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Re: automatics

  On Wednesday 01-28-98, 01:26 pm, JB said:
-I've always tended to side on the manual side as
-they indeed are stronger. However recently some of
-my experiences have begun to sway me that the auto
-is more economically sound long term.
-Specifically while the automatics probably break
-more often (my personal experience is expect 100K
-on the auto, 150K before a clutch on the manual)
-the fact that the industry is geared up to deal
-with the auto's (95%+ penetration) means prices are
-cheaper.
The 150K figure for a clutch replacement milage is
fine for largely highway commuting but I believe is
far too large a number if the vehicle is being used
in an urban environment.  The constant mile after
mile of stop-go grid-lock traffic really takes its
toll on clutchs.  
My last truck had a standard.  My new one has an
auto, my first auto in 26 years of driving.  I used
to live in a rural environment and the manual
tranny was a no brainer.  Now I live in an urban
environment and I've had to adapt.  Part of that
adaptation was getting a truck with an automatic.  
These days, traffic congestion even spills out well
beyond the confines of the city.  A couple of week-
ends ago I made a trip to the mountains, leaving
Denver via I-70 through the Eisenhower Tunnel on
the way to my destination.  It took 2.5 hrs. to
commute the initial 75 miles due to a long stretch
of stop & go the last few miles of the climb to the
tunnel.  I was towing the snowmobile trailer so
pulling a bit of a load up the hill.  That wouldn't
be any fun at all with a manual tranny, clutches
don't really like lots of stop & go especially when
pulling a load and starting out so many times up a
grade.  It was a similar situation last summer that
convinced me it was time for an auto.  That time
with the manual tranny I ended up having to drop
the truck into low range to reduce the amount of
time I had to ride the clutch to start out pulling
the trailer up that grade.  When the traffic
situation dictates that you will stop-pull forward
30 ft.-stop continuously for miles, a manual
doesn't seem to fit the bill.
So, basically I guess my position on manual vs.
auto is...,it depends.  Each has it's strong points
and weak points. 
Bob

• 5191. Re: automatics , posted by Doug Hanz
  
•  5159. Re: automatics , posted by Scott Fluegel
  
•  5198. Re: automatics , posted by Kevin
  
•  5208. Re: automatics , posted by Bob
  
•  5224. Re: automatics , posted by Jerry
  

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