Turbo 5-Speed vs Auto

[flashbk2]

Mitch I guess a six speed would be nice with "closer" ratios and slightly more under-driven 6th. Better pickup and more top-end.....what's to complain about ! Oh yeah probably the "pcm",lol !

[fritz_t_coyote]

You may have missed that 5-speeds are easier to keep clean.

Yup. You read right. Here's how:

Say you're cruizin along in your 5 speed and you need to slow down a little. Like for traffic, or radar, or you spot a really cute member of the appropriate sex. So you just back off the gas a little, and the car slows down a little.

Now say you were driving an automatic. Ya back off the gas and the juice-drive transmission just lets the axles freewheel so ya gotta tap the brakes. The brakes slow you down by applying some wear to your brake pads and rotors, and generate a little bit of that annoying black grunge that messes up your wheels.

5 speeds: Less wear on the brakes, less grunge on the wheels.

[bigdogdad]

[|)] Got to agree with you there. I have the auto now but in the early days the stick.. Save on break wear and dust. Forgot all about that.

[Mike-in-Orange]

quote:fritz_t_coyote Posted - 02/18/2004 : 1:57:05 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may have missed that 5-speeds are easier to keep clean.

Yup. You read right. Here's how:

***********snip**********

5 speeds: Less wear on the brakes, less grunge on the wheels.

Except I used to do the same thing with my AutoStick equipped Stratus all the time, and for much the same reason. (saving brakes that is, not picking up women - I don't think my wife would approve!)

[TurbozCS2003]

Interesting thread.

1st Time Post

I am interested in the GT Turbo. Do the autostick/42TE equipped Turbos
have equal-length half shafts? for that matter do the 5 sdp Getrag equipped turbos have the equal length system?

How many with the autos have puked them? DCX's 4spd autos seem to fail left and rigth in the Vans and Status's. I cant imagine the 2.4 Turbo which pushes more ponies and tourque being any easier on them unless the cals pull a lot of spark for tourque management during shifts

What are some of you geting for MPG on highway.

Regards

Mike

[IRPT]

TurbozCS2003, welcome to the forum!

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by Jeff V

Never owned an automatic before, but with a kid in a booster, it's time to trade some fun for safety.[/font=Comic Sans MS]

Well, there is that safety aspect.

Manual transmissions are safer than automatics. You have more control. Control is your friend.

Sure, you are taking a hand off the wheel every so often, but the payback is you are more likely to stay focused on Driving.

[mangusta1969]

I bought one of the first GT Cruisers in October 2002, before the sticks were in production. I was pretty happy with it -- until I test drove a 5 speed Series 3 Dream Cruiser at the dealer last week. That was an expensive mistake.

I now have a 5 speed Series 2 Dream Cruiser (private party sale) and my 16K mile Almond Metallic, autostick GT Cruiser is for sale in the San Diego area. Someone that likes GT automatics, please give mine a good second home!

Even with the always worsening SoCal traffic, there is just no comparison to me. I feel much more in control with the 5 speed Turbo and the 5 speed car just has more of an overall zippy feel to it. The Autostick is nice, but the 5 speed GT is way nicer, IMO.

[IRPT]

mangusta1969 welcome to the forum.

[mangusta1969]

IRPT

Thanks for the welcome. Don't know why I have been so silent to date, as these forums provide a wealth of information.

I am actually on my third PT Cruiser right now (stick 2001 Limited (traded on the auto GT); 2003 auto GT (for sale); and 2003 stick GT. The PTs actually are actually my wife's cars, but since I also drive them, the stick GT upgrade became a necessity after my dealer test ride in one.

Steve