Anyone Bought A Manual and Wish They'd Gone Auto?

[LeeZ4MR]

If I want to flick paddles I can put my playstation on, I accept I am old fashioned & live in the dark ages but a manual gearbox is rewarding in my eyes & you are rewarded for the effort you put in if you get your changes right & I find that satisfying, I don't get much pleasure from flicking a paddle though.

It will always be personal preference imo & both have their place in certain situations/applications.

oh I agree.... just not as clean cut as people try to suggest... ESP on the old and can't drive nonsense....what a load of bollox

nothing better than setting a car/bike right for a nice sweeping corner.... but sometimes nothing better than sticking the big sledgehammer into Drive and letting it do the work...

as I said, just depends on the vehicle, and what it's being used for...

I couldn't imagine my bike being an auto for example....

Yes you are right it just depends on the vehicle I couldn't imagine wanting a nice supple cruise machine like a 7 series mated to a manual gearbox that car would suit a slushbox without a doubt.

I just have always associated autos being a lazy option & that's where I get the old drivers from as they can't be arsed to Pratt about changing gear themselves, but if you were driving & commuting 30k plus miles a year you would be mad to go manual, autos certainly have a place.

 

[Adamski]

Love my manual. Prefer the control over the clutch.

Full auto - would never buy.

Semi auto DCT or maybe SMG, I'd love to try.


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[DrNick]

My next car I intend to be an auto, but it wont be a Zed.

Modern autos are incomparable to the torque converters of old.

 

[ronk]

Modern autos are incomparable to the torque converters of old.

The old Borg Warner 3speed

 

[cj10jeeper]

Modern autos are incomparable to the torque converters of old.

The old Borg Warner 3speed

Don't laugh - I have a 3 speed TH350 fastened behind a 400hp small block Chevy on one of my Jeeps. Makes for exciting changes when you spin it up...

Probably closer to what some people still perceive autos to be like

 

[ronk]

I think the 400 bhp might help smooth the ratio gaps!

 

[RJS-Z4]

I yearn for an auto when I'm in 5 hours in traffic, but give me 20 minutes of twisty's and I remember myself again. I'm a manual man through and through.

 

[cj10jeeper]

I think the 400 bhp might help smooth the ratio gaps!

Nope - nearly breaks your nect when it changes.
Advantage though is in low ratio with the auto and an effective 160:1 crawl ratio plus V8 torque climbing cliff faces is a pushover.

 

[Zeld4]

I love the manual box on my coupe, it feels precise and quick and the stick is in a perfect position.
I would find an auto in a car like this less involving and tactile.
I even love driving it round town, making silky smooth changes and rev matching as I change gear gives you something to do. I reckon on a good day I'm as smooth as an automatic

 

[mason storm]

Not regretted it for a second, I had to buy my z online as none of my local stealers had a manual coupe.

The change from first to second is a bit notchy at low speed but other than that I love it, that said I get the train to work I wouldn't want to drive it every day in rush hour traffic

 

[ronk]

You don't hear of many F1 cars with a manual box these days

 

[LeeZ4MR]

You don't hear of many F1 cars with a manual box these days

But I bet they were more exciting to drive in the old days...a little less predictable & maybe more of a challenge.

 

[ranski]

You don't hear of many F1 cars with a manual box these days

But I bet they were more exciting to drive in the old days...a little less predictable & maybe more of a challenge.

Then why are all you boys driving a BMW with all the driving aids at hand?

Better get it chopped for a caterham!

 

[LeeZ4MR]

You don't hear of many F1 cars with a manual box these days

But I bet they were more exciting to drive in the old days...a little less predictable & maybe more of a challenge.

Then why are all you boys driving a BMW with all the driving aids at hand?

Better get it chopped for a caterham!

That's why I found my Z4M/M3 a little too nanny state & I never drove them with the traction on anyway...my TVR was where the real fun was though who needs airbags/ABS or traction anyway if you know how to drive you shouldn't need any help!

In truth that's why I only liked/like my Z4M/M3 but I loved my TVR as it was interesting & unpredictable... M cars are soft imo in comparision...but they work when you need them to which helps!

 

[pvr]

I guess that is why I ended up with so many cars as they all have their own characteristic

 

[LeeZ4MR]

You don't hear of many F1 cars with a manual box these days

But I bet they were more exciting to drive in the old days...a little less predictable & maybe more of a challenge.

Then why are all you boys driving a BMW with all the driving aids at hand?

Better get it chopped for a caterham!

My father in law has a Caterham not a massively quick one but I thoroughly enjoyed the quick drive I had in his on the road & I bet it would be a hoot on a track, I enjoyed the intimate cockpit & tiny steering wheel & my ears were ringing from the exhaust aswell when I got out.

I wouldn't say no to a R500 that's a fact!

 

[ben g]

Never owned an auto but I can see the advantages of having one.

Drove a ferrari f430 scuderia with paddles on a track and loved it. The changes were instant. The year after I drove an aston martin v8 vantage, again with paddles and the gearchanges were very slow in comparison.

Sometimes a manual gearchange with a stick is just hard work, especially if you mess it up. But then I bet driving down a country lane with a full auto would feel very odd to me. I'd be reaching for something that isn't there.