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

**Jun aka Pekto** · May 20th, 2007 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by pup2

As for regular AT, convenient siya ... until you're behind a slow bus going to baguio, a slow trike nearing a curve, or merging on the interstate.

I've been to some pretty steep inclines along the back roads of the Sierra Nevadas with slow vehicles in front of me. A/T doesn't seem to be a problem on the climb based on my experiences with the 95 Contour and 06 Sonata. Both cars never seemed to be shifting gears all the time. The biggest problem I had with mountain driving using an A/T is the downhill because of the rapid pick up in speed. Engine braking with a M/T car (my 91 Laser) or using the Shiftronic of the Sonata worked best for me.

I'll never take the 95 Contour up that route again. I still remember the burned odor of the brakes.

As for merging into the interstate, it's a matter of getting to the cruising speed of traffic. Any modern car with decent hp should have no problems doing that. I normally use the Sonata for interstate travel. Once I enter the freeway entrance, it's no problem hitting 75mph (the flow speed at our junction) before I merge into traffic. It's then just a matter of easing my way between cars. In fact, it's easier to merge with an A/T because my attention is focused on the cars I have to watch out for.

In CA, some cities make you stop (just before merging) which is downright silly. There, I would see the benefit of M/T. But, if you have a low hp car, it's still going to be tricky trying to merge on the freeway even if it has M/T.

**orly_andico** · May 20th, 2007 12:56 PM

well the local mazda3 isn't a "decent hp car" -- but the "Sport AT" helps a lot for getting around those slow-moving buses.

going downhill, I've also noticed, the engine braking effect is MUCH less pronounced, even if the car is locked into a low gear. Damnable torque converter.

**niky** · May 20th, 2007 03:55 PM

That's the problem... any modern car with "decent hp" tends to have much more engine than is practical in the Philippines.

Due to our traffic and tax situation, we usually get vehicles with the lower-output engines for the model range... which makes it difficult to overtake or merge onto the highway when they're equipped with ATs.

Of course, driving a car (our Crosswind) that gets to 100 km/h in 35 seconds (I've timed it), I'm one to talk...

**mbeige** · May 20th, 2007 04:13 PM

Yeah, Jun said it rightly so - those metering stoplights just before the on-ramp are a PITA whenever there's NO traffic! Minsan nga eh yung iba nakabukas na lang pero it says "meter on" and the light is always green. Sheesh! Waste of taxpayers' money! Besides, it's also a waste of fuel to stop, and then accelerate to speed.

**CVT** · May 20th, 2007 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Jun aka Pekto

In CA, some cities make you stop (just before merging) which is downright silly. There, I would see the benefit of M/T. But, if you have a low hp car, it's still going to be tricky trying to merge on the freeway even if it has M/T.

I 'kinda' like this though (in my experience, this happens only during morning rush hour traffic)- With a smile in my face,- I imagine myself as a Navy Pilot, being released from a catapult,- taking off from an Aircraft Carrier somewhere in the Pacific Ocean......

2701:bye:

**Jun aka Pekto** · May 20th, 2007 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by CVT

I 'kinda' like this though (in my experience, this happens only during morning rush hour traffic)- With a smile in my face,- I imagine myself as a Navy Pilot, being released from a catapult,- taking off from an Aircraft Carrier somewhere in the Pacific Ocean......

2701:bye:

Those metering stoplights sometimes tended to turn green right when a wall of traffic is bearing down at 80 mph. If you have a fast M/T car (like a Subbie), this is an excellent way to try your hand at 0-100 mph because that wall of traffic isn't slowing down for you especially when they can see it's clear ahead of you. If you're not moving fast enough, they'll get right on your bumper and honk their horn at you.

Yeah. I can see where M/T can come in really handy.

**pup2** · May 21st, 2007 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Jun aka Pekto

Those metering stoplights sometimes tended to turn green right when a wall of traffic is bearing down at 80 mph. If you have a fast M/T car (like a Subbie), this is an excellent way to try your hand at 0-100 mph because that wall of traffic isn't slowing down for you especially when they can see it's clear ahead of you. If you're not moving fast enough, they'll get right on your bumper and honk their horn at you.

Yeah. I can see where M/T can come in really handy.

Precisely my point! Now if they only brought the darn MT subbies here in the PI rather than forcing AT's on us ...

**Jun aka Pekto** · May 22nd, 2007 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by pup2

Precisely my point! Now if they only brought the darn MT subbies here in the PI rather than forcing AT's on us ...

My preferences are normally for sporting cars (2-seaters, 2+2 sports coupes, and/or anything with a turbo) to have M/T. Shifting is part of the fun and I normally limit the occupants in the car to just me. Anything else can have an A/T so long as there's ample power in case I need it.

An A/T turbo Subbie..... That's hard to believe unless Subaru thinks most of its cars in RP will be stuck in traffic. Surely there are M/T Subbies over there.

**Blackraven** · May 22nd, 2007 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by pup2

Pero until they can get that on almost everything, going for a CVT will be very limiting in terms of choice.

Yun nga eh. Biggest problem d2 sa Pinas is because only a very few vehicles have CVTs as their auto gearboxes. Only like less than 5% of all vehicles in this country have CVT auto (Honda Fit/Jazz & City lang ata & Nissan Murano among others)....yet look at Japan tapos andami ng kotse na gamit ang CVT.

I guess na for the meantime, the presence of CVT cars in this country will be at the lowest minority. Sayang nga e.

**yuichi** · May 23rd, 2007 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by Blackraven

Yun nga eh. Biggest problem d2 sa Pinas is because only a very few vehicles have CVTs as their auto gearboxes. Only like less than 5% of all vehicles in this country have CVT auto (Honda Fit/Jazz & City lang ata & Nissan Murano among others)....yet look at Japan tapos andami ng kotse na gamit ang CVT.

I guess na for the meantime, the presence of CVT cars in this country will be at the lowest minority. Sayang nga e.

used to drive a 2005 Honda City, CVT is good comparde to others, but i still find it quite boring, but that's just me.