Automatic or Manual (driving poll)

[Solly]

Manual.

I dunno..is it even possible to wheelspin in an automatic? How?

[Dis]

wheelspin in automatic? It's easy. Long as you have enough power and not too much weight on the wheels that power the vehicle.

It's super easy to do in front wheel drive saturns. And they probably have less than 100 HP

[Roman]

I learned on manual (so that's what I put down). Unfortunately we don't have a car, so I don't drive anything.

Anyway, automatic is preferable.

[Dauphin]

Manuals are way better, you get much better acceleration and control.

Even with an automatic I have a tendency to leave my hand on the gearstick, force of habit - if I don't have my hand there I feel out of control of the vehicle.

and after being stuck more than once on the freeway in 2-3 hour traffic jams with my clutch leg about ready to fall off, I vowed to get an automatic on my next car

I tend to use the handbrake, and stick it in neutral.

[drake]

handbrake??

One shouldnt need clutch at all in a traffic jam....use the clutch to regulate speed and in need of a stop, drop into neutral and use brake. Give foot rest. When ready to move again, just put back into 1st. Sounds easy enough to me!

[Eroberer]

You can also spin the wheels on an automatic by something that I think is called brake-torquing. You hold the brake in and press the accelerator until the car starts to kind of budge and twitch, then let off the brake and slam in the gas simultaneously for best affect. It works even on SUV's and minivans.

[Garth Vader]

I have no problem spinning the wheels in my automatic. It's called winter, and we just got a crapload of it in the past week

[Wraith]

Manual. I learned to drive up the Rocky Mountains, and that gives you a very good appreciation for the difference between the two.

It's also quite nice for city driving. I don't know about anyone else, but I love the extra control a manual gives, even in the city. It helps that I've got a nice little Honda Civic EX, and the red-line on them is rather high When playing dodge-traffic with the kamikaze drivers on the interstate it comes in very handy to be able to downshift and accelerate 30 mph in a couple seconds.

Wraith
WARNING! Driver only carries $20.00 in ammunition

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Wraith
Manual. I learned to drive up the Rocky Mountains, and that gives you a very good appreciation for the difference between the two.

Reminds me of a story.

After much driving around in the Rockies, Yellowstone park etc... a friend of mine got into a conversation with some other tourist who had been following us for much of the way.

He said "I think your taillight is shot out, it hardly ever works".

My friends reply "No, I just use second gear as a brake".


That is one good thing about manuals, going downhill is a lot safer.

[Kyle]

Automatic. That last thing I want to worry about coming home during rush hour on the Washington Beltway or Bay Bridge, is shifting gears.


I just want the thing to get me where I'm going, I don't want to be 'one with the car.'

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison


That's called stalling Sloww, try using the clutch

I am quite used to driving a manual, quite like it actually, although autos are easy enough. I don't see any real need.

No crap, Provost? Wow! Thanks for the pearls of wisdom.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'm with Kyle. Who cares about feeling more of a connection with the car? Just get me somewhere. And I'd feel safer if some people I drove with were able to keep both hands on the steering wheel 90% of the time .

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Big Crunch


Reminds me of a story.

After much driving around in the Rockies, Yellowstone park etc... a friend of mine got into a conversation with some other tourist who had been following us for much of the way.

He said "I think your taillight is shot out, it hardly ever works".

My friends reply "No, I just use second gear as a brake".


That is one good thing about manuals, going downhill is a lot safer.

*Looks at auto tranny on truck*

*Notes the '2' and the '1' next to the 'D'*

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Eroberer
You can also spin the wheels on an automatic by something that I think is called brake-torquing. You hold the brake in and press the accelerator until the car starts to kind of budge and twitch, then let off the brake and slam in the gas simultaneously for best affect. It works even on SUV's and minivans.

Yep, that's a trick (preferably without wheelspin) used by drag racers with automatics to get a better jump at the start.

[Saras]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Who cares about feeling more of a connection with the car? Just get me somewhere.

That's what happens to people who don't drive German cars