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Driving in Snow: Auto or Manual?


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Did a short search on this and didn't find anything so I thought I'd throw up a post. I currently have a 99 legacy sedan which I've driven fairly extensively in snow. Looking at some 4th gen wagons and can't decide if I'd be better off going with a manual or automatic. Car would reside on the east coast so it's not like I'd be climbing massive CO/UT/CA mountains but I do spend a fair amount of driving skiing up in VT.

 

Do you prefer the control of having a manual in snow?

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Yep.

 

All my cars have been manual tranny's, because I like the control and being part of the driving experience.

 

Oh, BTW, my plate on the wagon is GOT SNO. I also ski every week in VT for the past 14 years.

 

I didn't put snow tires on the cars until I got the 05 wagon. Even had season passes when we drove the 1992 Honda civic, no snow tires.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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I have to say manual as well. However my 71 chevy is a TH450 and I have ZERO problems in snow with it :) and my 06 LLgreen has the 5eat which has never been a problem either. 90% of the time I am in manual mode with the outback anyways. Not a true manual experience but as close as my H6 will ever get to a manual :mad:.
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:spin: get what you want. They're both good in the snow. You can feather the clutch with a manual, but you also have the torque converter with the auto that makes it easy.

 

If you want to get technical, the auto is more of a reactive system than the viscous lsd center diff in the manual. You probably wouldn't notice though...

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That's the best answer so far. You can rock back and forth with the auto, no problem, but you probably won't have to anyway. Also, starting in 2nd gear with the auto works very well in snow with no need to slip/feather a clutch..

 

:spin: get what you want. They're both good in the snow. You can feather the clutch with a manual, but you also have the torque converter with the auto that makes it easy
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Manual for sure. Can feather clutch to maintain grip and easier to rock back and forth to get unstuck.

 

Keep in mind rock crawlers pretty much all use auto's. Much better throttle modulation at very slow speeds without excessive clutch wear. It's easier to slowly load up the torque converter than it is to slowly slip the clutch.

 

We're not crawling here, but I think there are similarities.

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It's easier to maintain traction in an auto because you can accelerate from a stop more gently without slipping the clutch a lot and putting a lot of wear on it. That said, you're not likely to get stuck with either car unless you're in really deep snow and manuals are more fun IMO.

 

It's all a matter of preference, get whichever you would prefer to drive.

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I prefer having a manual

1. It keeps me involved in the drive, so less chance I will doze off on longer drives.

2. More control for slowing down (downshift to lower gear + brake at same time)...isnt the technical term for it 'engine brakeing'?

3. More control to get power as and when I want

4. I control the launch better at red lights.

5. LGT manual can handle mods better than 5EATs.

6. Fewer tranny oil changes.

 

Only downsides are

-rarely killing the engine at launch and engaging reverse can be a chore due to multiple clutch (no synchros)

- phone/navi operation while driving becomes a PITA with constant shifting

- and of course heavy traffic driving makes my left foot hurt as subaru clutches arent very soft.

 

So if you do a lot of in-heavy-traffic driving then Auto maybe the way2go else pick the manual.

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I have the upside of currently having a functioning 99 legacy sedan auto for a DD so I'm leaning towards picking up a manual 4th gen wagon.
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I generally vote for automatic. The system is generally more flexible in the winter than a MT. It directs traction on demand depending on conditions.

However, unless I am mistaken the 99 Legacy has a 4EAT with a 90 front / 10 rear traction split. Personally I drive my AT in manual mode during winter time because I want to have better control over which gear it is in. Would I be faced with the choice between a 4EAT and a MT, I think in your situation I may be inclined to say go with the MT.

 

LE: per your above post, go with MT without a shadow of doubt.

 

twisted, if you are on a long drive I assume you aren't doing a lot of rowing of gears anyway. If you are at the point of dozing off, you should pull over since you can fall asleep driving a MT just as easily as driving an AT.

The choice of one's transmission doesn't make one more or less safe. It's the person's habits and general attitude towards driving which truly count.

I could just as easily argue an AT being safer because in emergency situations I can keep both hands on the wheel at all times.

Not to sound like I am nitpicking but I do feel I gotta represent my 5EAT brothers :)

An AT will launch just as hard as a MT and will do it consistent every time.

There are a few ATs that are proven to handle the same and more power levels than MTs with some mods (namely VB). I do believe we have some in the 400HP club with just a valve body mod.

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Keep in mind rock crawlers pretty much all use auto's. Much better throttle modulation at very slow speeds without excessive clutch wear. It's easier to slowly load up the torque converter than it is to slowly slip the clutch.

 

We're not crawling here, but I think there are similarities.

 

:orly: I was under the impression Wranglers mostly came with manuals for the express reason that they are better off-road.

 

I have the upside of currently having a functioning 99 legacy sedan auto for a DD so I'm leaning towards picking up a manual 4th gen wagon.

 

You're limited to 05s then, of course.

 

^ You are way too emotionally attached to your choice of transmission

 

So am I, I guess.

 

The main reason I like manuals is that they actually take skill and concentration to drive. Because the wheels are directly mechanically linked to the engine, with the exception of the clutch, it's possible to break the car if you don't know what you're doing, and it's probable that you won't even be able to drive it if you really don't know what you're doing. In contrast, on an auto, you have a TCU and torque converter to prevent mistakes. Even if you do know what you're doing, it takes skill to drive a manual smoothly. My mom has been driving manuals, and only manuals, for 40 years, and she still can't drive one smoothly. :lol:

 

Furthermore, manuals are just much more involving. Forget falling asleep at the wheel as a reason to get a manual. Driving an auto, in my experience, is like driving an appliance on wheels. Driving a manual makes you more in tune with what the engine is doing, because once again, there is a direct mechanical linkage between the engine and the wheels.

 

Are autos better for consistency in drag racing? Yes. Are they easier to drive in traffic? Yes (although I personally prefer a manual in traffic, because I hate waiting for a kickdown when I need to squeeze into a gap in another lane). Are manuals better overall for enthusiast drivers? Definitely yes.

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It's a matter of preference, but some people can't handle that and it's usually MT drivers that will think they are somehow magically better at driving and rag on autos.

I happen to handle auto claims and the ratio of assholes does not depend on transmission of choice.

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I happen to handle auto claims and the ratio of assholes does not depend on transmission of choice.

 

Just because you are better at driving overall does not mean you're a safe driver. And you can still be overconfident.

 

I would venture to say there are more overaggressive assholes who drive manual, and more overall incompetent/oblivious drivers who drive auto.

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I have the upside of currently having a functioning 99 legacy sedan auto for a DD so I'm leaning towards picking up a manual 4th gen wagon.

 

Those are everywhere !:eek: It will be extremely hard to choose.

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Just because you are better at driving overall does not mean you're a safe driver. And you can still be overconfident.

 

I would venture to say there are more overaggressive assholes who drive manual, and more overall incompetent/oblivious drivers who drive auto.

 

These generalizations would require an expensive, in-depth, government study, requiring a hideous amount of funding ;)

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