Five(or six)speed stick v's Auto

[Italian Supermodel]

Recent conversations with some car lovers has inveriably led me to ask, "what do you drive,and why, what's your preference manual or auto, and why?  My experiences over the past three decades has been with manual,auto and no clutch/paddles. For me you can't beat the feel,control and noise of a manual box especially if it's powering a 1.8 twin cam or a 3.0 v6 Busso as has been my pleasure.
The seven years of daily driving a 164 was luxurious at first,comfortable for the most part,then hating the car after I test drove a newly arrived 147gta. It shocked me with the realisation that my driving roots were all about the thrill of the drive and that had diminished somewhat.
I didn't buy the gta but it has reignited the memories of powering through the gears(2nd included) and promised myself no more auto driving for me.
I'm interested in what others feel.

[wturnbull]

After owning a manual 156 and later a selespeed (5 speed) 156, I would not go back to a manual. No reliability issues. For the last seven years I've driven a selespeed 159 (6 speed). The 159 has been criticised for being overweight and a sluggish performer. For me the selespeed makes the car a great drive. The control and response via the paddles is very good though it takes a while to get used to its foibles. As a manual, I think the car would be a far less satisfying drive.


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[Joe Garra]

The only auto Alfa I've had was a 164. About a year later saw a black Q in Alfa Melbourne, and quickly organised a trade in. No comparison between the two cars :-)  270,000 k later and still going strong.

[carlo rossi]

Manual
who is in command?
however an 8+speed auto will be quicker

Get one of each, so what if you have
one for each character
all 3 of us  agree

[Garibaldi]

Recent conversations with some car lovers has inveriably led me to ask, "what do you drive,and why, what's your preference manual or auto, and why?  My experiences over the past three decades has been with manual,auto and no clutch/paddles. For me you can't beat the feel,control and noise of a manual box especially if it's powering a 1.8 twin cam or a 3.0 v6 Busso as has been my pleasure.
The seven years of daily driving a 164 was luxurious at first,comfortable for the most part,then hating the car after I test drove a newly arrived 147gta. It shocked me with the realisation that my driving roots were all about the thrill of the drive and that had diminished somewhat.
I didn't buy the gta but it has reignited the memories of powering through the gears(2nd included) and promised myself no more auto driving for me.
I'm interested in what others feel.

Tough question. I prefer driving a manual but if I was doing the daily commute to the city or on the road for my job then I would definitely drive an auto.

[poohbah]

You can't beat a manual, but I'll admit that 3 years of driving a 6sp V6 156 in peak hour every day gave me a very well developed left calf. Over the years, I've also discovered a strong correlation between transmission type and demerit points - whenever I've owned a slushbox, my licence has remained much cleaner.

Surely it also depends on the car? If you have a big 'un, like a 90 or 166, you really don't want to be rowing it along.

Anything else though, needs to be fanged...

[carlo rossi]

could not agree more with POOhbah
Type of Car your habits and location
City more than 60% auto
sport driving Manual
Ferrari manual except you cant get a manual anymore
Theres the Hint
They believe real performance lies in a DSG semi auto

[Alfa.mg]

Manual all the way, driving an auto actually makes me wish the car could drive itself! Only ever had manuals. The wife has had european autos and we've had problems with them. I got more than 200k out of a 156 manual Ts clutch. Currently drive a 2.5v6 6spd manual, but its all country roads to work and building a sud so i can have fun below the speed limit. I think its part of the character of early italian cars, small revy engine attached to a nice manual box. More fun driving a slow car fast than a fast car slow. A freind bought a 430kw holden gts, he gets about 2seconds of fun before the speed limit.

[wturnbull]

159 selespeed (6 speed) is a great drive. 2.2 JTS is no muscle car, having a Holden block. The Alfa top end makes it high revving and with selespeed, very responsive using the "paddles". Certainly not boring to drive. Much of the front wheel drive criticism I think is overdone.


Bill Turnbull, Brisbane Australia
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[aggie57]

I don't get the argument that says a manual is no good in traffic.  Really, a good manual is easy to drive in traffic and if the change is well designed you get to enjoy it more often!  Apart from one 75 all our Alfa's have been manuals, as were both my 911's, and commuting around places like Melbourne, Auckland and London was part of the deal.  Now we live in LA so I get to experience good old freeway traffic (and drive a '14 C-class at the moment with 7-speed slush box) but when I get another 911 it'll be a manual as well.  Maybe I'll keep the Merc or maybe I'll trade it but either way it won't change what I spec. 

We had 2 156 Selespeeds in the family for a number years as well and frankly they were a PITA, offered nothing over a manual and right painful trying to park esp. on any sort of incline. If you've ever seen that clip of James May parking a semi-auto Saab you know what I mean.  When they came out way back in '99 or whatever we were all excited by the prospect, and more than one club member placed deposits and took some of the very first ones, but for me anyway the reality was a real disappointment.  Later on the 147 arrived with selespeed and we got the normal marketing but really it was more of the same.

Despite what I said above about my next 911, the PDK is about the only modern auto I would consider for a sports car.  Consider, but not choose. I did almost buy a DCT M3 a few years back but am more than happy that didn't do that in the end. 

Sorry for the rant but I just really like the whole package you get when driving a great car with a well sorted manual / stick shift. 

Edit: the 75 auto had it's faults (3 speed with 2.5 V6 wasn't exactly perfect) but as far as auto's of the time go Alfa sorted it really well.  Manual shifting was a delight and made perfect sense on winding country roads.  If you left it alone it got along OK but it came alive when driven like any other Alfa.

[wturnbull]

Selespeed sure takes some time to adjust to. I've owned a 156 five speed and now a six speed 159. The 159 needed a replacement clutch after four years. No other mechanical issues. Now after seven years and with complete familiarity with Selespeed's idiosyncrasies, again I would not go back to manual. In sports mode the responsiveness is excellent. A real driver's car!


Bill Turnbull, Brisbane Australia
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[wturnbull]

Good to hear of your brother's efforts saving selespeed Alfas. Misunderstood indeed!


Bill Turnbull, Brisbane Australia
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[V AR 164]

In the end it comes down to the drivers preference and the situation they are in. Personally I would choose manual over auto every single day of the week, but after spending time in an auto, I honestly don't mind it at all.
Yes it doesn't come anywhere near the experience of throwing cogs around, but all in all its not too bad, especially on the freeway. Even backroads can be a whole lot of fun in an auto, believe it or not!

I understand other people's opinions, but when they start saying things like 'your not this, or your car isn't this if you don't drive a manual', I loose their respect. The car scene is a big and vast place, and whilst everyone doesn't have to agree on everything, we should all respect everyone and their choices that they make. (Except if they drive a Prius  )

Also with the advancements of new DST and 8 speed gearboxes, it looks like that automatics are the way of the future, sadly.

Andrew.

[Duk]

See that Porsche have created a manual hotrod 911 simply called the R. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRxbgACxlec&spfreload=10
And the Cayman GT4 is praised for being a manual.

[V AR 164]

Nooo sportiva! Sorry if I came across that way. My opinion was a bit 'loud' now that I read it again. All I'm trying to say is that I dislike the fact people are so judgemental these days. I believe in doing what you want if it makes you happy, not trying to fit into the 'image' of what others want.

Andrew.