12014

Probationary Member
23
4
Mar 18, 2016
Pittsburg, California
So... As i read around the forums ive noticed many like auto tranny over stick. Ive read auto is faster... Allows turbo to stay spooled...

Thing is...i HATE driving auto. Its boring...unengaging, and mind numbing imo.

What are the differences performance wise stick vs. auto?

Is auto really faster?
Is this "auto is better" thing a fad?
Is stick not competitive? Tell me what im getting into by buying stick.
 
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5 speeds = more fun to drive
autos win more races

I feel the reliability of auto is pumped up too much. if the 5spd is reliable to 400tq the auto is likely reliable to 500tq on the same scale maybe even lower . unfortunately there is very little data on how long they last with street size fun turbos that are actually used more than just a few weekends a year at the track. . the other thing that really sucks about them is how week overdrive gear is. so turning a 4 speed auto into a 3 speed auto makes even more boring for a fun car.
 
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Does shifting gears make you feel more like a man? I rub it in peoples face when they get beat by my automatic dsm.

I love it! I have a lq9 swapped 99 trans am that has a built 4l60e, i love to do monstrous powerbrake burn outs with it. I also love it when people tell me its too bad i didnt get a stick, i just laugh. Seriously tho, the auto is a secret weapon for hard consistent launches even on street tires and for about what it costs to replace your toasted manual in a 1g... im getting another auto 1g to street/strip build and keeping my manual as a restored/stock daily.
 
I have 2g that is an auto I drive my car on the daily bases. My engine is 2.3 l 10.5:1 Cr & tuned @ 42 psi (one tune only 94 Oct + meth injection) & I have never broken anything in my transmission , no broken axles or t case except routine clutches change . I have cheeped tcu that gives me full line pressure @ 70% TPS & shifts @ 8.2 k & I also have shift box that is set to shift @ 8.5k I rev to 9.5k . Of course my center diff is welded . How many of you are dd cars at that boost level ? Yes I'm little scared for my transfer gears, but so far so good ( same transmission for past 5 years ) And trust me I have lots of fun on the streets with my automatic @ 42 psi haha .
 
It's like the launch control in the new 911's/GTR's.

You push a button to go fast. Yes, it's fast, but it's not you at all.

Guess I'll just have to settle with the knowledge that I built, tuned, tweaked, and made the car into everything it is and just didn't manually engage one gear into the next. Somehow I think I'll survive. ;) :p



I do find it hilarious though, most of the guys harping on how pure it is to drive the car when it's a manual and the same people saying that "its not you" are the same guys who won't touch a laptop to tune their own car and pay someone else to do it for them. Just ironic to me.
 
Clearly each side has their own arguments. Everyone has covered that from top to bottom. Automatics simply aren't as "fun" as a manual gear box.

What is boils down to is whichever you prefer. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. 5-speeds can be hard on parts and costly. Automatics lack the feeling of being truly in control of the car.

It gets a bit foggy when you consider the use of the vehicle and which you'd prefer. For some, driving an automatic sports car may not be as fun as slapping gears in an econo-box. Potato vs. Potato.

Preference aside, arguments for which can sustain power aside, when you begin to open up to the option of an automatic, you begin to realize a few of the benefits. Being in less control of the RPM means focus can be placed else were. Eliminating the driver from the equation can allow you to focus on fine tuning the vehicle to it's maximum performance on the drag strip. Disregarding a gear change can allow for proper corner entry and exit. For daily driving activity, a 5-speed is a great way to be involved in your commute, but heaven forbid you get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic with a stiff clutch.

I own both. I have a very simply 1GA 5-speed FWD which allows me to plow through gears and get my kicks of feeling in control of the vehicle. I also own a 2gb AWD which I've intentionally converted to an automatic in order to disconnect me, the driver, from my own inconsistencies and allow me to find the absolute peak performance the car can sustain.

Things got a bit hairy before I did the AWD and auto swap. I was a FWD 5-speed and really enjoyed it. I thought I'd appreciate some control, but I quickly realized that to put the car on the edge like I'd wanted [more], the auto was the way to go, consistently.

So, I grabbed a shift box, made my own paddle setup and have [almost] the best of both worlds.

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I also added some spray to make things interesting while maintaining streetability. I run the stock stall and with proper jetting will likely be able to launch this car well into the HX35s spooling RPM.

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The car is comfortable! I don't worry about shifting unless I want to. I don't get the feeling of driving a 5-speed, but that quickly is forgotten when fidgeting with the nitrous or getting well into boost.

I also have a Subaru Baja XT (think turbo WRX truck). It has a manumatic option. The shifting in this thing is extremely bland. Using a shift box is nothing like using a factory optioned manumatic. The shifts are extremely hard and very fast when under full line pressure.

*Disclaimer - the 2gb Talon Spyder currently has a hole in the block and will be getting a 2.3L stroker motor. The auto will stay.
 
I've driven my 1g manual 63k miles, driven a manual since I learned to drive. Recently got an an auto 97. Lovi'n it. Always under boost. It behaves well, downshifts nicely and does not hunt. With o/d off if behaves much like manual just much better. :):dsm::hellyeah::rocks::talon:ROFL
 
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I'm just turned off autos every time I hear a Honda with a 3" noob tube hanging off the rear belching everything it can out of its N/A 1.6L.. and then the auto kicks up a gear.


BBBBRAAAAAAAAAaaaasunnghhhrRRAAAAAAAAA

No thanks.
Granted, a turbo DSM sounds infinitely better but I think it's just tainted me.

I am a shifter, always will be. I would rather have a less powerful vehicle for sake of saving the internals because they can't handle the torque than just having a stomp-and-go. Something about complete control.. but I am also not a 1/4 mile afficianado.
 
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I have both. The white car in my avatar is a 90 AWD 5-speed and the green car is a 91 AWD auto.

They both have they're pros and cons. If you're mainly drag racing, auto is the only way to go. You're going to be faster than a manual and probably break less often.

If you're autocrossing or driving around curvy roads for fun, 5-speed is the way to go.
 
manual.

its a little like the 2-stroke vs 4-stroke argument in motocross. some people prefer 2-stroke but are actually slower. however anyone can make a 4-stroke look good. the difference is the 1-2% of people that can actually OWN on a 2-stroke.

just like auto vs manual they have places where they work better. but saying a auto will be faster in a drag is utter crap. an auto WILL BE MORE CONSISTENT in drag racing.

a manual can do better in auto-x because you can hold a gear instead of the auto doing its thing. but why not use an manual shift box on the auto tranny for auto-x? then you dont have the worry of missed gears and you can hold a gear when needed.

is one way BETTER? even when people quote facts with time slips its all based on a person behind the wheel. all that it proves is what THAT PERSON can get a better time with.
 
Someone needs to start a poll. I'm curious what the general community leans tword as a whole

If a pole is made, perhaps instead of just a general consensus, application may be a factor to consider as well.
 
I have driven all Manuals ..... but If I get the chance I will drive the $hlT out of a auto. I have found a 97 Jade green auto awd talon but I would have to sell this 92 or wait a little bit and hope it is still around .....
 
I drive a manual as well and love it. Just what I prefer although I have never driven in a built auto either. I didn't see anything about NLTS in here though, way different than letting off the gas every shift. On most street turbos I would think its easy to stay in boost after every shift, I know it is on my 16G.
 
I drive a manual as well and love it. Just what I prefer although I have never driven in a built auto either. I didn't see anything about NLTS in here though, way different than letting off the gas every shift. On most street turbos I would think its easy to stay in boost after every shift, I know it is on my 16G.
It gets tougher at the 35r level and up with no NLTS, standard gear banging
 
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at stock levels the manual is wayyyy more fun. the autos feel gutless in comparison and just ruins the car. im sure the auto is way better for consistent drag times and reliability for those high power cars
 
i personally just went auto and was faced with the same question about fun to drive let me tell you an auto is fun to drive i noticed a quicker spool when cruising and the never losing boost is bad ass
 
5spd cars are faster, period. 5spd cars ET better.......... Auto's are more consistent and easier to drive once they are setup. Pick your poison, but they're features and benifits to each setup.

Meh, the fastest 4g63t is an auto. There's a reason the fastest drag cars in the world are autos. With the right converter and gearing they will ETs better. Torque multiplication at launch and near instant shifts more than make up for drivetrain loss. For drag racing, using DSM transmissions, the auto wins. When you get into dogboxes, that's a different beast. Platform permitting I'd still take a glide over a dogbox.
 
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