# Manual transmission less likely to have problems than auto transmission? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146 "2010-08-31T15:52:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146/41 "2010-09-03T03:53:22Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A newer car with less miles is always more reliable than an older car? It doesn’t matter the brand or how the car was driven or maintained? So I should ignore everything else, just buy the newer car and I’m better off? Yep, ignore everything else, that’s exactly what I said. If you need to impress Consumer Reports with your choice of $3000 used car, so be it. I’m done arguing with you. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146/42 "2010-09-03T05:03:07Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It may have an alternator with no permanent magnets and require the the key in the ‘crank engine’ position to ‘excite’ the coils in the alternator. This will only work if the battery can supply enough power to do that. But that’s just a guess. This has nothing whatsoever to do with starting the engine. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146/43 "2010-09-03T06:49:33Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > It may have an alternator with no permanent magnets and require the the key in the ‘crank engine’ position to ‘excite’ the coils in the alternator. This will only work if the battery can supply enough power to do that. But that’s just a guess. > > This has nothing whatsoever to do with starting the engine. It must have something to do with it. You can’t start an engine without a spark, that has to be produced from somewhere. If the battery is dead, and the alternator has no permanent magnets, there will be nothing to produce a spark from. Some ignition systems transfer current from the battery when starting to initially excite the coils in an alternator to jump start the process of generation. I don’t know if that has anything to do with post I was commenting on though. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146/44 "2010-09-03T14:08:14Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Thanks for the advice, I was looking at cars from around 2000-2002. Are the Civics before 2000 OK ? I am also looking at Integras but most I find are from 99 and earlier. 98 Honda Civic here. 268,000 miles on the original transmission and clutch and still going strong. 🆒 As others have said there really isn’t any difference in mileage anymore between an automatic or standard shift transmission so reliability and fun to drive factor is really the only considerations. ---
**Author:** ![festiva76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e8cbc/32.png) [@festiva76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/festiva76)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146/45 "2010-09-03T16:39:13Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > I bought a 5-speed Ford Contour back in 1997 I had a manual 97 Contour Sport. That was a fun car to toss around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manual-transmission-less-likely-to-have-problems-than-auto-transmission/552146.md?page=2)