As consumers face rising prices at the gas pumps, more and more people are looking into buying a car equipped with a manual transmission instead of an automatic. But that change may not provide the desired effect for most drivers.
That’s because today’s automatics are lighter and more efficient than those of just a few years ago. So much so that only a highly motivated driver will have any hope of wringing substantially higher gas mileage our of a manual transmission.
What’s more, the back-end costs of a manual will quickly eat away at any savings you might receive at the pump. Most drivers can expect to have the clutch replaced as often as every 30,000 miles or so. And when it comes time to sell or trade the car, they can expect a dramatic drop in value with a manual transmission.
For most people, an automatic transmission is a far better choice when buying a new car. They’re more efficient, easier to drive, and last longer than those of just a few years ago.
