From: kwyatt@ccscola.Columbia (Kershner Wyatt)
Newsgroups: sci.environment,sci.physics,sci.energy
Subject: Re: Computer controlled cars (was re: high-tech highways)
Date: 27 Jul 92 14:12:18 GMT
Organization: NCR Corp, E&M-Columbia, Columbia, SC

In article <1992Jul24.153519.12378@amhux2.amherst.edu> jkwatson@amhux1.amherst.edu (John K. Watson '92) writes:
>blagdon@engin.umich.edu (Kenneth James Clark) writes:
>: In article <1625@heurikon.heurikon.com> daves@ex.heurikon.com (Dave Scidmore) writes:
>: >
>: driver.  The only working example of this is automatic transmissions.  You
>: will note that many people refuse to buy automatic transmissions because
>: they want control of the vehicle, despite the availability of automatic
>: transmissions.
>: 
>There ARE other reasons for not getting automatic tranmissions, you
>know...such as fuel economy, safety, relative cheapness of repair, etc.
>And, most importantly, standard tranmissions are more FUN!!!!

As a former advocate of the manual/standard/stick shift transmission, I used
many remarks to prove my point.  Let's see: More control of the car in the
mountains, better acceleration, better fuel mileage, quieter highway noise
(engine turning over slower), and of course, more fun.

I commuted to DC 80 miles each way for 2 years.  I would probably buy another
manual only if I was going to run the car into the ground and not have to
sell it.

Pure economics here.  Most people buy their cars with the hope of someday
reselling it.  In my experience of selling cars with manual transmissions,
they don't sell fast.  And I'm not talking about a car with 500,000 miles
on it, but one with 30,000, one with 100,000, one with 85,000, one with 
60,000, etc.  I have to find the one person in 50 out there looking for 
that model car, with a manual transmission.  I've had dealerships tell me
that they wouldn't take them as trade-ins as they can't sell them.  I lose
the $300 saving that I had getting the manual just trying to UNLOAD the car.
Oh, it's manual, forget it.  I never could drive one of those things.  If it
had an automatic, I'd buy it (they do, too - I've seen this happen 3 times
to me.).

I used this to my advantage living in Germany, I bought an European spec car
that I would never have wanted normally because it had an automatic and had
numerous Americans try to buy the car off me (because they
couldn't get automatics - Europeans don't drive them).  I dickered the price
way down because the person selling it had no idea what it was worth, and 
sold it for over double what the comparable American model would have
gotten with an auto. and probably about 4 times what the car was worth
with a manual.  Why? Because the average American doesn't learn how to
drive a manual, and the bulk of those have no intention of learning.

Both Toyota and Mercedes have run numerous tests and have declared the fuel
efficiency of a manual vs automatic to be a moot point on a "properly-
engineered" transmission.  My automatic Mercedes with the same engine as its
manual predecessor gets the same fuel mileage.  Don't know about the Toyotas.

A properly maintained automatic (and a lot of non-maintained ones, too) will
last the life of the car without trouble.  At least the Mercedes' automatics
give you the choice of shift yourself or the normal shifting, and have a 
nice feel to them.  It also is the only automatic that I know of that 
can be push started, towed, and provides engine braking.  I am sure that
other cars probably have these features as well.

Lest you think that I got converted to automatics on Mercedes -- it was a '75
Chevy Malibu that converted me. I still enjoy driving a manual on occasion,
but it's like having a baby niece or nephew -- I can hand it back to its
owner and put that transmission in "D" and go.

It's only my opinion and I haven't said that manuals should be outlawed or
anything.  And BTW, I think that everyone should learn to drive on a manual
and demonstrate competence before they get their FIRST license.  It tends
to make people a little more aware of how the car gets from here to there...
And if you can drive a manual, you can always drive an automatic, but not
vice-versa.
-- 
Kershner Wyatt
kwyatt@ccscola.ColumbiaSC.ncr.com

My opinions are my own and aren't necessarily my employer's.
Newsgroups: sci.environment