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

**leolop** · July 29th, 2015 07:23 PM

For several months, I had to drive 3-5 hours a day ferrying the kids to and from school. With this extreme situation, I was thankful I had an A/T vehicle to cope with it.

**JayPi.23** · August 4th, 2015 12:18 AM

MT for long drive and AT for city driving

**Kestana** · August 4th, 2015 03:16 AM

We used to have only manual vehicles, particularly because my parents love to drive and swear by how much more fuel efficient they are. RAV4, Altis, i10, Corolla, Civic, etc. But as we got older and traffic got even more worse we eventually decided on automatics. All our cars are automatic now. Sure, it may use more fuel and reduces driver involvement (aka the fun). But when your left leg is tired from playing with the clutch for hours in traffic and you encounter a slope, an automatic is what you'd wish for. We don't mind the added fuel consumption because it's convenient. Also, automatics today are very fuel efficient if you have good driving habits (i.e. not accelerating too quickly and then braking too hard, shifting to neutral during an incline). Besides, if one worries too much the financial implication of gas, should they be really driving a car?

I do still have fun with our AT vehicles though since they have a manual mode (i.e. I can downshift from 6th to 5th or 4th gear on the highway), albeit no clutch. If I'd get an MT car again, it would probably be a light sports coupe. I had a lot of fun with my i10 because it's so light and the engine was preppy. Was very easy to drive for extended periods even if it was a manual.

**bluexi** · August 4th, 2015 01:07 PM

First car ko is manual but i now drive an automatic. Grabe na kasi ang traffic kahit dito sa probinsya. Basta hinay-hinay lang sa accelerator at well maintained ang sasakyan, medyo matipid pa rin sa gas. My current drive is 23 yrs old and average fuel consumption ranges from 9 to 10km/L.

OT:
If I want a manual, I'd just swing a leg (on my motorcycle) hehehe. I can rev it up to redline without feeling guilty dahil 40km/L consumption nito. It's not a bigbike pero ilang kembot lang sa kurbada ok na ako.

**Battlestar** · August 4th, 2015 02:14 PM

Driving an AT for more than a decade and now I want to switch to manual to have fun. Is the MT still advisable for a 20km (balikan) daily drive? Route is usually Ortigas Pasig to Cainta/Taytay.

**pengmalups** · August 4th, 2015 03:28 PM

If provincial drive, I would choose stick shift, if 99% of the time will be city driving, then I'll go automatic. Metro Manila traffic is just ridiculous.

**lakay77** · August 11th, 2015 12:09 PM

dito sa metro dapat talaga AT kasi sa traffik

**simpsonseclaire** · August 11th, 2015 12:18 PM

I heard AT is now cheaper to maintain vs MT given the technology.
they say almost maintenance free na ang AT. ATF lng kelangan bantayan.

**dr. d** · August 11th, 2015 02:08 PM

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Originally Posted by simpsonseclaire

I heard AT is now cheaper to maintain vs MT given the technology.
they say almost maintenance free na ang AT. ATF lng kelangan bantayan.

perhaps that is what the auto salespeople want us to think... but...
i think MT is still cheaper to maintain. and ATF is not exactly dirt-cheap... in my opinion, it is hideously expensive!
AT does require a more religious ATF replacement schedule, lest it turn and bite us...
only once in my whole life did i have to replace my MT oil.. when i drove at the height of ondoy so's my family can go home.. the trans oil had turned latte... i had it replaced, and until today, i have not experienced any sort of transmission problem from it.

**ishimaro** · August 11th, 2015 03:13 PM

AT for city drive - para hindi pagod pag traffic.
MT for long drive - nakaka antok ang AT sa long drive as per my experience. also, fuel efficient din compared AT.