What's the difference between automatic and manual transmission?

And they walk amoung us......gimme a break.

Actually manual is better in my opinion. They usually get better gas mileage and have lower maintenance. Also with a manual a dead battery doesn't mean you are stuck. The only benefit of having a automatic is not changing the gears yourself, but they use way more oil (transmission fluid), have more internal parts to break and require a cooler which sits near the radiator (the piping can leak leaving you stranded).

Automatic changes gears for you, but gives you less control of the car. Manual is more difficult (and sometimes more annoying), but it gives you more control of the car if you're a good driver. Also manual cars are cheaper than ones with automatic gearboxes. Automatic cars are more for those who want an easy drive, and manual cars are more for people who like their cars and who want to have extra control.

Automatic changes gears for you, but gives you less control of the car. Manual is more difficult (and sometimes more annoying), but it gives you more control of the car if you're a good driver. Also manual cars are cheaper than ones with automatic gearboxes. Automatic cars are more for those who want an easy drive, and manual cars are more for people who like their cars and who want to have extra control.

automatics come in a mass of forms after all an automatic setup in a 1.0l mpv is not the same as an automatic type setup in a Ferrari Enzo or F1 race cars.

So simple comments about just place it in D and you have less control are not always true as many auto type boxes offer the driver extra control buttons to alter when the box changes gear and also to which type of mode it needs to be in then there are setups like tiptronic just one of many variations to a basic automatic box.

So when we compare power mpg and so on it all depends on that particular vehicle and the setup it has.

Myself have owned and also driven slow and boring automatics to rapid and fast automatics and the same with manual i have driven which again have been fun and boring in different cases.

Automatic:

- more complicated and expensive to manufacture

- might need more fuel due to losses and lower number of gears

- might need less fuel due to optimized switching points

- can give you more torque at lower speeds (but with losses)

- for some high powered vehicles (cars as well as trucks) necessary in order to keep the gearing manageable, at least for non-professional drivers (and easier to use for pros)

- prone to have 'parking accidents' if the driver just puts it to 'P' and doesn't use the handbrake ;-)

in automatic transmission you need not change gears while driving

it is helpful in conjusted areas than manual gearing

if it s pain to you -don t drive ! manual is a Fabulous experience