Manual or Auto

Vbstein

Member
I can't imagine driving an auto, I would feel like having less control or something.

What do you guys prefer Auto or Manual?
 
Manual everytime unless you do starship mileage, I have just swapped a manual M3 for a auto 330i & I miss the manual gearbox everytime I get in it & start it up...I hate autos & always will but appreciate the 330 is a steady eddie type of car so its not the end of the world.
 
Auto for me

Same for these guys:

drivers_abud_2010-1.jpg
 
auto with flappy paddles, the best of all worlds and no 'loss of control'....

as above, if it's good for f1 and other forms of Motorsport, it's good enough for me...
 
the cueball said:
auto with flappy paddles, the best of all worlds and no 'loss of control'....

as above, if it's good for f1 and other forms of Motorsport, it's good enough for me...

I'd disagree there (from personal experience) sure paddles retain control and benefit from faster gear changes, but the feeling of a H pattern shifter on some beautiful B roads, one can't compare.

Of course for a daily, a clutchless box may appear more desirable.
 
the cueball said:
auto with flappy paddles, the best of all worlds and no 'loss of control'....

as above, if it's good for f1 and other forms of Motorsport, it's good enough for me...
We have one car with auto & no paddles & one with a twin clutch & paddles & there isn't any control in either of them you just stick your foot down & hold on its as boring as hell to me, but as with anything its personal preference but for me nothing beats a clutch & gearstick for involvement & yes its slower but as in life the more you put in the more you get out that's how I see it.

Autos do make sense for a heavy commute but if you are out on a lovely country lane with the road to yourself I think you just cant beat cog swapping with a great manual gearbox. :driving:
 
What a great question. Don't think it's ever been asked before.....

This will make an interesting and fresh debate


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Adamski said:
What a great question. Don't think it's ever been asked before.....

This will make an interesting and fresh debate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Agree :thumbsup:

Just buy the one you prefer & enjoy it I think...just someone remind me not to buy an auto again as It was only a few years ago I bought my X5 & hated the auto in that & I still go & buy another auto!! :headbang:

I am officially a do nut! :cry:
 
Auto every time! I had a manual 3.0 E85 now Auto 3.0 E89

Every time somebody says "I like to be in control" I just wonder if they have ever missed a gear or thought that a lower cog might have been a better choice.
 
Ideally I would have a Manual. My last car was an Auto which was great but sometimes I'd of like a bit more control which even the steptronic box doesn't give. However the box in the 35is is amazing and if all autos were like that I'm sure it would be a much more popular choice.

Just to clarify by control I mean that even in manual the auto box doesn't like you doing certain things just like I don't like it having to go over 2000rpm to change which in town could take an eternity to reach so you end up doing 10mpg because the thing won't change!
 
Manual for me not had many autos though to be fair. I had a Fiat stilo arbarth witch had a paddles for a few months. I found it annoying to park and maneuver. That could be down to that particular car or my clumsiness?
 
LeeZ4MR said:
We have one car with auto & no paddles & one with a twin clutch & paddles & there isn't any control in either of them you just stick your foot down & hold on its as boring as hell to me, but as with anything its personal preference but for me nothing beats a clutch & gearstick for involvement & yes its slower but as in life the more you put in the more you get out that's how I see it.

Autos do make sense for a heavy commute but if you are out on a lovely country lane with the road to yourself I think you just cant beat cog swapping with a great manual gearbox. :driving:

well let's agree to disagree on what is and isn't control... ;-)

on the point of "control" I even turn my traction and stability controls off too, I wonder how many people do that on a daily basis...or does having the control not reach to nanny state safety devices.... lol :poke:

the problem for me, and this is obviously in my own experience, cars are slow anyway - even BMWs :p :p :p and if I want to have a great day out in country lanes, I'll take my bike, which still has a manual sequential box...getting the gears, lean angle, traction and acceleration right on a motorbike is a millions times better and more satisfying than any car could ever be!!

but, as with everything in life, each to their own.... :D
 
the cueball said:
LeeZ4MR said:
We have one car with auto & no paddles & one with a twin clutch & paddles & there isn't any control in either of them you just stick your foot down & hold on its as boring as hell to me, but as with anything its personal preference but for me nothing beats a clutch & gearstick for involvement & yes its slower but as in life the more you put in the more you get out that's how I see it.

Autos do make sense for a heavy commute but if you are out on a lovely country lane with the road to yourself I think you just cant beat cog swapping with a great manual gearbox. :driving:

well let's agree to disagree on what is and isn't control... ;-)

on the point of "control" I even turn my traction and stability controls off too, I wonder how many people do that on a daily basis...or does having the control not reach to nanny state safety devices.... lol :poke:

the problem for me, and this is obviously in my own experience, cars are slow anyway - even BMWs :p :p :p and if I want to have a great day out in country lanes, I'll take my bike, which still has a manual sequential box...getting the gears, lean angle, traction and acceleration right on a motorbike is a millions times better and more satisfying than any car could ever be!!

but, as with everything in life, each to their own.... :D
I agree a car can never compare to a bike & I appreciate you would surely want the car to be as easy to drive as possible as you can get the thrills from the bike so that's where an auto ticks the box, I too don't agree with traction control because any decent drivers car has a Limited Slip Diff so it renders traction control pointless anyway imo & on both my M cars I always drove with the traction off & my TVR never had any of this nanny crap anyway so I didn't need it in that so why would I need it in a slow BMW!!

It just each to their own & personal preference at the end of the day & we do all like different things :) ...I would love a motorbike though big time but I would be dead in two minutes on one of them from showing off!
 
Glad to hear It... TVR is the way all cars should be, no help.... your traction control is your right foot, your abs is your brake pedal and your stability control is learning how to corner properly!

not to go off topic, I think one of the reasons driving standards are so poor these days is people feel too safe, and have no control over their car...even when they think they do by moving their left foot to work a clutch ;-)

anyway... get a bike... it's great... :-)
 
the cueball said:
Glad to hear It... TVR is the way all cars should be, no help.... your traction control is your right foot, your abs is your brake pedal and your stability control is learning how to corner properly!

not to go off topic, I think one of the reasons driving standards are so poor these days is people feel too safe, and have no control over their car...even when they think they do by moving their left foot to work a clutch ;-)

anyway... get a bike... it's great... :-)
Yes a TVR does help you get a good feel of a car in a slightly more raw sense & I loved the driving experience of it for sure & I love BMW lots but they have all felt a little steady after my TVR.

I mainly enjoy straight line power & as you say I would love a bike so much & whenever I ever had a play with a motorbike in the TVR & 0 to 100 in 8.3 secs isn't too shabby for a car...I got left for dead everytime by the motorbike the power to weight on a bike is just epic! :thumbsup:

The missus has put the brakes on me having a motorbike sadly as she sees how I behave in a car...but its alright for her to have a bike license though & she loves motorbikes :D I might have to talk nicely to her to convince her that I need one! :thumbsup:
 
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