Which is cheaper in the long run--------Automatic or Manual?

MacAttack · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:46 am

Just pertaining to the gas Liberty:

What if you want to own your vehicle for 12 years?
Which comes out to cost less if both are taken care of properly?

65thKJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:56 am

Depends on a few things.
For the short term usually automatic is better mainly because of resale. Before my KJ I had mostly manual tranny vehicles and they are tough to sell. Also, you take a big hit at trade in w/ a manual tranny.

For 12 years it depends how you drive. If you wear out clutches quickly than the manual will cost more. Not sure but Prob ~$700 for new clutch installed.
I'm not sure about the auto tranny on ours but prob good for ~150k miles. I'm guessing to replace or rebuild the auto tranny would be ~$1200.
Also, you might get ~0.5mpg better w/ manual tranny(but also depends on driving style
Assuming ~200k miles over 12 years:
Gas cost: $35000 for (17mpg)auto, $34000 for manual(17.5)
Tranny costs: $1200 for auto, $700 times # of clutches for manual
Doing the math, if your clutch lasts more than 70k miles than it is probably a little less expensive for the manual. Keep in mind that the costs are all just guesses and I could be off on them.

In the end the bottom line is that it depends on your driving style.

Albert · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:23 am

Very well put. I was thinking along the same lines, but it is a difficult question with many variables.

One more thing. If you are going to keep it for 12 years or a long time as you indicate, and prefer one over the other, then your personal fun factor is worth something even though it can't be defined in dollars and cents.

Vehicles overall are a bad depreciating investment, but if reliable and fun to drive, and you keep it a long time, I believe you can get more out of it. Just do the routine maintenance.

fmc1 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:34 am **Posts:** 19

New clutch and pressure plate is $232. list price.
Throw out bearing is $76.
Pilot bearing is $13.
New fly wheel is $174., for a 5-speed V6 but this normally can be resurfaced for about $90. The fly wheel for the I4 is dual mass and can not be resurfaced and costs a lot more. I don’t know what type of fly wheel the 6-speed uses, but if it’s a dual mass estimate $450 to replace it.

A factory rebuilt auto trans. with a new torque converter is $3500. list price for a 4WD.
A 2WD is a little bit more.

The labor involved to replace a clutch or change an automatic transmission is about the same.

Maintenance on an automatic transmission must be done more frequently and is more costly than a manual. Manual has no filter and hold less than 3 quarts of fluid.

Manual gets a little better gas mileage.

Manuals are harder to sell.

scoobybri · **Posted:** Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:54 am

With the huge amount of Libbys out there (especially autos), I would think that getting a lower mileage auto from a junkyard Libby would be alot cheaper than getting a rebuilt one. I've own several Miatas and Mazda sold so many of those little suckers that the price for used parts is extremely low when compared to other cars. Considering that the Libby has sold at least as many units as the Miata, the price of used parts has got to be somewhat lower than other vehicles.

k99jk99j · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:03 am

if you are conservative driver i would say the manual is cheaper, and will be more likely to make it 12 years with nothing more than a clutch and fluid change. out side of jeeps the highest mileage cars (400,000-500,000) i see are all manuals!

second point auto transmissions are very expensive to rebuild around 2000$( remans are even higher) and then you factor in the the rebuild will almost never last as long as the original factory auto. also you have a high percentage of auto rebuilds that are never rebuilt "right."(customers not happy).

i will stick with a manual any day if you talk about the money side of things. mike

Which is cheaper in the long run--------Automatic or Manual?

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