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Should I buy my Honda Civic with an automatic or manual?May 20 '03 (Updated Jan 04 '05) Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Whether you choose an automobile equipped with an automatic or manual transmission, educate yourself prior to buying.
As most of us know, there are both advantages and disadvantages with both automatic and manual transmissions. Many of us prefer an automatic, but a drain on power and fuel economy is usually the sacrifice. Then there are a select few of us who actually prefer a manual transmission, although city driving can literally lead to arthritis. The big question is, what transmission should you choose? The following are a few facts/ideas (many you probably have already heard of) you should consider when deciding to make the ultimate decision on which type of transmission to have equipped in your automobile. Power: If you want the most power from your engine, going with a manual transmission versus an automatic is most likely going to be your best bet. While some modern automatic transmissions, i.e. CVT transmissions, manumatics, and conventional 4 or 5-speed automatic transmissions allow for some excellent acceleration, there is still usually a substantial difference in 0-60 times between these types of automatics and a 5 or 6-speed manual transmission. For example, an automatic equipped Dodge Neon has a reported 0-60 MPH time of approximately 10.5 seconds. The same Neon when equipped with a 5-speed manual has a reported 0-60 time of 8.1 seconds; a huge difference. While most cars do not have this large of a 0-60 MPH gap between auto and manual transmissions, 99% of the time you will receive noticeably better performance from a manual gear box. The acceleration offered from a vehicle when equipped with a manual transmission is usually superior for a number of reasons; most predominantly due to gear ratios and the availability for more precise shifting. To explain, if you own a car that receives 200 horsepower @ 7,000 RPM, but your automatic transmission will up-shift under full throttle at only 6,000 RPM, you probably will never feel the full amount of power that your engine was made to offer. So, your engine may be stamped with a 200 horsepower rating, but because your car is equipped with an automatic that up-shifts too soon, you may be missing up to 20% of available power. On the flip side, with most manuals you can usually take the engine revs to red-line (or past). This enables you to get the most power possible to either your front, rear, or all 4 wheels under full throttle take-offs. My suggestion? If you want the quickest possible acceleration go with a manual transmission. If a manual is out of the question, first check out the reported engine RPM where the car in question achieves its peak horsepower, such as an online website. Second, test drive the car and watch the tachometer under full throttle shifts. If the automatic transmission up-shifts with the pedal to the metal more than 1K RPM before peak power is reached, I suggest looking for another car. An automobile with a competent automatic transmission should hold gears to suit your right foot, that includes holding gears till the car's engine hits peak horsepower (or at least close) if the driver is so inclined. So, is fuel economy a huge issue? If you answered yes, then going with a manual is probably going to be your best bet, although it is far from your only choice. Many newer cars with automatics have an EPA rating of only 1 or 2 MPG less than the same model car equipped with the manual. If this is the case, most people are not going to save a significant amount of money on fuel costs going with the 5-speed manual (especially if you do a lot of city driving). Since the majority of drivers do not manually shift for economy (or know how to), the 1 or 2 MPG that is lost with the automatic can easily be gained. My suggestions with regard to fuel economy: Check the EPA ratings (city and highway) of the car in question with both transmissions. EPA ratings are not always accurate, but they do give you a good idea on what type of fuel economy you will receive. If the EPA difference is only 1 or 2 MPG in favor of the 5-speed versus the automatic, the manual transmission is most likely not going to give you a noticeable fuel economy advantage. Now, if the difference is upwards of 6-7 MPG (which it often times is) the 5-speed will enable you to pass by the pumps more often. Maintenance/Repair costs: Even though the automotive world has come extremely far with refining automatic transmissions, most automatic transmissions still need to be serviced far more often than manual transmissions (some auto manufacturers state that their manual transmissions never have to be serviced with fluid changes, etc. Manual transmissions are also usually slightly/much cheaper to fix when something mechanical goes haywire. This is not always the case, but on average a manual transmission will cost you less to repair than an automatic in the same type of vehicle. Your Needs: The engine that your car is equipped with makes a huge difference to which type of transmission should be chosen. To explain, if you are looking to buy a car with a 1.3 liter 4-cylinder that pumps out 75 horsepower, and 60 lb-ft of torque you will most likely want/need to go with a manual transmission. Since power in this case is extremely limited you will need to make the most out of your engine for hill climbing, passing power, etc. On the other hand, if you're looking to purchase a car with a V8 or V6 that offers plenty of power at both high and low revs, then going with a manual transmission is more of a preference than a necessity. While most drivers will still benefit in acceleration and fuel economy by going with a manual, it is not as detrimental as it would be with a car that was limited on power. Some people obviously can't own a vehicle with a manual transmission for many reasons. They might be unwilling to learn to use one, they might have a physical handicap, etc. If this is the case then I urge you to search for an automatic that combines both good shift patterns, and good fuel economy. If you are willing to drive a manual transmission, there are a few features to look for. Manual transmissions all have their own unique shifting characteristics. Many are geared for fuel economy, others are geared for sport driving, and then there are many that offer the best of both worlds. The "both world" type of manual transmissions are your best bet. Usually a manual transmission that will give you both a sporty driving experience and good economy are transmissions with close lower gear ratios with a relatively tall top gear. These types of manual transmissions enable you to accelerate as quick as possible with your lower gears, while your top gear provides the best possible fuel economy. Last but not least, look for a manual transmission that offers a shifter that is easy to reach and offers desirable throws. Final Thoughts: Whether you choose an automatic or manual, make sure you do your homework. Both types of transmissions have their positives and negatives, it's your job to make sure the negatives don't outweigh the positives. In closing, I strongly suggest reading other reviews in this category here at epinions due to the vast amount of different viewpoints. Note: Did I miss something? Or do you feel I have done the world of automatic and manual transmissions an injustice? Leave a comment! Oh yea, compliments are accepted as well :) Want to read some ideas on how to save on fuel? Check out my review on saving fuel -Happy Car Shopping.  |
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