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Here’s Why You Should’t Buy A Manual Car

Yep, that’s right. We don’t usually tell you not to buy a manual, but there are a number of reasons as to why you shouldn’t. We can’t deny the amazing feeling of slotting it down a gear, rev-matching it and punching the throttle. But we can’t ignore the advantages of an auto. Here are five reasons as to why you should choose an automatic gearbox over a good ol’ stick shift.

5. Torque Multiplication On Launches

An automatic transmission with a torque converter. Because of this, something called torque multiplication takes place when you spin up the engine but the wheels aren’t moving. This is because there’s a difference in speed between the transmission and the torque converter. You can’t do it for a long however due to the fact that this produces heat.

A manual transmission simply has a clutch meaning the power ratio is simply 1:1.

4. Launch Shock Loads

A manual transmission simply has a clutch, so when launching a car you can either drop the clutch and inflict shock damage to your transmission, or slip the clutch and increase its wear.

3. Crawling At Low Speeds

Unless you have a very low range transmission, to crawl forward at low speeds with a manual, you need to ride the clutch. This wears the clutch faster than usual. An automatic transmission with a torque converter has a fluid coupling, so isn’t so hard on it whatsoever.

Obviously, some manual cars have got a very low first gear ratio like off-roaders, so this sometimes doesn’t always count!

2. Shifting Speed

This is an obvious one. Obviously, a computer will always shift faster than a human. Even the ones that haven’t got dual-clutches! They can also usually do it much smoother and cleaner than us.

1. Impossible To Stall

If you’ve recently learnt to drive a manual, you’ll remember the feeling of everything going quiet as you stall the engine from not giving it enough throttle. And if you haven’t ever stalled a car, you’re lying. It’s incredibly difficult to stall an automatic, meaning anyone can get in it and drive. They’re friendly like that.

Thanks to Engineering Explained for the video, and tell us down below your favourite transmission. Are you always manual, or always automatic?

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