Re: Auto vs 5-spd; was Re: 1998 Dakota R/T (question about the R/T!)

From: WillTier@aol.com
Date: Thu Oct 09 1997 - 19:45:49 EDT


In a message dated 97-10-09 11:57:17 EDT, you write:

<< Lord Foul - I'll tell you what "I" have against auto(matic)s vs 5-speed
 stick trannies: Autos cost more initially ($$$); they cost more in the long
 run (generally higher fuel bill, repairs & maintenance); fewer gears than a
 5-speed (except in certain high-priced imports) mean less versatility to
 handle heavy load conditions; not as effective when driving on snow/ice;
 less fun to drive (for those of us who like to shift for ourselves; autos
 are more likely to be stolen (ask my son, whose business truck was saved
 because the crook who jumped in couldn't drive stick-shift. He saw it
 happen and said it was funny!); generally slower acceleration than a
 5-speed stick, unless you modify it; they enable you to divert your
 attention from the driving process by allowing you to spend too much time
 on your cellular phone <G>; under certain heavy load conditions (like
 pulling a trailer up a hill), you have to floor it to make it downshift;
 and, most importantly, they enable really old/senile people . . . and
 certain others . . . to keep on driving long past when they should stop.
 The only advantage to an automatic is that it enables you to drive without
 shifting. Oh, I'll defend your right to own one. After all, driving with
 one doesn't make you a bad person <G>! >>

OH not again, the one observation I have here is that you really apear to
know very little about automatic transmissions. The automatic greatly
improves to accuracy and consistency of driving especially in racing
conditions. Go to the track and check out the pro stocks and take a pole on
manual vs automatic and see who is winning. There are very few manual
transmissions drag racing. And I am not sure about the 6 speeds but GM's auto
over drives were higher rated for mileage and towing than the 5 speeds in the
trucks back the last time I bought one. In fact at that time the only way I
could get the tow rating needed was with a auto with OD as this tranny had a
lower first gear that the non OD one. You can buy what you want and think
what you want but I'll put my Auto Dak up against and manual Dak out there
racing, towing or cruisin down the city streets eating pizza and on the
slippery roads to.

Bill



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