But do most Americans only know how to drive automatics? Because they always seem to ask "can you drive a stick-shift?" as if it's an unusual skill. In Britain, if you want to you can learn to drive on an automatic instead of a manual, but if you take the test in an automatic, your licence only allows you to drive automatics. I think only the people who are really crap at driving learn on automatics in this country (I'm not saying all Americans are crap drivers, it's only because manuals seem to be a rarity in the US, but British learners who the automatic test have basically given up on a big part of driving a car), I think most driving instructors use manuals. On Top Gear actor Christopher Eccleston (Americans will proably know him best as the baddie from the Gone in 60 Seconds remake) said he only learnt how to drive an automatic, so they had to get an automatic Suzuki Liana for him to drive in the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" race.

No, its rare to find American's that can drive a manual. None of my friends can. Some of my relatives can though (mainly the ones that do fishing work). Yes, you do get a lot of people asking if you can drive one. Here it is an unusual skill. Not so much with the older crowd though. Nearly all of my aunts and uncles can, and my grandpa was driving a manual till the day he died. Both of my parents can as well (my dad's car is a manual). The majority of Americans (particularly the younger crowd) can only drive automatics, learn on automatics and drive automatic cars. I've gotten numerous comments from friends expressing their surprise that I can drive a manual. Just yesterday I went to a friends house and I chose to drive the Cheyenne and my friend was so surprised I could drive a stick-shift vehicle.

Just a question, if the most common is to have automatic in there, why are your working cars (supposed to be more comfortable for the work) all manuals?

Automatics are the most common in America. Right now, in my family, there are two automatics and three manuals. My dad's vehicle is a manual Ford F-150, mine is an automatic Ford Tempo (sadly, you couldn't get AWD with a manual) and my mom's is a manual Chevy Silverado. Our work vehicles are a 1976 Jeep CJ-7 and a early 1990's Chevy Cheyenne 2500, both with manuals. They are our beach vehicles that we use for on our fishing site. Manual's, or at least older ones, lose less power from the engine then automatics. My grandpa (the man who bought them both originally) believed they were also more durable. He wanted them to last as long as possible. They also get more miles-per-gallon and in most cases are better performing in speed. We inherited both vehicles and our fishing site when he died, and don't plan to get newer cars.

I see, thanks

Hell, even the HUMVEEs are automatic! I drove one in the Army. I bet the 2 1/4 and 5 ton trucks are stick though.

I drove a Ford F-350 for a steam and gas pipe repair company, using machines big enough to cut an 80" dia. pipe, and, guess what? Automatic. I personally don't feel comfortable with a stick. Give me time.

Disadvantages to automatic gearboxes:

They cost more to fix/replace than manuals
They increase fuel consumption (slightly)
You can accelerate quicker with a manual (this is why all the supercars have manuals)
The driver has more control over the car's power with a manual, so a skilled driver can do more with a manual, hence racing cars never use automatics.

Why are Humvees automatic? Wouldn't a manual be better for offroading?

Speaking of transmissions, has anyone on this forum ever driven a model T ford?

Let’s not forget there are disadvantages to manual transmissions as well. For those less fortunate than us, people who are physically handicapped, an automatic transmission is favorable. Also let’s not forget we are in the 21st Century; automatic trannies are not the problematic sluggish entities they once were. To say that manual transmissions are faster than automatics trannies is not true. There are some automatic transmissions known as "Super Automatics" (Automatic trannies that are designed for performance and performance alone) that are currently in production that will give any manual a run for it’s money. Manual transmissions do not offer the unparalleled performance these wonders of machinery provide. One such example of a Super Automatic would be the Lexus, *Sport Direct Shift 8-Speed Automatic Transmission*, hailed as the world’s fastest shifting automatic transmission, which can out-perform any manual.

An article on the Lexus Sport Direct Automatic:
http://www.autospies.com/news/In-Detail-The-Lexus-IS-F-8-Speed-Sport-Direct-Shift-Transmission-22472/

Automatics are also now requiring less maintenance than a manual tranny. The Ford 4R75E Automatic (used in the Ford F-150 and Expedition) has a maintenance free sealed transmission case with lifetime synthetic transmission fluid. It also features Ford’s Smart Shift technology which makes the automatic better apt for Towing/Hauling than a manual transmission of similar comparison.

Um... sorry, but can we not use the word "tranny" for transmission, because I don't know about America but in England, "tranny" means transvestite or transexual.

Yes, automatics do have some advantages over manuals, they are a convenience, a labour-saving device, you don't have to put in the effort of using the clutch and changing gears yourself, so you can't get it wrong and stall with an automatic. But I think you'll find with European cars (where they sell manual and automatic versions of the same models) the manual always has the edge over the automatic when it comes to acceleration.

Sure, Its just a lot of people I know, including myself use tranny as a nickname for transmissions. I don’t have a nickname for transvestites ...

I just wouldn't call transmission "tranny" around English people, it creates a lot of unintentional humour . It's like Americans use the word "fanny" for buttocks, but the English use it for another body part entirely! I always laugh when an American warns a little kid they'll give them "a smack on the fanny", to me that sounds like sexual abuse!

Indeed you are truly right in that about taking more advance of the power in manuals, but i think i can miss that control and buy it for its comfortability, as i said above it might be because i have been drivign yet for a few months but im now sure that whenever i have to buy a new car itll be automatic.

I don't mind whether my next car (whenever that'll be) is an automatic or manual (if I get a small car it will more likely be a manual), it depends on whichever car I think is the best deal for me. I won't be buying anything brand new (where you can choose the specs yourself), I don't see the point in buying a new car when you can get a used car at a considerably lower price.

I will mind, but my first car will be likely a second hand car so i wont be able to choose, but i disagree with you on your last sentence, if im able to buy a brand new one (though it can be bought in Kilometre 0 as we say in spanish) ill do it as whenever i have to buy a car id like to choose all the extras i want, one of them, the automatic transmission.

Neptune, automatics have indeed come a long way. Just a decade ago manuals were better as far as fuel efficiency and performance were concerned. Tempo got about 2MPG more and was faster 0-60 in about 2 seconds with the manual as opposed to the automatic. Power loss was about 7-10HP. Thats the same with nearly all automatics I think, at least of that time. More modern ones are probably on par with their manual counterparts as far as performance and fuel economy are concerned.

Manual's aren't for everyone, but the majority of people I know would be able to drive one if they would just learn. My grandpa was 84 years old when he died, and he was able to drive his manual truck until the day he died.

It just seems that most American cars are automatics, so not everyone learns how to use a manual. There is definetely a knack to using a manual, once you get the hang of it, it's like riding a bike, you'll never forget it (or least I hope I won't), it's not actually the hardest skill to learn (although at first some people might take a while to get it). I don't see any reason why most American learner drivers couldn't learn to a manual.

Is the reason most American cars since the 50s or 60s have been automatics because American post-war consumer culture has been all about labour-saving? American cars (in fact America in general) had many gadgets and luxury innovations before ours did. In Europe, until recent years (the last 20 or so years), usually just the more luxurious cars like BMWs, Mercs and Jaguars used to have automatics.

There is some truth to the labor saving aspect. Advertisements of the 40s and 50s showed automatics as being so advanced, it would be like driving a car from the Stone Age if you still had a stick. (No, I won't agree with that!) Other advertisments demonstrated how easily a "housewife," to use period nomenclature, could park a large American car when power steering first became widely available. With the trend toward modernization in the 50s and 60s, the American car buyer followed the marketing and bought Automatics. Now it is so engrained into the everyday driver psyche, that a manual transmission is reserved for those who A)are driving enthusiasts, like to feel the connection between car and road, B)need the functionality/lower maintenence for work or recreation, C)drive small import ultracompacts like the Geo Metro or Ford Festiva, or D)have a much older car (pre-war) for which an automatic transmission was not available.