NewStats: 3,265,257 , 8,186,138 topics. Date: Saturday, 14 June 2025 at 06:13 AM 4f225t

I am about to buy my first car, I have had offers from both manual and Auto transmission cars, which should I go for? Apart from the fact that Auto is easier to drive, is there another advantage?

Manual's better

monemsis:
Manual's better

can you pls tell why?

2sa2:
can you pls tell why?

cos of emergencies like car break downs cos auto cars can't be towed

monemsis:
cos of emergencies like car break downs cos auto cars can't be towed

ok thank you

monemsis:
cos of emergencies like car break downs cos auto cars can't be towed

Like seriously?
I am not aware

colossus2:

Like seriously?
I am not aware

yea

More contributions please, i'm interested in this topic

2sa2:
I am about to buy my first car, I have had offers from both manual and Auto transmission cars, which should I go for? Apart from the fact that Auto is easier to drive, is there another advantage?

I'm a fan of the manual transmission, but if you live in a cities like lagos, ph,abuja,kano please buy auto tranny traffic and continuous depressing of the clutch can be very stressful.

monemsis:
cos of emergencies like car break downs cos auto cars can't be towed

who told u auto s cannot be towed..maybe u mean to say when ur battery or motor starter(kickstarter) is bad it cant be pushed to start like u would push start the manual

eddy42k:

who told u auto s cannot be towed..maybe u mean to say when ur battery or motor starter(kickstarter) is bad it cant be pushed to start like u would push start the manual

Nowadays automatics last as long as manual if you do the required fluid and filter service, generally every 50k miles. Manuals have a clutch and they wear out. To replace a clutch is quite expensive. A new-to-manual driver will wear it out faster than an experienced driver by doing such things as riding the clutch, slipping the clutch and similar bad habits. In some cars the clutch life is 75-100k miles. An automatic that has been maintained will last much longer, almost double.

Similar thread has been treated https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/102874/lets-compare-automatic-manual-cars

OP, are you an enthusiast buying an enthusiast car? If no to both questions then just buy an auto.

Also this won't be a forever car so don't stress too much on it, you will buy another one in time.

Life is too short.

monemsis:
cos of emergencies like car break downs cos auto cars can't be towed

Shuo, who told u auto can't be towed, the problem is they do everything wrong in this country. When towing an auto car, the drive wheel is supposed to be jerked up. If ur car is FWD, then the front wheels should be jerked and towed with the rear wheels. If the car is RWD, then it should be towed backwards with rear wheels jerked up.

Your choice bro....

If you just want stress-free driving, that would take you from point A to B, abeg go buy auto...

But if you're someone like me, who loves to control the car, move car with gear one, rev to 2800/min, change to two, rev to 3000/min change to three, drag it seriously till it reaches 3700/min, flash to 4 withina split second, and finally drag the car again till the car is at 130km/hr, move stick to 5 and coast at that speed..... You know nah

also, auto trannies take more time and energy to fix and mainatin, its far more expensive than conventional manual trannies, needs its own oil (manual trannies can use any oil, even palm oil *joke*)

but like i said, its your choice

AutosBay:
Nowadays automatics last as long as manual if you do the required fluid and filter service, generally every 50k miles. Manuals have a clutch and they wear out. To replace a clutch is quite expensive. A new-to-manual driver will wear it out faster than an experienced driver by doing such things as riding the clutch, slipping the clutch and similar bad habits. In some cars the clutch life is 75-100k miles. An automatic that has been maintained will last much longer, almost double.

Similar thread has been treated https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/102874/lets-compare-automatic-manual-cars

Servicing at 50k miles ? Pls tell me this is a joke, biko.

AutosBay:
Nowadays automatics last as long as manual if you do the required fluid and filter service, generally every 50k miles. Manuals have a clutch and they wear out. To replace a clutch is quite expensive. A new-to-manual driver will wear it out faster than an experienced driver by doing such things as riding the clutch, slipping the clutch and similar bad habits. In some cars the clutch life is 75-100k miles. An automatic that has been maintained will last much longer, almost double.

Similar thread has been treated https://nairaland.unblockandhide.com/102874/lets-compare-automatic-manual-cars

thanks so much

Lagusta:
Your choice bro....

If you just want stress-free driving, that would take you from point A to B, abeg go buy auto...

But if you're someone like me, who loves to control the car, move car with gear one, rev to 2800/min, change to two, rev to 3000/min change to three, drag it seriously till it reaches 3700/min, flash to 4 withina split second, and finally drag the car again till the car is at 130km/hr, move stick to 5 and coast at that speed..... You know nah

also, auto trannies take more time and energy to fix and mainatin, its far more expensive than conventional manual trannies, needs its own oil (manual trannies can use any oil, even palm oil *joke*)

but like i said, its your choice

thanks

CityNG:
OP, are you an enthusiast buying an enthusiast car? If no to both questions then just buy an auto.

Also this won't be a forever car so don't stress too much on it, you will buy another one in time.

Life is too short.

very helpful thanks

Manual Versus Automatic Transmission

What is better? Manual or automatic? How do they work? Which one to choose? Why? This site is dedicated to unbiased information / pros and cons about these two types of transmissions. Don't forget to add your own thoughts at the end of the page.

If you are too lazy or don't have time to read all that's on this site here's the one sentence executive summary: manual transmission (MT)cars use less fuel and give you more control over the car but are less convenient, while automatic transmissions (AT) burn (a little) more gas, provide less control but they are easier to use.

Costs
Manual transmissions cost less than automatics to begin with. When you go to a car dealear you will notice that the stick-shift version of the same model is about a thousand bucks cheaper. Sometimes a thousand dollars seems like not not so much when it comes to buying a new car but forget about the car itself, think of what you can do with an extra $1000.

In the long run, manuals require less service, thus making maintenance cheaper too.


Maintenance
Any mechanic can tell you that working on a manual transmission is much easier than working with automatic gear boxes. So the repair costs for automatics are significantly higher.

Manuals - if properly operated - will go hundreds of thousands of kilometers without problems (well, you also need a good car). The lubricant needs to be replaced periodically but not as frequently as in automatics. (Some cars use special transmission fluids that do not need to be replaced at all.)

Operation (driving)
Standards are harder to drive. Say the North Americans. Huh. Ask a European taxi driver who talks to the dispatcher and zig-zags on narrow winding streets with three angers chatting in the background. He will swear to the life of his mother that stick shifs are better.

With ATs, at stop lights you have to keep your foot on the brake pedal otherwise the start keeps rolling forward. Just how uncomfortable is that? This was so strange to me the first time I drove an automatic that I slowly rear ended the car in front at the lights (In case you are wondering I spend 6 years driving standards and 7 years driving automatics.)

The main difference in operating a car with a stick shift vs. one with automatic trasmission is that you need to shift gears based on the vehicle's speed and this requires the use of the clutch pedal and the gear shift (stick). When the clutch pedal is depressed the clutch is disengaged - the engine and the transmission is separated. Gears can be selected at this time or the car can be stopped without stalling.

It's not depressing the clutch pedal that takes practice - releasing it requires practice to ensure a smooth start and gradual transition between gears once the vehicle is in motion. If the clutch pedal is not properly used the car will "jump-start" (much like an angry donkey) and often stall. Learning to control the clutch pedal is the single most frightening part of driving standards and many people become discouraged after a few unsuccessful trials. But once you learn how to use properly use your left foot to control the cluch-pedal the "muscle memory" becomes permanent and you won't forget it again - much like riding a bicycle.

Automatics also have a clutch except instead of a clutch pedal a torque converter is used to seperate the engine from the transmission - and it all happens automatically without the need of driver input. Speaking of driver input: manual enthusiasts need all their pride and discipline in traffic jams when they need to shift gears every minute for hours. (hint: if you commute in bad traffic, buy an automatic and forget about control- it's just not worth the stress driving a stick shift through traffic jams)

colossus2:

Like seriously?
I am not aware

who says auto can't b towed. I use an infiniti qx4. Wen my fan belt gave way, i towed it. Aside d fact dat auto cosumes a little bit higher dan manual, auto's are good cars. Y would americans produce a 2014 corolla for us 9igerans manual, and dier specs are auto.

Enifloxy:

who says auto can't b towed. I use an infiniti qx4. Wen my fan belt gave way, i towed it. Aside d fact dat auto cosumes a little bit higher dan manual, auto's are good cars. Y would americans produce a 2014 corolla for us 9igerans manual, and dier specs are auto.

The poster I quoted said so