TexasAggie

I will soon buy a new car and am now considring if should go with manual or automatic. I will live in Houston by the time I get my car (A4) and am worried about the disadvantages I see in operating a manual transmission in rush hour trafic.
Anyone from Houston or any other major Metropolitan area that can shard their experience.

plug1

Actually, i think the Qtip in Queens is great (if ya know what i mean)

Erik van der Neut

I would never get an automatic, not even if I was going to be in traffic jams a lot. Also, QTip is _not_ like shifting gears manually. (I assume that QTip is Audi's tip-tronic?) I have tried tip-tronic in other cars, and I always found it a most disappointing experience: it is still an automatic shift, and you can really tell. I don't know about Audi's QTip, but tip-tronic typically has some delay time, which is _most_ annoying. And since it feels like an automatic shift anyway, you'll end up just driving fully automatic.

If you buy a car like an Audi that is built to be a pleasure to drive (as opposed to just getting from A to B), _always_ get a manual. Besides, shifting gears in the A4 is wonderful, it's incredibly smooth and easy, and very precise.

- Erik

crumps

I just test drove an A4 5 speed for the first time on Saturday at Don McGill in Houston, and there's a feature that might interest you. In first gear(or any gear for that matter), as long as you don't come to a complete stop and depress the clutch, the car's ECU keeps the car creeping without stalling...

Now there's absolutely no need for QTip...

You still at A&M? If so, do you know who drives the black S4 that parks at Reed every day?

BigDan

And I've never had any problems having the manual transmission in traffic. The Audi manual is easier to use in heavy stop-and-go traffic than many other vehicles. I don't think there is any need to go with the Tip unless you just really want a Tip.

TexasAggie

Don't know who drives the Black S4

Frank B

I have the Tip and like it very much. I love shifting without taking my hands off the steering wheel (except in very sharp corners) and not bothering with the clutch. I enjoy driving and have previously had such cars with manual as the Porsche 944 turbo. I drive in manual mode about 99% of the time. 99.5 2.8 QSTip

Frank B

Wilder_rocks

I agree. I'm in Dallas also.