Automatic or Manual
September 29th, 2011We are big fans of autos here at Automatic Car Hire but you should be aware that there are pitfalls of using an Automatic car over a manual (fuel economy, performance etc). Here we will look at the differences between identical models with different types of transmission but ultimately, for us anyway, driving an automatic hire car is just better!
Choosing an automatic car has its advantages and particularly on short journeys through town, the fact that you aren’t constantly changing gear has to be a positive. However, as with most choices of this kind, there are some down sides to automatic vehicles too. The most obvious disadvantage to driving an automatic car comes with the overall fuel consumption. If you have two identical models of vehicle and take them on the same journey, fuel economy from the manual car is noticeably better. The technical reasons for this are a little complicated but essentially, some of the power is used to heat up transmission fluid and this makes an automatic car less efficient and with fuel prices continually rising, this is an aspect worth keeping in mind.
You may also experience issues with overall performance with an automatic because you don’t have so much control over acceleration and deceleration. While many modern automatic cars can allow you to shift to ‘manual’ control, the absence of a clutch doesn’t help the performance issue in any way. This is why real driving enthusiasts are unlikely to go near an automatic as they prefer the thrill of true driving that a manual transmission gives them.
While there have been many improvements in automatic gearboxes in recent years, many drivers still experience issues with a transmission that has a finite shelf life. Automatic transmissions can, in some cases, fail relatively early in the life of a car and they are expensive to replace. Other parts of your car are likely to wear more quickly too and with no clutch to control your driving in slower traffic, you will rely very heavily on the brakes in any automatic car. This naturally means that brake pads will need replacing on a more regular basis and this is another expense that you’ll need to be aware of when buying an automatic vehicle. This is not something though you will have to worry about at all when hiring a car. Automatic Car Hire uses industry leading brokers and suppliers meaning you get a car that is checked before you take it and is generally less than six to eight months old.
If you do decide to purchase an auto though, you may also find that buying an automatic vehicle is a tough challenge. Although there is much more choice today than there has ever been in the past, manual transmission cars for sale will outweigh automatics by a large proportion and buyers can sometimes find that they have to ‘settle’ for a car that they’re not especially happy with. While there are some undoubted advantages to buying an automatic car, there are some clear pitfalls too so it makes perfect sense to weigh up both sides of the argument before making your decision.
