[fiveoneoh]

wow, first of all I am surprised to see so many great responses, makes me feel welcome =))

Thanks everyone your perspectives on driving the automatic. It seems that for the most part based on most of these responses, the true spirit of the AT only comes alive on the racetrack or otherwise aggressive driving. I would be concerned that for DD it might be too boring.


For some perspective, my camera is completely manual, I still listen to vinyl, and I rip mp3s (because vinyls dont play so well in a car) at no less than 256kb. So I'm a bit of a purist, I guess you could say.


I don't know about anyone else, but I love the feeling of pressing down on the clutch and timing everything perfectly to give power to the car (OTOH, what a let down when I don't get it right, ha!) Doesn't anyone else feel happy chemicals released by their brain when heel toe is done perfectly, or is that just me?

Originally Posted by Jedi1

.....Even after 38 years I still get it wrong every once in awhile. ....

Reason 3. And this one is HUGE! My wife has a bad back. ...With this Auto, it's Game On for her again! Seeing her with a huge smile on her face while behind the wheel again is priceless!

I love rowing through a nice manual gear box. They are tons of fun and there is a certain satisfaction in getting everything right over the course of a lap or whatever road you happen to be on. There is also something amazing about getting the gearbox out of the way and hearing the car rev match perfectly every single time and snap off the upshifts with perfect precision. I like getting the gear box out of the way and concentrating on the task at hand. For me that task has always been about going faster! The new auto and dual clutch boxes are another tool to help accomplish that goal.

It's refreshing to know that even with all your years of experience, you don't always nail a perfect heel toe!

Your Reason 3 is a similar reason for me, as to why I am looking at the AT. I want the happy grin on my face with the AT, too! Will I get that on city streets though with a AT, since that is going to be 99% of my driving? [NOTE: this is not a suggestion of aggressive driving on public roads. During DD, you take what you can get, and if it's just shifting up and down, it still adds something to the drive. "What would I have equivalent with the AT?" is where I'm heading with this.]


Agreed with all of this, need a better test drive. Also would love to attend the track event if I could! senna, meet your match!

Originally Posted by Jedi1

IN all honestly. Unless your test drive was on a race track or a serious road (i.e. THE TWISTIES) you probably didn't have enough time or room to push the car into the level that these transmissions really begin to shine. IN order to appreciate these things in manual mode, they need to be driven hard!

Not saying you didn't get on it and I don't pretend to have a clue what your comfort level is behind the wheel. You could be Senna reincarnated for all I know. If you are Senna, there's a club race at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend. Stop by. We would love to meet you! : ). I would be willing to bet that a SERIOUS drive on track would at least get you a much better understanding of what these transmissions are capable of and why I and so many others look at them as a favorable tool and not the end of the art of driving.

Originally Posted by atledreier

The thing for me was that the AT was GREAT for when I drove the car hard, and I can only imagine how much fun it would be on a racetrack. But I got to try my daily commute, and after half an hour I was ready to rip both my hair out of my head and the damn gearbox processor out the window! When in D and driving a slow queue it was just idiotic and very, very annoying. Tried all the modes to make it behave like a normal AT bit it was just weird. Doing a constant 10mph, box in 2nd, then it may suddenly decide 3rd is a better option, but doesn't bother to revmatch and jerks. Stuff like that just irks the H**L out of me, and really put me off the AT for good. My DSG Golf occationally do something 'weird' too, but not nearly as often, and much less annoying.

^^ this is what i'm scared of. Would like to know what can be done to avoid this in a AT.

Originally Posted by jeebus

the reason you didn't like the AT is because automatic transmissions are fun-sapping lazy-people devices. Yeah they keep getting better, faster, more gears, better mileage....but in the end they are still automatics. They take away the control a clutch gives to the driver. They take away the feel as you row through a manual gearbox.

I have driven a number of modern, fantastic automatics. I appreciate them for what they are, but they do not belong in a sports car. Period.

^ trying to avoid a MT/AT debate, but yes I do agree

Originally Posted by Synack

These responses are fantastic, I would've never ever ever considered getting an automatic unless I read this thread. Alas, I am still pretty satisfied with my 6MT. I'd say if you are leaning towards the 6AT, let me just push you into the Auto pond, metaphorically.

^ no, not leaning, probably split 50/50 but for very different reasons for choosing either.

Originally Posted by M-17

After I was done with the scion test drive, I never thought that the auto sucked at all. And after getting behind the wheel of a manual BRZ, I knew I'd still prefer the M/T vs the A/T. I'd get the auto only if it meant that I was not going to be that serious with the BRZ when it comes down to having the car being tracked. Not that the auto can't actually compete with the manual, it just won't have the same niche that a manual gives back to the driver. So an auto for me for the daily routine/spirited drive and a manual for hard fun driving with the complete sense of control of the car.

^did you buy both?! Driving the AT, what specifically about it may you realize it did not "suck"?

Originally Posted by jadewbj

The other reason that I don't like this auto is it is not a real DSG which means it suffers more drivetrain loss than the manual. You loose about 10WHP with the auto from what I have seen.

^is that why I felt the AT seemed to have a bit of "lag" during driving?

Originally Posted by rwd_

three pedal minimum all day, everyday.

Automatic transmission would only be considered if I was handicapped beneath the waist.

^careful what you say, I was a MT snob once too. THen life showed me otherwise.