Anyone get 5EAT but wish they got 5MT?

Hi. I'm going to get a Legacy GT. I currently have a 5MT Jetta but I'm getting sick of working the clutch in city traffic. On highways and open road I love the manual. I am thinking about getting the 5EAT, as a lot of my driving is city and my wife doesn't like manual (but she has her own car;) ) I'm worried that I might get bored with the 5EAT and don't know about the performance difference. Have any longtime manual drivers gone with the 5EAT and regretted it? Do you get bored? Is the SportShift satisfying? I drove a Tiptronic A4 and found the shif lag to be very unpleasant. Thanks!

Have you test driven a 5EAT for a nice, decent test drive to give you a good feel? You should always do so before making such major decisions.

[quote name='dirk_puslich'] I drove a Tiptronic A4 and found the shif lag to be very unpleasant.[/quote] :| that is what bothering me too... i love to drive stick, yet my A4 is an auto...even the Tiptronic sucks, i am still using it. so i suggest you to get a MT.

I finally got to test drive a 5MT today. I had a chance to wrangle an auto GT at the drive and ride event. Boy the 5MT is so and mean SO SO freakin much better! At least in terms of the Yahoo-Factor. With every shift it's like BAM! out slug a barrel full of zoom where as the auto to me felt a bit laid-back. Its ok mind you as an Auto. For reasons like city driving and traffic jams the auto is a fine alternative. But for me, i'd go with the 5MT even with those driving conditions cus the rewards it provides once the road opens up..... BTW, i'm contemplating whether to get it now or wait for the 06 model. Urghh....

wunderkind, so did you go to the even in Houston today? Check out my Dallas review thread and post if it was any different. If the Tiptronic bothers you with the way that it shifts, then so with the Subaru auto. It is better but not that much.

Yup have to agree with Sube, get out there on a decent test drive, maybe even try the same time of day that u drive to work normally or around the same time and just see how you go. There isnt much lag in the GT (re sportshift), could always be better but its not bad. I have had previous MT & AT transmissions, sometimes its a PITA not to have the MT or to have the AT but at the end of the day either isnt too bad. Driving in traffic although can be a hastle on the left foot. And ppl say that in a 5EAT you would get bored, um HOW SO???? yeah bored, sitting at the lights with yr foot in it or changing gears in city traffic every two seconds, yeah sounds like fun, or would u rather be kicking back flicking between sports and auto mode, checking out the sorts in the car beside you, fiddling with the stero or climate control, u make the choice........ Do what yr gut tells you on the day.

This long time manual tranny driver went with 5EAT for similar reasons and I don't regret the decision one bit. Just the other day, I took my GT Ltd wagon down some twisties. I had it in manual mode and was smoothly switching between 3rd and 4th just with a flick of my thumb. If you're into extracting every little bit out of the engine, then the 5MT would be a better choice. But the 2.5 turbo is a stout engine and there's still plenty of power on tap with 5EAT. Also, the 5EAT is pretty sophisticated as auto trannies go. The 5MT, while being improved over the previous generations, is just okay IMO. Ken

[quote name='agctr']And ppl say that in a 5EAT you would get bored, um HOW SO???? yeah bored, sitting at the lights with yr foot in it or changing gears in city traffic every two seconds, yeah sounds like fun, or would u rather be kicking back flicking between sports and auto mode, checking out the sorts in the car beside you, fiddling with the stero or climate control, u make the choice........ Do what yr gut tells you on the day.[/quote] If you _know_ how to drive stick it becomes instinctual. Not to mention good speed control so you don't have to constantly hit the gas and the brake, just cruise at about 1mph.

Over at NASIOC, some people said SoA will change the warranty from "3yr bumper-to-bumper + 5 yr powertrain" to 4 yrs everything for the 06 model. Just thought you might want to know. [quote name='wunderkind']BTW, i'm contemplating whether to get it now or wait for the 06 model. Urghh....[/quote]

They might. That's like they might bring out a turbocharged H6 400hp screamer next year too. EVERYTHING is speculation til they make it public. Remember that 2L STi we were supposed to get with 260 or 270hp and be lucky to get Brembos, etc, etc, etc...

I have alway driven manuals. Still own a manual WRX and Forester. My liberty GT is the first auto I have owned. The 5EAT is as good as any manual car I have driven. But I have to say when I picked the car up I was a little dissapointed. It took a few days to get used to the manual mode. Now I think it is better than a MT. You need to go on a decent test drive to appreciate the 5EAT. Shift delays are only experienced when on light throttle. I heavy throttle shifts are quick. Shifts are as quick or quicker than pressing clucth and changing gears on a MT. I think people driving MT percieve that the shift is quicker because that are involved in the process. Every time I get back in the WRX reinforces the fact I have made the correct decision going for the 5eat. F1 cars and most of the newer high performance supercars (Ferarri, /lamborghini, /bmw) have sequential style gearboxes. I know that these are manuals however the shifting method and driving experience is the same. Mercedes AMG, Audi RS6, Aston Martin DB9 and Bently continental GT all have automatic transmissions and I consider these as true performance GT cars. Regards John

I was considering the 5MT and the 5EAT tranny- I chose the 5EAT and am not the least bit disappointed. The 5MT transmission was nice- and I do expect a ribbing from my friends about getting an automatic transmission, but I think I decided on the automatic transmission when I was stuck in traffic on the Garden State- or maybe it was the Turnpike, or maybe the Tunnel- well you get my point. With the automatic you get 3 flavors- soft auto mode, sport auto mode, and manual shifting automode. Perfect for my driving style. Are the shift times a little long? Yeah, but I have no regrets for getting this fine auto transmission, which if you ask me is better than those in the TSX and wayyyy better than the one in the TL.

[quote name='john.di.martino']I have alway driven manuals. Still own a manual WRX and Forester. My liberty GT is the first auto I have owned. The 5EAT is as good as any manual car I have driven. But I have to say when I picked the car up I was a little dissapointed. It took a few days to get used to the manual mode. Now I think it is better than a MT. You need to go on a decent test drive to appreciate the 5EAT. Shift delays are only experienced when on light throttle. I heavy throttle shifts are quick. Shifts are as quick or quicker than pressing clucth and changing gears on a MT. I think people driving MT percieve that the shift is quicker because that are involved in the process. Every time I get back in the WRX reinforces the fact I have made the correct decision going for the 5eat. F1 cars and most of the newer high performance supercars (Ferarri, /lamborghini, /bmw) have sequential style gearboxes. I know that these are manuals however the shifting method and driving experience is the same. Mercedes AMG, Audi RS6, Aston Martin DB9 and Bently continental GT all have automatic transmissions and I consider these as true performance GT cars. Regards John[/quote] Does moving a shifter motivate anyone to get a manual? I'd take one of those transmissions anyday, but the 5eat just isn't that. Just a pretender with buttons. 5eat shifts have to be quick otherwise it would get really spanked by the 5mt, not just a little. As far a lag-time to shift, it will always be better with manual because you can predict your shift time accurately so you are in the right gear exactly when you want. That's not perception, that's control. If you're comparing the time between when you press the button to a full gear-to-gear shift in a mt5, you're just measuring the wrong things.

i have always driven auto. i finaly feal comfortabl driving stick i want a stick shift but reading in here i cant decide ill probably go with the stick cause thats what i want and im not stuck ion trafic that much. ill jsut have to get used to it

The first time I test drove the Legacy GT Limited w/ 5EAT, it was cool and raining - and the Legacy was quick, especially at around 3000 rpm - I was grinning the whole time. I'd say the temperature was in the mid to high 60's that day - I was very very impressed. I didn't get any guage on how quick it was the second time I tested it on a warm sunny day at another dealership because the sales guy was watching me like a hawk. I'm sure we'll all benefit from the fall coming up right around when our cars will be broken in - chilly autumn evening weather should really add a little more punch to our 5EAT Legacy's. - Mike

[quote name='godwhomismike']The first time I test drove the Legacy GT Limited w/ 5EAT, it was cool and raining - and the Legacy was quick, especially at around 3000 rpm - I was grinning the whole time. I'd say the temperature was in the mid to high 60's that day - I was very very impressed. I didn't get any guage on how quick it was the second time I tested it on a warm sunny day at another dealership because the sales guy was watching me like a hawk. I'm sure we'll all benefit from the fall coming up right around when our cars will be broken in - chilly autumn evening weather should really add a little more punch to our 5EAT Legacy's. - Mike[/quote] Most definately... and especially if the winter is anything like the one we got last year. 8)

I had driven automatics my whole life prior to getting my 5MT Legacy GT a month ago. I like it a lot, and I haven't had any problems.

Haven't driven the 5EAT yet, although I think I may have to, just to be able to compare the two. My concern is more reliability. I had to have the auto in my current car (96 Contour) replaced at <100k, so I'm a bit gunshy about going w/ an auto again... I'd been thinking about switching back to a stick anyway, but then there's Boston area traffic... My car before the Contour was an 89 SHO stick, and it was terrific -- until my wife came home w/ shin splints one day from driving through Boston during rush hour. Another friend of ours just had his auto replaced (2002 Accord), so my faith in autos is pretty well thrashed... Kinda thinking the less electronic the better at this point, and w/ the 5MT, you get a mechanical tranny and a mechanical center diff... I don't know Suby very much though, so my concerns may be misplaced, but I just don't know... Anyway, sorry, I guess that's kinda off topic, but if anybody has any reliability comments one way or the other, I'd appreciate hearing them... Thanks. Stefan

[quote name='foerster']Haven't driven the 5EAT yet, although I think I may have to, just to be able to compare the two. My concern is more reliability. I had to have the auto in my current car (96 Contour) replaced at <100k, so I'm a bit gunshy about going w/ an auto again... I'd been thinking about switching back to a stick anyway, but then there's Boston area traffic... My car before the Contour was an 89 SHO stick, and it was terrific -- until my wife came home w/ shin splints one day from driving through Boston during rush hour. Another friend of ours just had his auto replaced (2002 Accord), so my faith in autos is pretty well thrashed... Kinda thinking the less electronic the better at this point, and w/ the 5MT, you get a mechanical tranny and a mechanical center diff... I don't know Suby very much though, so my concerns may be misplaced, but I just don't know... Anyway, sorry, I guess that's kinda off topic, but if anybody has any reliability comments one way or the other, I'd appreciate hearing them... Thanks. Stefan[/quote] Part of it with Auto's is maintance. ATF fluid needs to be changed, alot of people don't change it, and wonder why there tranny goes out after 100k (I am not saying you didn't change your fluid in your contour) I like to stay on the side of caution, and I have my ATF changed at max ever 24,000 miles. My current car is a 94' Toyota Camry with 146k miles on it, and a auto that shifts like butter. I have friends that have owned subies for a quite a while, and they have all been auto's. They have never had a problem with them. I would say get he 5EAT if thats what you want, and just changed the fluid (and filter) every 20-30k miles, you will be fine. -Nick

[quote name='foerster']Haven't driven the 5EAT yet, although I think I may have to, just to be able to compare the two. My concern is more reliability. I had to have the auto in my current car (96 Contour) replaced at <100k, so I'm a bit gunshy about going w/ an auto again... I'd been thinking about switching back to a stick anyway, but then there's Boston area traffic... My car before the Contour was an 89 SHO stick, and it was terrific -- until my wife came home w/ shin splints one day from driving through Boston during rush hour. Another friend of ours just had his auto replaced (2002 Accord), so my faith in autos is pretty well thrashed... Kinda thinking the less electronic the better at this point, and w/ the 5MT, you get a mechanical tranny and a mechanical center diff... I don't know Suby very much though, so my concerns may be misplaced, but I just don't know... Anyway, sorry, I guess that's kinda off topic, but if anybody has any reliability comments one way or the other, I'd appreciate hearing them... Thanks. Stefan[/quote] Keep in mind that 5EATs do learn over time so what you test drive at the dealer is probably going to be a little less responsive than what you would get several thousand miles later. In terms of reliability for late-model Subarus, the ATs have proven to be a bit more reliable than the MTs. Of course driver style has to do with a lot of it, but in general I've seen and heard about more MT related issues. One of the reasons I went with 5EAT this time around was because I was a bit fed up with the 5MT in my previous Forester. Lastly, if it's of any consolation, there is another thread going on that talks about the Nissan connection with the ATs. Apparently the design, if not the manufacturing itself, of recent Subaru auto trannies are from Nissan. Ken

Same here, 5MT Forester -> 5EAT GT. [quote name='Ken S']One of the reasons I went with 5EAT this time around was because I was a bit fed up with the 5MT in my previous Forester.[/quote]

Drove both on saturday, in summit county, co. I was very impressed by the auto, if i did stop and go I would go that way - have never owned an auto before. But for here in the colo rockies I would do the stick, the acceleration was very impressive, hit redline so fast in first 3 gears that I had to quick shift. Manual just felt smoother, but the auto with its buttons was very impressive, would slow down via gear dropping just like a stick, but lacked the feeling of the clutch. Plenty of torque to pass in 4th and 5th. Handled nicely, steering was nice. Expect it will be an outstanding snow machine up. Bummer that rear seats don't fold down in the sedan. And that they don't have an option for high performance summer tires. The all seasons are a waste, I will put dunlop snows on the winter, and will change to maybe a pirelli or dunlop hypo tire for summer. It is also bad that subaru didn't put this engine less the turbo in the 2.5i series cars. The new valve system puts an end to the subaru weeze.

Having owned 2 MT subarus, an 85 GL Hatch and an 02 WRX wagon, I am leaning towards the auto. I like the control of the manual, and all the other positive things that everyone has said about manuals. BUT - With the two subies, I have had to have the WRX clutch replaced because of the infamous clutch shudder, the 85 had bad syncros in 2nd after 40k, and to this day I have trouble getting the WRX into 1st or reverse alot, and forget about 1st altogether while rolling to a stop. So, I am leaning towards the GT 5EAT, because it has the sport shift, but also because I don't think Subarus's MT trannys have a good history and I don't trust them much at all. Anyone on here who has a manual WRX knows what I am talking about, and compared most other MT cars, the WRX MT sucks, and that same tranny is (more or less) what is in the MT Leg. GeoB

Same feeelings here, I am concerned about the manual reliability, but they are saying it is beefed up and has a double flywheel, as for the auto, which is a fine transmission, but how about the reliability, especially for us who would thrash it. It is an electro-computer chip system in a 30,000 car. I have notice nearly all manufacturers have had problems with embedded chips in their fuel systems. I am not sure if I can trust their cheap embedded transmission chips as of yet. But in a few years they should be bulletproof.

auto's are by nature less reliable than manual. Unless of course you abuse the manual because you can. Honda can't even fix the TL transmission, and they are running less torque. Some of my friends are on their 3rd already. Yet we expect an all-new subaru auto to be more reliable than an old design that has been re-inforced?