Quote:
Originally Posted by TCGMark
Here is something I considered when buying the manual transmission. How much it costs to rebuild an automatic. Every automatic I have owned at some point needed transmission work. Of the manual transmissions I have owned, only one needed a rebuild after I put 350k miles on it (I didn't baby the gearbox either). In my experience, manual transmissions last way longer than automatic transmissions do (this is not considering the fact that new technologies and such could possibly make an automatic last longer). How many clutches would you have to replace before you paid for a rebuild on an automatic? To each their own, of course, but so far I have not seen this point brought up in this thread yet.
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Good point, the simplicity of the manual makes for great maintenance compared to the slushbox. Typical maintenance on a manual is checking your fluids every 22.5K (changed upon inspection) and (depending on how well you shift) clutch replacement should be a rarity but even then it's an opportunity to install an upgraded unit. On an automatic fluid and filter changed is every 60k (but check the levels while the engine is running every so often to make sure there's enough ATF, no varnish, foam, or black bits on the dip stick). Typically when automatics fail they require an expensive rebuild/replacement and almost never drive the same again (and usually require tweaking) -something you don't hear happening to manuals.
Manuals also give you the ability to push start -I know it doesn't seem like a big deal but that's saved me over the years when my battery mistakenly drained out. Towing a manual isn't as stressful when you can't get a flatbed and since the front is so low I don't think you'd want to risk towing it by the rear wheels. Never tow a AT car with the drive wheels on the ground even in neutral there's potential for catastrophic damage (unless you can disconnect & secure the driveshaft first).