Because I enjoy REAL driving. The ability to control and dictate how and when the car responds fun for me.

 

I'd hoped to get a MT Sport, but the dealer I went to only had a base model MT on the lot. I gave the AT a test drive and found I really liked it, so that's what I got. And hey, silver lining, my commute is much less tiring on my left leg now!

 

1) Cheaper (the initial cost of the car and potential long term maint)
2) I like to row my own gears ie. I find it more fun to drive
3) Theft Deterrent.

From what I understand on the 09-13 Fits, the M/T has lower gearing then the A/T. Some mags I read said the M/T is almost 1 full second faster 0-60 time. Approx 8.5 seconds for the M/T and 9.5 seconds for the A/T. Technically with the taller gearing the A/T should get slightly better gas mileage in freeway driving. To me the acceleration is not a speed issue but a safety issue. I want to be able to accelerate out of trouble if I need to. I don't think I would ever buy a car like a prius that could take over 10 seconds to get to 0-60.

Me personally I have an 09 Sport M/T with a lifetime average of 37.3mpg over 30K miles. Luckily I don't live in Los Angeles or Atlanta, but I can understand people living in those areas going with an A/T.

 

miata therapy has helped.

 

It's not buying this car for performance - it's wanting to get the most performance from this car when we want to.

Amazing that a "why did you buy a m/t?" thread has people with autos chiming in to justify why they bought an automatic.

 

ok them's fighting words.

It really isn't rocket science to row gears but it will enhance your right hand motor control (useful in many situations) not to mention left-foot coordination.

 

As I mentioned, I did test drive an AT Sport hoping the paddles would give me the same experience as a manual, but it just wasn't the same in my experience and the MT was more enjoyable to drive and felt quicker right off the bat. It's fine if you have an auto and enjoy it - everyone has their own preference The auto vs mt wars are pointless tho - neither side will sway the other.

 

the auto is really good, but it is noticeably slower when left to its own shifting... if you controlled the shifts yourself and revved it out each gear then it is much quicker. a manual Fit probably feels pretty quick in comparison. i didn't get a manual for a few reasons: 1) less available, 2) i have my NSX for manual pleasure, and 3) autos are easier to drive...

even professional race car drivers prefer autos for their street cars, so don't think you are cool for having a manual Fit. (i was a sponsored racer)

truth be told, i would recommend someone learning to race to get a automatic so they can concentrate on the driving aspect. to be proficient with a manual on a track, you need to be proficient with a manual beyond that of a street driver. a good race car driver back in the day had to be really good with a manual. these days, its all about the driving... with efficient and intelligent automated manuals eliminating the need for manual operating expertise.

that said, Honda manuals are great and if you want to, go learn a dying skill. heel-toe and rev match for yourself before that is taken away completely.

 

The opposite makes more sense. If you learn to drive on track using an auto, you'll struggle greatly when trying to apply those skills and add in shifting.

As for the pro racers preferring an auto for their street cars, if I earned my living through racing cars I probably would like a change up too.

 

"paddles"? They're a gimmick for the video game crowd. Give me "D" and a gas pedal and I'm good.

 

Can I add that I didn't want my wife driving it?

Shes hits curbs.

 

Don't think you're cool because you were a sponsored racer... zing! messing with you

My first few times on track (circuit) were with an automatic for that very reason. Auto + low power car = concentrate on line only. I made this conscious decision myself.

High level pro racers have no need to "practice" on the street, 5MT street cars don't translate to their day job cars anyway, and I don't think they need the practice. Amateur racers can definitely benefit from street practice.

 

ooo a selfish chauvinist! I bought my wife a solstice. And she sideswiped the garage door with it. Twice.

 

LOL, my wife only gets cars with ground clearance so they can go over the curbs.

 

low powered cars also help you learn to maintain momentum because you don't have any power to rocket out of turns... so you learn to take the fastest line possible and use the brakes as little as possible. this is my slowest car ever, so i might even be learning to be a better driver. lol.

 

I think most have hit on this but definitely the rate of traffic you drive in can be a big part of the decision. I drive in Okinawa in a lot of stop and go, so for an everyday car I prefer an AT.

 

haha exactly! No power to cover up your mistakes! Don't bother with big brake kits because you won't be using them! Screw up that exit and you'll be cursing for 10 seconds!

This is not my slowest car ever and I look forward to continuing with it when it gets shuffled out of daily driver status. I have driven a few faster cars on circuit but slowish cars can be just as fun in an HPDE environment.

 

Ah yes, that's another reason. And not just wives/girlfriends, but anyone.

My car is mine, I don't care if I'm selfish. I don't trust majority of people I know to drive my car and since it's stick, I know the only people that know how to drive it, know how to drive properly.

 

Got a stick so if any moronic car thieves jump in and try to drive off the vast majority of them will be farked because they are too lazy and never learned how to drive a stick or read or get a job etc.

I have been a sponsored WINNING race car driver with both stick cars and automatic cars........ that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

I spend 70k+ miles per year behind the wheel of a big, slow, automatic truck for work -- manual transmission cars are my way of keeping a little fun in the day to day.