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Want to save money? Buy a stick shift.

gsdx

gsdx

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Standard or Automatic for you? I learnt to drive using a standard transmission and I still prefer driving them over automatics. Standards are fun and have the added bonus of being the best cars to drive in winter conditions.

Want fuel economy? Consider a good old stick shift

By Karen Datko
September 05, 2008

Better gas mileage can be had from what used to be standard in cars -- the manual transmission, or stick shift. But how many drivers know how to use one these days?

It's a lost art, but a very efficient one. For its October issue, Consumer Reports bought two versions of seven different cars -- ranging from a $15,800 Scion to a $24,000 Mini Cooper -- and found a gain of 2 to 5 mpg (1.2 to 3 litres per 100 km) with a standard versus automatic transmission in the same model.

Extra bonus: The three-pedal versions were not only faster, they were $800 to $1,200 cheaper.

This sounds great. A Green Lantern piece at Slate says a very proficient driver can improve gas mileage by about 15% -- cutting annual carbon dioxide emissions by two-thirds of a metric ton. (Green Lantern also informs us of this shocking fact: A gallon of gas puts out 19.564 pounds of carbon dioxide.) Plus, your brakes will last longer, and your transmission will be cheaper to repair or replace.
Click to expand...

Full report: http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/investing/insight/article.aspx?cp-documentid=10073444
 
I don't know how true that will be in the future. With the proliferation of 6-speed automatic transmissions or even CVTs, the engine can be held in its power band more reliably, also avoiding transients. This increases fuel mileage. Also, the vast majority of the torque converters are of the locking type. I have to give credit to Detroit for picking up on that first. Most large american cars had lockup torque converters by the early 80's. Imports didn't have them until the 90s.

I would also point out that some of the reduced initial cost will be eaten up in replacing the clutch somewhere around 75,000 miles.
 
automatic shifts COULD be better - but they are usually not configured to be gas saving. and as a guy driving with a stick shift right from start, i'd never know what to do with my left foot or my right hand in an automatic car.
hmm now that i look at the last part of above sentence, i suddenly get an idea ..
 
If I ever get another car (my current one is near dead), I think I'm going to get a stick shift. I know automatic transmissions are getting better, but I like the idea of having control over the shifting. My old car would shift gears right around 70mph, so when I'm on the highway, my car would shift up and down a lot, which was so annoying.

Stick shifts are also lighter. I've also been told that driving on a stick is more engaging and fun, except in traffic jams. Also, at least in the US, there's probably a smaller chance of your car being stolen ;)
 
I have not driven a stick shift in over 20 years. My Dad always said it was cheaper to own, and automatic transmissions tear up a lot. I'm just lazy and would rather have an automatic. I can drive a stick shift, but only if it's necessary.
 
hummer7979 said:
If I ever get another car (my current one is near dead), I think I'm going to get a stick shift. I know automatic transmissions are getting better, but I like the idea of having control over the shifting. My old car would shift gears right around 70mph, so when I'm on the highway, my car would shift up and down a lot, which was so annoying.

Stick shifts are also lighter. I've also been told that driving on a stick is more engaging and fun, except in traffic jams. Also, at least in the US, there's probably a smaller chance of your car being stolen ;)
Click to expand...
I love driving manual transmission autos. With the exception of my last car, all of my vehicles have been manual. I feel like I have more control over the car and can slow down easier with a manual, especially in adverse driving conditions. I also get better gas mileage than an automatic. Thankfully I rarely hit traffic when driving, but I definitely do get "clutch leg" when there's a hefty jam and I'm constantly clutching and shifting.
 
In this country, the only people who drive autos are the ones who never learned how to work a manual properly.

and that's my driving instructor speaking, not me.
 
I've never properly driven a automatic car and personally I think they take all the fun out of driving. Plus I wouldn't know what to do with the left side of my body!
 
Chapel Hill and Carrboro have a very efficient fare-free bus system, so I have no need for a car. If I should ever have to buy one, though, it will have to be automatic, because I was never taught to drive a manual. My high school driver ed class was taught under the assumption that nobody drives manual any more. :(
 
Manual transmission for me! In some places, shifting into neutral and coasting is illegal but I can increase my gas mileage pretty significantly by doing that.
 
My first two cars were automatic. Since then, it's been manual only. I would like to have an automatic just for the constant in and out of traffic I drive for work, but other than that, I prefer the stick.
 
Count me in the manual transmission camp. My current car is manual and my last (also first) car was an automatic. I'll never go back. Fortunately, my parents taught me how to drive a manual as a teenager a month or two before they sold that car.

Although most people don't seem to expect it, Seattle has a lot of very steep hills (probably only San Francisco is worse). I've learned to deal with the hills using a stick shift over the years.
 
I learned to drive on a stick (an old VW bug) when I was 16. So of course I am partial to sticks. And they really do make driving more fun.
 
I got what was available to me for my first car. A 97 Toyota Corolla. :P Gets pretty nice gas mileage, though.

I'll learn stick eventually.
 
A simple car equipped with a manual transmission would perform better than the same vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. Automatic transmissions add a noticeable amount of weight to the vehicle and are not smart enough to know future driving conditions (no need to shift to fourth with the red light ahead, for instance). Of course, if you are a shitty driver and don't know when and how to shift, having a manual won't help. I reference my mom who went through three clutches on her 300Z before she realized maybe that wasn't the best transmission for her.

No mention of tiptronic? That's what I have. It's a far cry from a manual, but it let's me downshift and hold on to gears longer when I want to up my acceleration. It doesn't beat a manual for control and that special connection you make with your vehicle with the clutch and stick, but it saves me from clutch hell in heavy traffic, which I find myself in a lot more than I'd like to admit.

Some mentioned continuously variable transmissions and hybrids. I know the Civic comes with a CVT. My mom has one. It is more efficient because it doesn't "hop" to rigid gears, but slides up and down only as needed. It's a very different experience that a manual driver would probably feel very odd about. At times it sounds like the engine's about to launch into space then it backs off and you're on your way!

As for what to do with your left foot, you can rest it on that convenient pad that's there, if you drive on the left-side (forward-facing). It's comfortable. You can also tap to the beat of music you are listening to. A few friends of mine that are die hard manual drivers have admitted to stomping the phantom clutch when driving automatics and I've done the same thing when transitioning back.

For me, I think automatics are just more convenient for me. Manuals are definitely more fun and connect you more with the driving experience, but when you are bumper-to-bumper on the interstate the last thing you want is to feel closely connected to that experience.

But to the point of the post, standard transmision is cheaper to buy and in most cases, yep, will save you money useage-wise, when used appropriately, for now.
 
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