Automatic v Stick Shift Vehicles

[geared]

"Stick shift"

 

It sounds horrible! .... Please no!

 

Manual or automatic

 

You'll be talking about wanting to do a service on the tranny next!!

 

My sway bars need replacing

I can't get into my trunk

There's a scratch on my hood

I've had a fender bender

[mjw47]

 

Always amuses me when people talk about 'driving pleasure'. Almost invariably they are people who have not had to do any serious driving.

 

Nothing wrong with that, and if you still enjoy driving, good for you.

 

 

You guys conveniently forgot about that last sentence.

 

As I say if you enjoy it good luck to you, I was simply describing my feeling on the matter.

 

In fact I have never particularly taken pleasure in driving, on the other hand it has never bothered me much either.

 

Once a year my wife and I visit my mothers family in Ireland, occasionally we fly and hire a car, but usually drive and take the ferry.

 

During that trip I will drive over 1,000 miles in eight days, not a problem.

 

As for enjoying control I have never felt out of control in an automatic.

 

The Saab 93 had four different methods of changing gear, automatic which included a sports mode in addition to drive, manual by moving it into the 'gate', thumb paddles on the steering wheel and cruise control.

The cruise control could be adjusted in increments of one mile an hour up or down simply by twisting a button on the stalk.

 

What more 'control' do you want?

 

Other than to show curious passengers how they worked, I only ever used 'drive' or occasionally 'sport'.

 

As for comfort, I have driven many types of cars including BMW, Audi, Volvo, Ford,Vauxhall, Peugeot, Rover, Lancia, Hillman Hunter and some I've probably forgot.

 

For comfort nothing touched the Saab's, both my wife and I suffer with bad backs on occasion but I could drive to Devon without stopping and get out of the Saab and walk upright with no 'twinges'.

 

Shame they went out of business basically because of an instance by their technical staff on over engineering everything.

[Danny_Boy]

I have driven over 1,250,000 miles to date. For many years I worked in jobs where I regularly drove 45,000 to 55,000 miles a year.

 

Driving was not my job, the mileage was accrued simply in order to get me to where I needed to be in order to do the job I was paid for.

 

This tends to impact on your enjoyment of driving.

 

I drove manuals up until 1998, when I bought a brand new Saab 95 automatic.

 

Had that until 2003 when I bought a new Saab 93 automatic.

 

Retired and realised my mileage was now less than 6,000 a year and I was driving around in a constant turbo 197 brake horsepower car which was returning about 18 miles to the gallon.

 

Changed it for a Polo 1.4 DSG automatic.

 

Always amuses me when people talk about 'driving pleasure'. Almost invariably they are people who have not had to do any serious driving.

 

Nothing wrong with that, and if you still enjoy driving, good for you.

 

But my view is that anyone who wants to fart about with changing gear and clutch control is welcome.

 

Give me automatic every day. The DSG is a seven gear automatic which has a double clutch and preselects the next gear.

 

It cannot be beaten manually, and is both quicker and more fuel effective than the manual equivalent, not at the same time of course, one or the other you choose.

 

I am in the process of ordering a new car (VW Golf) and I am torn between Manual and DSG. I enjoy driving but the salesman is strongly recommending the DSG box and it does return better MPG and 0-62MPH figures but it's a nearly £1500 added extra and I am not sure if said salesman is just trying to make more money having only ever driven manuals. I assume the DSG box will aid resale value as well.

 

I believe with the DSG it also has "flappy paddles" for manual override.

[tzijlstra]

I am in the process of ordering a new car (VW Golf) and I am torn between Manual and DSG. I enjoy driving but the salesman is strongly recommending the DSG box and it does return better MPG and 0-62MPH figures but it's a nearly £1500 added extra and I am not sure if said salesman is just trying to make more money having only ever driven manuals. I assume the DSG box will aid resale value as well.

 

I believe with the DSG it also has "flappy paddles" for manual override.

 

It won't actually add that much in resale value, although it differs per car. I would happily recommend it though, the ease of use is just such a big boon. But if you never felt annoyed with changing gears in traffic than there is really no reason to, all down to your experiences! Why not testdrive the DSG and see if it suits you? Try it in some traffic to experience the real difference.

[Danny_Boy]

Thanks for the reply. The car I am ordering is the Golf R and non of the local dealers have one in stock for test drive purposes. I took out an older model of the R with DSG and I was impressed although I very nearly put my head through the windscreen with a bit of accidental left foot braking haha. My Dad has an auto box in his Lexus and loves it and I have only heard good things about DSG but it's all new to me as I have only driven manuals. I think to be honest I will go for the DSG but I am torn mainly because of the additional cost.

[willman]

I quoted stick shift as that is a more widely used term than manual gears.

 

In America perhaps - i've never heard anyone selling a stick shift car.

[mjw47]

I am in the process of ordering a new car (VW Golf) and I am torn between Manual and DSG. I enjoy driving but the salesman is strongly recommending the DSG box and it does return better MPG and 0-62MPH figures but it's a nearly £1500 added extra and I am not sure if said salesman is just trying to make more money having only ever driven manuals. I assume the DSG box will aid resale value as well.

 

I believe with the DSG it also has "flappy paddles" for manual override.

 

Well I'm sold on automatics and I have to say the DSG box is absolutely brilliant.

 

It changes gear in less than a tenth of a second and the only way that you are aware is the change in engine tone.

 

You do need to test drive one though, their not cheap and you need to be happy with the decision.

 

Thing you should also consider is that automatics are invariably dearer and most people once they change to one do not want to go back to fannying about with a manual.

 

If you do a lot of driving in town in traffic then auto every time. If you are mainly on the motorway then not so important.

 

Let us know your decision.

[Danny_Boy]

Well I'm sold on automatics and I have to say the DSG box is absolutely brilliant.

 

It changes gear in less than a tenth of a second and the only way that you are aware is the change in engine tone.

 

You do need to test drive one though, their not cheap and you need to be happy with the decision.

 

Thing you should also consider is that automatics are invariably dearer and most people once they change to one do not want to go back to fannying about with a manual.

 

If you do a lot of driving in town in traffic then auto every time. If you are mainly on the motorway then not so important.

 

Let us know your decision.

 

My driving is mixed to be honest I commute to Barnsley 4 days a week which is motorway but the rest is A and B roads in moderate traffic (I hardly ever drive in rush hour). The car is a quick car and the DSG makes it even quicker but more importantly it improves the MPG figures.

 

I will do yeah and thanks for the info.

[geared]

Whats cost of having the DSG bits fixed/replaced??

They're dual clutch aren't they, do those clutch plates ever wear out and need replacing??

 

I can't see the need for them on public roads, on a racetrack maybe.

If people really find pushing clutches and changing gears so hard they'd drive automatics surely??

[Danny_Boy]

Whats cost of having the DSG bits fixed/replaced??

They're dual clutch aren't they, do those clutch plates ever wear out and need replacing??

 

I can't see the need for them on public roads, on a racetrack maybe.

If people really find pushing clutches and changing gears so hard they'd drive automatics surely??

 

I think it gives you the best of both Geared, you can drive in traffic in auto but if you want to give it the beans or overtake you can manually override with the "flappy paddles".

 

Would certainly be interested in answers to the question you pose regarding the costs of replacement parts for the DSG though as this could have a big impact on my decision.