Is the manual really that bad?

[Guest DZ.]

So does anyone have anything good to say about the manual? All I've read so far it seems is that everyone by far would prefer to have the auto.

I've had one auto in ten years of driving and I have to say that I really would prefer to go back to driving a manual - call me old fashioned but to me just feeling that mechanically induced kick from releasing the clutch makes it feel like you're really driving. I know everyone rants and raves about the sequential sports shift but having driven the tiptronic Magna Sports to me it's still a different driving experience to a manual.

If the clutch is as heavy as everyone seems to make out, I may have to go an auto so the wife can drive it. She's got an S15 200SX manual and they're a pretty easy thing to drive - I don't know how she'd go with a less than perfect gear box.

I've been keeping an eye out for a manual to take for a test drive but as you're probably all aware, they're hard to come by at the moment so I wouldn't mind hearing people's opinions - particularly if you've driven the manual in the AUs.

[Guest blackout]

Well if you think about it really, we are all getting pretty slack in life. Driving a manual looks like work these days. In my eyes anyway.

And with the new barra, that new sports shift option seems manual enough for me, and the difference in times and the driving feel of the auto is just as good and quick as the manual, so in my opinion, I'd take the auto. not just because I dont drive manuals:)

[Guest DZ.]

I can semi-relate - driving the auto every day at the moment I wonder why bother with a manual. However, when I get into my wife's 200SX I find myself thinking "Gee I miss this" - and it's not just flicking the lever - it's using the clutch as well.

Of course, if driving the manual is just an obscene amount of work, then I could certainly be convinced in leaning towards the auto.

[Guest blackout]

Using the clutch and gear knob is a fair call in that argument. But then again, I am lazy as all buggery. You can do just as good drifting out of streets in a brand new auto as the manual. And you'd only need the manual for full blown burnout, and in an xr6turbo, you wouldnt be doing one :D

[Guest DZ.]

<Sigh> - I think I'm just going to have find to find someone who can actually offer me a test drive in both cars! I think I might use that as the way to choose the dealer I'm buying from.

[turbo_nick]

there's nothing wrong with manual cars thank you very much!

although my falcon is automatic, I will be rectifying that eventually and dropping a manual tremec box in it.

I learnt how to drive in a manual car, which ended up being my first car. for 2.5 years I had loads of fun driving my manual telstar, and when I bought my falcon in '99 I though auto was a good change. and then it shifted down a gear mid-corner when it shouldn't have. hello gutter! thank god for AUs 4WD-style ride height!

these days I hate automatics - 3 years down the track, they still confuse me and do things they shouldn't be doing.

[Guest DZ.]

I learnt how to drive in a manual car, which ended up being my first car. for 2.5 years I had loads of fun driving my manual telstar, and when I bought my falcon in '99 I though auto was a good change. and then it shifted down a gear mid-corner when it shouldn't have. hello gutter! thank god for AUs 4WD-style ride height!

I had a very similar thing happen to me as I was going up a wet mountain and around a corner. The next thing I knew the auto had shifted down without any foot movement from myself and the tail end of the car was trying to overtake me. Wasn't a big deal getting the car back under control but I don't like surprises like that which could have been easily avoided.

I don't think the BA's current auto is that "dumb" anymore. It learns your driving style and I also assume it probably has the smarts to learn different conditions (traction control is also there). The sequential shift holds gears which should alleviate that problem.

Again, my preference is definitely a manual unless overwhelming opinion is that the manual is a bad choice.

[CJF077]

I actually heard from a Ford employee yesterday that he had driven a Manual XR6T and an automatic and he said he would prefer the manual over the automatic anyday. He said the Manual was alot "smoother" then the Auto.

[Guest D_XR6]

:D

I currently drive an ef xr6 auto and I agree with the others regarding to weird change downs and lack of control. The manual is far better for car control and the main critisim of the T5 is that the gear changes are too long and sometimes clunky. But there are products out there to fix these problems like an SVO quick shift, it only costs about $375 and it apparently halfs the throws and makes very precise gear changes!

Never will I purchase an XR6 auto again!

[cdm]

That raises a good point. What is there to fix the T5? Apparently the 5-3 shift is very poor, even when matching the revs. Can this be solved? If so how much would it cost? Also, how much would it cost to beef up the internals of the manual so it can handle more torque? (it will need it once they start getting modified) Does anyone have any times for the auto?