Ikenna351:

Is not just about power alone. Reliability, durability, parts availability, good road handling and friendly, thats whats matters when you are choosing a long distance vehicle that will give you more than 10 years trouble-free service. I will not have rest of mind if am travling with Mustang 400Hp from maidugri to Awka, in the East, knowing fully well that I will be terribly stranded, if common fan belt breaks on the highway, because I know I can only find it in Lagos or Abuja. Then, how do you expect me to toll the vehicle, if it happens in Lokoja and to where? Peugeot 505 V6 is less electrical, and can be easily diagnossed, even by the owner. But tell me, Who on our Nigeria highways(auto-mechanics) can diagnoss electricals on such car you posted the the picture above? Common ECU's(so called brainbox by Nigerian),  our auto-mechs dont even know how to  to read the error codes on them. Instead they will keep beating about the bush until the car is completly grounded. And  do you expect them to fix that kind of auto above, definitely full with electricals and controlled by so many Electronic Control Units (ECU) on highways? 505 V6 (French Car) and German autos are very reliable units that can give you a lot of confidence and piece of mind when using them as daily drivers and plying them 24/7 on our highways.

Meanwhile, Peugeot 505 V6 & 505 Turbo manual transmissions were sold heavily in US markets before the end of their production in 1992, which happened to be the last Peugeot autos to be sold in USA.  405, 605 & 607 could be the worst autos Peugeot ever produced, but never heard from 406 and 407 users in Nigeria complained about their autos.  Fortunately, they all come in manual transmissions, 406 & 407.

Well said, partner,but these days you can't find peugeots anywhere in the US,there are a few in Canada,and right, driving a car like that supra for hundreds of miles can be annoying,I am thinking of bringing some American spec cars with me like the pontiac or acura integra with me to Naija,but mechanics/parts will be double wahala, but one thing I know that I can find in Naija is the manual Mercedes Benz/BMWs, especially 90s models, they are very rare in the US, even the Benz 190e/early 90s M3/M5, you can't find them here in the States.

kabukabu50:


I am thinking of bringing some American spec cars with me like the pontiac or acura integra with me to Naija,but mechanics/parts will be double wahala, but one thing I know that I can find in Naija is the manual Mercedes Benz/BMWs, especially 90s models, they are very rare in the US, even the Benz 190e/early 90s M3/M5, you can't find them here in the States.

Well, bros, you are left with no other option than to go for Japanese autos, since they sell well over there. But be mindfull of Honda with auto transmissions, there gearbox wahala is not only peculiar to Nigerian users, its everywhere. If it must be Honda, let it be Manual transmission o!,cos you will have no one to complain to when their auto wahala starts. It can be very annoying and emberrassing.

I can understand why Lagosians prefer to drive auto trans because of the terrible Traffic/hold-up in that Insane environment, where everyone is always in a hurry. It only baffles me when some choose auto over manual because they believe its more luxury & a technological advancement. Technological advancement my foot!

Ikenna

I am "Auto-fan" for life

My first car was an auto.
I had never really driven before though l used to sit in the back seat as a little boy, when my Mum was doing driving lessons and l must have picked-up some little driving skills from there cos when my first car was delivered to my office around 7pm (from Cotonou!), l was suddenly left to take it home and embarrassment wont allow me to come-out and say l have not driven before

Well, l climbed in when traffic was down around 9pm and drove it all the way to Yaba area of Mainland! I was thrilled beyond imagination!
I guess if it was "manual", l would probably have slept the whole night on the 3rd Mainland Bridge.
That only made me fell for Auto.

Again, l love the Sound/pitch of the Auto car as it automatically selects higher gears!
Its such a thrill for me when l floor the accelerator and the car literally lunges forward, with the seat giving me a jolt on my back!

Again, anyone that works in V.I will appreciate the gift that an Auto car is.
In our crawling traffic, Auto is a breeze, just one leg and one hand is all you need (and remember when l twisted my ankle is a charity football match, Manual requires two good legs, walahi!) to move an Auto-car.

Guess out of "adventure" or may be bad advise, my wife insisted she wants a 'manual car' (she has driven my auto well well) and l bought her a "manual" Camry but after a few weeks, its like she will leave the Camry at home and take my own "auto" car out.
Well, until we sold the Camry, its always an argument

Its true about the "No good Battery, no movement" in Auto-cars and that could be a big issue at times but l guide against this by using inverter batteries (Deep cycle) though more costly but very reliable.

I also feel "manual" cars react quicker or respond faster to gear changes in case of emergencies.
Again, manual cars will get you out of a ditch or a sliding slope better than an "auto" since they have this sudden burst of power from zero-km but autos will take it "easy" at first, until they get into the groove;;;;;;;and when they do;;;;;  

Another advantage of "auto" l experienced is that while l have taken my "manual" car to auto-mechanics to repair 'burnt clutches' or to repair some gear-teeth that got worn out, my "auto" never gave me any problem. In fact, for like two years, all l do is put water in the windscreen wiper, in my auto, for the first two years!

Overall, l have driven each type of car (Insurance outside Nigeria forced me to drive Manual again, for some time) and l can say that about 90% of people who drove "Auto" will not want to drive a Manual.

Everyone driving a manual needs to try an Auto first, then come back and tell us if you still prefer the manual

I hope l stuck to the rules of this post (with my long story) but if l did not, forgive me, Me Badd.

I drive automatic cos i dont know how 2 drive manual!

m)
Abuja, Nigeria.
Posts: 19
Offline
Re: Why Are You Driving Manual gear?
« #15 on: Yesterday at 02:22:47 PM »
I drive and choose Manual over auto trans
with various reasons below:
FOR FUN:
Til tomorrow, I derive a lot of pleasure
driving stick cars. Its something I cant really
explain. Most especially with powerfull
engine propelled vehicles like cars with V6
engines. You get the complete power of V6
engine on the wheels via manual. Like I said,
you will feel the fun while the car is in
motion. In fact, V6 autos with manual trans
drives or goes like ROCKETS!!
RELIABILITY:
Its world wide known that manual trans are
very reliable Units. We do have electrical
failures on our vehicles all the time. Its
inevitable, no matter how new your car is.
Battery can fail anytime, likewise Alternator
and Starter. With Manual tranny, you can
always Jerk-start the car, to take you home
or nearest auto worksop. You wont be
stranded on highway when your battery or
starter suddenly fails.
DURABILITY:
I prefer manual trans because of its
durability. Even with less maintenance, it
can outlive the car itself. I dont remember
ever draining and refilling the gear oil. All I
do is to top up if there is a leakage, which is
very easy, simple and cheaper to fix.
Manual trans does not select oil grades like
auto does, as long as there is oil inside,
carry go!! Cost of maintaining manual trans
is very very low.
ABSOLUTE CONTROL:
Ahh!! This is where I love manual like ,
Being in total/absolute control of the car,
how you want it to move, stop, rev while in
motion, etc. You need to drive one to
understand!

Nice writeup,bue as 4 me i'll go 4 automatic anyday , anytime. Wen stock in a traffic u dnt feel it much unlike manual,wey b say naa all ur strenght e go carry, My mum go talk say naa person way no wan spend money dey hate automatic cars,dough evryone got his/her favourite sha.

for me, mannual gear remain the best for we nigerian cos of our country road status & there is this thing called gear down normally done by grandprix racer to negotiate a corner at high speed & break down also interm of emergence. this simply define the absolute control of manual gear car

I love my automatic. I learnt with manual n drove manual in Lagos traffic for 1 full year. I av sworn never 2 drive manual unless there is no other choice. I used 2 get home so trired with my BP rising everyday. I would rather enter a cab dan drive.
Since I bought automatic, my life has changed. I take life easy n feel better When I get home.

I drive a manual 'cos of the verve! it's so much fun when there's no traffic. Apart from the traffic issue, I don't think it's got any other disadvantage.

Well said sienna!

I drive a manual Honda Civic. I had two choices when I wanted to buy. Everything was the same except that one was manual and the other was Auto. You guessed right cos I chose the manual not for the price cos even the prices were the same but just like everone has said here, Manual puts u in total control.

well i love manual while am abroad,but i hate it in naija,reason is because ,traffic,pot holes,etc.

Admittedly when I was living in Lagos, an automatic was a no-brainer. A manual in continuous Lagos traffic can drive you crazy and will almost surely give you leg cramps. Traffic where I now live is much less. You can enjoy a car with manual gears.

Absolute control of the car at every speed depending on whether you are preparing to overtake, ready to coast along at a steady speed for a while or need some extra help braking. It makes you constantly alert. YOU are driving. I admit I sometimes overdrive on good roads. A manual is much more fun.

Dunno why, but i ll pick manual over auto anyday,
i derive pleasure when i manipulate the stick and rev,
manual is simply the way to go mehn.

It gives me control over my vehicle. And PUSH & START no dey auto.

I learnt driving using manual and it is fun when u ve got control over the rev. Somtimes, u may want to announce your presence without needing to hoot, just rev up ur engine - put ur vehicle in gear 1, press down d accelerator. - I love dat sound especially wen i just come bak from work and i need to announce my presence. Once in a while, wen i drive friend's car dats auto, my left leg is always misbehaving, always looking for somtin to press

automatic car is very gud when u are on hold up,i love driving manual when am travl 2 far distance,if not because of holdup ill love manual car automatic.

I drive both but I love the manual better.It is the participatory aspect of manual driving that I cherish.Don't wanna doze off behind the wheel.

manual all the way. not an engineer but i sorta know when am doing something wrong with a manual. auto? even if it revs funny, its still a rev

Auto; cos I like 2 be driven. Yeah I.m lazy like that.

I used to drive a manual till my brother crashed my car, I hated every minute of driving that car through the lekki traffic, my next car absolutely has to be an auto transmission, clutching and shifting gears is way too much exercise for me.

i loves driving manual gear car just because anytime i had dead battery, so people can easily help push, lol

i will never drive a manual car. it's just to stressful

i so love the efizzy, you can pull some stunts with the clutch especially with old cars like 504

Siena:

Why do I prefer to drive a manual?

I'm a die-hard car enthusiast. I find driving an automatic, takes the fun out of driving. I don't like a car to drive me, I like being in control, and that's where manual comes in. It appears to be a Nigerian thing, whereby if you drive a manual, it means you're suffering, you can't afford an automatic etc. I beg to differ! In Britain, in the used market, even a two-year-old car, especially sporty ones, manuals command a higher premium. I run a 2002 Audi A4 3,0L Quattro Tiptronic. When I bought it, I was looking for a manual, but manuals were at least £2,000 more! Manuals are more in demand.

As I'm in the automobile trade, it's no big deal converting my car to a 6-speed manual. I have all the parts at hand to do the job, and enjoy the challenge. Besides the driver involvement, there are several other reasons why I prefer manual.

1) More control over the car, engine braking being one of them. An automatic doesn't offer engine braking.
2) Longer service life (heat and long times spent in traffic are killers of autos).
3) Better gas mileage.
4) Brake pads and discs last longer on a manual, especially the fronts.
5) Suspension components last longer on a manual (an equivalent automatic model is up to 33% heavier).
6) If you have a flat battery, or lazy starter motor, you can bump start, with an auto, you'll be stranded.
7) Manuals are sporty - how many Motorsport teams run autos? Some have come to a compromise with Tiptronic / DSG, which offers a degree of manual control, but still not favoured in the Motorsport world.

There are more reasons. I'm giving these examples not from an emotional point of view, but purely from an engineer's experience. I've fitted quite a few auto replacement boxes, with regards to manual, very few. Sure, auto's cost more new, there's a lot more R& involved. The torque convertor in an auto allows a lot of "slip", not much different to a manual with a worn-out clutch. Which is why it takes time for the road speed in an auto to match engine revs. And this gives rise to more fuel being burnt.

I will not like to stick with an auto, if I had to pay someone else to do repairs. To enjoy an automatic to the full, you'll have to at least be handy with the spanners, and do your own wrenching. In a nation like Nigeria, with "bodge-it-and-scarper" tinkerers masquerading as engineers, that's the least place I'd own an auto, if I wasn't in the trade, and able to do my own repairs.

The morale? Both auto and manual have their fans, I just happen to be firmly in the manual camp. And some will prefer to stick with autos, and let their cars drive them. No big deal!

Sienna, I greatly respect ur depth of knowledge and savvy about autos. Thanks for sharing ur knowledge and experiences with greenhorns like us.

There used to be a time when we share the two cars in my family one was Auto tranny the other was manual, anyone in the family can change one car to the other anytime of the day, my sibling will prefer to go out with a commercial vehicle rather than drive the manual, both transmissions are cool depending on the road you travel and the way you handle the car, people have been talking about down shifting the gear in auto transmission, if you really know how to do it you can drive a Auto transmission like a manual, start from the lowest gear 1 or L and shift upward and downward as you like.

For those me who prefers manual transmission i find it hard to understand why those with autos see driving manuals as being absurd. My style of driving is fitted for driving stick shifts. I drive my cousin's auto at times but i prefer my Mazda 626 GT (1998).

Used my uncle auto bfor I was advised to pick manual agaisnt auto, few days later my car not moving fast as espected!!!why in d process of drivin d car I burn d clutch disc"no sabi realease d leg 4 turtu" so weak nw dat it can't move fast....sti usin it like dat sah cos its a bit expensive. But sti fun sha, thk God am nt in lag I for don hear weHhh....cos so tired first day of trail....but gettin use to it sha as par abuja level, my area naa little trafic...but hillmountain if goin bak home, and free goin to office.lol. Some pple already know d place. ASAP

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