What is your opinion of getting an auto frs?

[Mini Cooper S]

Manual transmission master race! #savethemanuals

[Tcoat]

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[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Originally Posted by FirestormFRS

Go buy a 911 GT3 with a manual, or a 911 Turbo, or any Lambo, or maybe an AMG car? Ferrari you say?

This is a tired argument. None of the above "proper" sports cars can be had with a manual transmission.

Because they've been dumbed-down by a buying public that is more interested in image than, well, driving. Just because people have money it doesn't mean they won't pervert a product to have it meet their egocentric expectations.

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Originally Posted by miyoshi82

I'm getting an auto because I stalled 3 times at the dealer lot trying to test drive one with the manual before I could even get out. I said to myself: "I can't see myself doing this all the time, especially with the commute I have to do Monday-Friday."

So because you weren't immediately proficient with a manual transmission you gave up on the idea? That's like saying you got dumped by your first girlfriend and decided that you must be gay.

[malave7567]

I disagree with "dumbed down." The high-end manufacturers like Ferrari are putting in auto's that simply shift faster and more consistently than a human ever could. It's amazing tech. Even the new Corvette Z06 is faster with the 8-speed auto than with the manual, and that's not something I ever thought would happen with a Corvette.

That said, would I prefer a manual? Yes, because I love the engagement, but I acknowledge that the new autos are actually better for performance now.

[FirestormFRS]

Originally Posted by FlamingRectumSyndrome

Because they've been dumbed-down by a buying public that is more interested in image than, well, driving. Just because people have money it doesn't mean they won't pervert a product to have it meet their egocentric expectations.

Well said.....if you haven't the slightest clue about the benefits of automated manuals.

Yes the buying public has spoken and likes flappy paddles.

The dual clutch automated manuals are just better than any human could ever be at shifting. They can also be lighter than a traditional manual. They're much more efficient than the up and down rev characteristics of the 3 pedal manuals as well.

People used to say cars would never replace horses. You sound like maybe you were around back when that was a popular topic.

[makesdrivingfunagain]

This is an interesting discussion! I would like to know if a stick or an "automatic" perhaps a semi-automatic transmission may be more fitting is faster. Or is the driver faster. I wonder if the average car enthusiast could drive faster with a stick verses one of these automatics with all of the electronics. I am not sure if the manual is faster or it is the driver, of course I am not talking about a drag/race launch at 6900RPM's. These aren't meant for straight line. we need to do some experimenations

[YMAA]

Originally Posted by FirestormFRS

Go buy a 911 GT3 with a manual, or a 911 Turbo, or any Lambo, or maybe an AMG car? Ferrari you say?

This is a tired argument. None of the above "proper" sports cars can be had with a manual transmission.

The cars listed are also pushing the definition of what makes a sports car. Most of them have more in common with supercars than sports cars.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by makesdrivingfunagain

This is an interesting discussion! I would like to know if a stick or an "automatic" perhaps a semi-automatic transmission may be more fitting is faster. Or is the driver faster. I wonder if the average car enthusiast could drive faster with a stick verses one of these automatics with all of the electronics. I am not sure if the manual is faster or it is the driver, of course I am not talking about a drag/race launch at 6900RPM's. These aren't meant for straight line. we need to do some experimenations

I think that the experimentation has been done and that is why most of the supercars don't have manuals anymore!


On a side note... How many guys here still refer to manuals as "standards"? Probably the same ones that remember when driving an automatic was considered the lap of luxury.

[FlamingRectumSyndrome]

Originally Posted by FirestormFRS

....The dual clutch automated manuals are just better than any human could ever be at shifting. They can also be lighter than a traditional manual. They're much more efficient than the up and down rev characteristics of the 3 pedal manuals as well.

People used to say cars would never replace horses. You sound like maybe you were around back when that was a popular topic.

You can program a computer to make music, but you'll never get anything that remotely resembles a composition by Mozart, or Miles Davis, or Bruce Springsteen. It's the humanness of their compositions that makes them great. You can't beat a computer for efficiency, but you can't compare that efficiency to the passion of human interaction.

If you want a purely efficient driving experience, look to one of Google's Chauffeur vehicles. You can remove yourself entirely from the bother of driving, knowing that it is choosing the most efficient route, throttle application, spacing between it and the adjacent vehicles, etc. As for me, I enjoy the actual process of driving, and prefer to be involved in that process. That's the odd thing about the dwindling number of people who actually care about driving, and take a measure of pride in their ability to do so.

[Vracer111]

I'm firmly in the manual or die camp for all my vehicles... only reason I'd ever get an automatic is if an injury REQUIRED having an automatic to be able to drive the vehicle. I test drove the automatic FRS at the FRS autocross driving event they had when they were first released in summer 2012... did not like the low speed dynamic differences between it and the manual. Got back into my manual FRS to go home from the event and everything was better (sharper/immediate in response...) Track driving would probably be a more suitable environment for running an auto hard... a slow autocross setup with tight turns not so much, just brings out more of the difference in transmission setup.

I also much prefer a manual in heavy stop and go traffic situation... an automatic is way too frustrating in those conditions for me. Having to constantly be on the brakes with them and modulating the brake pedal really goes against my natural tendency of finely regulating the throttle pedal to control your speed all the way down to a stop without ever hardly ever having to use the brakes.

People are fine to get whatever transmission they want... personally I have no love for automatics in a daily driver, but I won't knock someone if that's what they have and like. I would encourage them to go the manual route though if it's a choice they are considering... it provides you with a finer level of control of the vehicle dynamics which is the reason for getting a sports car in the first place. And the fluid changes with the automatic would drive me bonkers... I'd probably have to drain/flush the fluid every 15k miles and would definitely need a transmission cooler added to the system with how hot the car runs. With a manual transmission, I feel more comfortable with a longer change interval...at least 30k miles.

[Jegan_V]

I test drove an automatic FRS and I will say as some have noted its an extremely responsive automatic. Used the paddle shifters and it reacts as good as an automatic can relative to a DSG box. The gearing is also better for highway cruising.

However I got a manual and absolutely no regret because I think its an excellent manual transmission. This clutch is surprisingly forgiving which made transitioning to this car pretty easy, a bit on the vague side but its actually not bothersome in bad traffic. The gear shifter gives very nice positive feel. The gear ratios feel very evenly spaced unlike my Impreza or my sister's Civic. For a car that makes a big deal about driving involvement, it feels wrong for me to choose a automatic as this manual actually further adds to that experience. My biggest problem with automatics even with paddle shifters...somehow when I drive automatics I prefer to drive in lazy mode and likely will only use the paddle shifters perhaps one a year...or even less than that.

This car doesn't have a bad transmission choice. I do consider the auto good, its just I consider the manual excellent.

[Mim]

How many of you have actually hit the power button, in the auto, and tried driving around in that mode for a lengthy period of time? I used the regular auto mode and that was just mind numbingly terrible. Regular mode almost Felt like I was driving a CVT with how it kept changing down and costed with minimal gear braking.


Power mode sits in gear and I use its gear breaking to gently come to a stop at lights. I hardly use the brakes in regular driving as you need to maintain steady throttle or speed washes off pretty quickly. This is great in slow moving traffic as I just modulate my speed via the accelerator and rarely need to apply brakes.


Also that sound, when in power mode, and you just WOT from a complete stop and how it just smoothly clicks up the gears as you accelerate. Hard to not smile when I think about it. Sigh now I'm really itching for a good sounding cat back.

[Fortis]

Auto all the way. I like having my right hand free to stabilize my girlfriend's chesticles while going over speed bumps and what not