[AMG Power]

Drive an Octavia 2.0 diesel and you'll go gaga over the manual as it feels a lot more powerful than its weakling DSG brother.

Drive the GTI and you'll start appreciating AT because of the paddle shifts.

Drive a 911 and you'll love paddle shifts.

Drive a RS7 and you'll realise that there really isn't an option to AT when you drive super cars.

This from me who still is a hardcore MT fan. It's just that for fast cars paddle shifts can be mouth watering.

Don't like AT's without paddle shifts.

[AutoSphere]

On the highway I prefer a manual because I am used to gear control , but in the city an automatic is pretty useful. However, one disadvantage of the automatic is the slight delay in response - and this becomes prominent in a city like Pune where 2-wheelers come-in from all directions when you are just ready to move forward. Because diesels have a better low end-torque, I am OK with a manual even in city driving.

So that's why I selected MT or AT, which means AT if petrol car and MT if diesel car.

[headbanger]

I can't describe the feeling of driving the current crop of AMTs in India without spelling a couple of expletives and risking an infraction. Period.

So my choice is "Only ATs minus the current AMTs". The hunt is ON for next car and criterion 1 and 2 are 6+ Airbags and Automatic - choice of fuel and shape of car are secondary criterions.

Na.Na.Wait!!! Large vanity mirror with auto-light is criterion 1, 6+ Airbags and Automatic are 2nd and 3rd.

Wifey will get to driver seat as well without needing to understand and using the clutch mayhem.

Manuals- 14 years, 3 cars, 4Lac KMs experience - enough exercise. Unless for pure adrenaline fun, can't see that happening again.

[Turbo_ak]

Voted for MT or AT, depending on the car.

I really love using MTs and believe that ATs can never involve the driver in a way that MTs do. Cars like the Figo Sport reinforce this feeling. But the current crop of automatics especially on higher end cars are an enticing option ( or not an option anymore, AT is all you get). The way the 8 speed ZF in a BMW knows precisely when to shift cogs, you will hardly get any opportunity to complain. Add to that the state of traffic in all major cities and the ATs start making much more sense.

If I'm buying a small car I'll go for a MT, no AMTs for me. But in case I'm buying a large SUV or a luxury car, AT is what it will be.

[deepfreak15]

Spoilt silly by the 7 speed DSG. Don't think I'll ever go back to MT.

[DCEite]

Its AT for me all the way, given the pathetic city driving conditions today in our cities.

Contrary to opinion of some here, i do not find driving AMT's a turn off. Modern day AMT's have come a long way since the days of Celerio which had a bit of jerky drive.

P.S. Booked my next car, which is an AMT - TATA Tigor XZA. Hoepfully, the days of stress free drives are here again (With the Harman ICE adding to the pleasure of calm and stress free driving ;-) ).

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Contrary to opinion of some here, i do not find driving AMT's a turn off. Modern day AMT's have come a long way since the days of Celerio which had a bit of jerky drive.

Exactly. I don't think AMT is far behind torque converters. I drove Duster and Dezire AMTs and found them very ok. I wonder if many here comment without actually driving one. The shift-up jerks everyone speaks about here happens only when one floors the go pedal. The same happens in Torque Converter and DSG too. Heck, it happens even in MT cars if one shifts near redline. Ok, it doesn't happen in CVTs but then the dreaded rubber band thing happens. And personally, I will rather live with jerks than rubber-band.

[GeeTee TSI]

For someone who religiously used manual transmission in Need for Speed games despite not setting lap records the DSG-TSI combination gave me such a thrill that I geared up for AT eating my own words of having absolute control!

I find AT particularly swift in U-turns followed by quick acceleration as I do not possess Jason Statham's driving skills. However, in extremely tight parking spots where one has to literally inch forward; I miss the accelerator control as you end up controlling via brakes in an AT rather than slipping the clutch to the exact measure.

[Coolman]

Voted "MT or AT depending on the car"

• Prefer AT with the options in abundance today (compared to yesteryears) and with the way the world (read traffic, trips, needs etc.) is changing!
  
  
• Cannot ignore an MT for the sheer joy of driving, changing gears and the feeling it gives!

Thanks,
C_

[sreerknair]

Though I drive a manual now, voted AT. The next car definitely is an AT. In fact the need of an AT will be one of the main reasons for me to buy a car in near future.

[PetaWatt]

Based on my experience with Maruti Celerio(AMT), Mini Cooper(AT), Honda Accord (AT), Fortuner(MT), Cruze(MT), and few other MT cars, I prefer taxi over AMT. I feel MT gives me more granular control than the AT(even with paddle shifter).

Voted for MT as I know a guy who, once in a while, go to office just because he enjoy driving.

[doxinboy]

Voted AT. Though driving a MT is what makes you feel like a real driver, the reality of the over population of modern cities where the bumber to bumper traffic is the norm, I feel as someone in the previous post commented, would make the life easy. Same feeling I get while riding my massive bullet and how I wish I would be better off with TVS XL.

It's 90% city driving and the ability to relax at traffic jams and signals and the elimination of the frequent gear shift that made me choose a slushbox.

[Simhi]

I voted for AT. I have been driving i10 Automatic for last 7 years and the convenience of driving it in city traffic (90% city, 10% highway) outweighs the pleasure from manual. In highway, I prefer cruising at around 70 to 80kmpl and AT satisfies this requirement.

Looking at voting percentage till now. If I were to split 3rd option into 50% for automatic and add it to 2nd option, then percentage users for automatic crosses 50% easily.

What a change in preference for automatic in last few years.

Even manual hard fan GTO has changed his preference.

Originally Posted by GTO

Admittedly, 10 years back, I wanted anything & everything with a slick-shifting manual only.

Some other quotes of GTO

In 2014 -

Originally Posted by GTO

Driving pleasure is about 'feel' and personally, I just don't derive much pleasure from automatics. Sure, AT technology has advanced so much that they're faster & more efficient than ever before. I couldn't care less. Choosing the gear I want, enthusiastically upshifting / downshifting and carefully playing with the clutch pedal remains critical to the overall driving experience for me. Manual is manual, period.

In 2015 -

Originally Posted by GTO

for MT lovers like us, nothing comes close. It was pure driving pleasure (compared to the slushbox experience).

[amalji]

Originally Posted by Simhi

Looking at voting percentage till now. If I were to split 3rd option into 50% for automatic and add it to 2nd option, then percentage users for automatic crosses 50% easily.

True that. And one more thing that gets hidden in that 3rd option is that we might even skip a particular model, if it doesn't have a good automatic. for eg:-, if I'm looking at the i20 as my next purchase, and I'm looking for an automatic ( if good and available ). I might even change my preference to Baleno or Jazz for the better automatic gearbox it offers. So, while for i20, manual might be my preference, I might switch my choice to another brand that has a better automatic technology. The choices are growing for the automatics and that's good for the consumer.

[chennai-indian]

Voted for AT. I have a Honda City AT and Tata Nano manual. Driving in the city is a breeze in an AT. Less stressful and good for my knee too. My wife was not keen on AT when we bought the city but now when the time came for a replacement for Nano (her car), she was adamant that she needs only AT so we booked a Wagon R AMT.