Stick vs Automatic, NiteFite on Garage419

I've always said and will always say that if it doesn't have a 3rd paddle its not for me, all those semi autos have one thing in common.... no third paddle and therefore in my eyes they count as automatics even if their 3/10's of a second faster that a regular manual. also there are only a hand full of auto manufactures that do the semi-auto thing perfectly anyways and even still I'll rather have a real stick any day automatics r for old ppl and females that cant drive so unless u cant drive or have a vagina u should have no business driving an automatic even if it "semi-auto"

Almost forgot, DD's promo of The Toyota FJ Cruiser (F**** Jersy cruzer) is hilarous, i can see why they make fun of him and his Cobalt SS.

Im prone to like both of them. While manual transmisson you can select the shift points. Even use it to slow a car down for an upcoming turn. Automatics are great for drag racing because of no missed shifts or poor starts. I'd really like to see a road couse racers drive an auto vs stick driven car and see who come out on top.

Sorry NNN, but Im not into this NiteFite show. Id prefer to hear you G419/FLD guys talk seriously about topics; I actually learn new things or gain additional perspective on things. DD is hilarious in that promo. Speaking of stick vs. manual...the FJ Cruiser is cool cause its a fairly serious offroading SUV which is offered with a manual. Ive mentioned this before, I know. Wranglers with manuals are cool, too.

Please, please give me NEW CONTENT every day. Fast Lane Daily does!

I'm going to watch NiteFite instead of Garage 419, cause they always advertise it and I wanted to watch Garage 419, but they keep ramming NiteFite down my MONITOR!!!

Manual all the way. All true performance cars come with a manual. Conversely, all true non performance cars come with an automatic. For me- I need a clutch and a shifter. It's more fun to drive, I feel I have more control over the vehicle and, of course, there's the horsepower and efficiency advantages as well. My wife has a GS400 and it has the push button shifting on the steering wheel. I don't care for it. It doesn't offer me any real control over the car, so I just leave it in full automatic mode. I do enjoy the sequential shifting on my R1 (I think it would be difficult to drive without) but I don't see the advantage of it in a street driven car. It's nice to skip a gear if desired, or more importantly, when desired. At least with my bike, I can't just shift through the gears at a dead stop without risking damage internally. It's designed to be shifted while in motion. Just my 2 cents...

I don't know if it's 97 percent the last time looked Matt, I believe it was last at least 90 percent though. I happen to drive a DSG GTI and love it, I do regret never learning the 3 pedal shuffle though, but I am quite an experimenter and wasn't much of a good investment (I was going to annihilate at least one clutch). But to come back with something good like the DSG system paired with the turbo 2.0 Audi engine (Which will eventually get chipped being that it is bullet proof) which is so torque'y it is incredible.

A bracket racer will tell you an automatic is better because it is more consistent. I prefer a manual (although I drive a slushbox) for the ability to choose gears and it doesn't steal any power from your motor. In the end, SMG beats both any day. Hopefully we'll see them in more cars in the near future.

3 pedals for me please... A regular old manny tranny still wins hands down in my book. Simple, reliable, best economy, etc. There are no electronics, unless you consider a reverse light switch such. A clutch will last easily over 100k miles, provided you actually know how to engage one properly and aren't sidestepping it at 6k rpm's every take off. I rented a new V-Dub Rabbit with the DSG trans. recently. I will admit, I had fun driving it around for the week I had it. I would pick DSG hands down over a torque converter-ed auto. Crisp shifts and right now power. Unforetunately, what happens down the road, when it needs repair? I will stick to stomping my left foot down and rowing an old school, til the gear shifter is pried from my cold fingers.

F@*kin Jersey Cruiser...I still love that! If this debate is talking about the more modern duel-clutch semi-automatics, than we have a debate. If we are debating old school automatics, well manuals should have the debate won hands down. Old automatics lose horse power and do not allow for any sort of rpm control. They really are only good for regular daily commuters looking for luxury and the ability to cruise…or if you happen to have a turbo-400 olds with 1000hp they are ok too! The newer CTV’s, yes are a little more fuel efficient due to their mapping with direct-inject engines, but a good driver paying attention to their shifts in a modern manual car can come very close to a CTV. In a “true” automatic vs. manual, I think it is hands down manual ftw! If we compare transmissions like the SMG, DSG and all the other new variants to full manuals, we can actually have a strong debate. The average Joe can race a DSG that blips a down shift for you like a racing pro. It also allows for the driver to worry about one less thing in the car and at high speeds that is a good thing. So, let’s take all those ssequential F1 cars and put full manuals in 50% of them. Then with no other performance changes, race them…who wants to bet on the manuals…anyone…is that crickets I hear? Full manuals might have their benefits in small circumstances, but in comparison to the overall benefits of sequential semi-automatics they are minor and only for a small amount of people. I personally want my next car to have a sequential gear-box; I am so through with clutching. I never really liked it to begin with, but heck up until recently there was no other option.