Now, there are many different basic configurations that go into the setup of every vehicle.  One of the most important and complex of these is the transmission.  The purpose of the transmission is that of converting the rotational power provided from the engine and either decreasing the ratio to increase torque for low speed, or raising the ratio of spins from the engine to increase power at higher speeds.

      The way that this crucial part of the vehicle takes form however, varies greatly. The most two common types of transmissions are the automatic and the manual transmission.  The manual is easily the most basic yet effective type of transmission once one knows how to use it.  The manual transmission operates with a foot operated clutch configuration and a manual gearbox to manually shift between the different gears.  This gives the driver the ultimate satisfaction of actually being completely connected to the car and the road, this experience is unrivaled by any other transmission type.

      Automatic transmissions include many different types of shifting techniques. The most common is the fully automated transmission, which includes the mode selector, and the gas and brake (no clutch is present due to it being automated thus where the name automatic partly comes from).  All that you need to have in order to operate this transmission is a brain, an arm and a leg.  Along with the fully automated transmission, there is the automated manual transmission.  This is the same pedal setup and selector setup as a normal automatic except for the fact that there is an option to override into a manual gear shifting mode.  Although you are changing the gears, the clutch is still automated.  The third type of transmission is the dual clutch transmission.  The dual clutch transmission is a similar setup as the automated manual, but with more chances to control the shifting yourself, With the shifters either coming in the form of an up-down selector built into the mode selector, or in the form of paddles aligning with the steering wheel much like that in a Formula One car.  These transmissions allow for a much faster and efficient gear shift, with shift times in some cars having up-shifts as fast as 6 milliseconds.

      The benefits of having a manual versus an automatic transmission and the other way around are very apparent.  In my humble opinion in having driven many of these different transmission types, i would have to say that my favorite transmission type would have to be the manual.  I feel this way for a couple of different reasons.  The first is that I feel like I am preserving a lost art that is rapidly dying out.  The second is that I feel the best manual operators on the planet can still outperform even the best fully automated transmissions in the world wholly on the fact that the computer in the car can still make the wrong decision in what gear to put the car in going out or into a turn, when a person knows exactly what gear he wants at exactly what time.  You just cant achieve that in a computer driven car.

      With this in mind,I challenge all of you who read this to consider the next time you are buying a car, " can i get a manual with this?" or at least "is there an option for me to control the shifts?" because I guarantee that it will be the most fun you will ever have while driving.