auto vs. manual: is it really THAT serious?

[chefbrown12014]

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.

 

[black97spyder]

An automatic dsm will always be faster than an equally modded 5 speed. The automatic's hold a TON more power stock than a 5 speed ever thought about. 5 speeds have broke a near stock power levels while a stock auto with shift box has held 600+ all day long. Ive drove both and i personally think the auto dsm's are ALOT more fun to drive. Especially on the street. No shifting and waiting on your turbo to come back in, just spool up once and go.

I drive my built 2g auto with precision 5k stall on the street. Shift it manually every shift with my forced four shiftbox plus, and outrun crochrockets all day long. Even my stock motor, stock auto trans spyder gst on e85 with a 16g at 26psi would outrun gsxr 600's... both auto cars. Both shifted manually every shift to keep the car fun to drive and from bogging down.

The auto is no joke. About $300 in stuff to make a stock auto hold all the power you could ever want.

 

[chefbrown12014]

Ok....so if i buy auto... Worry free tranny... But bored to tears driving it...

If i buy stick... Fun drive... Will have to deal with crankwalk...clutch replacing... And upgrades if i go more power.

Right?

 

[Joan]

Auto shift faster and your turbo stays spooled but it won't let you pick up your rpms as high so technically you never feel the full potential of then engine with auto. Overall auto is probably faster but not as fun.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

I'm in the same boat as you op.... Auto will be faster but I'm not switching... Probablu ever.... Devin and the red demon are still 5 speed... So fuq it

 

[Brentenorris]

I've noticed the auto surge also. Plus I just bought a 1ga fwd auto. It was to good a deal to pass though just needed tcu still don't have one but kiggly shift mod for now.

 

[Nate355RS]

I went auto because I got tired of replacing axles, clutches, flywheels, transmissions, transfercases, and losing.

 

[foxracing4500]

Does shifting gears make you feel more like a man? I rub it in peoples face when they get beat by my automatic dsm.

 

[Arthmael]

i ran my biddies identical car to mine aside from his is a 5 speed and i have a cat back and he does not other then that, same year same model and i kicked his ass, he said after how the f*** did an auto beat me ! was a blast too, with out the need to shift you can focus more on cornering and just everything , dont get me wrong i love sticks and if i had the choice i would have gotten a stick

 

[b00stedtalon2]

Manual was cool, but i'm finding a fast auto so much more fun.

 

[chefbrown12014]

Does it make me feel more like a man? Thats not it. When driving auto i feel like im just sitting there stomping a pedal. Only feedback i get is from the seat and the steering wheel....maybe the brakes....

With stick, thats two more surfaces giving feedback. Plus theres more to driving than just sitting there. Also, when i crush some clown, I BEAT THEM, not simpltly stomping some pedal and ing.

Ill just know to look out for auto DSMs. Lucky for me there isnt many DSMs at all in the Antioch/pittsburg area.

 

[Nate355RS]

I know maybe one person who can't drive a stick. It's not some incredible skill to shift, it just makes you feel like you have skill. 1320 Viper driver mod excluded.

 

[Kapok6]

The auto is no joke. About $300 in stuff to make a stock auto hold all the power you could ever want.

I'd have to contest this. I have owned both. I like both for different reasons. The auto may hold, or have the potential to hold more power, but they are certainly not invincible. 4 teeth on my planetary decided they no longer wanted to stay where they belonged. No other contributing factors to the failure were found by the builder I had rebuild it. Car was seeing 30psi from a 59lb/min turbo, so if I had to guess, a little under 600hp at the crank. The car had been down the track twice. 128 trap, and 130.75 trap. So it's not like the car was at the track every weekend getting pounded on. 90% of my races were roll races. After 12yrs or so in the DSM game I am convinced everything Can and Will break. The point at which that is reached though is different for everyone. Jim Bob's stock auto may last longer than my stock auto at the same power levels. It may not last anywhere near as long. It's a coin toss.

That being said, I did seem to have fewer issues than my 5spd friend who was making similar or maybe just a little less power. He had some tricks done to his trans as well and had a lot more issues than I did.

I will say this though, shift kit and a chip from dave, blue wire mod, and/or a forced 4 shift box...and it shifts FAST and will NOT lose boost.

 

[Marchev]

Very controversial topic, people's opinions are based on what they have. To the op, get whatever will make it more enjoyable for you. After all this is supposed to be fun. Both have pros and cons yet neither is "bad".

 

[turbolover10]

I personally have a manual and don't see myself changing unless I go all out with the build. With that being said I think it's hard to argue that auto isn't faster and more reliable at these higher power levels we try to achieve. I think a lot depends on your overall goals for the car, just like everything else. You can read about blown t-cases, broken axles, stripped gears all day with a Manual Dsm pushing its limits. I remember reading somewhere that anything over 400hp in a manual Dsm you will begin pushing its limits. They just where not designed for that type of power. Then again there is always a dogbox if you decide to get crazy.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I personally have a manual and don't see myself changing unless I go all out with the build. With that being said I think it's hard to argue that auto isn't faster and more reliable at these higher power levels we try to achieve. I think a lot depends on your overall goals for the car, just like everything else. You can read about blown t-cases, broken axles, stripped gears all day with a Manual Dsm pushing its limits. I remember reading somewhere that anything over 400hp in a manual Dsm you will begin pushing its limits. They just where not designed for that type of power. Then again there is always a dogbox if you decide to get crazy.

Usually over 400 ft lbs of torque when things start to give and then yep, its dogbox time, and I'm awful close and already have a hurt third gear in 2500 miles on my 5 speed after a rebuild

 

[curt-s]

@ crankwalk reference made earlier

 

[91stocker]

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Enough said haha

 

[oneslowwdsm]

@ people loosing boost between shifts. Granny shifting not double clutching like you should. Auto makes more sense in a DSM. Very little low end torque with a stiff clutch in traffic can suck sometimes, however, auto is too numb. Nothing beats shifting yourself at 7500RPM+, it's a great feeling.

 

[CrackedDSM]

It all depends. Coming from a diehard Auto guy, I concur with what @Kapok6 said. Autos will start to crack and break the transfer gears, and will bust the center diff if not welded on mild setups, as well as other problems. They seem to fail less often than their 5-speed counterparts, also it's much..much cheaper and easier to rebuild them. However once you rebuild a manual once or twice, it's not that hard to do it, just gets tedious trying to find parts for it because they're constantly being discontinued, and the stock that's left is dwindling.

Basically, comes down to what you prefer. You're going to have to pay to play, to go fast either way, there is no free lunch or magic solution that'll make 9's cost $1500 and a cheeseburger. So pick what you prefer, and understand that either choice is going to break on you, multiple times. Accept this, and if it doesn't happen, hey...you're wrong in a good way. Better than thinking "this is invincible" and it grenading on the highway when you're trying to get infront of some putz in his lifted diesel.


As far as my opinion, I have found myself loving driving a 5-speed DSM if it's a softer clutch and under 400 tq. But an auto, kiggly modded, and full line pressure with a ratchet shifter is just as fun, especially over 300-400 tq. If you get in an auto that's properly setup with over 400 tq, and you're banging the shifter up feeling the car just haul ass and that's boring to you...shifting manually yourself isn't going to help. That or you're so sexually attracted to Males you need to constantly stroke a shaft to feel any excitement.

 

[bastarddsm]

Yeah auto's hold tons of power....Tell that to all the guys who have shred transfer gears. There's some guys that put impressive power though them, but there's also some guys that do impressive shit with a synchro 5 speed.

Remember Shep more than a decade ago going mid 8's at 165 on a synchro 5 speed with a act3200 and street disc? He was lifting to shift like that too..

Auto's go faster.. Yeah it's easier to get an auto down the track, but it's not a given. Do some digging and you'll see that there are quite a few 5 speed dsm's that have as good trap/et as the autos do.

Do some more digging and I think you'll find that an equivalently setup 5speed and auto dsm will et similarly, only the auto will have a lot less trap speed.

It's to each his own. I like jamming gears. auto's belong in bracket cars imho. If I wanted a bracket car I'd have one.

 

[bastarddsm]

Oh geeze I forgot about sean glazer,15yrs ago 8's at 150 with a 5 speed and a puck disc. he broke a lot of shit doing it, but not may auto's run in the 8's at as low of a trap speed as he did.

 

[familyMAN]

Just a technicality to clear up...auto's typically go quicker, not faster.

Whatever floats your boat. Plenty of room for everyone's flavor of water.

 

[chefbrown12014]

Granny shifting not double clutching like you should.

Either Vin's writers forgot how to torretto...
...or Dom forgot how to DSM...

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

@ people loosing boost between shifts. Granny shifting not double clutching like you should.

How is double clutching faster? I think a lot of people misunderstand what that technique is for. Anyways....

The thing is that the W5M33 is quite awful. Its notchy and rough and doesn't have the best shifter feel and it breaks at highish power levels. The novelty wears off when you realize how crappy it is. And even more when you have to start replacing all kinds of components. Meanwhile the stock auto will be faster and stronger. The auto lets you launch without as high of a risk of breaking the tcase and rear end of other drivetrain parts. You can put a ratchet shifter in and change all the gears you want. 5 speed is the way to go if you go dogbox otherwise auto FTW every time. With a big turbo and no boost loss between shifts, and missing a gear (only 4 speed) and having longer gears, you really get to take advantage of the boost.

We need to find a way to adapt the DSG off of a Golf R or something. That would rock. Those transmissions are really incredible if you've had the chance to drive one. COMPLETE control over what the box is doing but no missed shifts or power loss. Its the best of both worlds.