Manual or Auto. What is your preference and why?

[406V6]

Underpowered badermatics are terrible. With a bigger engine auto is the way to go. Your brain can concentrate on more important things like steering and looking out for hazards instead of moving the gear stick and timing it with the clutch. Really, the clutch pedal should stay in the 1930s where it belongs.  A well designed autobox (and the computer that drives it) is a thing of mechanical delight. The Peugeot-calibrated ZF in the bigger 406s is fantastic. Incredibly smooth with no jolts and fuel economy as good as any manual.

[Stixy]

 Your brain can concentrate on more important things like eating a kebab while talking on the phone and holding a bottle of pop between your legs .

 

;)

[PhilA]

Underpowered badermatics are terrible. With a bigger engine auto is the way to go. Your brain can concentrate on more important things like steering and looking out for hazards instead of moving the gear stick and timing it with the clutch. Really, the clutch pedal should stay in the 1930s where it belongs.  A well designed autobox (and the computer that drives it) is a thing of mechanical delight. The Peugeot-calibrated ZF in the bigger 406s is fantastic. Incredibly smooth with no jolts and fuel economy as good as any manual.

Yes and no. My brain generally seemed to go into gears-subconscious, wouldn't have to actively think about changing gears. The engine note seemed to power that, fed by what I planned on doing, who was around- those were front-brain activity. In the same way you can be thinking about other things and not crash*.

 

Phil

[Pete-M]

In town, autos win hands down.

 

On the rare occasions when the road is clear enough to "make progress" a manual is slightly better.

 

DSG beats both.