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Manual or tiptronic?


Lafta

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Hi gang.

I still haven't pulled the trigger on one of either two 05 Legacy gt ltd wagons.

One is with manual,the other with tiptronic.

 

Would you folks be so kind as to list the merits or demerits of both?

 

Thankyou for your time.

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Do you really need folk to help you decide what YOU like? Why not, instead, tell us what YOU want from your car. Do you prefer AT or MT cars? It's really that simple. C'mon now...put SOME effort/thought into your OWN solution here.
SOLD | '06 spec.B - VF52/AVO/740cc/Up/Down | 238awhp | 50-80mph 3.1 seconds.
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Did you test drive both? That should give you a good idea. Manuals are faster and you can chose the exact gear you want. Plus it seems to get better gas milage compared to cars with the auto.

 

The trouble is that manuals are manual -you have to work. They are a pain in heavy stop and go traffic. Plus you have to watch the traffic light and be ready to shift into 1st quickly. You can't just hit the gas and go.

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C'mon mighty...if Lafta has driven a car in his/her life, he/she will know the differences between AT and MT cars. It's like being asked to explain the differences to my 8 year old. EVERY driver must know at least the fundamental differences. If they know those differences, they know the rest is up to their preferences.
SOLD | '06 spec.B - VF52/AVO/740cc/Up/Down | 238awhp | 50-80mph 3.1 seconds.
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Wellll thanks you 2 for your comments.

I do know what I want and know the differences between the two.:rolleyes:

 

I guess I posted this question to get the communities feel for what they like,even though I did also ask about the merits and demerits of both.

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I have an 05 5EAT sedan and love it. I especially love it when I'm stuck in traffic, or stopped on a hill, at the drag strip and can torque break it and go, not have to worry so much about bogging the launch. I don't love it when I want to do more power mods because I'm limited to the stock tranny and what she can do. Yes, you can mod your AT, and there are some beautifully done ones on these forums, they just take more $$$ to do it.
Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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I think if your comfortable driving a manual and you don't frequently drive in "stop and go" traffic you will be happier with the manual in the long run. They are just more fun to drive IMO. You will make a lot of people around here jealous if you get the manual. Manual wagons can be pretty difficult to find!
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I would say there pros and cons to both, but more cons to the auto. The one thing I hated about the auto when I had one for about a week is that if your making a right hand turn I believe, if you have your hand on the trannsmission lever, you can easily pull it into neutral i think it was, or something other than what it was in. I cant remember for sure, it was like 3 years ago when I was driving one. And I really hated this, it was a huge nuisance, especially if you were turning pretty hard and trying to accelerate, then all of a sudden it slide into neutral. Anyways, and I didnt like the characteristics of the auto much at all. The shifting was slow, and they seemed cheap, but that last part is just my opinion.

The manual is a pretty good tranny, its just not as strong as I wish it was. And I cant say that I like the whole 3 wheel drive, drivetrain. The differentials in this car kinda suck if you ask me. You never have a real 4wd. I dont know what it would be like with an auto. But with the manual if you break the rear wheels loose, then it acts like a rwd car, but if you break a front wheel loose, which would be just the right front, it acts like a fwd car with a crappy non locking differential. So either way, theres pros and cons to both. My choice if I did it all over again, I would get an STI.

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I would say there pros and cons to both, but more cons to the auto. The one thing I hated about the auto when I had one for about a week is that if your making a right hand turn I believe, if you have your hand on the trannsmission lever, you can easily pull it into neutral i think it was, or something other than what it was in.

 

 

Typically when driving an auto, your hand isn't on the gear selector do-dad while driving.

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Typically when driving an auto, your hand isn't on the gear selector do-dad while driving.

 

Dont ever use the tiptronic then and you have nothing to worry about. It would be an interesting poll to find out from all the auto owners how many actually use the manual shifting mode.

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what?---You said.........

 

The differentials in this car kinda suck if you ask me. You never have a real 4wd. I dont know what it would be like with an auto. But with the manual if you break the rear wheels loose, then it acts like a rwd car, but if you break a front wheel loose, which would be just the right front, it acts like a fwd car with a crappy non locking differential. So either way, theres pros and cons to both. My choice if I did it all over again, I would get an STI.

 

I don't quite understand what you say here.

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the 5mt has a limited slip center diff that locks up in "hump mode" if you get it hot enough.

 

that means, if you slip the rear wheels, the center will transfer torque to front, and if you slip the front wheels, the center will transfer torque to rear. if you heat up the center diff enough, it locks up and you get 50/50 lock until it cools again

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Dont ever use the tiptronic then and you have nothing to worry about. It would be an interesting poll to find out from all the auto owners how many actually use the manual shifting mode.

again, I have an 05 5EAT and I absolutely love it. :) yes, I do use the manual shift mode from time to time, but mainly at the track. I love it and though I'm moving over to a new STI hatch, I wish I could keep my 5EAT or they offered the DSG box they are talking about bringing. I pretty much drive for a living and it sucks having to constantly shift, which is partly why I prefer driving my LGT over our 07 STI. Now, I'm going to have to deal with it and get used to the constant shifting back and forth while driving all over town 7 days a week. Once the DSG (if it does) comes out, I'll probably be trading out for that or doing a tranny swap!

 

Test drive them both, and see what you like.

Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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If I get a MT, I will get an '05 LGT. If I get an auto, I will either get an Acura TL or TSX..

 

I REALLY want an '05 LGT, but I'm scared of the prospect of driving a manual car in the greater Atlanta area :( Sooooooooooooooooooo much stop and go, and hills, and stuff. :spin::spin::spin:

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I for one feel the OP's pain. I love my 5MT...but in stop and go it's a pain. I never even test drove the AT, but the Audi AT I tested were garbage...slow to shift, violent whiplash under throttle. Maybe the Subie AT is better.

 

What we REALLY need is that sweet, sweet dual-clutch auto-manual like the fancy cars have. :lol:

 

So...it comes down to where you drive, how much MT aggravation you can tolerate in stop-and-go traffic, and how many power mods you think might "happen" to your car. :) Good luck.

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MT pain in stop to go? :rolleyes: Seriously - try to improve your driving technique (more engine breaking, crawling in a gear, keep distance from the car in front of you).

 

Besides, I always wonder why is it such a chore to people. There is nothing else to do while stuck in the traffic.

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Not including North America...The rest of the world overwhelmingly drive and only produce manual cars. Good luck trying to even find an automatic rental car in Europe.... and... most foreign cities are way worse to drive in then Americas. Automatics are strictly for convenience, and every convenience usually has a drawback! If someone really cant decide on the MT or AT then they should just buy the AT. Manual transmission should be the clear choice for any performance vehicle and performance enthusiast.
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MT pain in stop to go? :rolleyes: Seriously - try to improve your driving technique (more engine breaking, crawling in a gear, keep distance from the car in front of you).

 

Besides, I always wonder why is it such a chore to people. There is nothing else to do while stuck in the traffic.

 

+1. To the OP, MT Because I own one and like it alot.

 

After adding hardened front and rear bushings and short throw shifter along with power mods, it fun, fun fun to drive. I drive a mix of highway and local traffic.

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I have an MT and absolutely love it. IMO an MT allows you to be more in tune with the car.

 

Ya ... every few months I enjoy driving my wife's SUV with AT but couldn't imagine having the LGT with AT. I know that a lot of the guys on the forum with the 5EAT love it.

 

Personal preference.

 

Agree with the comment about driving both and seeing what works for you.

 

Good luck.

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MT pain in stop to go? :rolleyes: Seriously - try to improve your driving technique (more engine breaking, crawling in a gear, keep distance from the car in front of you).

 

Besides, I always wonder why is it such a chore to people. There is nothing else to do while stuck in the traffic.

 

 

I'm with you mat. I drove in and out of Boston 3 days this past week, took my Outback 2X and my GTI 1 day. I've never thought driving a manual in traffic was an issue.

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Mat, have you ever actually driven in stop-and-go? Maybe it's just my car, but crawling in 1st is impossible. Or at least looks funny. If you give it just a touch of gas, and then let up to engine brake, it starts bucking. And at least around here, if you let a gap open of more than a length, someone inevitably lurches into it.

 

edit: and if you think I'm abrupt with the throttle, I'm not. With the hypersensitive TBW, I'm smooooooth.

 

None of which helps the OP. I kind of agree with the person who said if you can't decide, get an AT. That makes sense...if you're an "MT" kind of person, you know it.

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