5spd vs. At??? need your opinions!

[Scott]

If you're leg can't handle the Mazda 3's clutch in city traffic, you need to go do some workouts... Get the maunal. You'll hate yourself if you don't.

 

[Mazda3Rookie]

Needless to say, I am for MTX, but there is one thing to think about.

Over time, a manual might be more expensive to maintain if you consider clutch replacements. Also, once in a while you will not be paying attention and will grind gears (I hope it's not just me (poke)) and your heart will bleed during those moments . So an automatic might be more fool-proof.

I don't know Dim... I have mo experience with Mazda replacement parts (and I hope it stays that way for a looooooooooong time!), but when my wife's Dodge Grand Caravan transmission went south (at just 80,000 miles, crap...), it was a $2,200 replacement.

I'd guess that a new clutch for the 3 wouldn't cost more than $500-600.

 

[Sveivo]

I don't know Dim... I have mo experience with Mazda replacement parts (and I hope it stays that way for a looooooooooong time!), but when my wife's Dodge Grand Caravan transmission went south (at just 80,000 miles, crap...), it was a $2,200 replacement.

I'd guess that a new clutch for the 3 wouldn't cost more than $500-600.

I know what you mean. In my post, I was assuming that if both transmissions work reliably, the manual might carry the burden of having to replace the clutch...some time.

But I think that in a Mazda (in a Protege, for example), the automatics are actually not that reliable, so you'll end up replacing the whole transmission. In which case, the manual wins.

Hope this makes sense (peep).

 

[D-rock240]

I know what you mean. In my post, I was assuming that if both transmissions work reliably, the manual might carry the burden of having to replace the clutch...some time.

But I think that in a Mazda (in a Protege, for example), the automatics are actually not that reliable, so you'll end up replacing the whole transmission. In which case, the manual wins.

Hope this makes sense (peep).

Your theory makes sense, but my mechanic friend would say that you are much more likely to have to replace the auto tranny before you have to touch the manual tranny. The clutch takes some of the strain off of the manual tranny, allowing it to hold up longer. And if you aren't hard on the clutch there is no reason why it can't last. This excludes autox or street racing.

 

[Sveivo]

Your theory makes sense, but my mechanic friend would say that you are much more likely to have to replace the auto tranny before you have to touch the manual tranny. And if you aren't hard on the clutch there is no reason why it can't last. This excludes autox or street racing.

I agree completely. If you treat it nice, it should last.

 

[solid_snake]

manual

 

[Moeed]

For your atx vs mtx replacement pieces, the auto's torque convertor can go after time too. When you get a car, there are going to be wear and tear items. A mtx is easier to work on and if you dont dump your clutch, it should last a very long time.

 

[rodslinger]

manual or auto...

That's like asking us if you would prefer a hotdog over a hamburger or Coke over Pepsi... We'll only tell you what WE would prefer. Drive them both and see what you like. Do you have a manual now? Are you fine with it or are you getting tired of shifting gears? Reliability between the two is going to be a coin toss. You can have clutch and gear failures just as easily as an automatic going bad also.

 

[goldwing2000]

You can have clutch and gear failures just as easily as an automatic going bad also.

I don't know that I would say "Just as easy..."

Clutch and gear problems are definitely less likely than auto tranny problems.

 

[TheMAN]

Your theory makes sense, but my mechanic friend would say that you are much more likely to have to replace the auto tranny before you have to touch the manual tranny. The clutch takes some of the strain off of the manual tranny, allowing it to hold up longer. And if you aren't hard on the clutch there is no reason why it can't last. This excludes autox or street racing.

autocrossing doesn't kill trannys

 

[rodslinger]

I don't know that I would say "Just as easy..."

Clutch and gear problems are definitely less likely than auto tranny problems.

I wouldn't say it's any harder to damage a manual than an auto either. I also don't have any statistical facts to back my thoughts but it seems we see more automatic tranny failures due to the mere fact there are more automatic equipped cars.

I tend to remember the P5 and Mazdaspeed folks having a measurable amount of issues with their manual gearboxes. I also recognize the automatics in the older 626 cars were junk most of the time. There can be lemons in both groups.

Honestly I've never had an automatic tranny failure. My 2000 Dakota has 155,000 on it now on the original engine/tranny and I pull a 5,000 enclosed trailer with it approximatly three times a week. Maintenance is key. I've also had two manual transmissions fail on me. One for no good reason, the other because I beat the hell out of it.

I'm not advocating either as being more reliable. They are usually only as good as you treat them.

To answer the original question, I'd prefer a stick regardless of my daily driving habits. It's just more fun most of the time.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

manual transmission 110%

 

[Karma_hunden]

I say that the mtx is funner to drive. You're more into the car, but it will definatelly go out on you faster than the atx. I dont know about you, but there are days where im so f'kin exhausted I totally bang on the clutch because I lack the coordination, days where you just want to pull over and sleep on the emergency lane, car stalls, blah blah blah, grinding gears, etc. I like to ride fast sometimes. Yes, I do like to burn rubber on a fast start just for s**** and giggles once in a while. I would say that if you are old, lazy or just not just up for the challenged, then get the auto...

mtx is a commitment, you got to accept it on the good days and the bad days (tired, traffic, *cough*drunk*cough*,etc)...all this of course you get the hang of it and traffic is no longer a pain, etc etc. mtx becomes second nature, but when you start its a pain in ass.

 

[D-rock240]

autocrossing doesn't kill trannys

Not directly, but you are doing a lot of quick shifting compared to more casual shifting on the streets.

 

[Sveivo]

I say that the mtx is funner to drive. You're more into the car, but it will definatelly go out on you faster than the atx. I dont know about you, but there are days where im so f'kin exhausted I totally bang on the clutch because I lack the coordination, days where you just want to pull over and sleep on the emergency lane, car stalls, blah blah blah, grinding gears, etc. I like to ride fast sometimes. Yes, I do like to burn rubber on a fast start just for s**** and giggles once in a while. I would say that if you are old, lazy or just not just up for the challenged, then get the auto...

mtx is a commitment, you got to accept it on the good days and the bad days (tired, traffic, *cough*drunk*cough*,etc)...all this of course you get the hang of it and traffic is no longer a pain, etc etc. mtx becomes second nature, but when you start its a pain in ass.

Well put. It's hard to drive a manual perfectly all the time. Sometimes you are going to put unnecessary wear on it, like when you are tired, for example.

 

[cbc]

Yikes..maybe if you are too tired to shift your car correctly, you shouldn't be out driving?
Ah well...what do I know, just another old & lazy person who'd driven mtx cars all his long life(poke)

 

[Karma_hunden]

Yikes..maybe if you are too tired to shift your car correctly, you shouldn't be out driving?
Ah well...what do I know, just another old & lazy person who'd driven mtx cars all his long life(poke)

Well, if you want to volunteer on those hard days when I get out of work late to drive me home, then go ahead, I'll be more than happy to sleep on the back seat while you do so.

 

[cbc]

LOL....I will ship you a case of RedBull?(shocked)

 

[goldwing2000]

LOL....I will ship you a case of RedBull?(shocked)

Then he won't need to drive. He can just fly home.

 

[65racecoupe]

Manual.

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