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Old 06-07-2007, 04:25 PM   #1
anik
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Drives: Toyota
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1
Question Want opinions automatic vs. manual transmission

I'm in a situation where I'm assisting another family member in buying a car - this is the first time they've bought a new car in many years (and I've always bought used) so we're not used to having options to pick from. We visited the local Toyota dealer the other day and were pretty sold on the Yaris liftback but the major reason we didn't place an order then and there was because we couldn't decide between automatic and manual transmission.

The primary driver of the car is 55 years old and most of his previous cars have had manual transmission. He lives approximately 50 miles from the dealership and absolutely hates taking a car in for service of any kind (other than oil changes at the local quick lube place), which is one reason we're looking at a Toyota in the first place. He also wants great gas mileage.

But at the same time, he's getting older, and his reflexes aren't what they used to be. We took both a manual and an automatic for a test drive. To me the automatic seemed a bit sluggish in changing gears (but remember I'm not used to automatics either) and it seemed like there were only three gears in getting up to 55 (maybe I missed a gear change). But, he had no trouble driving it at all. With the manual transmission, he did okay, but his current car is a four-speed manual. Maybe that is why a couple times he accidentally downshifted into 3rd when he was actually trying to go into 5th, and I could see that really bothered him. So I guess the bottom line is, he likes the convenience of not having to shift (though that's not a major issue at this point) but he also worries that an automatic will require more maintenance and/or have significantly lower gas mileage.

He is the type that will take a car in at recommended service intervals (at least in the first year or two) but other than that he sort of treats auto shops as though he might catch the bubonic plague by walking inside one (his biggest problem is that he hates to sit around and wait anywhere - he avoids doctors' visits for the same reason) - which might be fine IF he were mechanically inclined, but he isn't (one reason he's ready to trade in his current car is because he's having to add oil ONCE between 3,000 mile trips to the quick oil change place, and he doesn't like to get under the hood at all). So I'm thinking a Toyota is definitely the best choice for him, but wonder which transmission would be the best option. Believe it or not, that choice is the only reason an order hasn't been placed for the Yaris. He can't make up his mind, and I don't know enough about Toyota transmissions to make an informed suggestion.

As long as I'm posting this, I have two other things to ask. First, is there any significant reason that anyone knows of that we might want to wait for the 2008 models to come out? And second, is there anything we should specifically ask of the dealer - in other words, can the dealers offer any discounts, rebates, additions, etc. that you only get if you know enough to ask for them? We're in Michigan, if that makes any difference.
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