Still can't decide on AT or MT for your first FRS/BRZ? This may help...

[churchx]

Though they are more like exceptions, there ARE women petrolheads and enjoying track as much as men.

[Syche]

Originally Posted by Ernest72

Sure its a beast and takes a ton of abuse, but it does not shift as fast as the BRZ AT. Also no manual shift option. When it finally goes, I will put in a built 4EAT in for more fun.

oh my old 4eat had sport shift it definitely was not as fast as the brz/frs auto but it was better than most manuals to be fair LOL

also it did not really act much like a manual mode it was more a hold the gear type, cause it didnt let you bounce it off the rev limiter like the frs/brz can and still stay in gear

but taht was my plan also with my 4eat i wanted to get some paddles from a jdm forester and then rebuild the valve bodies and get a different torque converter but those days are behind me now LOL

[Marrk]

Originally Posted by Ernest72

The brain needs the satisfaction of knowing it made a right decision. Hence MT owners reinforce their decision. Then the AT owners reinforce their decision. Simple psychology. However, the world is not black and white but gray, so the best decision is different for different people.

AT has come a long way and can have many benefits. The future is really gonna be AT, but I doubt MT will go away.

I'm an MT guy. When I drove the AT FR-S (was it in 2013?), I thought it was awesome — better than the McLaren that I drove that same year. (And the McLaren is a true double-clutch system.)

I wasn't "reinforced," and yet my "psychology" was somehow satisfied.

[whataboutbob]

Originally Posted by fierostetz

I haven't had the opportunity to flog an 86 auto, just a fun test drive. Is it still very possible to get it sideways when a fit of immaturity strikes? After purchase I might be interested in attending a local "learn to drift" school thing... juvenile, I know, but would it still be able? I might not get a say in the AT/MT debate (medical).

Oh yes.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikyarrQ_LkA"]SDR SCAT 3 26 2017 afternoon x run number 3 - 69.284 +1 - YouTube[/ame]

[Syche]

Originally Posted by whataboutbob

Oh yes.

that was awesome dude. Also I havent had any issues at putting mine sideways .

[JonAvalon]

MT is life for me at this point.

I originally had an Auto 2013 FR-S. I really loved it, the transmission was quite solid never had any issues. Of course it was still slow but a lot of fun. I eventually traded in for a MT 2016 WRX, I fell in love with driving with a clutch again and vowed to never go back to autos unless it's a nice luxury car or a daily beater.

But a few months ago I decided to trade the WRX for a 2015 Audi S3 w/ the DSG. The transmission was good, super fast and holds power but had it's faults. To the point where I was getting frustrated and realizing I could do things in a manual much better. I was torn, I had power and speed but it just wasn't the same regardless of it being right there with a Stock STi. It lacked fun and engagement!

So a couple weeks ago I traded back into the platform with a MT 2018 BRZ. I love it, I'm never leaving this platform or switching back to an Auto. The MT on this does have some quirks compared to the WRX but there are ways around them.

[TommyW]

Drivers new to the track will learn driving dynamics faster with an auto\paddle car. When you throw shifting, heel\toe at threshold braking into the equation other, more important aspects of driving suffer. You CAN practice heel\toe on the street but doing it threshold braking is a lot different.

After a few track days the manual becomes a more engaging car, however. As far as lap times there is really no real difference. If there is it's too minor to make an impact.

As far as people saying a manual doesn't matter in traffic they've never experienced an hour of stop and go never getting out of first gear. If I'm faced with a drive with a lot of traffic I take my auto trans car.

[86TOYO2k17]

Obviously manuals are for purists and track enthusiasts. But for those people that aren’t manual elitist fan boys. Here are the main differences/reasons manuals are “better”

Individual times may vary but roughly speaking
Manual 0-60 6.4sec auto 7.8sec. The 0-100 is about 1.5sec difference from MT vs AT.

However 0-60 with no launch just brake to pedal I believe MT is 7.9sec and AT is 8.1sec

So as you can see roughly 90% of the difference in 0-60 / 1/4mile is launching vs no launching. Meaning irrelevant in street driving unless stop light racing.

The last 10% difference is in MT gearing advantage. However a FD swap in AT can make
up for or potentially give the AT the advantage.

Shift speed the MT has a slightly higher max potential. I believe AT shifts in .3sec, the avg driver shifts in .4-.6 seconds however really good drivers can do .2sec. So for consistent easy mode shifting AT is better in that regard, but a really good driver can be slightly quicker.

Overall in regards to performance when launching is taken out, and the AT has a FD swap they are pretty much the same.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by TommyW

As far as people saying a manual doesn't matter in traffic they've never experienced an hour of stop and go never getting out of first gear. If I'm faced with a drive with a lot of traffic I take my auto trans car.

Well, I think that varies by person. I drove my manual MK1 MR2 in DC beltway traffic 25 miles one-way daily for 3 years during rush hour and never thought about it once. Its an "automatic" process for me at this point, it just happens.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by 86TOYO2k17

Obviously manuals are for purists and track enthusiasts. But for those people that aren’t manual elitist fan boys. Here are the main differences/reasons manuals are “better”

Individual times may vary but roughly speaking
Manual 0-60 6.4sec auto 7.8sec. The 0-100 is about 1.5sec difference from MT vs AT.

However 0-60 with no launch just brake to pedal I believe MT is 7.9sec and AT is 8.1sec

So as you can see roughly 90% of the difference in 0-60 / 1/4mile is launching vs no launching. Meaning irrelevant in street driving unless stop light racing.

The last 10% difference is in MT gearing advantage. However a FD swap in AT can make
up for or potentially give the AT the advantage.

Shift speed the MT has a slightly higher max potential. I believe AT shifts in .3sec, the avg driver shifts in .4-.6 seconds however really good drivers can do .2sec. So for consistent easy mode shifting AT is better in that regard, but a really good driver can be slightly quicker.

Overall in regards to performance when launching is taken out, and the AT has a FD swap they are pretty much the same.

Potentially? Thats almost guaranteed a 4.67 or 4.88 puts it past the manual

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by JonAvalon

MT is life for me at this point.

I originally had an Auto 2013 FR-S. I really loved it, the transmission was quite solid never had any issues. Of course it was still slow but a lot of fun. I eventually traded in for a MT 2016 WRX, I fell in love with driving with a clutch again and vowed to never go back to autos unless it's a nice luxury car or a daily beater.

But a few months ago I decided to trade the WRX for a 2015 Audi S3 w/ the DSG. The transmission was good, super fast and holds power but had it's faults. To the point where I was getting frustrated and realizing I could do things in a manual much better. I was torn, I had power and speed but it just wasn't the same regardless of it being right there with a Stock STi. It lacked fun and engagement!

So a couple weeks ago I traded back into the platform with a MT 2018 BRZ. I love it, I'm never leaving this platform or switching back to an Auto. The MT on this does have some quirks compared to the WRX but there are ways around them.

Man wait till you drive the newest gen PDKs and DSGs in the audis and porsches, they are continually making improvements they are so fast and consistent now. I was blown away driving the PDK in the 718. Absolutely imperceptible shifts and speed. I had driven an A6 with a DCT back in 2014 and you could still tell it had some rough spots like how on some hills it would roll a bit more than it should while grabbing a gear or rolling on it's first clutch. The new stuff is on point and it's almost like the engine and car are perfectly in tune with each other with it now.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

Potentially? Thats almost guaranteed a 4.67 or 4.88 puts it past the manual

I don’t like giving absolutes. Bcs different FD swaps 4.3 all the way to 5.7 give different improvements + or - to accelerating to different speeds and starting at different speeds etc.. and MT can do FD swap and or gear swap. Although AT generally benefits more from FD swap. But yes you are pretty much correct.

[JonAvalon]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

Man wait till you drive the newest gen PDKs and DSGs in the audis and porsches, they are continually making improvements they are so fast and consistent now. I was blown away driving the PDK in the 718. Absolutely imperceptible shifts and speed. I had driven an A6 with a DCT back in 2014 and you could still tell it had some rough spots like how on some hills it would roll a bit more than it should while grabbing a gear or rolling on it's first clutch. The new stuff is on point and it's almost like the engine and car are perfectly in tune with each other with it now.

Oh yea definitely! One day I'll be back in a German car. I'd love a 718 with the PDK. I got to drive one briefly on city streets, it was pretty sweet! Although if it was a GT3 I'd maybe take that in the MT. I just saw Winding Road Magazines test drive in one, my god that thing seems blissful!!

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by JonAvalon

Oh yea definitely! One day I'll be back in a German car. I'd love a 718 with the PDK. I got to drive one briefly on city streets, it was pretty sweet! Although if it was a GT3 I'd maybe take that in the MT. I just saw Winding Road Magazines test drive in one, my god that thing seems blissful!!

Yea it's amazing honestly. The porsche dealer near me is in Princeton NJ and they seemingly had a huge disparity and a lot of them were PDK with the manuals still having yet to arrive.