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do you wish you had gotten a stick instead of the DCT?

if you could do it over would you get stick instead?

7K views 82 replies 48 participants last post by  mjb457 
#1 ·
this is for folks who drive a DCT. knowing what you know now would you go back in time and get a stick instead?
 
#4 ·
Correction it would have to have a clutch pedal for manual actuation of said clutch in order to be fully manual.

There are a lot of automated manuals around these days, the PowerShift 6DCT250 being one that has two clutches. Ergo its mechanically more a manual transmission with the software controlling the shifts and the clutch application rather than being a planetary automatic transmission with a torque converter.

6DCT250>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>6F35 to me.

However had they made a proper 6 gear manual available with a sufficiently tall overdrive ratio it would be tempting. Had I not gotten my Frosted Glass SEL I may have waited for an Ingot silver ST with the 6MT but it would have cost at least 2-4k more in the end due to giving up the rebates and other incentives for the performance version.

They wouldn't sell a car with a manual and Frosted Glass with rear disk brakes for the U.S., only Canada could get the SEL with the 5MT.
 
#12 ·
I would have gotten whatever auto they offered, sticks are a pain in the butt on a DD. I just wish ford would offer the 6F35 as an option on the focus for those of us who prefer a real auto trans.
 
#14 ·
Wonder why I can post but not vote.

Anyway, I have had zero problems with my DCT so far (11000 miles)
I have always driven a manual in a small car, but fuel economy was my top priority this time around. Until they offer a similarly-geared 6-speed MT in the U.S. I won't rethink my decision.
 
#15 ·
Wonder why I can post but not vote.
I think you need to have a been a member for at least 30 days and have like 30 posts before you can vote. I may be off on the numbers but I know its more posts than you have.
 
#18 ·
Now that they offer the 5MT with the Titanium (SEL is history, right?) I would probably consider that. My wife would probably hate it, but she hates the Focus anyway, so who cares about her opinion?
 
#20 ·
I like the sticks are for kids comment lol. It reminded me of the Trix commercial.

I have to say, when I first got my license I loved stick shift, but now that Im older I dont know how people drive a stick shift daily. If I had to drive a stick through rush hour every day, I'd probably shoot myself lol.
 
#21 ·
I had to get a new car immediately after getting in an accident. getting a stick shift in my next car after the Camry was in the back of my mind but the accident changed things up a bit. I was in a bit of a trauma then with driving so automatic was a good choice; learning a different way of driving was a bit too much then.


The way i'm drooling about the ST right now though is making me wish I at least considered a manual while car shopping lol. Learning wouldn't be so bad since most of my commute right now is in rural roads, and only in Chicago every other week. I wouldn't be in stop and go traffic for many times.

That said, I'm fine with the DCT on mine (granted on warm days when the DCT responds wonderfully). It has a lot of power compared to the CVT on my previous camry. SelectShift also is fun to use when on the highway and overtaking :D
 
#22 ·
I don't know how to answer - I can't say that I hate my DCT, and I don't believe that sticks are for kids. In a perfect world, I would drive the heck out of a manual: they are way more fun, cheaper to maintain, and it puts me in greater control, but the reality of my daily commute makes an auto a necessity.

If I ever were to buy a second vehicle, it would definitely be a manual.

So, to answer properly - I like my auto, but I will always prefer a manual.

Cheerio!
 
#24 ·
Voted.

I am perfectly capable of repairing my own car. I work at a company that will lend me the tools (torque wrenches, Mitchell1, etc.) necessary to do this work.

My only regret was purchasing a $26.5k car with a bad clutch and rattles when I just as easily could have purchased a $2k car with a bad clutch and rattles and fixed it myself in 1 warm-weather weekend.
 
#25 ·
I wish I would have given manual some more thought. Although I have never had a manual car to drive, my buddy from work let me practice on his vehicle and it was fun (although it wasn't for the clutch).

The only thing is I do drive through a decent amount of traffic and I have heard about the annoyance regarding that and manual. Besides, a stick shift vehicle is cheaper up front, and by the sound of it, cheaper in the long run.

I would have bought a manual if I could go back (even if I don't know how to drive them very well at all). Although I haven't had any problems with my DCT yet, all of the threads on this forum sure do bother me. I only have about 1700 miles on my car so far...
 
#28 ·
This was due to a planning error and or a lack of capacity to build their DDCT for the 1.4 L Fiat engine. Its part of why the Dart wasn't selling well, because they had initially reversed the 90/10% split (normally its about 10% manual to 90% automatic) and customers weren't buying the manuals.

The only automatics they would have had on the lot if any in the beginning were the base 2.0L GEMA engine and hyundai sourced 6AT.
 
#34 ·
Well I am taking a Statistics Class in College currently and I feel like an expert in the subject and I just want to say that ur poll suffers from Responce Bias.... (kidding)[;)]

Anyway, I just want to give my 2 cents. If I could do it again, I would get a Ford Focus with a traditional Automatic Tranny over the DCT, but a definitely a DCT over a manual. The reason, (if you really give a shat) is that a manual in heavy traffic (which is never lacking in the sunny CA) is a bitch. Manuals are fun, commutes are not. If I were to get a manual, I would get a super high MPG car that gets me a Diamond HOV Lane pass which are worth 10 times their weight in diamond crusted gold. Then I could cruise past all that traffic in my sporty manual (Ford Focus ST) with Kate Upton sitting next to me. [driving][bootyshak
but then again.... who wouldn't want that[dunno]
 
#36 ·
Considering my reasons for buying a new car at all, I would still choose the DCT. I bought the car because of a new job and extended commute. Atlanta area traffic is horrid. If I were buying a car for weekend or recreational use it would be a traditional manual.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Board Express
 
#37 ·
Forget the Focus, I don't think I could get any new car in manual if a DCT was also offered.

Having sampled DSGs, the new S Tronics and PDK I'd have to be a bit of a moron to not consider those.

More capability than a manual, definitely more than I'd ever use in a daily commute but without the stinking clutch pedal to ruin my morning and evening drives to and from work.
 
#41 ·
Sticks are for kids??

AUTOMATICS are for kids. And lazy people. And wimps ("Waaa! I spend too much time in bumper-to-bumper traffic every day to drive stick. Waaa!"). And people who would rather be doing almost anything other than driving or being engaged therein (you know, like putting on makeup, cradling their Big Gulps and/or Big Macs, texting or blabbing with their cell phones plastered to their ear, NOT checking their mirrors or signaling, or camping out in the left lane and going the same speed as - or slower than - those in the right).

Oh, wait - that's it: Automatics are for AMERICANS.
 
#45 ·
Sticks are for kids??

AUTOMATICS are for kids. And lazy people. And wimps ("Waaa! I spend too much time in bumper-to-bumper traffic every day to drive stick. Waaa!"). And people who would rather be doing almost anything other than driving or being engaged therein (you know, like putting on makeup, cradling their Big Gulps and/or Big Macs, texting or blabbing with their cell phones plastered to their ear, NOT checking their mirrors or signaling, or camping out in the left lane and going the same speed as - or slower than - those in the right).

Oh, wait - that's it: Automatics are for AMERICANS.
horsepower isn't a problem in the u.s. in the countries where it is of course sticks are the norm.
 
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