3 Reasons Your Next Car Should Have A Manual Transmission

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Hello, my name is Davey Jerome. Welcome to my site about auto service. When I was a young boy, the first task I learned to perform on my dad’s truck was an oil change. I delighted in letting the old oil flow out into the drain pan and removing the old filter. Adding the new filter and oil seemed to rejuvenate that old truck and ready it for another day of work on the farm. I will use this site to explore the process of performing automotive services on your own. I hope you can use the information on my site to learn about this important task.

3 Reasons Your Next Car Should Have A Manual Transmission

3 June 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Are you looking to buy a new vehicle, but unsure whether to go with an automatic or manual transmission? In addition to being slightly cheaper than their automatic counterparts, manual transmissions have a few other advantages to consider.

Better gas mileage

If you face a daily commute, there's a good chance you've considered how much you spend each year on gas. In 2015, the average American spent $1,400 at the pump—which, while down from $1,950 in 2014, is still a significant amount of money. To get that number down, it makes sense to increase your gas mileage.

While there have been recent gains in gas mileage with automatic transmissions, the fact remains that a manual transmission can save you up to 5 miles per gallon. So if your goal is to find a fuel efficient vehicle, you may want to consider looking at cars with manual transmissions.

Push start

Imagine that you've got a bad starter or a dying battery, and your car won't start. With an automatic, you can try to jump start the engine, but you need access to jumper cables and either a battery charger or another vehicle with a working battery. Manual transmissions offer another option—the push start.

To push start a manual, put the car into gear—first or second should work—and turn the ignition to "on" while pressing down on the clutch. Have someone push the car, and once it starts moving release the clutch and give the car some gas. If done correctly, this should turn the engine on, even with a bad battery or starter. From there, continue driving as normal.

More control (and power!)

With a manual transmission, you have an added layer of control over the vehicle. You control when the engine shifts, instead of the transmission. Many automatics shift gears too soon, translating in a loss of engine power. By shifting at the right RPM, you can maximize your engine's power.

In addition to using the transmission to accelerate faster, you can also use the transmission to brake the vehicle (known as engine braking). This involves downshifting the gears to slow the car down without pressing on the brake—something that can be especially useful during snowstorms when braking can cause a vehicle to spin out.

If you're looking for power, good gas mileage, and a host of other benefits, it's worth considering a vehicle with a manual transmission. For more information on transmissions, check with companies like Rolling Bay Automotive.