Chevrolet Shop Manuals
Is An Automatic Transmission Or Manual Transmission For You?
Ever since the automatic transmission made its way on the market, there has been a debate over which is better, the manual transmission or the automatic transmission. In the early days of vehicles, all that was available was the manual transmission.
The debate usually will come down to what your own personal preference will be when you are in the driver’s seat. It is important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer to this debate. What works for you may not work for your husband, sister, or neighbor. You have to take into consideration all the factors of both types of transmissions and then make your own decision prior to purchasing.
The number one question that you should be asking yourself is; “Can I drive a stick?” Usually if your answer is no, you will usually purchase an automatic transmission. However, if the other things you have been considering about a manual seem more up your alley, then learning to drive a stick might be the way for you to go.
The second item to consider is, of course, the cost. If you look to purchase a vehicle that has a manual transmission, you will notice that the price is considerably lower. This savings can range anywhere between $750.00 up to $1,000.00. Keep in mind that over time the amount you will save can go up due to the fact that manual transmissions usually require a lot less service in a shop and depending on if you are a speed demon or not, you could save around 5% to 15% on gasoline.
The third deciding factor is a question you must ask yourself personally. “Do I want the extra control a manual transmission can offer to me?” Many individuals who love their stick shift vehicles will claim this in one of the main reasons they have a manual transmission is so that they have complete and utter control over their vehicle. This may sound great in theory, but, in all honesty, do you really need it? Is it even something that you want?
The more modern automatic transmissions are perfectly wonderful for the majority of drivers these days. This is still the case even when the majority must merge on the highway. Truly unless you are a race car driver, you do not require being able to downshift your vehicle to add to the amount of power for rigid corners.
Next you must take into consideration all the extra work that you will have to do when driving a manual transmission. Granted, once you have the knowledge of how to drive a manual, it is like 2nd nature to you and you don’t even think about the extra work. But in all actuality, it is more work for the driver. If you have to contend with stop and go traffic each day on your way to work, you are going to constantly be using your clutch. Do you really want to have to worry about that in the early hours of day on your way to work?
As we all know, an automatic transmission require the use of only two pedals – the brake and the accelerator. With the use of a manual transmission an extra pedal is thrown into the mix. If you find yourself in a lot of traffic, your left leg will definitely get in shape quickly. This isn’t even talking about the having to accelerate from being stopped up an incline or shifting gears to merge lanes.
Many people believe an automatic transmission is a much more comfortable way of driving compared to that of a manual transmission. It is possible for it to cost you a bit more in gasoline though and in service maintenance.
Many guys love the way a manual transmission makes them feel. It gives them a sense of looking cool. Maybe even a sense of pride because of having more control over what they are driving.
In conclusion, the main thing your choice will come down to is the cost of repairs and the cost of comfort.
For more information on manual transmissions, automatic transmissions, and many other automobile information please log onto http://www.rj-performance.com/.
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