Why does automatic transmission cost more

The fluid change for my Subaru stick costs, not figuratively speaking, half of what the automatic transmission does. Manual transmissions are also far more reliable than automatics; although my direct experience is with older cars, from what I read and hear and personally know, a typical manual lasts indefinitely while automatics have a much shorter life. Quite likely never, and the trans lived forever. Automatic transmissions also force a car to coast farther than a manual trans, thus eating up brake linings in the long run.

If the most modern automatics equal the manuals in fuel efficiency, they do it at the cost of hugely increased complexity. You almost certainly will with your Incomprehenso TX Walletbuster automatic transmission. Noticed the author started bashing manual transmissions about halfway through. Not really an informative article; it was written with a large bias for automatic vehicles.

Darwin wins every time when the sheeple crash into things because they were too distracted to drive, permitted in part from thier automatic.

Just think of it as natural selection :. I say this all the time. Stick with manuals! I drive a manual transmission, I like the adrenaline that comes from driving it. Very biased… the cost to replace an automatic is often much more expensive than a manual.

Even the cost to rebuild a manual is much more affordable than automatics today. I drive a 93 Trans Am with a T 6 speed manual. Manual transmissions require less maintenance autos require more frequent flushes, combined with filter replacements and often a new pan gasket which significantly racks up the price of driving auto. A manual requires skill to drive, which is something that many drivers on the road today lack. I believe the world would be a better place if standard shift were actually standard today.

You can do that with a manual transmission, but not with an automatic transmission. If you use a heavy foot with an automatic transmission, it will upshift at higher speeds and lose fuel efficiency.

If automatic transmissions were really as fuel efficient as manual transmissions, why do they require an oil cooler? A highly skilled driver can still get getter fuel mileage with a manual transmission. When the EPA rates fuel mileage, you can assume that they are not driving the manual transmission as efficiently as possible; probably they are driving it the way a typical driver would, or simulating driving in that manner. With a manual transmission, you are better able to get unstuck on slippery surfaces.

You can use the clutch to rock the car rhythmically to get out; that is impossible with a modern automatic transmission, although it was possible with older Hydramatics and Powerglides because L and R were next to each other and the transmissions could be quickly shifted between L and R. That caused no undo transmission strain if you gave it only a little gas. If the battery on a car with a manual transmission is to low to start the car, you can start it by pushing if the battery is not totally dead.

You can also do that with any car having an automatic transmission, provided that it was made before In , they started eliminating the rear hydraulic pump from automatic transmissions thereby rendering push starts impossible. The standards not going away, it get better and better every year the automatic you know is going bye bye! Why obsolete and not cost effective, only stupid Americans would buy such a device anyway. DSG best automatic money can buy, essentially a manual gear box with a robot, electromechanical0 hydraulic unit controlling and dong the work, verdict Contrary to claim, still per gallon less and slightly slower shifting when given against a real pro driver!

Electric motors will replace the automatic in complete, all you need is a gear box to direct torque forward and reverse, it is essentially a transmission in itself not a motor, the manual gear box is in fact a gear box, with clutch assembly. Plus, I have good news for you automatic lovers and dealers; trying to kill off the lowly a manual gear box, the government at some point will intervene, its already on the book in the US Congress!

Read this consumer reports write up. Cannot be done with an automatic in that cars engine to get that fuel economy! Its really no less than a crime, how the standard torque converter automatic even ever got this far, only in the US, when its days are numbered, like dinosaur, even the CVT is obsolete, its not even used in Europe anymore, replaced by automated manuals and of course, better tech manuals still outnumber all autos….

It is nice to hear different opinions in manual vs auto because I have alway driven a manual and am considering switching due to their being a very limited selection on the market today.

Here is my interjection on the side of a manual owner. I also like that a manual makes you think more. So much of technology today inhibits humans using their brain and parts of the physical brain are suffering from it.

With an automatic transmission, if you become stuck on ice or snow, you are more likely to need help to get out. With a manual transmission, you can often rock the car forward and backward by rhythmically partially engaging and disengaging the clutch to make the car rock a bit farther each time until you become unstuck. It is totally impossible to do that with a modern automatic transmission, although with some pre automatic transmission it was possible to do it my rhythmically moving the selector between low and reverse which were next to each other while applying just a small amount of gas.

Modern automatics cannot be shifted quickly enough between low and reverse. Regarding the difference in fuel mileage, you can read my previous post. An unskilled driver who does not understand how to get the best possible fuel mileage with a manual transmission may very well get better fuel mileage with an automatic, but a knowledgeable skilled driver can get better fuel mileage with a manual transmission.

Any driver who really wants to can be come knowledgeable and skilled, but most drivers are rather sloppy and have little interest in improving. As long as they can get from point A to point B, they think that they are doing fine. I believe that manuals are better in the snow and ice. I know all too well the tricks of getting yourself unstuck in the snow using a manual. I am glad to know I am probably getting better gas milage in my manual. I really want a manual suv that is awd, early to mid s and am not having much luck.

You might have some good luck with Jeep products. They have some lower-end models with maunal shift transmissions and manual shift transfer cases too.

That way you can get 4WD when you need it, but still have the 2WD for optimal fuel economy in good driving conditions. I am an automotive engineer with a degree in both mechanical and electrical engineering.

I design automatic transmissions. I drive a manual. That should say something right there. Automatic transmissions cost considerably more to design, produce, assemble, and replace.

Countless hours go into tuning every millisecond of a shift map, countless engineering dollars are wasted building the clutch pack and body out of materials over specification so Billy Bob can punch it from a dead stop while eating a sandwich and not have to worry about blowing a seal. The author makes it seem like they are reliable. He cannot be farther from the truth. Past 75k miles, most automatic transmissions are ticking time bombs. The ONLY reason automatics can be similar in price to manuals is because of economies of scale.

In addition, automatic transmissions promote distracted driving. Have you ever tried talking on a phone while driving a manual? How about texting? It is not possible. Manuals would never eliminate the problem. But I can guarantee it would help.

The author also fails to mention the effects of being able to use engine braking and how it saves money on brake replacements. I have a 5 year old car with about 75k miles on it.

The original brake pads are over halfway used up all discs. Lastly, your brain is the best judgement of how to react to a given driving scenario, not a controller. A controller cannot make judgement calls about what to do if your speed and engine speed approach a shift threshold. All your auto trans tries to do is get you into top gear as fast as possible to conserve fuel.

It cannot tell if you are driving up a steep hill and need constant torque. Conversely, it cannot tell if you are on a slippery road where dropping a gear would put you in great peril.

It is only as good as the sensors it is attached to. Driving manuals is rewarding in itself. You feel more connected to what you are doing, you pay attention to the road, and you are in complete control of your vehicle. I agree with most of your post. However, you have not considered that the driver can overide the automatic transmission. The driver, on mountainous roads, can prevent the automatic transmission from shifting to a higher gear when doing so would be helpful.

He can also shift the automatic transmission to a lower gear to improve engine braking. The driver need not be a slave to the automatic transmission and should shift it manually when appropriate. It does take some knowledge to be able to use an automatic transmission to best advantage, and not all automatic transmissions are the same. For example, if with closed throttle, you shift to a lower gear for improved engine braking, the automatic transmission will drag the engine up to a higher speed thereby causing increased wear on clutches or bands.

But with some automatic transmissions, it is possible to eliminate that problem by quickly and briefly depressing the accelerator while shifting to a lower gear thereby avoiding increased wear, but that will not work well with all automatic transmissions. Automatic transmissions also vary considerably in durability. Some will last for upwards of , miles with little or no attention while some will require expensive attention at less than , miles.

The problem with your assumption is that you assume people who drive automatic transmissions understand how a gearbox works. Also, accelerating to trick the controller into shifting into higher gear to brake is just…. Speed up to slow down. Does not sound safe at all. Two objects spinning at the same velocity, in the same direction, do not slide if pressed together.

Basic physics. I agree that most people who drive with automatic transmissions do not understand how a gearbox works. My post merely explains how a driver CAN override an automatic transmissions; I am not assuming that they actually understand HOW to do so and the advantages of doing so. And, with some automatic transmissions, there is no way to prevent wear when downshifting to increase engine pumping losses to reduce brake wear; attempting to do so will cause a severe jerk since the instant you touch the accelerator to rev match, the hydraulic pressure will be boosted before the engine has time to rev up.

That is a design issue. Many, or perhaps most, people with manual transmissions do not know how to use them to best advantage either. Heel-toe downshifting is not taught either and now many cars have the brake and accelerator positioned to make it impossible. That makes using a manual transmission awkward since one cannot rev-match to downshift while braking. Before cars had synchromesh on low gear, drivers were taught not to shift to low gear when the car was moving; they were not taught how to double clutch, but I learned that from my father before getting my license.

According to my late father, in earlier times, driving students were taught the basics of car mechanics before getting behind the wheel. Of course a driver need not know every detail, such as whether the clutch has coil springs or a diaphragm spring, but it is helpful to know the basics.

One would suppose that with modern computer controls, it would be much easier to design the mechanical and hydraulic parts of the automatic transmission since the computer could, by using speed sensors and valves which would control pressure via applied current, eliminate the need for orifices, over-running clutches except for the torque converter , etc. Of course designing the software would be challenging, but it is easier to modify software than to experiment with springs, plungers, etc.

Gas savings: negligible. Automatics are darn near as fuel efficient as manual transmissions these days. Not a valid argument anymore. Cost of ownership: depends on vehicle. The average person would go through a clutch , km. The average driver of an automatic transmission rarely experiences transmission failures. It can happen, but much less often than manuals. Safety: some might argue they have more control in a manual transmission.

Perhaps in days gone by. Manuals still get better milage! They play with the ratios for one, so stinks with an auto, and the milage is still far better with a stick. Compare do you, a 6 to 9 speed automatic with a lowly 5 speed or 6 and its still gets beaten most the time! Consumer reports, recently did a piece on how its not at all true, that automatics get near or better milage, a standard gets up to 5 mpg gallon more and I can tell you its true too.

I have tested it many times in rental cars….. If, the driver is good, , miles. I got , miles off my 1st one too, and sold the car.

All these automatics; BMW, Camry and others, all have problems with their their transmissions! A new VW clutch assembly; original genuine VW part A DSG automated manual in Germany, is almost They buy standards for a reason….

I rented a Ford focus in November to go to Pennsylvania to pick up my new bike, my Jetta S, is rated 34 mpg highway, I have gotten a constant high of I put an APR ram air on that, goes another miles or so…, but does not matter, that Focus rated better than my Jetta, rated at 36 mpg highway, returned 32 mpg, my Jetta would have done probably 40 or close… Lies!

And the Focus rental car had transmissions problems too, on the way back on the George Washington bridge, it was bucking and slipping like a squirrel sniffing airplane glue! The distances US trucks have to cover too, wonder why they need clutch assemblies….? Too cost prohibitive in the US, truckers do not like manuals, they have no choice….

The electric motor will replace the automatics, in various forms, when they get their act together with batteries, all you need a small gear box, wait and see, the stick will still be here too!

A common argument is that the difference in cost is recovered at trade-in time, but is it really? If one keeps a car for 10 years and puts more than K miles on it, I very much doubt that the full cost would be recovered. Also, even if one pays cash for the car, the interest on the additional cost of the automatic transmission has to be considered.

They can be designed to be either automatic or manual or to give the driver a choice. One problem with dual-clutch transmissions is that the cannot skip gears. Thus, if one is accelerating hard in perhaps 2nd gear then has no more need for hard acceleration, with a classical manual transmission it is possible to skip from 2nd gear to 4th or 5th gear but a dual clutch transmission generally has to go through gears consecutively like a motorcycle.

Also, with a classical manual transmission, to get more power for passing, one can downshift from perhaps 5th gear to 3rd gear, but not with a dual clutch transmission.

That may not be a deal-killer, but it is a disadvantage. The efficiency of the transmission itself is only one factor in fuel efficiency. For maximum fuel efficiency, one should start from rest with a heavy foot and upshift at the lowest speeds at which the engine will run properly without protesting. That is impossible with an automatic transmission since a heavy foot will increase the speed at which upshifts occur. It would be interesting to determine exactly why an automatic transmission is less efficient than a manual transmission.

Except for dual-clutch automatic transmissions, automatic transmissions have planetary gear trains. It may be that planetary gear trains are less efficient because they have more mesh points. Packard introduced the lock-up torque converter in and the Studebaker with the Borg Warner automatic transmission also had a lock-up torque converter. All modern automatics have a lock-up torque converter, so torque converter slippage is no longer a factor once the torque converter locks up.

You are talking about the average driver. The average driver knows very little about cars and has no interest in learning. He also has no interest in improving his driving and is content simply to get from point A to point B. However, a person who understands cars, pays attention to his driving, and endeavors to drive as well as possible, can probably, with a modern car, drive at least , miles , kilometers without having to have the clutch replaced.

He can probably get better fuel mileage with a manual transmission. Also, many car thieves are unable to drive with a manual transmission. Therefore, a car with a manual transmission is less likely to be stolen. There are some accidents that occur most often at parking lot speeds with an automatic transmission that would be very unlikely to occur with a manual transmission.

Also, there have been cases in which the accelerator sticks with an automatic transmission, causing an accident, which could more easily be prevented with a manual transmission. A driver who simply wants to get from point A to point B as effortlessly as possible, is not mechanically inclined, and is lazy, and has little interest in acquiring the skill to operate a manual transmission as well as possible, is probably better off with an automatic transmission.

Im my opinion the author either does not know what he is talking about, or he does not a true driver and just thinks that moving the car forward is driving. Even though automatic cars have gotten better, stick shift cars are still more reliable than automatic cars.

The automatic transmission is prone to more wear and tear by design. In the event that you are able to repair an automatic transmission, that vehicle would never have the same torque as when it was purchased new.

If you replace a clutch or a manual transmission, you will feel no difference. The car will feel like when is was new.

Full power would be restored. I guess the author is not a driver. He is more the passenger type. In an automatic car, you are a active passenger, not a driver.

I would never purchase an automatic car even if I was able to find it cheaper. In the event that I get an automatic car as a gift, I would gladly take it, and then I would trade it for a stick shit car!

I love my manual transmissions. Granted, misuse of the clutch can be costly. As for shifting early or late, that is not so much the issue as is grinding dog clutch due to forced shifting.

Syncros are very good at ensuring smooth and grind free shifting. A clutch gives the driver the ability to take advantage of higher RPMs while limiting the power transfer to the wheels to avoid sudden takeoffs. Try taking off uphill in an automatic on a slippery surface.

Now try it in a manual by starting from second gear or by starting from first while slipping the clutch. Manuals are more efficient than automatics. Also if you take a car like a corvette and one has the 6L80E 6spd auto and the other has a T 6spd manual and put them both on a dynometer you will see that the corvette with the manual transmission also puts down more horsepower at the wheels.

If you compared the same car with the same number of gears with the same gear ratios the stick will be much quicker and have better economy as well cause currently automatic versions are geared taller to hide this dent on fuel economy. Example Camaro Z28 automatic final drive gearing 2. If a dual clutch transmission is computer controlled and shifts automatically, it is an automatic transmission. It is not the type of gear train or control system that determines whether a transmission is automatic or manual.

Rather, it is whether the transmission is shifted automatically or whether the driver has to shift it.

Perhaps you could talk about a dual clutch automatic transmission vs a classical automatic transmission. Actually, a dual clutch transmission is significantly different from a classical manual transmission. A classical manual transmission cannot be shifted under power; there has to be in interruption in power between the time the clutch is disengaged to make shifting possible and the time the clutch is re-engaged. On the other hand, a dual clutch transmission can be shifted under power.

To shift, the next gear is selected then one clutch is disengaged while the other clutch is engaged. If the timing and engagement are perfect, the shift will be smooth and there will be no interruption in power. The manual is not going away, as long as cars are powered by internal combustion engines, gasoline and diesel. Anybody who claims so, is a like a turtle in a shell like most Americans on the subject completely…..

So far they cannot even compete. Look at the Volt probably the best overall model and its 2X what my Jetta S costs and I get a high of This is the American market, journalists, badly misinformed consumers car makers, dealers and even driving schools teaching people they are not viable…..

And we are approaching nearly 87 million automobiles manufactured yearly, world-wide too. Drive Team Drive Team. Dear Drive…. Can electric cars democratise coachbuilding? Tools you need: RAL automotive paint code database. I have a Honda S, should I sell? Is this my best choice?

A glorious failure: Renault Avantime. Are they better to drive? Are they easier to maintain? Do they cost more to repair? Drivers in El Cajon want to know that they are making the right choice and investment in their car, but sometimes the answer is not black and white.

High Focus — Manual transmissions require a greater amount of focus and thought while driving. Drivers are able to focus on the road rather than on which gear they are in.

Different traffic situations, like stop-and-go traffic, can be easier to handle because there is no need to keep shifting to match the speed of surrounding cars. More Power — Automatic transmissions are able to get more power out of their engines than manual transmissions. Automatics set up the gears differently to increase the amount of surface contact between each gear. Better Acceleration- Modern automatics have better acceleration than manual transmissions. By using the best computers, automatics change gears faster than a human can.

Automatic transmissions can propel the car faster than a manual can. More Innovation — Because automatics are in higher demand, there is more innovation for automatics. They might even catch up to manual transmissions when it comes to performance. The assumption that a manual will cost less or have better fuel efficiency is already being challenged by new models of automatic transmissions.

Greener — Many of the new hybrid cars only offer an automatic transmission. If you want a manual transmission, you are limited to a select number of models.