The Pros & Cons of Manual vs. Automatic Transmission

Most people do not consider the purchase or lease of a vehicle with a manual transmission. Also known as a “stick shift,” the manual transmission is becoming increasingly rare. However, there are some advantages to driving a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission. Let's look at the positives and negatives of manual vs. automatic transmissions to help you select the style that is best for your particular needs and desires. The Benefits of a Manual Transmission

One of the primary benefits of a stick shift is improved fuel economy. Most vehicles equipped with a manual transmission achieve higher mpg than vehicles with an automatic transmission. Furthermore, vehicles equipped with a stick shift tend to cost less than vehicles with an automatic. Another key advantage to owning or leasing a vehicle with a manual transmission is that it is comparably secure. If your vehicle is broken into, the odds of the thief knowing how to drive a stick shift are fairly low. A manual transmission really is an anti-theft device in and of itself. Yet the primary motivation for selecting a vehicle with a stick is feel. Controlling the shifts between gears makes one feel as though he is a race car driver. It is a ton of fun to upshift and downshift while traversing the roads. If you get a vehicle with a manual transmission, you will likely be tempted to get to fourth or fifth gear as quickly as possible and drive at a high rate of speed. It could result in a speeding ticket. If you are nabbed speeding, enroll in defensive driving for an auto insurance discount. You can also enroll in traffic school to have your ticket dismissed or reduced. The Drawbacks of a Manual Transmission The main drawback of a stick shift is the learning curve. Most people do not want to invest the time and effort required to learn this style of driving. Furthermore, constantly shifting between gears is somewhat tedious. If you aren't particularly skilled at operating a stick, you might make a mistake that leads to an accident or a traffic ticket. Those who lack coordination might find it difficult to use both arms and legs in unison on the steering wheel, stick shift, gas and clutch pedals. Another problem with the manual transmission is that few people know how to operate it. If you have one too many drinks, feel sick or are injured, the odds of someone in your group being able to operate a stick shift are low. The Benefits of an Automatic Transmission The beauty of an automatic transmission is that the vehicle shifts through the gears on your behalf. There is no need to divert your attention to a clutch pedal or stick shift. You can keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times and consequently, reduce the odds of an accident. Also, consider a situation in which you can't drive your vehicle due to an injury or sickness. If you have a friend or family member with you, this individual can drive your vehicle on your behalf. Another advantage of the automatic transmission is that it makes stop-and-go traffic tolerable. The same cannot be said of a vehicle with a manual transmission that requires a constant pressing of the clutch and shifting between gears to go from a complete stop to forward movement repeatedly during heavy traffic. The Negatives of an Automatic Transmission Automatic transmissions cost more than the manual variety. Automatic transmissions also provide less miles per gallon than manuals as they use a torque converter to alternate between gears. Automatic transmissions typically require more maintenance than manuals due to their comparably complex engineering. Thieves are much more likely to steal a vehicle with an automatic transmission as it does not require any sort of specialized knowledge or skill to operate.

Do They Still Make Stick Shift Cars?

Wondering why anyone would drive stick shift when most cars are automatic? With the economy in a slump, grabbing a classy old stick shift can save you some big bucks. It might cost way less than an automatic, whether it's for you or someone else. Plus, on the flip side, many luxury rides still come with a manual option. There is actually along list of cars offering the manual option: from BMW Z Series, to Volkswagen and the Ford Fiesta, the latter which is aimed at the younger crowd. So now that you've decided hey maybe driving manually is the way to go, we include the best way to learn how to drive defensively on the road with a stick shift car:

• Not to steal the slogan from NIKE but JUST DO IT! This blogger at 16 years of age inherited a stick shift car from a family member. After receiving about 1 hour of training I was ready to hit the open road and was basically on my own. There were some setbacks and rollbacks into a car when I realized I had stayed in neutral instead of shifting into gear ( I still thank that guy on York Blvd. for dismissing that minor bump on his fender; hopefully you’ve had lots of good karma since then). I was thrown into the lair of cars in the Big City driving scene and came out alive successfully driving stick shift. Basically I just did it and you can too.

• Know the important parts of the car. Get in and find: CLUTCH NEUTRAL REVERSE BREAK GEARS

• Here’s a video and more instructions. WATCH. And then JUST DO IT! (Ok find a friend that knows how to drive manually, have them give you a lesson ... and then JUST DO IT!)

Time to waste? Ford has created the FIESTA MOVEMENT campaign trying to instill the love of “stick” to the 21-35 something social media climbers. Watch a YouTube flick produced by one of the Ford Team Agents La Lucia.