Automatic or manual: how to choose by driving, fuel economy and maintenance

• If you mostly drive in town and in queuing traffic, go for an automatic: there is no clutch to work and no gear changes every time you creep forward. A manual still makes sense for longer, free-flowing journeys and on a tighter budget.
• A modern automatic does not have to use more fuel. When the BMW 320d Touring (F31) was launched in 2012, its combined fuel consumption was 4.6 l/100 km with the automatic and 4.7 l/100 km with the manual.
• A used automatic usually costs more than a comparable manual. On many newer models, the manual is only offered with some engines, or not at all.
• An automatic needs fluid changes that depend on the type of gearbox. A manual will eventually need a new clutch and often a dual-mass flywheel too. With both, the biggest risk of an expensive repair comes from neglected maintenance.
• Carvago checks the gearbox of every used car before sale as part of the CarAudit™ inspection, with diagnostics and a test drive by a technician.

Choosing between an automatic and a manual used to be mainly about paying extra for comfort and accepting higher fuel consumption. That is no longer the case: modern automatics are economical, and fewer and fewer new cars are sold with a manual gearbox. As a result, there are more automatics among used cars too. The gearbox affects everyday comfort, the choice of engines, the price of a used car and the kind of repairs you should expect. The right choice depends on where and how you drive, and on the condition of the car you are buying. How the different designs compare is summarised in our overview of types of automatic transmission.

With a manual, you work the clutch and choose the gear yourself. An automatic does both for you, so you can concentrate on the traffic.

Town and queues: where an automatic helps most

According to ADAC, an automatic brings the greatest comfort benefit in queues and in town. In town, the speed of gear changes is irrelevant; what matters is fatigue. Get through a few congested junctions with a manual and you will press the clutch dozens of times, constantly switching between first and second.

Not every automatic copes with stop-start traffic equally smoothly, though. According to ADAC, an automated manual changes gear more slowly and noticeably interrupts the drive during each shift. The car "nods" as it pulls away, which gets tiresome in a queue. A dual-clutch gearbox handles town driving well. At very low manoeuvring speeds, however, it tends to be less smooth than a torque converter automatic, which pulls away through fluid.

Motorways: a smaller advantage, but still an advantage

On a long, free-flowing journey, you spend most of the trip in top gear with a manual, so the difference in comfort shrinks. An automatic still helps when slowing down, overtaking and above all in motorway queues, which you will meet on almost any longer journey today.

On the motorway, gearing matters more than the number of gears, in other words the engine speed the car holds at cruising speed. A modern eight-speed automatic tends to be quieter on the motorway than a six-speed manual. An older four- or five-speed automatic, on the other hand, revs the engine unnecessarily and kicks down on every incline.

Towing: an automatic helps, but needs looking after

With an automatic, it is easier to pull away uphill with a loaded trailer and to reverse slowly into position. With a manual, the clutch slips for a long time during these manoeuvres, heats up and wears quickly.

An automatic feels the strain too, though. The transmission fluid gets hotter when towing and ages faster at high temperatures. If a car regularly pulls a caravan or a trailer, expect to change the gearbox fluid more often. The permitted trailer weight depends on the engine, drivetrain and gearbox, so always check it for the specific version of the car.

Winter and new drivers

An automatic makes pulling away easier for a beginner and takes away some of the work, but throttle and brake control is still down to the driver. Too much throttle on snow will spin the wheels with an automatic just as a clumsily released clutch does with a manual.

A manual gives you direct control over the gear, for example pulling away in second on ice. Most automatics, however, have a manual mode or a winter mode in which the car pulls away with less drive. So there is no need to rule out an automatic because of a few winter trips to the mountains. What to look for when choosing a first car is covered in our article on the best car for new drivers, and good habits behind the wheel in how to drive an automatic.

The rule that automatics are thirstier no longer applies to modern cars. A modern gearbox keeps the engine in its most economical rev range and changes gear more precisely than a driver who over-revs the engine or changes down too late.

The BMW 320d Touring of the F31 generation is a good example. When it was launched in 2012, it had a combined fuel consumption of 4.6 l/100 km with the eight-speed torque converter automatic and 4.7 l/100 km with the manual. The difference is small, but it shows that the automatic does not have to be the thirstier option.

Higher consumption is mainly a feature of older automatics with fewer gears and greater losses in the torque converter. For a particular combination of engine and gearbox, the manual may still come out better. Fuel consumption is only worth comparing for the same engine, drivetrain and body style. Anyone comparing a less powerful petrol manual with a more powerful automatic is comparing engines, not gearboxes. In real-world driving, journey length, speed, load and driving style also have a bigger effect than the gearbox itself.

A comparable used automatic is usually more expensive than a manual. The difference varies with the model, age, engine and buyer demand. On larger and more expensive cars, automatics are so common that manual versions make up only a small share of the market, and the price difference disappears. What else belongs in your car budget is summarised in our article on car running costs.

A manual is not free of costs

A simpler design is an advantage, but a clutch does not last forever. Town traffic, hill starts and manoeuvring with a trailer work it harder than motorway driving. If the dual-mass flywheel has to be replaced along with it, the repair is substantial, even though the gearbox itself is fine.

So on a limited budget, a well-kept manual is a better buy than a neglected automatic. The reverse is also true: a well-maintained automatic is a more sensible choice than a manual that is just about to need a new clutch.

An automatic needs servicing to suit its design

There is no single fluid change interval for all automatics. Gearbox manufacturer ZF recommends changing the oil in its automatic transmissions after 150,000 km, depending on how the car is used. Other types and manufacturers have their own intervals. That is why the service history of an automatic should include gearbox fluid changes, not just engine oil changes. Intervals and procedures are covered in detail in our article on automatic transmission fluid changes.

Future costs rise most with unclear maintenance and long-term heavy use. A very cheap automatic with gaps in its service history can end up costing more, and sooner, than a pricier but well-maintained example.

The word automatic covers several different designs. A torque converter automatic pulls away through a hydrodynamic torque converter, a dual-clutch gearbox alternates between two clutches, a CVT changes the ratio continuously, and an automated manual is a conventional gearbox in which electronics change gear instead of the driver.

You will find differences even between cars of the same size:

• Estates: the 2017 Škoda Octavia III Estate 1.4 TSI 110 kW has a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox in its automatic version, whereas the BMW 320d Touring (F31, from 2012) has an eight-speed torque converter automatic.
• SUVs: the front-wheel-drive Hyundai Tucson III 1.6 T-GDi after the 2018 facelift has a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The first-generation Mazda CX-5 diesel (2014 model year) has a six-speed SKYACTIV-Drive automatic.
• Full hybrid: the Toyota Yaris III Hybrid (2011–2020) comes as standard with an e-CVT, which is part of the hybrid system. There is no manual version, so you are not choosing a gearbox but a whole type of powertrain.

On a test drive, it is worth trying the situations you face every day: crawling in traffic, parking and accelerating onto a main road. They will show you whether the behaviour of that type of gearbox suits you. A short drive will not reveal the technical condition of the gearbox, though. For cars offered by Carvago, a technician checks it as part of CarAudit™. What to look for in a used automatic is covered in our article on buying a used automatic car.

Stricter emissions limits are pushing manufacturers towards hybrids and electric cars, and in those a manual makes no sense. Full hybrids use an automatic gearbox or an e-CVT. Electric cars have no conventional multi-speed gearbox at all, so the choice does not arise.

An automatic also allows the electronics to control precisely when the gearbox changes gear, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. It works better with driver assistance systems. Adaptive cruise control that stops and pulls away again by itself in a queue is often available only with an automatic. Developing, homologating and building two gearboxes for every engine is expensive, and when hardly anyone buys the manual, the manufacturer drops it from the range.

That does not stop a used manual from being a sensible buy. For longer, free-flowing journeys and smaller budgets, it still has its place.

• Judging by the reputation of the whole category. Automatics differ from one another more than an automatic differs from a manual. Go by the type of gearbox and the condition of the car, not by the slogan "automatics always break down".
• Paying extra for an automatic at the expense of condition. Effortless gear changes do not make up for neglected maintenance and wear.
• Comparing fuel consumption of different engines. More power, all-wheel drive or a different body style change consumption more than the gearbox does.
• An automated manual at an automatic's price. The cheapest offers often hide an automated manual, which jerks in town and changes gear slowly.
• Spending the whole budget on an automatic. If nothing is left as a reserve for maintenance, a cheaper, well-kept manual is the more sensible choice.

Carvago has the widest selection of used cars: around a million cars from dealers in several European countries. Anyone looking for a specific combination of engine and gearbox, such as an estate with a torque converter automatic or an SUV with a dual-clutch gearbox, will find many times more choice here than on a local market.

Before sale, a technician checks every car as part of CarAudit™, an inspection with up to 270 checkpoints that includes diagnostics and a test drive. The customer knows the result before deciding to buy. With an automatic, you do not have to judge the condition of the gearbox from a short drive and the seller's reassurances. Carvago guarantees the condition stated in the CarAudit™ certificate.

The Carvago Blacklist also reduces the risk of an expensive repair: models that Carvago considers problematic are not included in the offer at all. On top of that, the customer gets a free extended warranty with every car. Before sale, Carvago buys the car from the original seller, becomes its owner and takes on its risks, so the customer buys directly from Carvago.

Which type of automatic lasts longest?

Torque converter automatics usually cope best with high torque and heavy loads, such as towing. Dual-clutch and automated manual gearboxes suffer more from frequent crawling and manoeuvring, because that is when their clutches are working. With every type, however, regular servicing and the way the car is driven affect durability more than the design.

Is it worth converting a car from manual to automatic?

Not for an ordinary used car. Apart from the gearbox, a conversion involves different pedals, a gear selector, control electronics and wiring. It is far simpler to buy a car that had an automatic from the factory.

Does an automatic make sense if you drive few miles a year?

Yes, if most of your journeys are in heavy traffic. An automatic brings comfort on every trip rather than savings that grow with the kilometres. Transmission fluid ages over time as well, though, so servicing cannot be put off just because the car is used little.

How can I tell whether a used car's gearbox is in good condition?

On a test drive, warning signs such as jerking, slipping or harsh shifts only partly show up. Faults stored in the control unit can only be revealed by diagnostics. For cars offered by Carvago, the CarAudit™ inspection covers both, and the customer knows the result before buying.

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