Stick Shift or Automatic?

Stick+Shift+or+Automatic%3F

Alexander Gray, Arts and Entertainment Reporter

There are two types of cars in the car world: manual and automatic. Most people choose to drive automatics because it is a lot easier and they make a lot more automatic cars than manual. The difference between the two is that in a manual you have to manually shift the gears with a stick and there is a clutch you have to work. Manual is pretty hard to learn, but when you get it down it is so much fun to drive. People generally choose to drive automatic transmissions because it is a lot easier to drive and you don’t have to worry about your RPMs and shifting gears. Only 13% of cars made in the last two years are manuals. They are slowly dying off and it sucks to see because manuals are superior. 

Students here at FHS have driven both types of cars and they also have opinions on which is best.

Personally, I drive a manual and when I go and drive an automatic I hate it. It is very boring and way less fun,” junior, Kai Sevy, said.

Kai agrees that it is more fun, although it can be more stressful.

“I have driven both and I really think it depends on the car. There are some very fast automatics that are more fun than a slow manual. I am gonna have to go with an automatic just because I have driven a Tesla Plaid that can go 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds,” senior, Seth Wilcox, said. 

In this situation, you can see where Seth is coming from. If you had a car that can go that fast in such a short amount of time, you would be driving that car around all the time.

“You cannot call yourself a car person if you do not like manuals over automatics. You just have so much more control over the car than you do in an automatic. Manual, hands down, is the best way to go. You are crazy if you think otherwise,” junior, Boston Bradshaw, said.

Talk about a hot take. There is a lot to consider when you are deciding whether you should get an automatic or a manual. It depends on the car and what you think is more fun to drive. Manual, while hard to learn, can be so much fun and a great skill to learn. Automatic can be just as fun, but at the same time, boring to drive. It all depends on you and your preference!