Unpopular opinion: the automatic shift is a completely unnecessary waste of money

Yes, I drive in a city. Yes, I drive in the traffic, frequently getting stuck in it as well.

I don't really get what's the "frustration" people get about the manual shift, after one year of driving you become the automatic shift yourself; why pay over €2k just to eliminate something that you do without even realizing?

While also:

a. adding unnecessary complexity, more parts that can break, and that are expensive to replace

b. actually adding frustration in the process, changing the way you drive (at the very least, how you operate the brakes?)

c. hurting performance to some sensible degree, in particular acceleration

Is it only me?

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ArtieKat · M

I've just remembered.... When I was hitch-hiking a lot in the 1970s I once got a lift in a Porsche 911 - I was fascinated by the gear change because there was an electric clutch on the gear lever. The driver told me that he nearly wrecked the gearbox on his wife's Mini because he forgot it didn't declutch when he put his hand on the gearstick 😂🤣🤗

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Elessar · 26-30, M

@ArtieKat See, the fact you can screw a gearbox like that..

Although, I've nearly wrecked a gearbox of a regular manual one too because, unbeknownst to me, I had an oil leak and by the time I got it repaired and refilled it was almost completely dry

ArtieKat · M

@Elessar I think you might have misunderstood.... His wife's Mini had an ordinary gearbox and clutch but he'd got used to the electric clutch on the Porsche.

Elessar · 26-30, M

@ArtieKat Ahh, damn!

supersnipe · 61-69, M

@ArtieKat I remember those cars - a neighbour had one around 1972. It was called a 911E 'Sportomatic'.

ArtieKat · M

@supersnipe I'd forgotten the name - thanks for reminding me!