Are you thinking of buying a car? If your answer is ‘YES’ to this question, then you have many decisions to make. It is easy to decide the car brand or its color, but the complexity lies in determining the engine type and transmission. Your personal preferences plus your driving habits help you in making your choices. If you still have a confusion about this aspect, we are here to help you. This article focuses on the difference between manual and automatic cars and thereby guides you in making a decision.
Basic Difference
We all know the primary difference between manual and automatic transmission cars. It is the method in which the vehicle allows you to shift gears. In a manual transmission, you are the one which changes the gears with the help of clutch and pedals. These cars come with five or six speeds, with reverse control along with it. Here, you have all the power to control how your car performs.
And, in the automatic transmission, the car automatically changes the gears for you. It comes with the simplified gearbox with four modes. They are:
Park – P
Reverse – R
Neutral – N
Drive – D
The car is capable of selecting the right gear based on the road condition as well as your driving speed. Your job is only to decide whether you want to go forward, backward, or stop the car.
Power
You must consider the power of your car before buying it. If you want the most engine power, you must go for manual transmission cars. Although some modern automatic transmissions such as manumatics, CVT transmissions, or 5-speed automatic gear cars allow for excellent acceleration, still it won’t be able to provide the power of manual gearbox. We can say, almost 99% of the time you can get a better performance from manual transmission cars.
If you are not the only one to drive this car, and your friends or any family member use your vehicle on a daily basis, then you need to consider many other factors as well. For instance, if you wish to get a car with more power whereas the other person wants it for the daily commute, then we recommend you to go for semi-automatic ones. Most of the sports model comes with this type of transmission.
Fuel Economy
It is one of the critical factors to consider before purchasing a car. If you pay more attention to fuel economy, then it’s better to go for manual gear. Check the EPA ratings of the vehicle to determine its fuel economy. Although it’s not always accurate, you can at least get an idea about the type of fuel economy your vehicle can give. Most of the new models with automatic gears have EPA rating 1 or 2 MPG less than the car of the same model with a manual gearbox.
Maintenance Cost
The maintenance or repair cost matters a lot in the long run. Hence you must pay heed for this factor also. Most of the automatic transmission cars need to be serviced more often when compared to a manual transmission. Besides, the cars with the manual gearbox are cheaper to repair. You cannot stick on to this point since it won’t be the case always. But on average, we can say that manual transmission cars won’t cost you much comparatively.
For example, in manual cars, you don’t have to replace the clutch disc often when compared to automatic ones. Clutch replacement is one of the labor-intensive tasks and costs several thousand rupees.
External Factor Matters Too
You might be willing to drive a manual car with more power. But other factors may affect your decision. If you are a physically disabled person or if you want to share the car with others who want it for the daily commute, you must go for automatic ones. Sometimes, the country you reside will also influence your decision. In such cases, we always ask you to pick an automatic car that has better fuel economy and comes with good shift pattern.
Also, if you are a person who is capable of multitasking, you can go for manual gearbox with no hesitation. In manual cars, you have to concentrate on the road and shift the gear at the same time. If you are not a multitasker, then better choose an automatic transmission car.
Now you know the difference between manual and automatic transmissions. To help you with these differences further, we listed the advantages of each of this car below.
Advantages of Automatic Transmission Cars
– Automatic transmission cars are known for providing the simplest driving experience.
– Driving an automatic car is less distracting and does not require you to multitask.
– You do not have to think about shifting gears and concentrate solely on the road.
– In crowded streets or traffic areas, an automatic car wins the race because driving a car with a manual gearbox in such places is annoying.
– These cars are also easier to operate in hilly areas.
Advantages of Manual Transmission Cars
– Manual transmission cars come with better gas mileage. As you have all the control over the RPMs of the engine, you can save the gas.
– It provides multiple ways to manage your car. If you are an expert, you can slow down the vehicle without applying the brakes as much. That is, you can downshift and allow the engine to help you slow down the car. This way you can save wear on your tires as well as brakes.
– As mentioned above, the maintenance or repair cost of the manual car is less compared to automatic ones.
– Also, a manual transmission is a cheaper option to go for when you buy a new car.
So which one is better? Now it’s over to you to decide
We have listed all the significant difference between automatic and manual transmission cars. Hope these differences have helped you in taking a perfect decision. Although both the vehicles are best in their way, you should choose it based on your personal preference. Once you buy one, take some time to learn it properly before hitting the road.
