Automatic or Manual Gear Box- which one is Better?

A gear box is a crucial piece of equipment as far as the transmission of your vehicle is concerned. It allows your car to change gears and thus transfer power from the car engine to the drain train efficiently. If you are in a lower gear, the car gets more power and the speed is reduced. On the other hand, when you increase the speed you get to a higher gear, but the power gets reduced.

While every driver acknowledges the importance of a gear box, opinions are divided as to what type of gear box is better- manual or automatic. In our opinion, both have their own 'pros and cons'. One type of gear box may become ideal for certain situations and may not be suitable at all for some others. In this blog, we will discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of manual and automatic gear boxes, concerning certain situations. This will help you make up your mind in this regard. 

Here we go!

Manual Gear Box

• Even though the manual is the older type of transmission, a lot of drivers who just love driving, prefer the manual mode.  This is because a manual gear box allows them to remain more involved in the driving process.

• A vehicle fitted with a manual gear box is less expensive when compared to its automatic counterpart. 

• A manual gearbox does not demand costly maintenance. A vehicle fitted with an automatic gear box has more parts and machinery as compared to manual and this increases the servicing cost for such cars. 

• When it comes to fuel efficiency, a manual model scores higher than a similar model with an automatic gearbox. A manual gear box is lighter in weight and simpler than an automatic one. Hence, you can get more mileage in manual transmission. 

• A car with a manual gearbox provides better control to the driver as compared to its automatic counterpart. An automatic driver relies on the gear box while countering and handling road conditions. On the other hand, a manual driver can use his own ‘driving acumen’ to handle road conditions. 

Automatic Gear Box

• Driving is incredibly simpler and easier to learn in a car with an automatic gearbox. New drivers can afford to keep both hands on the wheel and not worry about the gear at all. 

• Imagine how 'smooth' it would be if you do not have to worry about changing gears and using a clutch when you are amidst heavy traffic! If you need to commute through high-traffic areas every day, 'automatic' is surely the best option.

• Steep inclines can be scary when you start from a halt (particularly, when you are a less experienced driver). But, an automatic car will take care of the gears and you can maneuver over steep inclines without any worries

•Stalling of the vehicle is such a curse for manual drivers! However, with automatic driving, you won’t find this nemesis. 

Considering the benefits listed above, it’s not hard to imagine that ‘automatic’ is indeed the future of driving. We acknowledge learning to drive automatic is way easier than manual. However, this does not mean passing the ‘test’ would be equally easy if you appear with an automatic vehicle.  In the UK, there is no provision for a separate driving test for people with automatic vehicles. You need to pass through the same set of tests applicable to people with manual vehicles. 

If you want to get enrolled on a quality Automatic driving school, options are not in plenty. Automatic driving is still a grey area for many and there are still fewer automatic Driving instructors Oxford available than manual instructors. This is why; you just can’t catch hold of the first driving school that comes across. Do your own research, look for recommendations and get the best Automatic Driving school that suits your unique needs.