Manual or Auto???

[mayfly]

Im looking into buying a camry real soon. I testing out a 02 I4 with manual trans versus a 02 I4 with auto trans. Would you guys give me some pros and cons between the two?

Also does the shifter on the manual trans feel tight or alittle lose when shifting? Clutch feels great just the shifter feels alittle 'sloppy' if this makes any sense. I dont have anything to compare it to eccept my 94 Mustang GT which has a very tight shifter.

Appreciate any comments. Thanks.

[leasaunce]

with Manual you get more Power than Auto. With Auto the gearbox will last much longer than Manual.

[CygnusX1]

Less than 10% of new cars are sold with manual transmissions and the number keeps dropping every year.
It's not like the old days where the manual accelerated faster, got better mileage, weighed less, etc.
Even Ferrari's have auto transmissions now. Get the auto and forget about rowing through the gears. You'll love it, especially if you do alot of stop and go driving in heavy traffic.

Also, like you said, Ford puts alot of friction in their Mustang shifters, whereas Toyota and Honda keep the action very light. It should still snick snick easily into every gear without too much play. It won't feel like the tight short throws of a Mustang shifter though. Check out the shifter on a Honda S2000 if you want to feel a perfect shifter.

The only advantage I can still see with a manual is the ability to push start them with a dead battery. With good maintenance that should never happen.

Peace.

[Eye8Pussies]

^ so since when did the design of transmissions change?

a manual is STILL faster, still lighter, and still more gas efficient than an auto- of course, driving skills and styles withstanding

and autos like ferraris and the m3 autobox is actually an automatically shifted clutch plate unlike traditional autos that use torque converters



but having said that....yes, the toyota shifting is not tight/sporty, but that's just the design, along with a fairly light clutch, and if you're getting a 4banger, I'd suggest the manual....unless you're always stuck in traffic- then you'd be happier with the auto

[CygnusX1]

2006 4cyl Camry as an example.

MPG's
Manual Trans 24/33
Auto Trans 24/34
Basically a draw but the auto actually gets better mileage.

Weight
Manual Trans 3108lbs
Auto Trans 3164lbs
56lbs difference. Not enough to affect anything performance or mileage wise.

Acceleration numbers are tougher to come by, but the auto and manual cars are so close, it's like you said, it's the driver that makes the difference.

Manual transmissions are becoming irrelevant because auto transmissions work so well. The big differences aren't there anymore. In the 70's and 80's it was a different story.
As for the Ferrari, it doesn't matter how it shifts, the fact is a car like the 575M Maranello with an F1 gearbox can be set to full automatic mode by the driver. You never have to shift, and it still shifts faster than most humans could by using a clutch/stick setup.

I've owned alot of manual cars and I never will again (unless I get a 2006 Mustang GT500, which only comes with a stick. I'd deal with it). To me, getting a car with a manual is like getting a TV without a remote.

[zettahertz]

the auto on the 2002 camry is 4 speed... it's DEFINITELY slow compared to the 5speed manual. I'd suggest getting the manual if u're going for performance with a 2002 camry. Although it's not the same tranny, u can check out the tC 1/4mile times manual vs auto, they r also auto 4spd manual 5spd. But if it's a 5speed auto vs 5speed manual, that's questionable, and i haven't driven the newer camry's yet.

[bronzemaxell]

Originally Posted by leasaunce

with Manual you get more Power than Auto. With Auto the gearbox will last much longer than Manual.

are you sure the auto gear box will last much longer than manual???

i have a 93dx 5 speed manual, 254k miles on the odometer, clutch and transmission last pretty long

my 03 se 5 speed manual "feels" faster than my 94 v6 auto due to great low end torque.

the i4 5 speed manual is faster than i4 5 speed auto.

by the way, my gen5 clutch is very soft, probably it is still very new.

[97camryman]

Umm when I did my 5 speed swap I could pick up the 5 speed tranny with one hand and the auto was so heavy I needed a friend to help pick it up. I rape the fuck out of automatic camrys with the same engine and year as me but with an auto. There is nothing like being able to downshift for more power and besides, the slushbox cant hold up to a turbo as well as the manual for my setup, that is the main reason I switched to a 5 speed. Better gearing, less weight, more fun. I will never buy an auto again.

[Eye8Pussies]

a car with a 5spd isn't faster because its driver can shift faster- in the end, an auto can usually shift just as fast, if not faster than an average driver

but it comes down to the fact that a manual tranny leeches less power from the engine to the ground than an auto tranny- thus, you have already saved 10% of your car's power, and thus, your car is "technically" 10% faster....not really, you but you know what I mean