i'm doing my senior project on the fuel economy of both the automatic transmission and the manual transmission. i've heard that manuals have the better of the two but i dont really have a way to prove it, if anyone has any comments on the subject please tell me. thanks alot.

Drive your Hummer to various car dealerships, read and record sticker information on vehicles identical except for type of transmission, average acquired data, in that order.

Too easy? Go to a number of dealerships, buy and drive a lot of identical vehicles except for type of transmission, carefully record mileage data, in that order.

Still too easy? Come on! I'm not smart enough to make it any harder. ;)

Conceptually speaking, manuals dont waste any engine rotation through the torque converter, like an automatic does. That being said, alot of people who drive stick end up over-revving their cars to shift or just to be wicked cool. Still, I'm pretty sure it doesnt compare to the amount of gas an auto wastes.

to be honest, i thought most the difference came from teh fact that automatics weigh more

i'm doing my senior project on the fuel economy of both the automatic transmission and the manual transmission. i've heard that manuals have the better of the two but i dont really have a way to prove it, if anyone has any comments on the subject please tell me. thanks alot.

There used to be a very noticible difference with the manuals coming in way over the top. But improvements in design have brought automatics almost to the same level. There is still some loss in the torque converter and the pumps in the automatics.

So, manuals - with a direct-drive connection are still slightly better IF the car is driven properly. Improper driving methods (over-revving, shifting at the wrong points, etc.) used by many with manual transmissions will completely mask and actually negate the fuel savings.