Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
No but the time where you require that clutch replacement is directly tied to how well you use it which goes to ffaemily's comment you were railing against. If you're not abusing it the clutch should last beyond the typical ownership period.
More directly tied to where you use it then how you use it. Big difference between driving the rural Insterstates vs a day in NYC Manhattan traffic. My Mazda 3 6-speed is fun to drive, but clutch would never last as long in big city traffic no matter how good the driver.
Another minus to the manual for me is that on long trips you need a co-driver able (and willing) to drive the stick.
I love the feel of a manual, but not in bumper to bumper traffic and not at the expense of acceleration.
I don't know if someone suggested that (bolded), but when I consider it...if the car performs adequately...the minor difference in a model between stick/auto in 0-60 probably only matters in a short 'drag' race against a similarly 'matched' car. I've done plenty of that over the years...not so much any more. In random road encounters, the trans seldom makes a difference.
My two cents on this broad topic: I simply 'enjoy' (appreciate) driving a car with a well matched drive train. I still own both auto and manual shift cars. For me, driving some cars just feels better with a specific engine/trans combo. For example, many cars I've owned would not appeal to me (as much) with the alternate trans.
Obviously not everyone has the same taste, or type of car, or driving conditions, or skills, or or or...but an auto can fit most of the requirements, and as models available with sticks dwindle they will go the way of the dodo. It looks like it won't take much longer...
((( I heard a guy on the radio say he owns a 3 speed stick on the column '53 Chevy. When he left it the night before for service, the garage owner told him he could safely leave the keys in it... because no one else knew how to drive it. )))
BTW, one driving characteristic seldom mentioned in this wandering thread is that (for me)... a stick is 'better' in tough winter conditions (rare but important when you are 'there'), of course some will disagree especially those with limited similar experience.
Finally...after much consideration, my most recent car purchase has an auto trans. The model I bought won't offer a manual in 2017. I still (and will often) second guess my choice...despite the better 0-60 time of the auto ...and have been happily driving my oldest car, a stick shift, most of the winter.
Where do you get this from? You do realize clutches need replaced, right? You think clutches last forever?
I know they need to be replaced, but not that often. When I think of a damaged clutch in a manual I think of people who constantly ride the clutch or are forever clunking it out. Also If you have a lot of city miles I know your clutch will wear out faster. However I have been driving manuals for 12 years and never had to replace a clutch. I think manuals were made to take a beating though.
I know they need to be replaced, but not that often. When I think of a damaged clutch in a manual I think of people who constantly ride the clutch or are forever clunking it out. Also If you have a lot of city miles I know your clutch will wear out faster. However I have been driving manuals for 12 years and never had to replace a clutch. I think manuals were made to take a beating though.
When buying used vehicles you kind of have to deal with how the ones who owned it before took care of/drove it. Same thing with rentals. As much as I hate mnuals, I can drive them quite fine! I had a rental and a car I bought used leave me stranded because of the clutch.
One thing they both shared (totally diferent types of vehicles) is that when they went up, they were not going anywhere. Period. The transmission had nothing to connect with the motor. Tow truck. Auto's, the rare time's they need to be rebuilt or replaced, start slipping and perhaps lose a gear. So there is a good chance it can be driven to the shop for work.
Sorry, but a clutch is a wear item, kind of like brake pads, which means it will need to be replaced at some point. Just a matter of when. Everybody will have to replace theirs at different times. And guess what? IMO, if a transmission has to be dropped and something connected to it (inner workings or clutch) has to be replaced, then that to me means the transmission is being worked on. Doesn't matter, they still cost money.
Both types are mechanical which means both types have the potential to have problems at some point. Both types need maintenance as far as fluid changes. It's just that an auto will probably go a couple hundred thousand miles without being dropped when a clutch will have had to have been replaced at least once by then.
Where do you get this from? You do realize clutches need replaced, right? You think clutches last forever?
My Mazda had 195,000 on it & I never replaced it. When a clutch does go out its by far cheaper then a slushbox. (automatic.)
One reason I prefer a stick is because when I go to pass (depending on the car I'm driving.) I don't have to wait for the automatic to drop into passing I can do that myself & hold it there. Automatics don't hold a candle to a good manual when it comes to performance driving.
My Mazda had 195,000 on it & I never replaced it. When a clutch does go out its by far cheaper then a slushbox. (automatic.)
My last BMW had 185k on it's automatic and still had the original fluids in it. Never needed a rebuild. My current on has 158k on it's original trans and should last me to 300k miles with no issues. I use my Suburban to tow with and it's automatic is in great shape at 139k miles and I'm going to bet it'll last as long as the truck does.
Quote:
One reason I prefer a stick is because when I go to pass (depending on the car I'm driving.) I don't have to wait for the automatic to drop into passing I can do that myself & hold it there. Automatics don't hold a candle to a good manual when it comes to performance driving.
And yet I can do that with my automatic in my 740i. I move the lever to M and it shifts up and down when I move the lever, instantly and ONLY when I move the lever, no waiting. My old shift kitted AOD in my race car did that, as well. If you shift down, it does so instantly and holds it there as long as the lever is in that position. You do know that you don't have to just punch the gas and wait for the trans to figure out what you are doing, right? That you can move that lever to a different gear on your own, right? It doesn't hurt the transmission...
Still true of some cars but many autos are now outperforming manuals in mileage. This can simply be due to having more performance oriented gear ratios in the manual.
It really comes down to the individual car. Something like the Subaru Impreza/Crosstrek you're talking about 10s to 60(barely keeping up with a Prius) in the cvt automatic vs around 8s in the manual which is a significant difference when you hit that on-ramp. But the cvt will turn in better mileage.
And yet I can do that with my automatic in my 740i. I move the lever to M and it shifts up and down when I move the lever, instantly and ONLY when I move the lever, no waiting. My old shift kitted AOD in my race car did that, as well. If you shift down, it does so instantly and holds it there as long as the lever is in that position. You do know that you don't have to just punch the gas and wait for the trans to figure out what you are doing, right? That you can move that lever to a different gear on your own, right? It doesn't hurt the transmission...
Still it's not the same for one your cost of repairing that VS a Clutch, flywheel, etc is still MUCH less then a manual would be. Automatics tend to hunt for the right gear some times, with a manual one doesn't have to worry about it. If you were talking about something say like a Porsche PDK then that's very different then putting a car in M. Over all it's no where near the same as a good manual.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
))) 
