Do People Prefer Automatic or Standard Shift Transmissions
The preference for automatic or manual Gears in a car depends upon the person as well as the car- as well as where the owner lives.
First of all- automatic usually incurs a price penalty over manual geared cars- up to $2500 (in Australia) in some cases. So a persons budget can be a determining factor in selecting auto or manual. If you can drive a manual- you could get a nice set of wheels for that much money- a good way to improve the looks and handling of your car. Automatics are also more expensive to repair and component sets wear out faster than a manual gear box(though with a manual, you may need to replace the clutch after 100,000kms).
Secondly, a person may not be able to drive a manual car- coordinating your feet and arms to depress clutch/select gears/release clutch can seem like too much trouble even for the able bodied among us- while for people with a disability, it could be even more difficult.
Next, you have to consider the make and model of car- some models do not come with automatic- while some styles of cars are better suited to automatic. Generally, large capacity engines are more suited to Automatics, because they make more torque and changing gears with a heavy clutch behind a V8 can be difficult- where as in a smaller car, an automatic makes the car slower and less economical.
Sports cars are better suited to manual gear-shifting- as they are supposed to encourage driving and drive enjoyment and a connection with the car.
Finally, driver location plays a part in the selection of manual or auto- driving in the city can be incredibly tiresome- constantly riding the clutch and changing gears between traffic lights- stopping and starting etc- auto is just more convenient.. In the country, gear changing is less of a chore- with less reason to stop during your trip.
For me, auto versus manual is a personal thing- i really like having control over the car and what it is doing- i like manual for this reason. That said, I like having an auto in the city- solution- buy two cars... :)
