Manual vs Dual Clutch vs Sequential Manual vs Automatic

[MX793]

By straight cut I assume he meant spur gears  Its much harder to shift those smoothly.

Modern transmissions have helical cut gears.

I believe it's the lack of synchromesh that makes most straight-cut boxes hard to shift, not the straight cut gears themselves.  Just like any other manual box, the gears on the input, output and lay shafts should all be permanently meshed together.  Changing gears simply moves the shift collar(s) to lock the dog teeth in the collar into the face of the gear, locking the output to the layshaft.

[Soup DeVille]

I seem to recall Soup has driven some commercial trucks before?

I voted manual because it's still fun for me. I also like the sharper response I get on cars w/o torque converters. Better straight-line performance isn't as big of an issue for me because I don't make a habit of driving my car at 10/10ths.

Yes, I did.

The best way to shift one is either to double-clutch every gear or not use the clutch at all. It's not hard, really, but it can be intimidating the first time you try it and takes a little bit of practice.

[Soup DeVille]

FYI, the moan and quickness of Reverse would be for ALL forward gears. Many Race Cars have this moan, not from Forced Induction, but the tranny. Less power loss, but they're all around harder to drive.

Not necessarily. The noise of reverse is more because you are running the helically cut ring and pinion gears backwards, the majority of the transmission is still going the same direction.

Straight cut gears do have a bit of a whine to them, but not as bad as a normal car in reverse.

Also, the"quickness" of reverse only has to do eith it being a lower gear.

[sportyaccordy]

Very tough call...

Depends on the car. For a car slower than 14 sec in the 1/4 mile, I would say manual. For anything faster, DSG. But it really depends on the car. I don't care how sporty you make something S-class sized; a clutch + stick in that kind of car just seems silly. But the stickshift in my old 150HP Accord, with the precise action and light clutch MADE the car. There's no one size fits all.

If all cars had to be one thing though I would go with DSG... just the best all around on paper.

[Vinsanity]

I don't care how sporty you make something S-class sized; a clutch + stick in that kind of car just seems silly.

Well, not always. Although not S-class sized, I always thought my old Q45 would have been comically fun with a stickshift and a more "aggressive" LSD

[Soup DeVille]

I think there's something intrinsically badass about an overpowered big car with a stick simply because its so contrary to what you'd expect.

[S204STi]

I could learn to love a DSG or even a good sequential manual, but I prefer manual gearboxes.

[Rupert]

Manual. Just a preference.

I love huge luxury cars with manual transmissions.

[2o6]

Manual. Just a preference.

I love huge luxury cars with manual transmissions.

I'd like a 5-speed Toyota Previa. MR setup.....Hmmn Maybe a Toyota 4A-GE20v or 4A-GZE.

[Vinsanity]

I'd like a 5-speed Toyota Previa. MR setup.....Hmmn Maybe a Toyota 4A-GE20v or 4A-GZE.

oh no...I think I know what you're getting at...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POrYHGIz-EM

[TBR]

It's a big waste of money to get a dual clutch transmission and never use the paddles.
Kind of like buying an SUV and never going offroad...
Oh. Wait.

No it isn't, DSG boxes will get better fuel economy and have better throttle response (no torque converter ftw, that is what I really don't like about traditional ATs).

[sandertheshark]

Shifting by myself adds a lot of enjoyment to my commute.

But the next car I buy will be a truck, so that will be an automatic.

[Raghavan]

Shifting by myself adds a lot of enjoyment to my commute.

But the next car I buy will be a truck, so that will be an automatic.

Doesn't have to be...

[Rupert]

I also like big trucks with manuals.

[MX793]

Doesn't have to be...

These days, I'm not sure you can get a full size (1/2 ton or larger) pickup with a manual anymore.

[Eye of the Tiger]

These days, I'm not sure you can get a full size (1/2 ton or larger) pickup with a manual anymore.

Of course you can! 

[TBR]

You can certainly get a 3/4 or 1 ton truck with one, but GM, Toyota, and Nissan do not offer manuals and I believe Ford and Dodge only have them available with the V6 engines.

[sandertheshark]

Of course you can! 

Not in a GMT800 Chevy.

[Eye of the Tiger]

http://www.dodge.com/en/2008/ram_3500/capability/transmissions/

[SVT666]

Not in a GMT800 Chevy.

As far as I know you can get manuals in all the full size pickups, just not with the engine that you want.  My 1500 Ram didn't even come with a manual with the HEMI although the 2500 Ram does.

[TBR]

Not even the HD GM trucks have manuals, I forgot about that.

[MX793]

Of course you can! 

Manuals in 1/2 tons are a pretty limited prospect.  You're typically stuck with either a lower end engine, 2WD, a small cab, a lower end trim or some combination.  Looking at what's out there for '07/'08

You cannot get a 1500 Silverado with a manual in any trim.
The only F150s that offer a manual are V6, regular cab, RWD models.
Dodge offers a manual with all cab styles and in either 2WD or 4WD, but only with the V6 and 4.7L V8 engines.  If you want the Hemi, you have to get the auto.
The Nissan Titan is auto only.
Toyota Tundra is auto only.

[GoCougs]

Whoever said 4 or 5 gears is enough must be joking.

Tradtional manual for me - traditional ATs are still pretty bad.

I see the benefit of a DSG behind a high-winding motor a la F430, M5 or Gellardo - but of course I've never drive this type of car.

[Soup DeVille]

Whoever said 4 or 5 gears is enough must be joking.

It depends greatly on the engine, but yes, in most cases it's quite enough.

[GoCougs]

It depends greatly on the engine, but yes, in most cases it's quite enough.

But more gears = more power, more efficiency, more acceleration = more better.

[Soup DeVille]

But more gears = more power, more efficiency, more acceleration = more better.

More gears= more power? Cougs you know better than that!

Anyways, each shift comes with a time penalty. At a certain point, the law of diminishing returns comes into serious effect.

Besides, most domestic six speeds are really geared more like five speeds: plus a tall overdrive gear that you'd never use under normal acceleration.

[Eye of the Tiger]

More gears= more power? Cougs you know better than that!

Anyways, each shift comes with a time penalty. At a certain point, the law of diminishing returns comes into serious effect.

Besides, most domestic six speeds are really geared more like five speeds: plus a tall overdrive gear that you'd never use under normal acceleration.

The new Lexus IS F has an 8-speed that shifts in 1/10th of a second. I don't know if it would be any better or worse with less than 8-speeds, and I don't know if it skips gears during normal driving, but it works.

[Soup DeVille]

The new Lexus IS F has an 8-speed that shifts in 1/10th of a second. I don't know if it would be any better or worse with less than 8-speeds, and I don't know if it skips gears during normal driving, but it works.

I thought we were talking aboot traditional manuals.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I thought we were talking aboot traditional manuals.

I don't what we're talking aboot, but I can shift any traditional manual in less than 1/10th of a second. 

[GoCougs]

More gears= more power? Cougs you know better than that!

Anyways, each shift comes with a time penalty. At a certain point, the law of diminishing returns comes into serious effect.

Besides, most domestic six speeds are really geared more like five speeds: plus a tall overdrive gear that you'd never use under normal acceleration.

Fair enough - clarification: more gears = more power to the street.