Quote:
Originally Posted by naikaidriver
I have to admit, everyone is behaving admirably this time around. Usually these AT vs. MT threads turn into a flame war within a few pages.
Thank you all!
If I may offer one parting thought about the AT...
I have owned nothing but sports cars for the last 24 years. Every single one of them was a manual whether it was a 4 speed, 5 speed or 6 speed. Some were muscle cars and one was Nissan's Godzilla. I can't stand automatics.
The auto in my wife's tC makes me want to commit a violent crime every time I drive it. I test drove an automatic RX8 once that made me want to crash it into a pole or throw buckets of manure on it. I travel for a living and rental cars are NEVER manuals! Drive a new Sonata and it can't make up its mind what gear it wants to be in.
I still bought an auto FRS.
I test drove the MT and AT and I went with the AT. I LOVE the AT in this car! Its brilliant as far as ATs go and the locking torque converter works like a charm to ensure the engine and transmission stay connected. It never once feels like a slush box and I think its a disservice to call it one. Add the rev matching and extremely fast shifting, it reminds me of the E46 M3 transmission.
While the FRS may still use a torque converter similar to your average soccer-mom's minivan. Don't be so short-sighted to lump it into the same category. Its not.
Don't believe me? Drive one.
Scott
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Good post!
I definitely agree the A/T on this car is
very good. The excitement for me just seemed to wear off, when I wasn't driving it at 100%. But when I was, boy was it fun! Really cool experience, just keeping your hands on the wheels, hit the paddle, and you fly. It shifts almost instantly, faster than I can shift my manual for sure.
It just didn't really do it for me, putting around town. The "engagement" wasn't there, unless I was slamming the throttle 100%, blip downshifting every corner. And even in a pretty "slow" sports car like this, its still not very possible to do that "legally"
.
I'm probably just young, though. I bet in 20+ years, if I had the same choice, I (might) go with the auto. But knowing how rare manual cars will be in the future, I'd probably just have to do that to show my support for it.
It really comes down to owner preference. My test drive of the A/T fr-s just left me smiling cheek to cheek. Each car really does give the user the same feeling the twins are known for. I guess it just comes down to - do you want to row your own gears, or do you want to leave it in drive (with the ability to go balls out with the paddle shifter every now and then)?
Either way, you honestly can't go wrong. I recommend each person to at least drive
both cars before making your purchase. Don't jump on an auto, if its the only car left on the lot and your anxious to own one like me (stupid...). Cool thing is - even if you do, you still have the same car that will give you the same feeling when you push it to your limits. Both cars give much more smiles per dollar than just about any other new car in the price range (maybe even
double the price!).
I love my fr-s
