To go Manual or automatic?
I’ve hear Manual is good for something and no so much for other I’ve also heard that auto is way easier but I’ve also heard guys say they will drive nothing but a manual thoughts? And what manuals do you guys drive and what are your pros and cons on it?
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I've been off roading since I was 15, the first time I ever drove a car was on dirt and I've wheeled extensively with both a manual and an automatic.
Automatic:
Pro: Allows you to focus on wheel placement, is more forgiving at very low speeds, more forgiving regarding what gear you are in thanks to the natural slip in the torque converter, helps smooth out throttle input (especially on bouncy roads)
Con:
Less direct imput from the throttle means a more disconnected feel.
Manual:
Pro: More direct feel for the vehicle because your right foot is connected directly to the tire rotation. You can easily select exactly the gear you want, when you want it, and not have the computer try to second-guess you. I find manuals to be more fun to drive.
Con:
Limits who can drive the vehicle, not everyone can drive a stick and even fewer can do so off road. You have to shift to 4-low sooner. Bumps tend to result in the vehicle surging forward as your foot bounces on the pedal - you can counter this by wedging your foot against the transmission hump. But the
big down side is that for very slow going (slower than 1st gear low-range) you have to slip the clutch like mad - this prematurely wears the clutch and the flywheel and is between $1,000-$2,000 to replace. I am due for a new clutch and only got 100,000 miles out of it - which is pretty damn good considering how I use the vehicle.
My current vehicle is a manual. My next vehicle will be an automatic.
