[cardmrc]

Long-time reader, first-time poster here...

I owned a 1989 Honda Accord with manual transmission back in the day and I really enjoyed it. After a long walk through the wilderness without a Honda, I have my eye on a 2014 Accord Sport. Just trying to decide between CVT vs. MT. I live in the Dallas area with a 20-mile commute and, while I prefer the "fun" of driving a manual transmission, I have stayed away from them over the past few years due to the pain of constant shifting / clutch work while sitting in rush hour traffic every day.

So what am I missing here? Do you MT enthusiasts simply deal with the headaches and leg cramps of working a clutch in traffic every day so that you can enjoy the fun of MT on evenings and weekends? Or do most of you live outside of urban areas and don't have to deal with traffic jams on a daily basis? I really want an MT, but I need someone to talk me into it so that I don't go the "lazy route" of a CVT. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[JohnnySasakiMGS]

I don't care how bad the traffic is. I'll only buy a car with a manual or a twin clutch automatic. I absolutely despise the CVT. It's a feeble, limp wristed excuse for a transmission that is only good for fuel efficiency.

 

[Hogan773]

I don't care how bad the traffic is. I'll only buy a car with a manual or a twin clutch automatic. I absolutely despise the CVT. It's a feeble, limp wristed excuse for a transmission that is only good for fuel efficiency.

tell us how you really feel :yes:

I used to do a MT when I was younger and living in the city. It was fine but I gotta say if you truly sit in bumper to bumper traffic it's not worth it IMO. Stoplights....ok. 45 mins of bumper to bumper every day? Not worth it to constantly be dragging forward inch by inch and flexing that left leg.

 

[JohnnySasakiMGS]

Yeah sorry. Dunkin Donuts lady forgot my turbo shot this morning.

 

[luvr_of_vball]

I'm an established Accord driver with a clear preference for a manual transmission. I'd be very hard pressed to purchase a vehicle with an automatic. However, I've never lived in an area with bumper to bumper traffic. I did take a trip to California a couple years ago and found myself driving in that kind of traffic quite a bit. I tell you, the pleasure driving my manual transmission got old REAL quick.

As die hard as I am about driving a manual transmission, if I moved to an area where I was in serious bumper to bumper traffic on a regular basis, I'd probably opt for an automatic.

 

[HondaBob]

I was just thinking and talking to some people about this yesterday. I liked my '98 MT a lot, but after 14-15 years of constant shifting whenever I found myself in traffic, folks behind me being annoyed whenever they were delayed a micro second after taking off from a light, and my wife not being 100% friendly with it, I decided to go with the CVT.

The second point is probably the one that I most appreciate the CVT over the MT for. I hardly ever killed the MT in traffic and I was no slouch at shifting but I did not do speed shifts, and I was constantly threatening to put a bumper sticker on the back: "Stick Shift. Back Off". People are so impatient.

 

[JohnnySasakiMGS]

If I were to live in an area with that much bumper to bumper traffic I would consider the V6 with the regular 6 speed auto.

 

[cardmrc]

All of these posts are helpful. Thank you for all of the opinions. Any other thoughts?

 

[Baldeagle]

If you drive in terrible B2B traffic, a manual can be mentally fatiguing, but it’s never THAT bad. But consider this, Europe and South America have urban traffic jams that are total nightmares, and almost all of those drivers have manual transmissions. They don’t complain. And if you’re in Texas, it’s not like you have to worry about B2B traffic going up hills. If you like shifting, get the stick. But if ya gotta ask…..maybe it’s not for you.

 

[Bykim5]

I live in one of the "meccas" of road congestion and it does drive me crazy when I get stuck in traffic. However, I go to work much earlier now and that has helped me avoid it for the most part. If traffic is totally unavoidable for you, don't get MT.

 

[on2]

I had a 6MT 350Z. I lived in Atlanta. I got tired of it really quick. I got a CVT Accord afterwards. I have no regrets. Sometimes I wish it was a 6MT, but with the amount of driving I do and in traffic, I am satisfied. The paddle shifters provide enough fun and control when I need it.

I find that many on here grew up with MT and are therefore not fazed by the use of it in traffic. Those of us who grew up with AT tend to feel more inconvenienced.

 

[Baldeagle]

Question - is your consideration to buy a 6MT based on an aversion to the CVT or a desire to drive a manual? If you’re reluctant to buy a CVT’s because it lacks low speed performance, why would that matter if you’re always in B2B traffic? It’s not like you’ll be going fast. I’m sure the CVT would be great. If you’re attracted to a 6MT because of a passion to shift, B2B traffic won’t bother you. I’m beginning to think a CVT may be the right choice for you.

 

[JZP]

Long-time reader, first-time poster here...

I owned a 1989 Honda Accord with manual transmission back in the day and I really enjoyed it. After a long walk through the wilderness without a Honda, I have my eye on a 2014 Accord Sport. Just trying to decide between CVT vs. MT. I live in the Dallas area with a 20-mile commute and, while I prefer the "fun" of driving a manual transmission, I have stayed away from them over the past few years due to the pain of constant shifting / clutch work while sitting in rush hour traffic every day.

So what am I missing here? Do you MT enthusiasts simply deal with the headaches and leg cramps of working a clutch in traffic every day so that you can enjoy the fun of MT on evenings and weekends? Or do most of you live outside of urban areas and don't have to deal with traffic jams on a daily basis? I really want an MT, but I need someone to talk me into it so that I don't go the "lazy route" of a CVT. Thanks in advance for your help.

I drive in mixed traffic all of the time; I have driven an At for the last 5 years; now I finally got a MT back, and I am loving every minute of it; my left leg is finally good for something

When I am in B2B traffic, I do not even notice that I am shifting (and I am 43)

I just wish the it had a seventh gear or a taller sixth

Maybe I will go to an AT when there are no more MT out there; but I will fight it tooth and nail

 

[luvr_of_vball]

Maybe you can have the best of both worlds here. Have one car that is an automatic that you use for commuting, and have a second car that's a manual that you can drive more recreationally. I don't know if owning two vehicles is an option for you, but it's a thought. :dunno:

 

[shift]

If budget was an issue, I'd reluctantly go for the CVT just because it can be so problematic and complicated(see CVT problems thread). I also love driving manuals, but traffic everyday is a pain.

 

[on2]

Maybe you can have the best of both worlds here. Have one car that is an automatic that you use for commuting, and have a second car that's a manual that you can drive more recreationally. I don't know if owning two vehicles is an option for you, but it's a thought. :dunno:

That's not a bad idea. Get an older MT Miata. Cheap and loads of fun.

 

[Hogan773]

If you drive in terrible B2B traffic, a manual can be mentally fatiguing, but it’s never THAT bad. But consider this, Europe and South America have urban traffic jams that are total nightmares, and almost all of those drivers have manual transmissions. They don’t complain. And if you’re in Texas, it’s not like you have to worry about B2B traffic going up hills. If you like shifting, get the stick. But if ya gotta ask…..maybe it’s not for you.

How do you know they're not complaining? Also many of those countries have typically had more incentives to fuel-efficiency so the culture was to get a manual rather than "waste fuel" with your less efficient "slushbox"

Again, if you're talking about stopping and starting at some stoplights in the burbs or city, manual can be fine (or even "fun" if you like to row gears) but I'd have trouble believing anyone who would RATHER have a manual in bumper to bumper traffic or even heavy suburban traffic (where you need to inch forward because 20 people are stopped at the stoplight)

 

[jerhu]

How do you know they're not complaining? Also many of those countries have typically had more incentives to fuel-efficiency so the culture was to get a manual rather than "waste fuel" with your less efficient "slushbox"

Again, if you're talking about stopping and starting at some stoplights in the burbs or city, manual can be fine (or even "fun" if you like to row gears) but I'd have trouble believing anyone who would RATHER have a manual in bumper to bumper traffic or even heavy suburban traffic (where you need to inch forward because 20 people are stopped at the stoplight)

I guess i'm one of those people. Sitting in bumper to bumper traffic isn't bad in a manual. Eventually you don't even think about it and you're doing it regardless.

As for my personal experience, I've been driving manual since I first got my license and have only driven manual cars for the most part. However about 2 years ago I switched from manual to auto due to my wife not wanting to drive manual and it was the worst year i've ever spent driving. Not wanting to wait until the lease on the automatic car expired, I purchased the accord touring 6MT as a 3rd car and have once again started to enjoy driving. Even though the automatic car had more power, awd, more bells and whistles I still prefer driving manual and will always choose a manual over automatic.

 

[cardmrc]

Question - is your consideration to buy a 6MT based on an aversion to the CVT or a desire to drive a manual? If you’re reluctant to buy a CVT’s because it lacks low speed performance, why would that matter if you’re always in B2B traffic? It’s not like you’ll be going fast. I’m sure the CVT would be great. If you’re attracted to a 6MT because of a passion to shift, B2B traffic won’t bother you. I’m beginning to think a CVT may be the right choice for you.

It's a little of both. I have test-driven both the CVT and MT and, while I do not have an aversion to the CVT, the MT was much more engaging/fun to drive. Of course, that test drive was not done in the heavy traffic that I face on a daily basis. It is good to hear everyone's input / experience in driving the MT in B2B traffic - thanks for the feedback.

I like the suggestion of purchasing an older Miata with MT for use as an evening / weekend (or even project) car. In fact, that is something that I have been considering for a while now. That may be the best way to get my MT fix and still manage my commute with a CVT Accord.

 

[modoman]

I owned nothing but a manual transmission when I was stationed in San Francisco area and DC metro... It's kind of a pain, but I can totally float at 4 mph in 1st gear like a champ from the practice. Manual is worth it all the way for overall driving pleasure, and I feel like a slushbox (including CVT) is just prone to expensive problems. It's based purely on superstition, but I'm sticking to it.