Drawbacks of Manual Transmissions

Learn the drawbacks of driving a stick-shift.truck stick shift image by Aditia Patria Warman from Fotolia.com

Manual transmissions are also known as "stick-shifts." Manual transmissions offer numerous benefits---they are often less expensive to buy and maintain, they give you have more control when driving, and you can get better gas mileage than with the same model vehicle with an automatic transmission. With the advantages of driving a car with a manual transmission also come the disadvantages, such as having to multi-task, learning how to use a clutch and to shift, and not all models of vehicles offer the same features such as cruise control, according to Car Deal Expert.

Multi-Tasking

Driving a vehicle with a manual transmission requires you to perform several driving functions at the same time. This includes having one foot on the clutch and the other on the gas while shifting. You also have to have one hand on the wheel and one on the stick-shift when shifting. This, of course, is all in addition to all of the other functions you have to perform while driving, such as looking in your mirrors, turning on your turn signal or windshield wipers, and so on.

Because the driver has to learn how to manage the clutch and gas while shifting, it can be difficult to learn. That is especially true for first-time or new drivers. Drivers must learn how to coordinate hand movements and foot movements while shifting gears and starting or stopping the vehicle. Drivers also have to learn how to downshift to slow the vehicle without having to press the brakes. In addition, a driver operating a vehicle with a manual transmission also has to learn how stop and start the vehicle on a hill or slope while not rolling backward into the car behind them.

While manual transmission vehicles tend to be less expensive than automatic vehicles, that may also be due to the fact that manual transmissions do not have some added car features. According to the Car Deal Expert, for example, some models of manual transmission vehicles lack cruise control (many do offer cruise control that work fine when the car is in high gear, but you still have to shift gears manually on hills and downgrades). In addition, manual transmission vehicles have an added feature, the clutch, which needs to be inspected and replaced when it is worn out.