Buying a car is more than a decision based on the brand, model, fuel capacity, etc. Your driving style and utmost comfort also play a role in the decision-making process. This driving style pertains to your gearbox/transmission preference ( the mechanism that determines the gear shifts and how power is sent to the wheels). To choose, you must first understand the different kinds of transmission available to choose from. The top three choices are usually manual, automatic, and continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Manual Transmission

Stick-shift or manual is the most commonly bought transmission. It is a hand-operated gear level that allows changing gears at its own bidding with the clutch and acceleration pedal. It had proved to be the most preferred choice based on reliability, cost, and efficiency but that’s not the case anymore due to the increased popularity and comfort of an automatic car. Following are some of its pros and cons.

Pros:

● Easier to repair and less expensive to maintain

● Less costly and in fact more fuel-efficient

● They have a better control

Cons:

● Makes learning how to drive slightly challenging in the beginning

● Traffic times can be extremely stressful and tiring due to the constant manual gear shifting

Automatic Transmission

These are more common in urban areas and have rapidly become a more popular choice with the ease and convenience they provide, due to the increased traffic on roads. Thus type of transmission automatically changes gears with the mechanical parts of the car without having to constantly use either the clutch or gear level. It has become a widespread commodity for all. However, this convenience comes at a cost. Following are some of its pros and cons.

Pros:

● The effortless drive and convenience these cars offer make it a better choice in comparison to other types of vehicles

● Easier to operate in general but especially during traffic times with its less strained process of gear changing

● Its less manually restricting and in fact reduces risk of stalling during traffic avoiding the constant start and stop of your car

● It has a higher resale value as well

Cons:

● It has a higher maintenance cost due to the variety of working parts that can take a longer time, effort and expertise to repair.

● Less fuel economy as compared to manual cars

● Slightly lower in mileage

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)

CVT falls under the category of automatic transmission and is one of the most popular kinds of gearbox especially for scooters. It comes with just one gear that relies on a system of belts providing an infinite number of ratios. Following are some of its pros and cons.

Pros:

● It’s sometimes considered smoother than a traditional automatic gearbox

● The continuous gear shift allows continuous acceleration and an increased fuel efficiency

Cons:

● Slightly expensive price and maintenance cost

Choosing the right transmission for you is a significant element to be considered while purchasing a car. After careful understanding of the different types of transmissions and their pros and cons, further depending on your driving dynamics, experience and purpose, opt for the most suitable choice. An automatic car insurance is more expensive than insuring a manual one due to the differences in the convenience provided and cost of maintenance. Cholamandalam MS offers its car insurance for an even peaceful ride with your car, be it manual, automatic or CVT.