Ok what im thing is that there are alot of people out there that are like me. I like the 6sp but at the same time I like the 5at. I have driven both and like both.

I did a search and did not see a thread like this.

I was wanting people who have there cars tell us why they choose what they did and what they like about it.

With info like this, this may help alot of people between getting at 6sp or a5at.

Could this be a stick maybe. Thank In Advance.

 

Everybody has different priorities, but I chose my6MT because I feel a"sport sedan" should be a MT. Also I live outside a city where shifting is more pleasurable than a chore. This is "DRIVING"

 

I live in southern Ca. (San Diego) A 6MT would kill you in traffic. I guess I am just lazy. But traffic was my main reason for a 5AT. Plus when I test drove the 6 speed they had at the dealer it keep popping out of 1st and 3rd gear. A total of three times on a short test drive, that scared me.

 

I went with the 5AT because I do a lot of driving in stop and go traffic. I do use the Sport Shift mode to linger in "power" gears for acceleration, and downshifting to slow down the car without un-due wear and tear on the brakes!

The Sport Shift mode also makes driving a little more interesting (for lazy folks) without getting a true 6MT car.

I also got the 5AT so the wife could drive it. I tried to teach her how to drive a 6MT once before. JUST ONCE. But that's another story for a different thread. :-)

 

Never regret what I got!! LOVE IT.

 

Over the years I've driven MT about 80% and AT about 20%. My last car (Integra) was an MT but my 04 TL is AT. My reasons for going with AT this time were:[list=1][*]I had a bad fall a couple years ago and screwed up my left leg including a tib/fib fracture. After a few clutch engagements, my leg starts hurting and driving is no longer fun.[*]A significant percentage of my driving is in heavy commute traffic and manual shifting is not much fun nor useful.[*]My girlfriend refuses to learn MT shifting and I wanted to be able to share the car and driving on long trips.[*]The 04 has enough torque to make the AT pleasant to use. I would not enjoy AT with a smaller engine.[/list=1]
If it weren't for my bad leg, I'd have two cars, an MT roadster for weekend winding-road trips and an AT sedan for commutes and long trips (that are mostly Interstate highway driving).

Alternately, if the TL had an optional smooth clutchless manual like Audi's "Auto Direct-Shift", I'd probably go that way. As it is, I'm happy with the AT TL. It is very good. I don't think I'll miss a MT much.

However, I can't help but think that anyone who wonders which transmission to get must not have reasons similar to mine that pretty much forces them to go AT so why not go with an MT? Everyone should own an MT (and a roadster) at least once in their life, IMO.

 

My last four cars have been stick - a Prelude, and Impulse (sorry!), an Accord, and a 328. I've really enjoyed it with all of them, especially the 328.

In the last year, I've moved into a local sales job, so I drive around LA and Arizona. I try to avoid rush hour traffic in LA as much as possible, but it can be a pain. For example, it took 3 hours a couple weeks ago to get home from about 60 miles away, clutching and shifting for at least 2 hours of that.

I'd love to get the 6 in my upcoming TL, but I think I'm just going to have to take it easier and get the AT. I'll use the sport shift when I can. Also, I'm a Verizon customer and though I'm looking forward to Bluetooth, it'll be a lot easier to use the phone I've got in the AT.

 

I just got my 6MT - the shifts are amazingly smooth, so I don't think there's any amount of traffic that would make me regret having to shift...

 

I bought a 6MT one month ago today and I must say that I would not have it any other way. I love the control that a manual transmission gives to the driver. Also a few other things to consider are the powerful Brembos and the taughter suspension. I think that unless you have a medical or similar reason that you should get the 6MT. The fun factor increases when your more involved with the driving expereance. Currently I can not afford to have a S-2000 and a TL so this wiil have to do.

 

Just finally test drove TL MT6 (drove AT weeks ago). Wife insists I get AT (can't, won't learn MT). I have always driven MT last 2 being a Toyota Supra and 91 integra gs.

My take is: MT more fun and performance, better MPG, historically less prone to defects or problems over lifetime. My integra 5MT has 220k miles and original clutch and tranny.

Anyhow my 6MT test drive impressions were: great tranny and clutch oh so light (almost too smooth-I stalled 3 times). MUCH BETTER than G35!! I did think that MT had more torque steer than AT in 1st and 2nd gear accelerating hard from a turn....although this is not a huge deal as most of us don't normally floor it turning at street corners.

andrew

 

I am probably about as die hard MT fanatic as you will find. My first 50 cars (no lie) were MT. I only buy an auto when I have no choice.

Having said all that I finally found an auto I could truly live with. It is the AMG speedshift version in my MB. They finally did a great job of manumatic tranny. It has intelligent programming so that it won't upshift in the middle of a turn because lateral acceleration sensors tell the tranny that you are turning.

The other thing I like that they did is have direct lockup on the torque converter in EVERY GEAR! Direct drive with no slippage. Get of the gas and it slows instantly with no TC slop. Couple that with the supercharged engine and you have a heck of a potent combination. I almost forgot to mention that they also retuned to shift 40% with NO harshness.

Also it has a sweet little program built in to it that when you push and hold the selector to the side it automatically finds the ideal gear for maximum acceleration at whatever speed you are going. They have taken the dyno plots to determine the best gear for any speed. If you want you can override this but I have found it is spot on.

Put this all together and I have a nice little roadster that will run high 12's at the track with no problems and MB reliability. I think MB understated the HP because I had no problems smoking Z06 Vettes.

If Acura would put a tranny like that in the TL AND a LSD front diff, I would go with the auto in a heartbeat. Just my $.02. Also if you ever buy a turbo car, auto reallly help mask lag issues as well as keep boost up between shifts.

 

This is exactly my story, down to trying to teach the wife how to drive stick (unsuccessfully). I really never liked SS, though, straight AT is good enough for me.

 

Heck why change your car prefences...upgrade the wife! It worked for me.

The only problem with wife 2.0 is now I have competition for wanting to drive the "fun" cars. It was easier when wife 1.0 COUDLN'T then all I had to do was buy one with a manual and I would be the sole driver.

 

i drive a legend 6spd in LA now, and it gets really old in traffic...so i think when i pickup the tl, it will be an auto.

 

FIFTY CARS!! Man, I am about to buy my seventh (whenever they decide to deliver the thing). Guess that keeping them 8 to 12 years is not the way you go.....

 

Get the 6sp... and may you NEVER experience a crappy automatic tranny from Acura....

 

I have to say the longest I have owned a car was 1980 MB new until 1997 but that was out of the norm. I seem to buy about 3-4 cars a year. My wife thought I was nuts but now sort of goes along with it. She seems to enjoy whatever I show up with now. Her motto is if we have the money and it doesn't hurt anyone then why not. Gotta love her for that but I have to think about the kids going to college too.

It seemed all my early cars were older than I was. I would buy a fixer-uper repair it, take my profit and buy a better one. It was great not having any sort of car payment.

One of the best deals for me was when I went to a state auction of vehicles, tractors and road equipment. I bought 12 old Ford F100 trucks with manual trannies. They were bought as is, where is. I think I paid something $600 for the lot of them. About a weeks worth of work and a few hundred in parts and I ended up clearing 6 grand after all was said and done. I can tell you I got very proficient at 3 on the tree type manual trannies and I gained a newfound respect for the old Ford 300cui inline 6.

I do have to comment though about the TL, it really doesn't feel as good as the other Honda/Acura gearboxes. It does feel kinda rubbery and when I finally get mine I will definitely be looking for some sort of quick shifter to help it out. I think the throws are a little long and I think they put some sort of rubber vibration dampener in the linkage.

 

I ordered the 6spd ml because:
Manuals are more fun - you're more involved in the drive
you get the gear you want when you want - no slippage
I've driven a lot of manual Mustang GTs ove the years
you get to use the full range of the engine and keep it in the power band
Honda makes a sweet manual
There is a lot less to go wrong with a manual - see Honda's problems with the last generation Auto

 

This is a religious issue.

I am lazy and drive in traffic so automatic is a no-brainer for me. I've had a 6spd corvette, and a few others and would probably stick with automatic unless is was a Ferrari or some similar car that was exclusively for weekend use.

 

I'm 28 yrs old, my 3 previous vehicles were manual. I live in Metro Detroit and have to drive in rush hour fairly frequently. Traffic really doesn't bother me, probably because I've never owned an automatic.

I could give you "cookie cutter" reasons why I purchased an MT, but the real reason is rather vain. Did you ever watch Boyz 'n the Hood?? You know, when Cuba Gooding asks the girl, "Do you know how to drive stick?" and she replies "No, but I can learn!"

The truth is that the majority of cars on the road are automatic, I wanted something different and little bit sexier.

-J

 

Don't forget that manual cars of this size are harder to resell if it matters. It is not for nothing that all demos I saw at our local Acura dealers were 6 speed!

 

6spd


ur getting an hlsd, at least 10more hp and brembo brakes for the same price as the auto


seems like a no-brainer 2 me

 

If you're a total car enthusiatic you wouldn't be asking this question. The 6MT is a little more fun to drive, has the Brembo brakes in the front, stiffer suspension and is a tad bit quicker.

If you're like me, the 5AT with sports shift is a terrific compromise. When stuck in traffic the car can be set to automatic, for all other times the sports shift is a joy to use!

 

I don't have a big ugly commute. After a little while, the autostick in my CLS bored me so I gave it to wife and got a 330i 5sp. Much more fun.

 

unsure, where does you 10more hp figure come from ? The 6 speed isn't more powerful, and the Brembos are only on the front.

 

I think that he is referring to the parasitic loss of the AT. The MT will deliver more power to the wheels.

 

6 speed
----------
pro:
- More fun
- More control of your car, you shift when you want or need it.
(you can go from 1st to 3rd to 5th in seconds)
- Bembo brakes at front (where most of the force is needed)
- Better reinforced suspension
- Variable Slip Differential
- Acura available 18" sports tire/rim package
- More torque at lower speeds (see gear torque ratio tables)
- You can push-start it if your battery or starter fail
- Very exclusive club: (Most TL are AT)
- Very smooth clutch and speeds, it got a lot better after
2000 miles
- Better wow factor... People are impressed that the car is
sporty looking and like the looks of the stick shift and the
aluminum + ebony interior.
- My wife can't drive it

Con:
- Bad if you are stuck in traffic everyday and your legs hurt.
- Can't shave and shift at the same time...

AUTO:
--------
Pro:
- Easier to drive in traffic
- A Little better gas mileage
(+1 mpg) (must be a typo on the sticker I saw)
- Sport-shift to help pass cars in highways
- Your wife/g-friend can drive it (if you want that)
- Easier to sell (according to salesman and dealers)
- Same price as MT (most other car makers charge extra for AT)
- Get a free hand to do whatever you like...

Con:
- More expensive gearbox to repair (and weaker - long term)
- Slower than 6SP
- Car changes when it wants to, not when you want to.
(even Sport shift will up-shift 1st and 2nd for you,
and downshift when slowing down...)
- Can't push-start the car, (unless you can run 60 mph)


I used to drive in traffic 2 hours to work each way everyday! (which is only 15 miles, in Caracas, Venezuela - 3 Million cars) and I hated driving uphill and downhill in my MT (Ford Sierra 6Ti) so I alternated every 2 years between AT and MT, that way I gave my legs a break.

Now I only take highways to work(no traffic) and the MT is a delight! I wouldn't change it at all! (2090 miles later).

 

You had mentioned that there is a start button if battery or starter fail???? Please explain, I do not know of this option.

 

He referred to push-starting: turn the key to the on position, leave the tranny in neutral. push the car until it gets rolling, then hop in, put the car in 2nd gear and let out the clutch. Engaging the clutch will force the engine to turn, and start the ignition process. All this in the unlikely event of battery or start failure, but it's an option that the auto doesn't have.

 

I learn something every day!

 

yes-sir


the manual transmission does not hav a torque convertor and thus can put more power to the wheel


i.e.


2003 260 hp auto cls dyno b/w 195-205 whp

2003 260 hp 6spd cls dyno b/w 210-225 whp


also, if i'm not mistaken, i think the hlsd may suck up a few more hp but its very negligible i.e. around 2-3hp at most

 

ok new this would be great. I drive a 5sp now and looks like i will get the 6sp in theTL. Alot of little info that I have not see on the forum befor. Keep posting people. Thanks

 

Its the fastest tiptronic I've driven and the "L" funciton is great. It holds the gears in 1 and 2 for as long as possible and downshifts early, keeping the revs high and engine breaking at its optimum. Maybe there is some horsepower loss due to the torque converter, but to me, the peddle clutch is so antiquated that its almost laugable now. Most modern race cars don't have the thing and after the 1-2 auto function the manual mode does almost everything you can do in the manual without the heel-and-toe experience - if you can really do it.

More fun to drive in a 6MT? - doubt it. Try the L function in the 5AT and grip the wheel. Now that's fun! I used to drive manuals, but this 5AT has me convinced that there's no need any more.

 

Call me a purist, but automanuals are toys. Most TL drivers leave there AT in Drive and leave the shifting to the computer most if not all of the time.

The pure sports car will have a clutch for a very long time. New Elise, anyone?

SMGs and race cars are a different story, and closer to the MT than the AT in any event.

If the TL did not have a 6MT, I would not have given it a second look.

The AT is a fine car and damn near as fast as the 6MT, but you can never experience the joy of a well executed downshift (which need not be heel and toe if you aren't braking for a corner but simply out on the highways having a little fun and matching the revs), or rowing through the gears to redline.

A good AT that holds each gear to redline is nice, but pales in comparison.

 

Why?

 

Was that not enough of an explanation?

 

Another point is you may have driven a manual before but if it wasn't smooth it probably wasn't much fun - case in point Ford Taurus SHO - great motor - lousy manual. That is not the case with the TL - from what I've been told (still waiting for mine to come in) this is one of the smoothest units out there. Also, about the only ones using an auto in racing are the F1 boys and that is a far cry from the auto in a passenger car. Pushing an auto hard generates heat in the transmission because of all the slippage and heat kills autos.

 

Yes you can, with the exception of 1st and even then you can do it by using the "L" gate.

 

It is not the same thing, and you well know it.

There is a greater level of control that can be attained through manual shifting. With an automatic you are at the mercy of the software. You may be able to use the throttle or the lever to cause the transmission to downshift, but you can't hold a gear with the same level of control, nor choose which gear will be your next and at what RPM as easily.

Not to mention the satisfaction from executing a good shift that does not exist in the automatic realm.

There are objective differences between automatics and manuals. Both have disadvantages and advantages. The choice of one or the other is largely a matter of subjective desire.

That said, don't fool yourself into thinking your automatic is a manual. You have the advantage in traffic jams, but on a spirited drive the manual is the choice. The horsepower loss from the torque converter is real, not imagined. The extra weight from the automatic is real, not imagined.

This is a pointless and semantic debate. You are entitled to your own definition of transmission superiority, even though it is contrary to mine. I'll let my fellow enthusiasts make up their own minds.

 

I would have to say both auto and manual are great. I would love to have a car/transmission that gave the driver the choice. Flip a switch-use the clutch, flip it again and leave it in "D". Not sure if this exists or ever will. I was also torn between the two when making my decision but decided on the auto. The times that I prefer an auto are greater than the times I prefer a stick.

In the Dallas area, 5 speed auto's must be more popular. Several of the dealers had 6 speeds with Nav in stock or coming without deposits. All 5 speed auto's where either taken or non-nav.

Smitty