08Bluesky
Member
Auto - my wife may have to drive it also. Last two purchased rides are stick - now its time to share
Poll: Automatic versus Manual transmission
- Thread starter key1cc
- Start date
Auto - my wife may have to drive it also. Last two purchased rides are stick - now its time to share
Blue hedgehog
New member
When I was buying mine they only had auto 1.4s. I wanted the 1.4 and the wife doesn't know how to drive stick (I know I could have taught her). The saleswoman started looking for a stick when I asked, but I thought about the traffic + wife and decided to just get the auto. After reading about the grinding issues caused by the plastic shift fork guides, I'm glad I got the auto.
ChrisJ
Active member
I had an automatic before this Sonic and I'm still glad I got the manual. The automatic has its own set of issues. The automatic isn't a bad trans, its just it is not without fault either.
As far as traffic, I can't really respond to that without being insulting and its not directed at you, its just the way it is so I'm going to remain silent. What I can say is the clutch in the Sonic is a little toy clutch and takes so little effort to use that I can't see it causing anyone a problem. The wife thing is another story, my wife never drove stick before but learned fast and now has her Cruze with the manual. Everyone is different though and if someone is unwilling to learn it won't happen.
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I got the turbo with the 6MT, my first manual in over 20 years. I like the clutch, the shifter could be a little less notchy. Overall the driving experience is really fine.
Now wrt automatic transmissions, if they don't work unobtrusively then I hate them. I test drove an automatic 1.8 liter and found it up shifted too quickly, and downshifted abruptly and a little slowly. No bueno. My prior vehicle, a 3.3 liter Xterra, with a 4 speed auto shifted seamlessly. But yeah, the mileage stunk.
In addition, I think cars with smaller engines are more fun to drive with a stick shift. I wouldn't like driving something like a Xterra with a stick; it would feel like I'm driving a bus!
With such a light, forgiving clutch and a pretty loose shifter I would think learning to driving a stick on a Sonic would be easy. In the 1980s I drove VWs with 5 speeds that shifted beautifully ... for me. But anyone first using always stalled it, got in the wrong gear, etc.
_Lazza
Now wrt automatic transmissions, if they don't work unobtrusively then I hate them. I test drove an automatic 1.8 liter and found it up shifted too quickly, and downshifted abruptly and a little slowly. No bueno. My prior vehicle, a 3.3 liter Xterra, with a 4 speed auto shifted seamlessly. But yeah, the mileage stunk.
In addition, I think cars with smaller engines are more fun to drive with a stick shift. I wouldn't like driving something like a Xterra with a stick; it would feel like I'm driving a bus!
With such a light, forgiving clutch and a pretty loose shifter I would think learning to driving a stick on a Sonic would be easy. In the 1980s I drove VWs with 5 speeds that shifted beautifully ... for me. But anyone first using always stalled it, got in the wrong gear, etc.
_Lazza
Yosemite Sam
I Hates Rabbits!
Of the 40 cars I've had, 25 were manual and of the 5 company vehicles I've had, 1 was manual. Out of my 25 manuals, there were 10 VW's, 6 Porsche, 3 Toyota's, 3 Chevy's, 1 Geo, 1 Pontiac and 1 Dodge. The company vehicle was a Freightliner Classic!
efaily
Member
I got both of my kids 2014 RS hatchbacks with auto trans. I could talk either of them into manuals unfortunately. I have a 2019 GTI with 6 speed manual. My wife talked me into my first auto trans equipped car shortly after we got married. I hated it, traded it in after two years and never went back to auto again.