Manual or Auto?

[tr3nt]

Just a query, myself and a guy at work are debating as to which is more economical.. Auto or Manual?

[minux]

Manual, My VN SS which has had quite alot of work done is still better on fuel then my LS1 VT

[Julie]

Manual, My VN SS which has had quite alot of work done is still better on fuel then my LS1 VT

Thats not really a fair comparison, they are too entirely different motors. I am not sure about the answer but I would imagine it would have a bit to do with your driving style eg. when you shift gears etc.

[minux]

Maybe so, but people i know with the M6 seemingly have better economy

[Fekason]

I have driven various models of Commodore V6's, both Auto and Manual, over the same trips.

I have found that the manual seeems significantly more economical around town, and slightly better on the open road. My experience, based on the way I drive, is the manual is about 15% more economical around town, and 5 - 10% on the highway.

[Patrio7]

i wonder if a shift kit would change that (less "clutching") even during normal driving

[DavidPartay]

Everything I've heard up until very recently with some very new auto gearboxes is that manuals are more economical.

But manuals will always be much much cooler than autos . The full economy is just icing on the cake!

[greenfoam]

A manual VN V8 has potential to use less fuel on the highway than an VN auto V6.
I'm not in the new car market but if I was I would never buy an Auto, not just because they are heaps better cars but also to get rid of all the crapy Autos on the used car market, there should be a ban on automatics if you live outside a capital city : ) or a pollution tax on autos for using more fuel so no one buys them anymore. my car would be so much nicer to drive if it didn't have an auto

[minux]

i love my auto, especially when the guy beside u misses a gear

[tr3nt]

Ahh, I was quite surprised actually. I wouldhave thought the Auto (in Drive gear) would have been more economical, as the gearbox changes the gear at the most appropriate time no matter how hard the car is being driven, where Manual transmission it's driver preference.

Oh well.. learn something new everyday!

[greenfoam]

But it takes the engine power to move the cogs around : ) and the torque converter is not a direct conection so you loose some power there while it's sludging around

[chevy_big_block_bro]

yea, there is a little economy lost with the engine having to spin the oil filled torque convertor.
if you read you car manual in the glove box, you will find that the manual uses less fuel over the 100km, its not much but it does count