Do prefer stick shift or automatic in a car?

[lilminx]

I drive stick and prefer it. My mom made sure all of her kids (3 girls, 1 boy) learned how to drive stick. It's a pain in the ass in traffic, but I like the control I get from it. What's your preference, and why?

 

[tryingsumtinnew]

Stick, it makes driving a shitty car more fun.

 

[Guest]

 

[Tantanah]

I drive a stick...I prefer it. Lot more fun...except in traffic.

 

[LordBunkum74]

Automatic

 

[Chuckus]

Automatic for everyday commuting.

Stick for fun.

3 on the tree for even more fun. (Steering wheel column = Tree, just FYI for those of you whom have no idea what a "3 on the tree" is)

 

[takingchances42]

Nothing like manual for having fun cruising with stereo cranked up -- but I prefer automatic for things like going to the grocery store, which would be more of my driving.

 

[fgarvb1]

I like them both, stick and automatic.

What i don't like is to have to change out the clutch and throw out bearing. The term hell on wheels is known to be associated with my name.
I have even sold a few cars for a dealership.
I was having guys tell me that they were going to buy one of those cars for their wife because if it could stand up to what i did to it there was no way in hell the wife was going to tear it up.

 

[riff]

I agree with Chuckus.

If I am cruising for fun a stick is the only way to go.

But it is nice to get in the car half-asleep and run autodrive to school.

 

[Backyard sweaty]

Stick for fun and driving in conditions were it is best to use the brakes the least amount possible.

 

[Guest]

Stick shifts get in the way of..... certain things. But they are more fun to drive, and better in snowstorms.

 

[RhumbRunner13]

Other.

My van has "Autostick" on it. A toggle switch on the shift lever lets me drive it as a normal automatic or select shift/downshift points that I want.

Rhumb

 

[kotori]

I like to shift for myself.

The only time I wish I had an automatic is parallel parking. But then power steering would come in handy as well. One or the other would make that job easier.

 

[sabbathstorm]

Automatic since I never learned to drive stick.

 

[Soblue]

I drive an automatic, but I do know how to drive a manual. It's been a long time though, so it wouldn't be pretty to hear me grinding those gears getting back in practice.

Stick is definitely sexier and more fun to drive overall.

 

[patient1]

Well, now that you mention it, I think My favorite transmissions are in tractors, combinations of manual & automatic with 8 to 24 gears or combinations.

shifting is fun. I guess I prefer shifts for rural driving- curves & hills, especially.

I'd rather have an automatic if there are lots of trafficlights & traffic,especially in a city with hills like Seattle, San Francisco, or Pittsburgh, but if it's me & the road, make it manual.

 

[SpiceCake]

stick shift!

Love to have that upright, hard handle in my hand! Nothing but a 5-speed for this gal!

 

[Trail48]

I used to think that having a stick shift was essential to a good time driving. My partner however has a couple of corvettes, one with stick and one older with an automatic, and a nitros system. When you take the auto, and hit the nitros, all hell breaks loose and you can just hang on. Automatics are okay too

 

[erosman]

hmmmm....I think that the stick might actually appeal to the testosterone in me now that it is mentioned.


An automatic is nice, though, if you have, like storm suggested, 'certain' other things to attend to.


Of course, the older shifters in pickups are just a sliding hand away from her inner thighs...if she's sitting next to me.

 

[Cheyenne]

Automatic. I'm terrible at stick shift, or at least I was over 20 years ago which is the last time I tried to drive one.

I don't have enough arms/hands to drive stick shift. I usually have the cell phone when I'm in the car (different thread, not to be lectured on here.) And I like my automatice in the snow- it has traction control and ABS brakes. It works well.

 

[ma_guy]

I always drove a stick up until my newest car.. The daily commute is now an hour of sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic so the automatic has big advatnges there.

 

[FallenSeraph]

Automatic. I can't drive stick shift, I mean I know how and probably could if I had to, but I'm too lazy to be bothered with the stick and even if I wasn't, I probably wouldn't cuz the last time I tried, well, I wouldn't be posting this right now.

 

[mig]

Two with 5 on the floor, 1 with 6 and 1 with 4.

Don't like autos.

 

[bknight2602]

I live in a big city and stop and go traffic kills my legs, so automatic for me. I did enjoy my stick shift when I was younger though.

 

[Aphrodisiac]

Both

I know how to drive stick but my car is automatic.

Stick is fun, my friend taught me how to drive in her brother's car and we had to much fun in that car.