Quick Poll. Yes, Another Poll. This One About Transmissions.

[Ty]

I would rather replace a clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing than rebuild an automatic.

Plus, the automatic will have all those same things... Actually, the only difference in the two transmissions is who is actuating the clutch... servos or person. Other than that, they will be identical... no maintenance advantage.

 

[Kuda]

I'd personally prefer an automatic with cruise control for traffic/mpg reasons, but it remains to be seen whether i'll want to pay the upgrade cost (whatever that may be) to get a unproven AMT (unproven in the one-of-the-first-few-thousand-off-the-line sense).

It's highly likely that the Tranny (AMT) (by Aisen) is a proven commodity.
Remember Paul's cost/quality model. I agree what remains is the cost to
Elio & hence to us....................

 

[ncarter124]

Plus, the automatic will have all those same things... Actually, the only difference in the two transmissions is who is actuating the clutch... servos or person. Other than that, they will be identical... no maintenance advantage.

Good point, and resale on an auto would be better I'd imagine. That might sway me...

 

[Ashton]

I think i will go with a manual transmission. Had a 86Honda civic with a manual transmission and nopower-steering
It was good handling little car.

 

[Mark Ambrose]

I'm probably going to end up going for the manual, but I do worry a little about shifting while dealing with the lack of power steering. It might take a bit of getting accustomed to the added steering effort.

My thinking is with the light weight of the vehicle coupled with relatively narrow, low rolling resistance tires any speed over a crawl would feel like you're steering on ice. I'm old enough to remember driving my dad's car which was a 1961 Chevy wagon without power steering. Never seemed to have a problem. Of course the steering wheel was 5 feet across.

 

[Ty]

I had a '65 Mustang that needed more money to fix the power steering than I had so it didn't have power steering... Wide tires, 351 Windsor motor... quite heavy to steer at very slow speeds but it did help develop upper body strength. At speed, you wouldn't have known it didn't have power steering.

 

[Mark Ambrose]

The 5speed manual WILL have a clutch pedal and a gear shift lever that is 1-2-3-4-5 and reverse. The 5speed automated manual (AMT) will be the same transmission as the 5speed manual. It to will have a clutch but no clutch pedal. The shift selector is marked R n F with a detent with + or - for manually shifting the AMT. If you just select F then it operates just like any other automatic. The clutch is still there operated by electromechanical servos just no pedal. The gear shifting is still there operated by servos but no lever.

I read somewhere, might have been the Elio blog, but not sure, that the AMT will actually be MORE fuel efficient since it doesn't take power away from the engine like a normal automatic does AND has the precision of the computer doing the shifting at the perfect time. Looking for maximum mpg the AMT might be worth the added cost. May take some of the fun away from the vehicle though. Someone here also mentioned better resale value since many people can't drive a manual transmission. On the other hand neither can my kid so a manual will keep his grubby mitts off my new toy. Decisions...decisions.

 

[Husker1]

I voted for the manual but I'm still on the fence. 35 of the 43 miles to work is interstate for me, so shifting isn't a big issue. But at the same time a clutch is one more thing to service.

 

[Jeffro]

Thanks to all who replied to my post on manual vs auto. Yes there have been some crap manual gearboxes. Personally , I really want an Elio but will wait on getting one untill I see how things work out. By the way, my '56 Ford F800 pictured here has the origional 5 spd. trans.,clutch,pressure plate and throwout bearing and is almost 60 years old. Of course your driving conditions and prefrence will determine wether to choose manual or automatic.

 

[skygazer6033]

Husker1--you do realize that both the manual and the automatic will have a clutch to service. The automatic just won't have the pedal. So don't let servicing the clutch sway your decision. With the Elio's light weight and modest HP and torque the clutch should last many miles.