What car's personality is better suited with an auto trans?

"traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn" (el-peasant) 12/06/2015 at 19:10 • Filed to: None

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I didn’t expect the auto in the W113 of my last post to be accepted. Which made me think of this question.

Try to ignore “the owner’s intent” in a car, since that could open pretty much any vehicle to either transmission. It’s the personality . For example, someone could buy a 1968 Shelby GT500KR with the intention of just driving 30 mph around the country club all day long - an auto would be fine. But I think the car’s rough-n-tough personality better accepts a manuél, one that you can rough-n-tough.

There can be room for debate but don’t turn this into YouTube. If two different people have different transmission options for the same car, so be it.

Big luxury cars pretty much necessitate the auto.

Frenchlicker > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:15

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Fiesta, Spark, Sonic, Aveo, Focus, and the like. They can be fun with a manual but a majority of their users do not want/need a manual.

. . > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:16

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MX-5 Miata. They’re only driven by hairdressers who can’t row a manual anyway. Har har har.

Birddog > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:19

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True luxury cars can’t have manuals. It destroys what they’re about.

TheHondaBro > Birddog 12/06/2015 at 19:22

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But how am I supposed to get the best lap time at Watkins Glen if my Mercedes S550L doesn’t have a manual transmission?

HammerheadFistpunch > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:26

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As much as I want a manual for my daily, I’m always glad to have an auto when I’m on the trail.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > HammerheadFistpunch 12/06/2015 at 19:28

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I want one in a daily, and then I remember that the city I drive through prepared to house like 5 people, not 50k.

jkm7680 > HammerheadFistpunch 12/06/2015 at 19:34

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Though I don’t offroad my A6, if I had to offroad it I’d want auto.

I don’t really consider driving manual a burden though, as I rarely drive auto as it sits.

bob and john > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:35

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big cruisers, dailys, and car made for fast track times are better with autos.
car tht need a manual are cars that are meant to be enjoyed. sports cars, miatas, mucle cars, etc

stuff like econo hatchs and what not. and manual is great if its offered. if not, no big lose

deprecated account > TheHondaBro 12/06/2015 at 19:41

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Digital tire gauge should shave a few seconds off your lap time.

dogisbadob > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:42

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A Camry?

traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:43

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I think barebones work trucks up to about ‘94-’96 should have the manuél.

I have my proof from the very credible and educated Mr. Regular.

He said that in ‘84, automatics were still an Oooueewww soo fanceh feature , and work trucks are meant to be very simple and reliable, so it must be later than that. The transition could coincide with the release of the 2nd gen Ram in ‘94, which he said killed the honest work truck.

Then again, most trucks of the late 80s and early 90s have autos.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:48

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Diesel pickups. I mean, if you want a clutch to survive that, the clamping force has to be high and that usually implies ridiculous pedal force. And it’s one more thing to deal with as you are attempting to maneuver a close to 40 foot articulated combination as you are towing.

Or you get the automatic, and it gets the planetary sets in order, and then just ramps the lockup of the torque converter. Once it gets to lockup, unlock it and change up, so your revs stay almost constant as you speed up (and it helps you learn to keep steady throttle position).

ranwhenparked > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:49

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Definitely big, heavy luxury cars. I suppose you could also make a case for grand tourers, or at least, those are some of the few Anglo-European cars that commonly had them, even in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Viggen > HammerheadFistpunch 12/06/2015 at 19:52

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Same. As much as my two friends who I offroad with go on about how much I’m missing by not having a manual, I’m fine with my XJ’s AW4.

Lawyer_Applegate > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 19:59

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I’m comfortable with my choice to keep an automatic transmission in my 1979 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Brougham coupe, even while tripling the horsepower and doubling the torque. A big ‘personal luxury coupe’ needs a clutch like a sportbike needs a torque converter.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:02

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http://oppositelock.kinja.com/tag/vikkie

JQJ1213’s Vikkie. Sorry, but it was a bit crack pipe.

Dusty Ventures > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:03

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The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Frenchlicker 12/06/2015 at 20:04

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Have a Sonic with a 5spd. Confirmed, its great.

El Rivinado > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:05

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Any sort of big luxury car needs an automatic. I don't want a manual trans in a barge, I want to float, and floating requires an automatic. I think a grand tourer could work with an auto as well, I understand why manuals exist, but I could easily convince someone of an automatic in a GT car.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 12/06/2015 at 20:07

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The NV5600 would like a word.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:11

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I owned such a vehicle!

‘84 Jaguar XJ12 Sovereign. The car handled fine, but the star of the show was really the sewing machine smooth V12, and to me it would be a crime to put a stick behind that engine in this car. In a 2 door XJS? Sure. Hell, I think a 5 speed XJ6 with a 4.2 would make a pretty great hot rod. But this car was basically the ultimate cruiser, and the only thing that would have improved it was a smoother, more modern automatic transmission with more gears.

The Corvair in the background was just the opposite...an automatic in a 2nd gen Corvair is a travesty, they should all be sticks.

Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > HammerheadFistpunch 12/06/2015 at 20:25

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I’ve never done any offroad, but I imagine crawling and climbing are kind of difficult when you have to manage clutch and e brake to keep from rolling back. Better to let a torque converter determine how much the transmission slips, right?

BringBackTheCommodore > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:33

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I’m thinking anything built for drag racing. Yes, there’s power loss; yes, there’s challenge in rapidly working the clutch and shifter, but an automatic can definitely help with getting slicks heated up and with launching.

CRider > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 20:37

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Unfortunately most new car’s don’t have much personality. Availability of a manual may or may not be related.

HammerheadFistpunch > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed 12/06/2015 at 20:42

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It’s not that bad with a stick but it’s just that little bit nicer with an auto (except downhill)

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/06/2015 at 20:43

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No, because then that means I would have to drive a Chrysler truck.

And even FCA doesn’t think much of it, since they have to detune the diesel engine on manual gearbox trucks.

Grab a truck with the Aisin or an Allison 1000 and call it a day. If you want bigger, other people will be glad to sell you a truck with a Spicer 18 speed gearbox in it.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 12/06/2015 at 20:44

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I’d rather drive the Cummins than a Duramax :) Seriously though, our Duramax is crap, and should be towed to the scrap yard by our Cummins.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/06/2015 at 21:00

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Then you must have one built on a Thursday :)

The powertrain with the Cummins B and Aisin automatic is solid. The problem, as with most Chrysler products, is what’s built around it. I’ve been burned by Chrysler quality enough times that I wouldn’t consider spending money on one.

Ironically, the same now applies for VW products.

TheJWT > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 21:00

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No matter how much power they throw at it, the Continental just doesn’t need a manual. Also, they have some of my favorite paddle shifters (design wise; they’re obviously useless when driving)

K.D.R > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 21:02

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am I doing this right?

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 12/06/2015 at 21:04

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My Dad’s ‘09 Ram has held up better than any of the GMT900 1500’s we have in our fleet. In fact, our ‘07 Tacoma with 271k miles on it has held up better in the interior. But the Duramax’s problems lie with the emissions system.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 12/06/2015 at 21:13

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And this is why I have an LLY Duramax from 2005, from the GMT800 era.

311K miles and counting, and a road trip to Southwest Florida in a few weeks.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 21:36

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Something less ugly than that, but with adequate horsepower.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > traderQAMobileTestAutomationMobileBoostOn 12/06/2015 at 22:49

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Infiniti QX4. I daily’d one for a good while and it had no power. But most people who drive them are suburban mothers.