Over the years, there has been an evident difference between the driving habits of Indians as compared to the rest of the world. It has ultimately influenced the buying habits of the customers. Most of the cars sold in India are manual, while the rest of the world mostly banks on the automatic transmissions. However, in India, the automatic transmission was introduced quite early, but it was limited to high-end luxury cars only. In the present days, the trend is shifting rapidly as more and more people are adapting the vehicles with automatic transmission, which is available even in the budget segments. Therefore, if you are thinking of buying a car and are confused about the type of transmission to choose, then we are here to help.
Here's a list of factors that should influence your choice between the manual and AT gearbox-
Understand the basics
It's essential to understand the basics of an automatic transmission, its types and how it works to compare it with a manual gearbox. Automatic gearbox has many gears that offer stunning outputs like enhanced speed and better riding quality. The only difference between an automatic gearbox and a manual gearbox is that an automatic gearbox doesn't come with a clutch pedal and therefore called the 2-pedal technology.
Different types of transmissions
It's imperative to understand what are the various types of automatic gearboxes and how do they differ from each other and a manual transmission. If you are on a budget purchase, then the AMT will suit you, and if you are taking performance on your account, then dual clutch automatic (DSG) will suit you. Hence, the understanding of gearboxes type and functionality will help to a great extent.
Consider power
Ever heard an auto enthusiast buying an automatic gearbox? Probably not! It's because automatic transmission can't match a manual gearbox regarding the performance. All the more. You have to be a hard-core enthusiast of cars to understand the difference, which is usually minor in most of the cars. The manual gearbox has many benefits over automatic gearbox including acceleration and power.
Consider semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic gearbox is nothing, but an automatic gearshift changed to manual gearbox when needed. You can't even use the clutch in the manual model, as the gearbox is primarily an automatic one, and only lets the driver select the rev range, through the manual shifting of the lever.
Identify your needs
The cost factor is the main reason why India is still manual transmission driven. One of the several reasons why you can't go for a manual gearbox is your physical handicap condition. An automatic do away with the use of a leg entirely and hence; it's good for handicap people.
Easy to learn
Last but not least, we all know that an automatic gearbox is easy to learn and operate. That's why many people opt for an automatic gearbox since they can't do multitasking like concentrate on keeping the car on the track, shifting the gears on time, and road hazards. The automatic gear eradicates the concentration needed on clutch and gearbox and you need to know is handling and braking.
Fuel economy is an issue
If you are buying a car to get the maximum efficiency, then better stick to the manual gearbox. AMT, or automated manual transmission, is the most budget-friendly forms of automatic transmission and is necessarily a manual gearbox without a clutch. What it mostly does is replaces the clutch with a device that shifts the gears automatically, but provides better efficiency, since no clutch is used.
Apart from all the confusion you go through while picking the right machine, you need to be sure of buying a car insurance policy too. Driving an uninsured vehicle in India is an offence. All the more, to
buy car insurance policy that protects your car against damages caused due to accidents, theft and other calamities.