I Bought an automatic brz and wanted to explain why.

[Twinz]

I own a 2015 AT FRS and a 2016 MT FRS. The MT is prepped for CS (autocross) and had a pretty good season last year. The AT is bone stock and used for pretty much everything not on the track.

I prefer the MT for driving at or near the limit and the AT for....just about everything else.

If I had to choose one to drive 100% of the time and I did not compete, I would go with the AT. When asked to, the AT does a much better job of pretending to be a manual (for fun driving) than the manual does of pretending to be an auto. (For boring stop and go traffic)

While the "sport" mode for stability control is total crap on pre-2017 models(AT and MT), the sport mode for the automatic's *transmission* is damn near perfect. In that mode, the transmission holds gears, rev matches, downshifts, and engine brakes, well. Most of the time it does what I would have done with a MT.

[Ernest72]

I don't think I ever cared about what someone else bought, especially someone I don't know. I own two AT Subies and both kick ass. Everyone who has driven them loved them both. They are both DD, now I drive one for 3 days and the other for 4 days. Sure they might be a little more fun in MT when driving for fun, but most of the time I am literally just going from A to B, work, kids games, and general life stuff. I wish I had time to play boy racer like all the MT guys on this board that can't stand AT. When I get my third car - an air-cooled 911 it will likely be MT as a strictly weekend car, but hey if a deal comes across I got nothing against a tip, maybe even a sportamatic.

I love these threads though. I think I have a post in almost everyone on Nasioc and here over the last 14.5 years of Subie AT ownership.

[ermax]

I am not consented about what other people buy other than the fact that it will impact my ability to by a MT in the future. They are becoming extinct. My criteria for the FRS was, small, light, RWD, MT with LSD. That combo is very hard to come by these days. I don’t expect MT to survive much more than 5 years. The day Ferrari wrote off the last MT I knew we were doomed.

[BrianLaplante]

Originally Posted by ermax

I can see how some people go for autos because that is all they have ever experienced. Or maybe they have driven a friend's manual but never owned their own. But what I don't get is how someone can drive a manual on a daily and then scrap it for an auto. Perfectly matched double clutches while heal toeing is so rewarding. I guess if you're like my wife where you simply drive from point a to point b and never learn any of the other driving techniques related to a manual then you would be more willing to give it up. I hear people complain about traffic a lot. I've been driving a manual in stop and go for 20 years. It was a 30 minute stop and go commute (one way) for the first 19 and now my office has moved so it's about 1 hour each direction now. When I say stop and go I mean, stop for 30sec.... roll 5 feet... stop for 30secs... for a freaking hour... every day. Never does it cross my mind to give up the manual. I also see people that are only concerned about specs on paper that go for the newer double cluch tranies. Even then I don't get it. It isn't worth a fraction of a second 0-60 to give up all the fun you get from a manual. Then I hear about people wanting to free up their hands in the turns.. we aren't driving F1 cars.. who cares. I suspect a lot of the people with that argument have never even lapped a racetrack.

Anyways, sorry to rant. I just hate seeing the death of manuals because of arguments like this. Not wanting to look around for a few weeks to find a manual is a pore excuse IMO. I remember my brother in law buying the Acura TL when it first came out. I told him to go for the manual because it not only did it come with a manual but it also came with Brembos unlike the auto. So he went to all the dealers in town and none of them had one on their lots.. so rather than telling them to locate/order one.. he gave in and got an auto. So now he just added to the statistics that makes the auto industry think no one wants a manual. I was talking to a salesman one day and asked why they never have manuals on hand. He said because they sell right away. Duh... so order more.

Anyways.. I really am done ranting. So, how is the auto FRS? Does it hold gears well, for example,. does it recognize when your in corners and hold a lower gear so you can have more engine braking ability to balance the car in the turn or anything like that? The computer has all the data needed to do something like this. Does it shift the instant you tell it to or does it just put it in the queue and shift when it gets a chance? Does it match revs when downshifting?

sorry haven't had the time to reply all day but i only ditched it because i couldn't find a manual locally (lazy part on my half) but it hold gears fine i can hold it bouncing off rev limiter and it wont shift until i tell it too and its engine breaks work about 75% as good as a manuals when it comes to down shifting/ going into corners. the traffic argument with this car shouldn't event be a thing its clutch is as light as a feather even with an injured knee you barley feel it. in the long run i will probably end of with a manual transmission in my car but that wont be for a long time. need to blow my tranny first which will take a lot of time and money haha

[BrianLaplante]

on second hand i love reading all of your guy's story's! thanks everyone for the input and storys! (including the meme's everyone needs a good laugh)

[WolfpackS2k]

The money reason seems pretty silly to me.

A used BRZ with an automatic transmission costs less to buy because it's less desirable than the manual equipped models. Whenever the OP decides to sell the car it'll still be worth less than comparable models equipped with a stick shift. You're never coming out ahead.

Supposing that the OP couldn't afford a locally sourced BRZ with a manual transmission, and absolutely HAD to buy a car NOW, then I get it.

I feel like most people would just search further away and/or wait to save up a bit more money and get the manual transmission. Otherwise I would always feel like I was settling for less than I wanted.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

The money reason seems pretty silly to me.

But hey, if he's living paycheck to paycheck and too poor to afford it, maybe it means he can afford Top Ramen instead of having to settle for Maruchan.

[Submarinesonce]

MT or die

[Sergeb96]

I was going to get auto, but got a manual. In my opinion, this car should be like the sti; standard transmission only. This way mostly enthusiasts would have this car, and not random old ladies I see, and kids trying to justify the automatic, when the only reason was; they were just afraid of learning to shift gears.


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[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Sergeb96

In my opinion, this car should be like the S2000; standard transmission only.

Fixed for you and a more valid comparison.

[BrianLaplante]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

The money reason seems pretty silly to me.

A used BRZ with an automatic transmission costs less to buy because it's less desirable than the manual equipped models. Whenever the OP decides to sell the car it'll still be worth less than comparable models equipped with a stick shift. You're never coming out ahead.

Supposing that the OP couldn't afford a locally sourced BRZ with a manual transmission, and absolutely HAD to buy a car NOW, then I get it.

I feel like most people would just search further away and/or wait to save up a bit more money and get the manual transmission. Otherwise I would always feel like I was settling for less than I wanted.

that's pretty much how it went down i got tired of a 2 hour bus ride because i sold my wrx before i found "the one" so i kinda just said fuck it and went with what was available

[BrianLaplante]

Originally Posted by Sergeb96

I was going to get auto, but got a manual. In my opinion, this car should be like the sti; standard transmission only. This way mostly enthusiasts would have this car, and not random old ladies I see, and kids trying to justify the automatic, when the only reason was; they were just afraid of learning to shift gears.

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definitely not my reason but i do feel you on seeing a bunch of older people who wouldn't own the car if was manual kinda awkward

[winstonscifi]

Originally Posted by BrianLaplante

definitely not my reason but i do feel you on seeing a bunch of older people who wouldn't own the car if was manual kinda awkward

Hey - wait a minute - I'm old, grey hair and all that, but I love sportscars! This is the first sportscar that I've had with an automatic - please don't say that all older people can't or won't drive a manual. I've had a Triumph Spitfire, a Fiat X1/9, a Chrysler Crossfire all with manuals - and I've loved them all. I like this FRS with the auto because my wife can drive it. Please don't hate on older folks - we love the cars as much as you younger folks!

[krayzie]

I feel that Toyota made an automatic gearbox for the twins just because Mazda made one for the Miata.