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qball said:
Hello
I am thinking about buying a 2004 jetta tdi and i am thinking that i want a automatic not a 5 speed dose anyone here have an automatic?
Thanks
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Hi there,
My Golf TDI is a 5-speed, but I also drove a Jetta automatic for a few years (and still do from time to time). Are there any particular questions on your mind about the differences between the two?
Offhand, some pros and cons that I can think of are:
-- Automatic --
Pros:
- Simplicity of driving experience
- Always smooth shifting (except when the computer gets confused)
- Less attention needed when stopping/starting on steep hills
- Faster acceleration in some cases (this one is likely to be debated)
- Simpler in traffic jams (though not necessarily better)
Cons:
- More delicate mechanics (more likely to fail earlier in the life of the car)
- Less control of shifting/power
- Loss of power/efficiency through the transmission (thus less fuel mileage)
- More expensive (initial price)
-- Manual --
Pros:
- Better control/Better "connection" to the car
- Can be more fun to drive (this is entirely subjective of course)
- Better power/efficiency (thus better fuel mileage)
- Simpler, more durable mechanics (tends to last longer)
- Faster acceleration in many cases (better power/control of gears)
Cons:
- Requires more attentiveness to the technical aspects of your driving (shifting/clutching, etc...)
- Requires a lot of attentiveness when starting/stopping on steep hills
- More room for driver error
- Requires the use of both hands/both feet (not that you should be holding a cup of coffee while driving or anything, but it can be awkward at times if you need to futz with something in the car and shift at the same time)
- Along those same lines, if you're injured, it's harder to drive a stick - I found this out when I broke my left elbow earlier this year and couldn't really drive for a while).
- More awkward in traffic jams (though not necessarily worse: if you learn to regulate your speed, and use your gears wisely, it can actually be nicer driving a stick in a traffic jam - pay attention to how truckers do it to get an idea of what I mean)
- More tiring on long trips (not usually a big deal)
I'm sure there are plenty of other pros and cons of both. Overall though, as someone said earlier, get what makes you happy. I drive a manual everyday, but I see the benefits of both, so I'm not one of those folks who make fun of automatics. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Either way, you'll have a great car!!
-Tone
