Auto Vs Stick

[PrimeTimeV6]

I wanted to start this thread so we can post our opinions on auto vs. manual transmissions.

The way I see it is auto or stick if they are built correctly you can out do one or the other. For instance for 1/4 mile I would build an auto. If you ask any professional driver they can tell you that you can run consistent and mostly faster times with the automatic. I have personally seen an auto built that would run a consistent 11.2 in the 1/4. The guy then swapped to a 6 speed just to have more fun when on the street and it is actually slower. He now runs 11.5 with a stick. So all in all you can build a wicked automatic.

[8695Beaters]

I agree, autos are the way to go for drag racing. They dump all the power right at the line (good launch) and shift much more smoothly than a stick (less drivetrain shock to slip the tires and more power off each shift).

But drag racing and street cruising are all autos are good for. for road racing, they don't hold gears long enough and when they shift, they lurch, which will upset the car. for those of you who don't race, that is never a good thing. The other thing with autos is that you can't properly control throttle inputs to an auto. The sliding, swirling stuff inside just makes that impossible. So you can't finesse a car through a corner. which will make the manual faster with everything else being equal. The only exception is the latest DSG transmissions from Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Ferrari.

My opinion on auto vs. manual is that those who are unable to drive manual (mentally, not physically) should not be allowed to drive at all. I think driving a stick should be taught in Driver's Ed. What I have noticed is that autos allow you to be more distracted when driving around. It is very hard to talk on the phone or eat and drink or do much anything else when you are driving a stick. I've seen myself get distracted while driving around the work van (auto) as opposed to my personal car (stick).

[marcos]

same here I would also go with the stick
and also in my case anyway, driving a stick is much more fun to drive than an auto
and to me since i'm always leaving my lights on in the morning haha
with my stick all I have to do is just give it a little push and there we go
but with an auto your screwed so you better go find someone to give you a jump haha

[93HondaSI]

You gotta have a stick shift man. autos just aren't any fun. I disagree with your statements. Autos will run more consistantly yes, but sticks will run the faster times... always.

[PrimeTimeV6]

I guarantee if you build an auto correctly it will out run a stick. We put a custom 3000 stall in a 05 Accord V6 and he would blow the doors off of a 6 speed all day long.

Never under estimate the power of a correctly built automatic.

[Lawless28]

Yes, a stick shift is more fun to drive, but Prime Time is right. Autos do run more consistant and slightly faster, unless you are a robot and shift perfect every time

[gxgman]

From a technical standpoint, an automatic transmission keeps the engine within it's optimal power range. Torque converters have a "stall speed" specification. This alows the engine to spin up before the converter starts to lock. I think this is better than poping the clutch on a free-reving engine because the engine RPM doesn't drop or climb while shifting through the gears as much as with a manual trans. I am not a racer, but there must be very good reason some race car drivers switched to automatic. That reason is quicker shifting. I personally don't like to shift a manual transmission just driving through stop-and-go traffic when an automatic is engineered to shift much more efficiently than I can.

[8695Beaters]

The autos I was talking about are the DSG transmissions. They use two clutches and the good ones are faster than any true manual. This is what F1 cars (and now IRL) use. In fact Keichi Tsuchiya (I hope I spelled that right. He's the original drift king in Japan and has also raced in the JGTC series) said that the new Evo's DSG is so good, that he left it in auto mode because it shifted exactly where he would have and could do it faster and more consistently than him.

However the regular slushbox autos are not like this. They can frop more torque on a dragstrip, but they do not belong on the road course or rally course. The fact is, without the positive engagement of a mechanical device, an auto is just not an effective tool for road racing. You can't hold a gear, engine brake, or give minute throttle inputs, all of which are needed to drive fast cars quickly. Well you can do all that, but all of those inputs are dulled. For example, off the line, my Integra can actually beat any mildly built muscle car. Once I hit second gear, I get overtaken, becuase of their extra horsepower and because their autos hold RPMs slightly better. However if I was able to pull of a clutchless shift, I would get much faster (that will take some practice, but it can be done). In rallying, slugish inputs will put you into a tree or a ditch in no time.

[PrimeTimeV6]

Your right beaters. I have driven an auto and a stick in road racing and I would stay with a stick for that application.

If I can find the videos of me racing I will post them up.

[Lawless28]

how do you shift a manual without using a clutch