Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh
I said at this point with the automatic transmission somewhat improved regarding shift quality and gear quantities (we have 8 and 10 speed automatics now for regular street cars as common equipment), deciding to use a manual transmission is a lifestyle choice. If you are not willing to commit to lifestyle change (i.e. using a manual transmission for a daily driver), then the "long term" experience is not going to be satisfactory.
You are asking a question that only you can really answer, and you can't answer it until you get some experience with daily driving a manual transmission under your belt. No one here can answer that question for you. As Trambo said, and I've said, if you have to ask, then the better choice is best to stay with an automatic. I explicitly asked you several questions tied to how people who are not dedicated manual transmission daily drivers view the manual/automatic diversity. Review those questions. Again, only you can answer them.
Just trying to help.
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I appreciate the input. The point of me asking the question is not to get a definitive yes/no answer (yes, I know, I set up a poll and asked a yes/no question), but to gain perspective that I currently don't have. 100% understand those are other people's perspectives, but they're better than no perspective at all outside of the handful of times I've driven a manual car.
I think the fact that I'm asking the question to begin with means I'm willing to commit to a lifestyle change. If I wasn't then I'd have literally no reason to create this post.
But to answer your questions:
- Automatics being faster is a combination of the car and the driver doing the shifting. As a novice, I'd fully expect an equivalent auto to easily outperform me rowing my own gears. That being said, it's a VERY small con for me if at all. After a certain point incremental increases in speed just don't matter anymore, else I'd have ended up in a Tesla by now.
- I'm not really worried about heavy traffic since I don't experience that on a normal basis, but gaining perspective for people who have is valuable input for me.
- Being fully engaged with the act of driving sounds amazing. Do I want to be fully engaged 100% of the time? It's very hard for me to answer that... inclination is to say yes, but again this is where gaining people's perspective comes into play (i.e. do you sometimes get tired of it, or is it something which makes you look forward to it every time you sit in the car)
- Shifting a "manumatic" is nowhere near the same as a true manual.
I'm not 100% relying on an online forum to help answer this for me.. I'm being proactive (at least I think I am). I just set up a rental for an Evo X for a few days next week to see how I like driving it around my hood for some additional perspective. I'll report back how it makes me feel.