What’s the Real Difference Between Manual and Automatic Transmission Systems?

Changing Gears When it comes to buying a car, you’ll often find Europeans and Americans being at odds as to whether they should get an automatic or a manual transmission for their new vehicles. While it’s true that automatic transmissions are easier to handle, and you have one less thing to worry about when it comes to making your car run, manual transmissions are sometimes considered to be far more efficient.  No matter what type of transmission system your car has, make sure to get expert service to avoid a failed emissions test on your vehicle.   The manual transmission system used to be more prevalent in the time when cars were primarily based on thermodynamics and less so on computers and electronics. A manual transmission gives you complete control when it comes to shifting through gears, allowing you to adjust the timing perfectly according not only to the RPMs, but to your driving style as well. In many cases, manual transmission systems can help you avoid using as much fuel and give you less trouble in extreme conditions – especially if you’re a skilled driver.   The automatic transmission is designed to reduce some of the difficulty of having to use perfect coordination between your hand and foot, which is required to access the clutch pedal and the shifter in a manual transmission vehicle at just the right time. With an automatic transmission, you can still have manual mode, which allows for a certain degree of superior control as well.   Manual transmission systems are easier to use, but they don’t give you as much leeway when it comes to fuel economy and adequate control. Also, an automatic system can be somewhat less intuitive for car owners who have been used to driving manual transmission vehicles all their lives.