The Appeal of a Manual Transmission

The veins over your knuckles pulsate to the beat of your heart as you shift gears. You’re focused on the narrow road ahead, carefully weaving through traffic, shifting gears to accommodate your speed. 2^nd gear, speed up, 3^rd gear, even faster. YOU control your car and your destiny. You’re like Jeff Gordon on the last lap of the Daytona 500 with an advantage of 3 car lengths. Home free. You blink once and realize your on your way to work, the interstate is your track, and you’re driving a stick shift vehicle. A manual transmission gives you control. Many racing enthusiasts purchase the manual vehicle because it provides total control over your vehicle. In today’s blog, we discuss the advantages of a manual transmission, which by the way, is usually $900.00 cheaper than an automatic.

If you’re in search of power, Manual transmission is definitely the way to go. For example, an automatic equipped Dodge Neon has a reported 0-60 MPH time of approximately 10.5 seconds. The same Neon when equipped with a 5-speed manual has a reported 0-60 time of 8.1 seconds; a huge difference. The acceleration offered from a vehicle with a manual transmission is usually higher, because of the precise shifting the car encompasses.

Manual transmissions also excel at fuel economy. Most new Automatic cars have an EPA rating of only 1 or 2 MPG less than the same model car with a manual transmission. So, you’re not saving TOO much with a manual but it is a small difference.

When it comes to maintenance, most manuals require less service than their automatic counterparts. The clutch disc in manual transmissions does need to be replaced on occasion. There are many factors that determine how long a clutch will last such as driving style, the material the clutch disc is made of, and the amount of city vs. highway driving. Clutch replacement is often a labor intensive task and can cost several hundred dollars if performed at a repair shop.

So, we’ve given you the facts. What will you choose??? What do you prefer? Feel free to comment below: