Does any other auto tranny Yaris owner regret not getting the MT?

[daf62757]

My AT is so smooth in shifting and the ease of using it far outweighs any gas savings you might get from having the MT. The MT gets very old...all that moving your feet and constantly switching gears while in heavy traffic.

I will never have another MT. ATs last so much longer and help your resale value.

[NZ-FE Vios]

I also wish there was a sixth speed. Would not have gone for an AT, MT is always a requirement in vehicle purchases for me.

Originally Posted by daf62757

ATs last so much longer

Hate to chime in and derail but I beg to differ. What evidence do you have to prove that ATs last longer? Sounds like you are making a rash generalization. I've seen a lot of cars that were put by the wayside because the AT failed.

Fact: MTs are easier to work on.

I would not think twice about dropping and rebuilding a MT, but would never consider attempting to rebuild an AT.

here's my generalization:
MTs will almost always outlive it's AT counterpart IF driven properly by a competent driver.

However I do respect and understand why one would prefer an AT over MT. To each their own.

[daf62757]

Originally Posted by NZ-FE Vios

I also wish there was a sixth speed. Would not have gone for an AT, MT is always a requirement in vehicle purchases for me.




Hate to chime in and derail but I beg to differ. What evidence do you have to prove that ATs last longer? Sounds like you are making a rash generalization. I've seen a lot of cars that were put by the wayside because the AT failed.

Fact: MTs are easier to work on.

I would not think twice about dropping and rebuilding a MT, but would never consider attempting to rebuild an AT.

here's my generalization:
MTs will almost always outlive it's AT counterpart IF driven properly by a competent driver.

However I do respect and understand why one would prefer an AT over MT. To each their own.

I would say that my comment is based upon almost 40 years of experience as a driver and my experience as a motor pool officer in the Army. AT's rarely need any maintenance until well over the 100K miles. Most manuals need to have a clutch replacement somewhere near the 50 to 60K mile mark. You might be correct that the driver's ability to use the clutch has a significant impact on the length of longevity, but on average, the AT will last longer and cost less in maintenance. Also, the AT raises the value of the vehicle when it comes to resell.

In the end, its all relative to what you think and believe. You obviously have a different opinion as do I. In our own worlds, we can both be correct!

[NZ-FE Vios]

Originally Posted by daf62757

I would say that my comment is based upon almost 40 years of experience as a driver and my experience as a motor pool officer in the Army. AT's rarely need any maintenance until well over the 100K miles. Most manuals need to have a clutch replacement somewhere near the 50 to 60K mile mark. You might be correct that the driver's ability to use the clutch has a significant impact on the length of longevity, but on average, the AT will last longer and cost less in maintenance. Also, the AT raises the value of the vehicle when it comes to resell.

In the end, its all relative to what you think and believe. You obviously have a different opinion as do I. In our own worlds, we can both be correct!

Very interesting. As Americans AT definitely does help resale value (automatic is an optional extra, creating greater initial cost and value). I know some 50somethings that have never driven MT, I'm glad you have.

As a Motor Pool Officer, what did you do specifically and what do U.S. Army motor pool consist of? What do they buy in MT? Do you think that the MTs would be especially dogged due to having many drivers (and ones that don't regularly drive MT) or are most vehicles assigned to one driver for most of its use? Do you think a Motor Pool Officer in a European Countries' Army would say the opposite (conjecture, but due to Europeans buying mainly MT)?

As for maintenance, yea I'd rather pull a dipstick and check ATF in comparison to the unbolting check bolt and fingering gearbox, anyday.

What do you think about higher end cars (mercedes-benz, etc) that have the MT as an optional extra?

I appreciate your position and insights as I've never had correspondence with someone who worked with pools of motors. Cheers

[daf62757]

Originally Posted by NZ-FE Vios

Very interesting. As Americans AT definitely does help resale value (automatic is an optional extra, creating greater initial cost and value). I know some 50somethings that have never driven MT, I'm glad you have.

As a Motor Pool Officer, what did you do specifically and what do U.S. Army motor pool consist of? What do they buy in MT? Do you think that the MTs would be especially dogged due to having many drivers (and ones that don't regularly drive MT) or are most vehicles assigned to one driver for most of its use? Do you think a Motor Pool Officer in a European Countries' Army would say the opposite (conjecture, but due to Europeans buying mainly MT)?

You supervise the motor pool mechanics and get your ass chewed out for everything that goes wrong! My MP Company had tactical vehicles (M151-A2s) that were MT. We also had Ford Topaz and Chevy Blazer/pickups for patrol cars. Later on, before I got out, we got some Ford Crown Vics. The MTs had to constantly be rebuilt. I don't know if its fair to compare the M151-A2's tranny to a commercial tranny. They were constantly being rebuilt by kids who were hardly 18. The commercial vehicles usually had no problems but back when GM went over to the first 4 speed auto tranny, the 4th gear would burn out. The other 3 would still work. The tactical vehicles usually had the same 3 people driving. The Commercial vehicles never had the same driver.

Can't say what another country's military experience with transmissions would be. People are usually the same no matter where you go. Kids usually are drivers in the military do the experienced MT operators would not come into play.

As for maintenance, yea I'd rather pull a dipstick and check ATF in comparison to the unbolting check bolt and fingering gearbox, anyday.

What do you think about higher end cars (mercedes-benz, etc) that have the MT as an optional extra?

Never have drive one so can't say. My only experience is with American cars....oh yea, and POS VW Rabbit back in the early 80s.

I appreciate your position and insights as I've never had correspondence with someone who worked with pools of motors. Cheers

As a Motor Pool Officer, what did you do specifically and what do U.S. Army motor pool consist of? What do they buy in MT? Do you think that the MTs would be especially dogged due to having many drivers (and ones that don't regularly drive MT) or are most vehicles assigned to one driver for most of its use? Do you think a Motor Pool Officer in a European Countries' Army would say the opposite (conjecture, but due to Europeans buying mainly MT)?

As for maintenance, yea I'd rather pull a dipstick and check ATF in comparison to the unbolting check bolt and fingering gearbox, anyday.

What do you think about higher end cars (mercedes-benz, etc) that have the MT as an optional extra?

I appreciate your position and insights as I've never had correspondence with someone who worked with pools of motors. Cheers

[Deathegg]

I will say that if I move back to SoCal, with the many freeways and bad traffic, I will regret it, and will have to get something with an auto. However here in Pittsburgh, MT is the way to go. I just hate the artificial feel of the gas pedal and the slight increase in RPM's I get as I shift. Annoying. Other than that, I'm getting 39 mpg, so I'm happy. :)

[Yaristeve]

Originally Posted by Deathegg

I will say that if I move back to SoCal, with the many freeways and bad traffic, I will regret it, and will have to get something with an auto. However here in Pittsburgh, MT is the way to go. I just hate the artificial feel of the gas pedal and the slight increase in RPM's I get as I shift. Annoying. Other than that, I'm getting 39 mpg, so I'm happy. :)

Before you pre-determine that you wouldn't like an MT in SoCal, you should try it for a while. Once you learn to feather the gas and time your shifting/accelerating, you may find that using an MT in SoCal traffic is actually less tiring than an AT. I do; I can't stand driving an AT in LA traffic.

I think the ONLY place I would not want an MT is the hilly streets of San Francisco; my guess is that clutches don't last long there unless you have a car with "hill-holder" type automatic brakes like Subaru used to have. Even then, who knows? One may get used to commuting with an MT there as well...

[yaris0128]

Originally Posted by daf62757

My AT is so smooth in shifting and the ease of using it far outweighs any gas savings you might get from having the MT. The MT gets very old...all that moving your feet and constantly switching gears while in heavy traffic.

I will never have another MT. ATs last so much longer and help your resale value.

Untrue! They might upcharge them a few years after it was new but later down the road people dont want used automatics with over a 100k on them. How many people are hunting down old 90's Honda's with an auto right now? None. Cuz they suck and people know they suck. Autos suck.

[daf62757]

Originally Posted by yaris0128

Untrue! They might upcharge them a few years after it was new but later down the road people dont want used automatics with over a 100k on them. How many people are hunting down old 90's Honda's with an auto right now? None. Cuz they suck and people know they suck. Autos suck.

Untrue huh?

People who are looking for used cars will take an auto over a manual. You don't need to know how to drive an auto.....few people know how to drive a manual.

Of course I will offer this as my opinion and not as a fact as you seem to defer.

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by daf62757

...few people know how to drive a manual.

And that's a crying shame. When I grew up - most people *wanted* to learn how to drive a stick and did. I think it should be a mandatory skill.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by yaris0128

Untrue! They might upcharge them a few years after it was new but later down the road people dont want used automatics with over a 100k on them. How many people are hunting down old 90's Honda's with an auto right now? None. Cuz they suck and people know they suck. Autos suck.

....nothing is as bitingly funny as the truth.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by daf62757

My AT is so smooth in shifting and the ease of using it far outweighs any gas savings you might get from having the MT. The MT gets very old...all that moving your feet and constantly switching gears while in heavy traffic.

I will never have another MT. ATs last so much longer and help your resale value.

It is not just the gas savings. If driven properly, the brakes last longer on the manual transmission version of a car.

The automatic transmission does usually equate to better resale...BUT..."ATs last so much longer"....ARE YOU JOKING?....Re all the cars I've owned I've NEVER replaced a Manual Transmission nor had one go out, but let the tow driver keep an automatic transmission car I inherited when the transmission gave out. All of the people I know, as a whole, have owned a much higher percentage of automatic transmission cars than I have and many have had to replace those transmissions. The ones with manual transmissions....not one replacement needed. The first car I got to drive to school when I got my license (an old, old 67 Firebird Convertible that my dad had as an extra car) before finishing saving up to buy my own car, went through three automatic transmissions in the few years my dad owned it.