Automatic Vs. Manual Gearbox For Cars In Africa

Automatic vs. Manual Gearbox – Technology advancements have brought changes and modifications to vehicle systems. One such system is the change from the conventional manual gearbox to the automatic system.

An individual’s choice to purchase any vehicle with such a system depends on certain factors for cars in Africa. These factors can be seen as; initial cost, fuel economy, preventive maintenance cost, breakdown maintenance cost, sporty thrill, comfort & confidence, and driving skill.

Comparing Manual And Automatic Gearboxes

Factors	Manual Gearbox	Automatic Gearbox
Disabled friendly	Less accessible to people with impairments and disabilities.	Halfway friendly to disable and older adults. It doesn’t require them to act with all their bodies.
Initial Cost	The initial cost of manual transmission cars is low	The initial cost of a similar automatic transmission car is higher
Fuel Economy	The fuel economy Of Manual transmission is higher because of the low energy loss of a clutch plate-based system.	The fuel economy of self-shifting transmission cars is lower than manual transmission because energy losses in hydraulic torque converters are higher.
Preventive Maintenance Cost	Preventive maintenance cost for Manual transmission is slightly lower.	The preventive maintenance cost for an automatic transmission car is slightly higher.
Breakdown Maintenance Cost	The breakdown maintenance cost of manual transmission cars due to transmission-related failures is lower than automatic gearbox because of the lesser complexity of Manual transmission.	The breakdown maintenance cost of an automatic gearbox car due to transmission-related failures is higher than a manual gearbox because of the complexity of the automatic transmission.
Sporty Thrill	Manual transmission is usually sportier than automatic transmission because changing the gears lies with the driver. They can choose whether to drive with more acceleration or fuel efficiency based on their driving style.	Automatic transmission decides the gear changing speeds and changes it automatically, so the driver does not have full liberty to choose what gear they want to drive in. Thus it is less sporty compared to a manual transmission.
Comfort & Confidence	Manual transmission is less comfortable as the driver has to operate a clutch to change gears. It can be a lot of inconvenience in congested city traffic with stop and go type of situation.	An automatic transmission is very comfortable as the driver does not need to worry about the clutch, and there is no need to manually change the gears. This increases convenience in city traffic where we have lots of frequent stops and go conditions.
Driving Skill	It requires more skills to drive a manual transmission car as there has to be coordination between speed and gears. Also, the driver must operate the clutch when moving from a stopped position and while changing gears. It takes more time to be habitual in smoothly driving a manual transmission car.	It requires fewer skills to drive a self-shifting transmission car than a manual transmission car as the gears are changed automatically by the car’s transmission system. Hence, the driver must operate the accelerator, brake, and steering.

Each system has an advantage over the others as well as disadvantages.

Automatic gearbox vehicles are most preferable based on three advantages; shifting quality, ease to use, and engine power performance which the manual fails to provide.

It has a fluid-filled automatic clutch that operates based on engine speed and load and has better computer controls that are more efficient. 95% of Car enthusiasts who have used it for a good period have testified that the gear shift timing is much faster than anyone can manage manually.

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Disadvantages Of Automatic Gearbox

1. You cannot jump start – if your battery dies, you cannot push start the vehicle.
2. They use more fuel
3. They weigh slightly more.
4. The cost of acquisition is more.

Meanwhile, the choice of manual transmitted vehicles also depends on these three factors; easily repairable, reliable, and better fuel economy. Vehicles with manual gearboxes get about 10 percent better fuel mileage. And more control in challenging driving conditions than their automatic counterparts.

In addition, manual transmission vehicles are less expensive, have low maintenance and repair costs, and have better fuel economy for city driving. In contrast, automatic fuel consumption advantages on highways but depend on driver characteristics. In using manual gearbox vehicles, drivers have more control and less distraction.

Disadvantages Of Manual Gearbox

1. Driving a manual transmission needs a lot of exercise for all the muscles of your body. You just can’t relax when driving.
2. Driving a car with manual transmission requires greater skill and application, as an inexperienced driver could have his hands full while driving as he/she has to multitask and concentrate on a lot of things simultaneously.
3. While climbing up a hill, an automatic transmission scores higher than a manual.
4. An experienced driver can only guarantee smooth and effective shifting of gears.

Conclusion

If facing the difficulty of traffic jams in this stressful life, Look no further than an Automatic gearbox but make sure your wallet has no objection as an automatic gearbox consumes much more fuel than a manual transmission car. However, If you are one of those who love to enjoy each bit of drive, don’t want much maintenance cost, and support the “save fuel” saying too, needless to say, a manual gearbox is best.