Prefer Auto. or Manual Transmission?

Just wanted to know how many of you prefer the auto. or manual transmission. Mine's auto. but I'd rather have the manual.

Voted for manual, but mine is an auto, because we are a 1 vehicle family, and my wife can drive a standard, but not very well, so for safety reasons, we bought an auto. She had a standard mustang and spun the rear end around a few times in the winter because she let the clutch out a little fast, or picked the wrong gear.

Standard is much better for winter driving as well. Nothing worse than driving up a slippery hill and having to slow down because you are scared the auto is going to kick down and spin the back tires out from under you if you get on the gas too hard.

Standards are typically more rugged and durable, and acceleration is way better as well. And they give you the feeling that you are actually driving the vehicle, not just along for the ride.

It don't do the trick if it ain't got the stick!

I prefer a stick for many reasons. I think driving is much more enjoyable when driving with an MTX. I have a friend who has the same year and model X as I do and I get about 30-40 more miles per tank of gas due to the MTX. I have only owned 2 vechicles in my life(I'm 33) that were automatic and I hated them both! I find myself hitting the brake looking for the clutch almost every time I drive an automatic. I guess it's just what your used to!

I Voted Manual

Although it is a pain in the tuckus in traffic, it is way more fun on the trails. And I personally have an automatic, but I bought mine used and it was the right price, so I settled. If I was buying new...I would buy a stick. No more autos for me!!

Re: I Voted Manual

Originally posted by Frisckey1
Although it is a pain in the tuckus in traffic, it is way more fun on the trails.

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You know, I hear people say that all the time. I personally would rather have the manual in traffic because I hate riding the brakes. I guess I've been driving a manual so long I don't have a problem pushing the clutch in and out like that! Besides, all you have to do is give the clutch a little nudge and you can coast for a few secs to INCH forward!

I voted manual, but my truck is an automatic. Try finding a used 95+ explorer that's manual and 4x4. . .It's nearly imposible.

STICK!

STICK'STICK'STICK'STICK The one reason I bought the Explorer is because of the STICK'STICK'STICK'STICK'STICK . I wanted something to haul, carry, tow, 4x4.... but my main concerne was STICK'STICK'STICK'STICK . Since there was no minivan with what I wanted.... Explorer appered in my path, it was hard to find (only had a choice of 2) and worth the price.

I'd have to say stick, in everything except maybe jag, or a bentley or something along those luxuries.

Depends on the situation.

I like the manual for street driving and most trail riding b/c out trucks are underpowered and the manual gives you more control of the power.

But the autos are easier to control on the rocks + you can get away w/ not regearing for a while.

But then again I have saved my a$$ quite a few times when I was about to roll over by just sticking in the clutch and bouncing back down the hill. If I had the auto I wouldn't have been able to do it in time.

am I the only one who likes automatic?
Here's my reasons, yes sticks are cool they help you control the power more. But overall on the different obstacles I've done and trails all the way from easy to hard, I can say that there have been many many times when I'm glad I had an automatic vs. when I wished I had a stick. Granted, I'm not the best stick shift driver in the world. perhaps if I were, my feelings would be different. There's just been so many times where I want to concentrate on just the obstacle, and don't want to have to worry about the foot slipping off the clutch and killing myself or something.
Many times while I've been out there I've seen where people have to shift halfway through an obstacle and it ends up screwing them up (or they stall it halfway through then have to worry about restarting when there halfway up the obstacle, ahem, brett and Ryan, LOL). Often if they aren't gracious in there restarts they'll end up tipping the vehicle into a rock or worse (ahem Ryan, LOL). Another situation I can think of is on black bear pass where we were having to do very tight turns around switchbacks with basically nothing there to stop us if we went over. It was nice knowing all I had to do was put it in reverse, let off the brake, and it would back up nice and slowly. With how nervous I got a few times I think with a clutch I couldn't have been as gracious about the manuevering.
The main reason though, was that I have a 30 mile commute to work each way every day from the south side of denver to north side of denver, hence I sit in a lot of traffic. i got sick of going 1st - 2nd - 3rd - slam on brakes - 1st - 2nd - 1st - 2nd - 3rd - 2nd - slam on brakes - 1st, etc.
It costs a bit more initially, and you'll pay more to have it serviced, but my vote is auto. plus I'm lazy .

Coming down hills is one spot where I can see the definite advantage of the manual... the 4-low is much lower. However, in my F-150 the low range is so low that if I stick it in first gear (yes its auto) and low range, I can descend a very steep decline without touching the brakes once.

I like to drive a stick too. As far as for rock crawling I owuld want an automatic, but for everything else, a stick is fine. My dad taught me how to drive one when I was 11 or 12, and me and him are the only ones in our family who can drive one. In my grandparents Chrysler LHS, its an auto but its on the floor, and that fine, but in something like say, a Mustang, I'd want the gears to work through. But for crawling I'd want an auto. I would like to have a 5spd. in the Xplorer though

I voted for mnual, generally speaking, but if you are getting an Explorer, then I guess I would recommend auto, because the Mazda is a POS

I had to vote for manual because currently i am on my fifth automatic transmission in my 95 explorer that has only 89000 miles on it.
Besides, the new super duty with diesel and 6 speed is the best truck setup since the ford inline six and four speed.

right on brother the mazda is a pos

yes, but the early X auto trannys fail a lot too.......

I'm with you, Matt. An auto's easier to drive while switching on all the lights. lol j/k Really, I like an auto because I tend to off-road a little faster than a lot of people. I'm always in control, but I like to keep both hands on the wheel at all times just in case.

auto vs manual

Manual all the way, no debate about it closer gear ratios equals less power loss shifting between gears, control on engine braking on the trails ,and better gas mileage, how could you go wrong with a big stick anyway.

EXPLORE ON

Auto all the way and proud of it

I have had 5 sticks and 4 autos. Autos should be required. Reasons why?

1) Driving a stick is great on remote, twisty mountainous roads, like in the commericals. I have yet to find one of those roads.

2) We all know most people cannot drive, why assume they can drive AND shift AND dial the cell AND pick thier nose AND read the paper AND yell at the kids in the back seat AND put on her makeup? Just another disrtaction from the road.

3) On my last 2 standards, I could usually shift effectively enough not to need the clutch for anything but reverse & first. But I do not believe I got better mileage than an auto.

4) I live in Massachusetts, I have one hand to flip people off, while the other steers to cut minivans off in the rotary. Without bioengeneering, I have no more hands to spare.

5) Why would I want POWER seats, POWER windows, POWER locks, POWER brakes, POWER steering, POWER radio antenna, but OH NO, let me shift this myself! What, next I should start the car by using the hand crank under the grille? Like anything else in life, the less I have to do the better.

If you all disagree, you can go to the post office and MAIL me a letter, cuz email is just too dang easy....

I'm with you on that one Kennedy. Except for the last point. Of course, that's only in certain vehicles. Like a BMW M3, for example. I'd want every single bell and whistle, but I'd still rather have a manual tranny. Same with something like a Porsche or an Aston Martin. But I guess that's one of those things where it just doesn't seem right to me not to have the stick. But for most anything else, I'd rather have an auto.