Originally Posted by
HereAndThereSC
This thread has a lot of BS in it...
1) Nowadays automatics rival the manuals for economy.
2) They do fail earlier than manuals, but for the first buyer, that's hardly a concern... Most new car buyers will likely not need a new transmission within the typical 5 years of ownership. Clutches, on the other hand... That varies.
3) In the US a normal (non-sports) car with a stick is considered a DETRIMENT when it comes time to sell it. Most dealers will knock off 1 to $2,000 on the trade in value because of that.
The new semi-automatics are downright amazing though. The performance of a stick, and the shifting done by a computer. Pure awesomeness!
HTSC
Having a semi-automatic, I would trade it for a stick any day. Maybe I'm crazy, but I like having a clutch ...
As for 1, I've heard this before, but no one has been able to cite me a source, for it; if you can, I'd be glad to accept this point.
2. Agreed. Manuals generally need more work on the tranny.
3. In America, I also will concede this point. In countries where standards are standard, automatics are simply worth more due to their rarity.