For those that were old enough to experience the hype that surrounded manual vehicles, we know all the reasons why they were supposed so much better than an automatic car. The number one reason they are better than automatics, is because they saved on gas. However, there have many incredible advances in the past few years. So when you're at the auto dealer and browsing vehicles, you have to wonder if stick shifts are still superior to automatics in the gas department or not.
Changing the Truth
During the 80's, 90's and even early millennial years, it is true that by driving a stick shift, you could save yourself up to an extra 5 miles per gallon. The reason for this was because you were able to control the RPM (short for revolutions per minute). A manual vehicle would typically have around 3000 RPM, and an automatic engine would have closer to 4000 RPM.
Today is a different story though. Part of this is because engineers are constantly improving the science behind your car, truck or SUV's engine. There are a few reasons this truth has changed. Some of these are:
- Better Tech in Automatics
Automatic cars are wildly more popular then their manual cousins, and as automakers seek to squeeze the last drop of power out of your engine, most of that squeezing is being done on the automatic side, leaving manual owners behind. - Smarter transmission
Tech like CVT, short for Continuously Variable Transmission, allows engines to more smoothly seek out the power they need without sitting in gearing that may not be the most fuel efficient by means of a special pulley system. Basically same effect as an automatic, but more efficient. - Goin' Electric
Because of the nature of the engine, electric vehicles can use entirely different transmissions then you would find on a manual fossil burner. You can have a single speed transmission in an EV and still get blistering speeds at a fraction of the MPGe.
As We See It
The tug of war between manual and automatic vehicles has slowly been won by the automatics of today. In August of 2013, fewer than 4% of automobiles sold had manual engines. A number so small that owning a manual car can be considered a theft deterrent as most thieves simply do not know how to drive them. Still, some enthusiasts swear by the stick shift. They may not save as much gas as they once did compared to their competitors, but they do offer you a bit more control over your engine, and are often still much cheaper to buy then an automatic which is a great option when trying to find the lowest rate on a bad credit car loan. Whether you decide to go with a stick or an automatic, let us get you to best dealer in your area. Don't waste your time and gas going to all the wrong dealers. Auto Credit Express will get you to the best place the first time around. All you have to do is apply now!
