Manual vs. Automatic

In my car at least (1999), the manual is actually more fuel efficient than an automatic. Also, if my battery fucks out I can just pop-start it real quick by getting it rolling.
In a manual, you can also change up your driving style more easily. You can do long, easy clutches for smoothness; you can dump it for speed. You can leave the car in neutral a lot to save on gas and engine wear; you can leave it in gear and engine brake to save your brakes/clutch. For example, my car decided it wanted to stall instead of idle, so I balanced my clutch and gas pedal to keep the RPMs up and stay still. Probably wore my clutch down a bit but at least I didn't kill my car in the middle of traffic.
Mod wise, your optimal shifting points may change if you upgrade your engine. If the stock shifting point is 5k because that's the top of your torque curve but you upgrade your engine to have a 7k shift point the automatic just doesn't automatically pick up on that (gotta tweak the ECU and stuff). Versus a manual you can just delay your shift.
Plus manuals are less likely to be stolen.

>Nowadays the price difference has become negligible
1k-2k is not "negligible"

>Four working limbs
>One working brain
>Want to control throttle response
Manual

>One hand occupied by cell phone
>Brain working to calm children in the back
>Want to suggest how fast card should go instead of be in direct control
Automatic

I've noticed that on some automatic cars theres a manual mode. Is there a mechanical benefit rather than just a control one?

It's a gimmick that nobody uses. Just there to charge you more money.

No. People spouting ignorant garbage that hasn't been true since the 1980s makes people pissy.(i.e. power loss and shit).
In 2017 manual is cheaper and more fun. That's it's advantages. Cheaper to replace. But taken care of properly both should last multiple hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

Basically this. It's useful for preempting a kickdown if you're about to accelerate but when accelerating the computer that controls modern automatics will always make better shifting decisions than you.

Wait, I'm the only one that uses the semi shift in my auto?
>Unrelated
In terms of preference, manual, I'm a control and mechanical linkage butthurt

If you're at the track trying to get better numbers or you wanted a manual but couldn't get one or it just makes you feel cool, then it has benefit over a manual. Or if you're missing a leg or something like that.

These days it really comes down to some question of practicality (e.g. cost or preferring a a torque converter for towing) and whatever you personally enjoy more (e.g. traffic all day vs. loving to throw gears around using all 4 limbs)

Also don't most automatics have taller reverse gears? So if you like going backwards really fast automatic is the only way.

manuals give you complete control over the gears, have less parasitic losses, and get better fuel economy depending on the auto transmission.

automatics shift gears for you. that's it. if its faster or not all depends on the type of auto. if its your standard torque converter, manual is faster shifting. if its a DCT though it'll shift quicker than any person.

If you really gotta go fast backwards, the key is a car with a 2 stroke engine that you can run backward and a manual.

I'm sorry for my post, the first reply in this thread. We literally have several of these a day, devolving into complete garbage. Anons have been awesome this thread for a change.

You decide what RPMS you shift at. You can accelerate faster or slower depending on what you do, automatic shifts at the set RMP, no more, no less.

You can't clutch kick to do skids if you have an automatic.

It makes sense if you're a professional racer, the ability to decide what gear to be in when you want it. Also many cars had much better manual transmissions than automatic in the past, on modern cars this is merely a matter of preference. The rest is just people on this board who want boiracer cred.

I don't want boiracer cred. I just find autos boring especially when they don't do what I want or can't even maintain a constant speed. Whereas I find manuals FUN and it always does what I want.

Read his whole post. On modern cars it is a matter of preference.

Automatic is consistent, and a snappy auto gearbox can make a fast car easya nd fun to drive. Traffic jams do not require you to breakdance on all pedals.
Manual allows you to have more control on demand if you master it.

...

>That feel when rev match downshifting to overtake someone in front of me and they switch lanes to get out of my way

>I've seen the mechanical differences and how they both work but I still dont understand the benefits of one or the other.

Your use case. Don't listen to these dumb busriders about how UR NOT A REEL MAN IF U DON'T USE A MANUAL NO MATTER WHAT!!! Because automatics do have a good edge over manuals in some cases.

Hilly areas: Automatic. They are ostensibly better at hillstarts, with zero chance of rollback unless you're actually brain-dead or something goes really wrong. While you can do just fine with a manual, even a 99.9% chance of success still leaves room for failure.

Snow: Manual. A manual can keep you in the correct powerband and prevent slippage. Automatics (especially those without manual ode) need to be finangled to not slip.

Highway: Personal preference. Either works just fine on the open road.

City: depends. Autos take up more MPG in some cars, and manuals can distract you (especially if you lack experience with them.)

Manuals are cheaper and more reliable, but autos are more accessible and let you focus a bit more on the road. Autos can shift faster in some cases but manuals can offer better feedback as well. (Not all though. Some can be obtuse, difficult shits.)

In essence, if you often find yourself in situations where you need to worry about how quick you can get in gear and get going, get an auto. If you'll be sharing your car often, get an auto. If those don't apply, a manual is often the better choice but you can still get an auto if you want, because they're just fine.

>better at hillstarts, with zero chance of rollback
Stopped reading right there. You've never rolled backward in an auto?

If you're rolling backwards on a hill in an automatic car, the car is either broken or you're asleep at the wheel.

>he has never driven US autos before

manual is for people who want to have fun
auto is for people who want to get salty about not having a manual

post discarted
all thi analysis is a benchracer bullshit
MUH HILLSTARTS MUH 0.0001% OF FAILURE IS STILL FAILURE
MUH IF NOT BEST ITS WORST

fuck you

>Hilly areas: Automatic. They are ostensibly better at hillstarts
kek
You can hillstart a manual with zero rollback no problems at all.
All you need is a degree of coordination greater than a wet noodle.

it's literally impossible to rollback on an incline with a diesel manual unless you absolutely don't how to drive

Or a CVT. My friend had an old Subaru automatic and it went as fast on revese also.

Hey dumbasses, where did I say manuals were bad at hillstarts? Did I? I didn't.

I'm fully aware you can do just fine with a manual (as I said originally, you would know this if you read the damn post), but that doesn't change the fact that autos are still better at it.

Not once. Had a few tense moments before but it always got itself going.

Either way you guys are retards for not even reading the TLDR version where I point out that there's really only a few situations where autos have any distinct advantage over manuals (beyond the obvious ease of use) and that in most situations a manual is probably the better choice.

Manual for fun driving.

Automatic for commuting and driving because you need to.

Not really, you just control the shift points but it doesn't allow you any of the mechanical benefits of a manual. Actually it'll probably just make you slower and less fuel efficient, although it might keep you from doing that sudden downshift to a billion rpms bs when you just want to accelerate a little bit.

My daily driver is an automatic because I find myself frequently in stop-and-go traffic. It's just easier.