MYTH : Automatics are better for technical terrain .
Anyone who has ever driven a Toyota pickup on the trail with dual transfer cases knows the value of proper gearing . A manual transmission with deep gearing can handle even the most technical of terrain , although often times you must find the right gear for the given situation .
It is true that automatics , with the torque converter providing gear multiplication , can somewhat make up for the lack of low gearing . The trade-off to this is that slipping torque converters produce an enormous amount of heat , and a hot transmission is not a happy transmission . Which brings us to our next point ...
FACT : Manual transmissions are less complex than automatic transmissions .
This fact suggests that manual transmissions are inherently more reliable than automatic transmissions . They don ’ t have valve bodies , they don ’ t have torque converters , they don ’ t need auxiliary coolers . You can bump start a manual transmission on a vehicle with a dead battery , or even start it in gear if the clutch goes out . Try doing that with your automatic when you cook the torque converter .
FACT : Automatics are better for off-road racing .
Virtually no off-road racing discipline - from Trophy Trucks to Ultra4 cars to cone dodging rock crawling buggies - uses manual transmissions . The exception would be limited classes such as Class 10 where lower horsepower favors the use of manuals , or they are specifically required ( as in the case of Class 11 ).
The torque converter in automatic transmissions cushions the drivetrain , and many Class 1 desert racing teams have even added torque converters to their transaxles to help keep parts alive . Automatics can be built to withstand enormous horsepower and abuse , while remaining extremely reliable , but doing so is not cheap .
MYTH : Automatics are better on the street than manuals .
This one isn ’ t entirely a myth , as anyone who has sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic with a heavy clutch can attest .
When driving an under-powered 4x4 or a vehicle with a high-strung engine - like a Samurai for instance - a manual transmission will allow you to wind out the engine and make a direct connection that does not suck up any horsepower like an automatic transmission can .
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