Battle of the Transmissions: M/T vs. A/T

**niky** · June 24th, 2011 11:22 AM

Depends. If you care for an AT with regular fluid changes, it can last 100-150k kilometers, no sweat. Slipping? Replace the clutch packs... poor response? Upgrade the valve body. No sweat.

With a Honda CVT, you can't do that. You have to replace the entire assembly. Which is kind of stupid. Honda should have made the clutch packs a separate item designed for easy disassembly and replacement.

Mitsubishi CVTs and some others still use torque converters... some are purely mechanical. That way, the slippage is in some part that can be replaced.

A Dual Clutch, aside from electronic niggles as it gets older (and all electronics get niggles, even on MT cars) is durable. Less slipping or friction compared to everything else. There are the odd cases of failure, though, and if it happens out of warranty... ouch.

On a modern manual? Tons of stuff can go wrong. Poor shifting habits can wear down shifter bushings, synchros (synchros are cheap to buy, but labor and machine shop work to take apart the transmission? Freaking expensive), gears can be chipped (same problem), clutch assemblies and hydraulic components wear down with regularity. And flywheels, too. If you drive in traffic a lot, your flywheel may need to be resurfaced around 100,000 kms. If you own a car with a dual-mass flywheel (common on many new gasoline and diesel cars), you can't resurface it at all, and it needs to be replaced completely when the springs inside wear out. This is typically at 100,000+++ kilometers and can cost over 30-70k pesos for the flywheel alone. It's insane. Good thing single-mass flywheel replacements are available for some cars, but they're not common here, yet.

If we're going by maintenance expense... **** it all... buy whatever you want and baby the heck out of it.

**shadow3616931** · June 29th, 2011 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by niky

Depends. If you care for an AT with regular fluid changes, it can last 100-150k kilometers, no sweat. Slipping? Replace the clutch packs... poor response? Upgrade the valve body. No sweat.

I remember my x X-trail, its tranny wont accelerate casa said valve body is defective needs to be replaced entirely and its cost was about 80k, ouch... I ended up buying surplus luckily I found one for 7k only, casa said they will not give me warranty for the job done...who cares

**dropzone** · July 30th, 2011 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by MAST3R

A/T - for girls/ old guys
M/T - macho gwapito
sino ka sa dalawa?

i have both M/T and A/T, mas sanay at happy ako M/T,sarap humataw, dika mabibitin.
tama, macho gwapito tyo,

**hinDMaxsiado** · August 5th, 2011 12:29 AM

Sirs, some people prefer manual-transmission, while others prefer the automatic ---- i have always liked the manual in my case, even in city-driving and amidst slow traffic.

Apart from the steering, as the driver, i like the idea that i'm in total control of the car due to the following:

1. The rev i want/ need before i upshift, especially in ascents (i don't like straining an engine before downshifting, and compensating just by pressing more the acceleration pedal);

2. The downshifting i need (as i'm the type that shifts actively "mahilig sa rektahan", as i don't like losing transmission oil pressure where in some drivers you hear their trannies "jarring" or vibrating before they shift) ---- meaning momentarily they are losing oil pressure at their trannies.
....I come from an offroad dirtbiking background (trail and enduros ---- mountainous), the reason why i have always prefer manual-transmissions....

3. i prefer engine-breaking (to some degree) in descents, sweep-cornering, and in winding roads where usually i don't apply breaks ---- you should see how a typical European guy living in mountainous areas like in Northern Spain and in southern France use their manual-trannies, or even those that are living in Baguio City or in the Cordilleras that understand the use of manual-tranny
....These guys from Cordilleras even know if the other guy in front of them is a typical flatland city-boy or Manila-boy as they say, dahil freno-ng-freno sa bawat kurbada at sa kaunting pagbaba lang ng kalsada....

4. i prefer loading-up my rev by downshifting instead of pressing hard the acceleration each time i make a pass where my transient speed to begin with is quite slow; and

5. A manual-gear box repair is cheaper than an automatic and in the event that you run out of battery to start your engine, with the manual-transmission, you only need to jump-start it by pushing the car and "jerking" (not jerking off haha! ) your clutch and gear while in motion. Sa ating lenguaje o sa Tagalog, "kadyotin mo", AND WHY NOT!

....If we guys know what we're doing as far as the manual-tranny is concern, tatagal ng maigi ang transmission ng mga sasakyan....

This is just so far i can think of.

**miked** · August 5th, 2011 02:32 PM

Meself uses an A/T pickup truck....actually, i prefer M/Ts. no pressure fluctuation, cooling problems, blahblah. i really don't trust A/Ts.

A/Ts so complex = not really that reliable compared to rugged design M/Ts even with these so called "high-technology".

i would also dare to DIY M/T rebuild than these A/Ts.

but that's just me.

**AICRAG0617** · August 8th, 2011 04:46 PM

Manual transmission for me.(while physically able) Drove an AT when I was in the US for more than a month and did not enjoy the experience.
2 months ago I was deciding on whether I will get a Toyota RAV4, Toyota Fortuner or Honda CR-V. When I learned that the CR-V manual tranny is 6 speed, it was one major reason for getting it(CR-V). Never owned a 6 speed manual tranny before. Love driving it!
Of course 5 to 10 years from now, my preference might change. (If traffic in my area worsens and my legs give up)

**Titleist983k** · August 9th, 2011 08:19 PM

From all M/T vehicles to now all A/T vehicles for me. Don't want to add more stress to an already stressful city life. LOL. Although I miss having M/T's. On another note, I do not believe that getting A/T means less reliable, have been through quite a few with different manufacturers none of them had transmission problems. In fact, the only car I had transmission problems was with my 2000 Civic SiR M/T (sold it after 4 years of usage). Aint that a bitch. LOL

**japkame20** · September 5th, 2011 05:28 AM

Manual transmission is better for me, but I prefer AT because of the heavy traffic. Lalo na pag stop and go yan. Nako.

**MAST3R** · September 22nd, 2011 12:26 PM

Ask any mechanic... Ask any Real mechanic... He will 100% tell u that m/t is far better than a/t. Tsaka walang nagpapaconvert ng m/t going to a/t, pero andami nagpapaconvert from a/t going to m/t. Time will come (20 or so years), yung mga naka a/t will be converting to m/t kasi di na kaya ma'maintain/ ma'repair.

**burjegol** · September 22nd, 2011 01:04 PM

Well folks, either you will like it or not, the trend now is leaning on the A/T side. even me was surprised to see a 1.3 car having an A/T. Mebbe later, you will see a 1.0 with an A/T. that's technology, it maybe not perfect for our preference. I like the M/t for its response but consider folks. Sa M/T, ang makina ang sumusunod sa driver, resulting in engine stress. Sa A/T, ang driver ang sumusunod sa makina.