Automatic vs Manual transmission: which one really is better? Both have their respective pros and cons. Each person will have their preference on which one they were rather have in car. Some cars only come in automatic, while the opposite is true for some cars that only come in manual. Most cars though, the buyer will have the choice between an automatic and manual. The amount of manual cars sold in the US with a manual transmission was only 6.5% according to USA Today. Let’s take a look at both the pros and cons of each.

Manual Pros

• They are more fun to drive. There’s something about going through the gears and shifting yourself that’s exciting. It makes you feel more connected to the road and engaging in driving. Driving a car with a stick gives you a better sense of control over the car.
• The price tag is cheaper than an automatic. Cars with manual transmissions, on average, are anywhere from $900 to $2500 cheaper than an automatic car.
• Along with a cheaper price tag, repair costs are generally less expensive on a manual transmission. They are less complex when trying to fix compared to an automatic which makes them easier to repair and drives the cost down. Depending on your driving style, the most common repair done to a manual transmission is the clutch, and even that is done every 100,000+ miles.
• You need both of your hands to drive it. One on the wheel and the other on the gear shifter. It keeps you more focused on the road and shifting into what gear you need to be in. There is no time to be distracted by your phone or other things in the car.

Manual Cons

• There is a learning curve. You can’t just get into a manual car and drive it. Well, some people can and pick it up the first time, but most people need to learn how to drive it. It’s not as simple as an automatic where you just put it into Drive and go. There’s a whole technique that must be learned when trying to drive a standard and learn how to change gears and get going from a stop. Once you have that down, it’ll be like muscle memory and you won’t even think about it when driving.
• The next con of a manual is driving in stop and go traffic. This is by far one of the worst parts of having a stick and the most annoying. You must constantly keep your foot on and off the clutch and starting and stopping again…over and over and over.

Manual Myth

• Manual cars are more efficient. In some cases, this is true, but in most cases, this is false. In the past, manual cars did have better fuel efficient by quite a bit, but as auto transmissions became more advanced, this margin of fuel efficiency between the 2 decreased to almost nothing.

Automatic Pros

• They are easier to use. The transmission does all the work for you. All you need to do is put the car in the gear of choice and drive. There is no worries of having to shit through the gears yourself.
• It’s more comfortable to use. There are only 2 pedals to worry about and you can just put the car into drive and do just that. It keeps you concentrated on the road.
• Easier to find. Most cars being produced today are coming out of the factory with an automatic transmission.

Automatic Cons

• Typically more expensive. Between the cost of the actual car, which is more than the manual, and the repairs, automatic transmission cars are more expensive. For repairing the cars, there is more within the transmission that can break and when it does, the repairs are not cheap.

When buying a car, you must weigh the pros and cons of a manual transmission and an automatic transmission. If your budget is tight and don’t want repair costs to be through the roof and don’t mind shifting gears, then a manual is the right choice. If you can spare the extra $1500 and want to just worry about driving and nothing else, than the auto is for you. It all comes down to preference and what you’re looking to get at out of the car.