Manual cars are becoming less popular as the years go on, but there are many prestige cars that carry a manual transmission. There are two main types of transmissions that a vehicle can have:
- Manual
- Automatic
Whether you have an automatic transmission or a manual transmission, fuel efficiency is important. While many automatic drivers know how to save money on gas by simply laying off the accelerator, many manual drivers may not know the industry secrets.
If you want to learn more about manual transmission and saving gas, there are a few nuances about transmissions and fuel economy to understand first!
Is a Manual Transmission a Better Choice Than an Automatic Transmission When It Comes to Saving Gas?
There are a few connections between a manual transmission and saving gas, but there are advantages to having an automatic transmission as well. What it will come down to is your own personal preferences, lifestyle, and budget.
Whether you choose a manual transmission or an automatic transmission, there are always ways to save on gas and treat your engine well! A bad transmission or a transmission that needs repairs can affect your fuel efficiency.
Both manual and automatic transmissions have car models available that offer more mpg, or miles per gallon. Manual transmissions can often offer the potential to have better fuel economy on the highway. This depends on a driver’s personal shifting style, as well as their vehicle’s model and how aggressive they operate their vehicle.
How Do I Save Gas with a Manual Transmission?
The lower the RPM, the more gas you are saving with a stick shift car. RPM, or revolutions per minute, are what the manual car’s crankshaft makes. The crankshaft is a mechanism attached by rods to the engine.
The RPM is simply the amount of work that the engine has to do to move, and it directly affects the amount of fuel being used. With a manual transmission, a driver has more control over how much RPM is happening when they shift. This means they can potentially manipulate the car’s gears to save more on gas while driving.
Some of the ways that a manual driver can save on gas are:
- Shift with Purpose: When you drive a manual car, the shifting is the most important piece to saving gas. The different gears in the transmission will offer different amounts of fuel efficiency. The lower the gear for a manual car, the higher the RPM can be, which means that more gas is used. Typically, the higher the gear, the less fuel is used. Skipping gears when shifting can often save gas.
- Consider Your Signals: Many vehicle models that offer a manual transmission will come with a device on your dashboard known as the upshift light. This light can signal a driver of the state of the engine and accelerator to let them know when it is time to shift. Using this gauge can help improve your shifting performance as well as save gas!
- Control the Acceleration: Try your best to accelerate slowly while driving, especially if you are in congested traffic and need to stop frequently.
- Maintain the Correct Tire Pressure: One of the ways to reduce the amount of fuel being used is to maintain the correct tire pressure. You could potentially improve your fuel economy by 3%! This is also an important part of vehicle maintenance and should be maintained regularly.
- Learn the Downhill Tricks: You can put car in neutral when going downhill or coming to a stop to save a small amount of fuel as well. This is an old school trick!
Are There Any Drawbacks Associated with a Manual Transmission and Saving Gas?
While both a manual and automatic car can offer perks, a manual car is not the right option for everyone.
Some of the drawbacks to having a manual transmission and saving gas are:
- Skill: Manual transmissions require an amount of skill to learn, and poor driving can lead to a transmission that needs repairs. Manual cars can be difficult to drive uphill, especially if you need to stop frequently.
- Availability: Manual cars are not as popular as they used to be and are often found in prestigious brands of vehicles. Typically, you can find a manual transmission on smaller cars and sports cars or trucks.
- Conditions: Congested traffic conditions can require a lot of shifting and can be tedious.
While a car with a manual transmission can offer the advantage of fuel efficiency, they are not for everyone!
How Can I Maintain a Manual Transmission?
One of the ways to maintain fuel efficiency is to maintain your manual transmission. Manual transmissions and saving gas can go hand in hand!
Vehicles with a manual transmission are not as common on the road as they used to be, but it is important to know about maintenance if you are an owner or will be an owner in the future.
To extend and maintain the life of your transmission, keep these tips in mind:
- Get Your Transmission Flushed Regularly
- Don’t Downshift When You Need to Slow Down
- Completely Lift Your Foot of the Clutch Pedal Every Time You Shift Gears
- Have Your Manual Transmission Inspected Each Year
Can I Use My Automatic or Manual Car to Get Cash?
If you are a vehicle owner, there may be benefits to your asset that you haven’t thought of! A title loan can be the perfect way to access the equity in your vehicle and turn it into cash.
Whether you have an automatic or manual car, your vehicle may be eligible for funds! To apply for a car title loan, you will need to use the title of your vehicle as collateral for cash.
Collateral makes the approval process flexible and allows borrowers from all different types of credit histories to get the funds they need!1 Simply use your vehicle’s title instead of your credit history to apply for the cash you need. Qualified borrowers of a ChoiceCash Title Loan can get their funds in as little as one business day.1
Where Can I Apply for a Title Loan Online?
If you’re ready to see what your car is qualified for, ChoiceCash Title Loans can help. Find out what your loan amount could be by heading over to the website and answering a few questions about your car. Borrowers can also find out if they qualify for quick cash by calling 855-422-7402 and speaking to a loan agent directly!1