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[nigsey1600e]

After  having a 2.5 omega auto and selling that to buy 2.0 manual rover 75 (I KNOW ) then back
again to a 2.5 auto omega i can proudly say i will hopefully never go manual ever again.

[Martin_1962]

A few years ago I said I'd never have an auto

[TheOutcast]

A few years ago I said I'd never have an auto

And?? You can't leave it there. Some of us don't know how this ended.

[royston1945]

What a great thread to contibrute to for my first postings on this super forum.I think I'm going to like it on here.Thanks everyone for the debate,it makes a change to discuss something other than the depressing mechanical maladies of our favourite marque.

[Andy B]

What a great thread to contibrute to for my first postings on this super forum.I think I'm going to like it on here.Thanks everyone for the debate,it makes a change to discuss something other than the depressing mechanical maladies of our favourite marque.

We'd recently had a similar 'debate' (...... but I can't find the topic) Same result though.  :-/

[Martin_1962]

A few years ago I said I'd never have an auto

And?? You can't leave it there. Some of us don't know how this ended.

Had a GLS 2.0 - crashed due to over tired, only decent Omega was the 2.0 CD Auto I ran for four years

[Paul M]

The anti-auto/I want to be in control brigade will never change their view - complete obsession with manual gearboxes.

The anti-manual crew will never change their view - complete obession with exerting as little effort as possible, no interest in enjoying the driving experience. Most of them would have a pair of escalators in their house too given the option, what a chore having to walk up stairs!

[royston1945]

Stairs? Too much like hard work,i bought a bungalow!

[Paul M]

You're right about spec affecting values of executive cars,Andy B,a manual S class Merc or 7series BMW is virtually unsellable as a used vehicle.

My 840Ci would sell in a flash if I wanted to sell it, I've had people ask me to sell it before completely unsolicited. The reason being it has a 6-speed manual gearbox which makes it much more desirable than the 5-speed sludge-o. So it works both ways. Yes, big executive cars generally aren't purchased by people who give a rat's ass about the driving experience, hence why most of them as well as having a slushy, also feel like a boat to drive! But buy an M3, M5 or 850CSi etc and it'll be a manual or SMG... no torque converter goes near those cars.

The whole auto vs manual thing IMHO boils down to horses for courses.A track day car,a Sunday toy or a tiny hatchback should of course be manual ,but an everyday big engined car like the Omega shuld be automatic,it suits the character of the car.

I guess you also have an opinion on what colour an Omega should be, and what bodystyle a Vectra should be... and what type of radio should be fitted to a Fiat, etc etc. Nothing to do what the owner wants, the type of car dictates everything that should be decided about it  

 

Of course ,if you actually relish changing gear ,why not go the whole hog and have manual window winders,non-powered steering,no syncromesh,cable brakes ,no heating and an opening windscreen for ventilation!

LMAO... I've heard that one before. So exactly what has opening the window got to do with the driving experience? I guess Colin McRae didn't win his last WRC season cos he was spending too much effort winding the windows up and down, and trying to get the windscreen open while doing 120 MPH!

Oh and I don't know about in your car, but in mine I have to press a button to put the windows down or up! Yes, a complete chore I know... I bet you auto transmission freaks have a modification that lets the car decide when the windows should be down, and does it automatically! Brilliant, another thing you don't have to think about, nor move your hand off the donut you're about to take a bite from! Just drive along, and every now and then the electronics open all the windows and sunroof, then close them again a bit later.

[Salty]

I used to drive from Blackpool to Bristol and back in a day to pick up my Daughter, I have done this journey in manual and auto cars. when the traffic is free flowing it's ok in either but as soon as you hit a slow to stationary piece of traffic (which happened on most of these journeys) I was always happier and more comfortable in the auto.
If I fancied a bit of aggresive/quick driving generally getting to the motorway I always found a manual more engaging and entertaining.
i think there are merits for each type of gearbox depending on what sort of driving you are doing. if I were running two cars I would have a big comfortable auto(omega) for the motorway runs, and sporty little manual number for when I fancied a good thrash.

[Andy B]

The anti-auto/I want to be in control brigade will never change their view - complete obsession with manual gearboxes.

The anti-manual crew will never change their view - complete obession with exerting as little effort as possible, no interest in enjoying the driving experience. Most of them would have a pair of escalators in their house too given the option, what a chore having to walk up stairs!

Not quite! It really depends on the car. When I was younger my Dad had auto's ... still does and I was happy to get back in my manual. But now having had an auto for 15 years or so I wouldn't choose to drive a manual on a daily basis. However if I was to buy a toy for summers days eg Griffith 500 I'd want a manual.
My brother had a tiptronic FTO and then bought a manual  Honda (Omega sized - can't remember model) and thought he'd be happy to waddle a gear lever about. Within a month or 2 he couldn't wait to get another auto.
I used to find I ran out of hands in a manual - it's a lot easier to set off and light a cig (I've since reformed) & put your seat belt on at the same time with an auto!  

....no interest in enjoying the driving experience ....

That's cos you never know what the next thing to break is on your Omega! :-?

[Martin_1962]

You're right about spec affecting values of executive cars,Andy B,a manual S class Merc or 7series BMW is virtually unsellable as a used vehicle.

My 840Ci would sell in a flash if I wanted to sell it, I've had people ask me to sell it before completely unsolicited. The reason being it has a 6-speed manual gearbox which makes it much more desirable than the 5-speed sludge-o. So it works both ways. Yes, big executive cars generally aren't purchased by people who give a rat's ass about the driving experience, hence why most of them as well as having a slushy, also feel like a boat to drive! But buy an M3, M5 or 850CSi etc and it'll be a manual or SMG... no torque converter goes near those cars.

The whole auto vs manual thing IMHO boils down to horses for courses.A track day car,a Sunday toy or a tiny hatchback should of course be manual ,but an everyday big engined car like the Omega shuld be automatic,it suits the character of the car.

I guess you also have an opinion on what colour an Omega should be, and what bodystyle a Vectra should be... and what type of radio should be fitted to a Fiat, etc etc. Nothing to do what the owner wants, the type of car dictates everything that should be decided about it  

 

Of course ,if you actually relish changing gear ,why not go the whole hog and have manual window winders,non-powered steering,no syncromesh,cable brakes ,no heating and an opening windscreen for ventilation!

LMAO... I've heard that one before. So exactly what has opening the window got to do with the driving experience? I guess Colin McRae didn't win his last WRC season cos he was spending too much effort winding the windows up and down, and trying to get the windscreen open while doing 120 MPH!

Oh and I don't know about in your car, but in mine I have to press a button to put the windows down or up! Yes, a complete chore I know... I bet you auto transmission freaks have a modification that lets the car decide when the windows should be down, and does it automatically! Brilliant, another thing you don't have to think about, nor move your hand off the donut you're about to take a bite from! Just drive along, and every now and then the electronics open all the windows and sunroof, then close them again a bit later.

Ok now here is the point

You live in Scotland and have lots of nice driving roads and never get stuck in jams

We get stuck in jams!

[Paul M]

Ok now here is the point

You live in Scotland and have lots of nice driving roads and never get stuck in jams

We get stuck in jams!

If only! I am currently commuting to Edinburgh from the west coast each day, 150 miles in total along the M8. That includes the Kingston Bridge, which is (allegedly) the busiest in Europe. Usually I time it right and miss the worst of it, but I do spend time sitting in traffic. The fact is though, it's the impatience that gets me way before I get fed up changing gear, so being manual doesn't really make any difference to me in traffic. Usually the traffic doesn't stop dead so you don't have to shift much if you don't want to, 2nd gear will go down to 5 MPH and up to 60 MPH so that covers 90% of the time in slow traffic (personally I do still shift up and down as speed changes but that's because it doesn't bother me).

I was in San Francisco a few weeks back for 2 weeks and hired a Mustang convertible, needless to say it was auto cos there are so many Americans who can barely drive at all, let alone drive manuals, that the mainstream rental companies don't rent out manuals. I got caught in a really bad jam on the freeway when driving to Yosemite, and to be honest the fact the car was an auto didn't make it any less of a nightmare... I was just totally p155ed at being stuck going nowhere fast. And of course when I got onto some really twisty roads nearer Yosemite (it's very hilly) that gearbox was a nightmare.

Horses for courses... I hate driving autos (including tiptronic and all that crap), and clutching and changing gear isn't the least bit of a hindrance to me, it's as much part of driving as steering. If I'm tired enough that I can't be bothered changing gear, then I'm also tired enough to not be bothered driving at all, and will get someone else to do so. I guess I take the driving instinct from my dad, he's obviously a lot older than me, currently drives a BMW 330Ci sport manual (cracking car to drive BTW, even if it does have a bit of an image problem) and has no intention whatsoever of buying an auto, he still enjoys every bit of driving, even though he's not as aggresive as me in his style these days.

On a sidenote, I've never tried an SMG on the road... I'm absolutely sure I'd prefer it over an auto, getting rid of the torque converter with its rubber band effect is a big plus, but no guarantees I'd like the experience of it even though it's technically superior to a manual (same gearbox and clutch as a manual, just hydraulically activated so can shift really quickly and also blips the throttle on downshifts!)

[Andy B]

.... I am currently commuting to Edinburgh .....

Argh! Enidburgh & commute in the same sentance. I used to have to drive (manual Cortina) through most weeks before the A720 had been even thought of. Hour & a half from Rosyth to the top of the A702! Nightmare!
It's best to walk in Edinburg! Or take a bus/taxi along Princes St.

[Paul M]

.... I am currently commuting to Edinburgh .....

Argh! Enidburgh & commute in the same sentance. I used to have to drive (manual Cortina) through most weeks before the A720 had been even thought of. Hour & a half from Rosyth to the top of the A702! Nightmare!
It's best to walk in Edinburg! Or take a bus/taxi along Princes St.

I don't actually commute into the city, that would be insane! Use the park & ride at the bypass, much easier and at £1 each way a bargain, you'd use about a tenner of petrol driving from the bypass to Princes Street in rush hour!