# Automatic vs. Manual Insurance Price?



## soma (Nov 10, 2003)

Do you know how much more car insurance for a car with a manual transmission costs vs an automatic transmission (%)?


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## Becky (Nov 5, 2003)

you might have to call around to different companies and give them your info to find out :stu


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

soma said:


> Do you know how much more car insurance for a car with a manual transmission costs vs an automatic transmission (%)?


I've never heard of that factor having an impact on insurance cost and don't see why it should. I've never seen an insurance company ask "do you have stick?" Of course, with my Chevy Impala they already know, as all Impala are automatics. The question never came up with pervious vehicles -- Toyota Corolla & Ford F-150 where it could be either.


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## soma (Nov 10, 2003)

Hm... My dad says that sticks cost more money to insure, so he doesn't want me to get one (but I want one  ). Apparently, if you drive a stick shift, you're more likely to get in an accident.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

soma said:


> Hm... My dad says that sticks cost more money to insure, so he doesn't want me to get one (but I want one  ). Apparently, if you drive a stick shift, you're more likely to get in an accident.


My late father said a lot of stuff that turned out to be total BS during his life. I'd say check with insurance companies to get the facts. Dads have been known to be wrong at times, so I wouldn't simply take his word for it.

As someone with extensive stick shift experience, I personally can't imagine why anyone would want a stick, and given that many cars don't even offer a stick it looks like many agree with me.

Sticks might produce higher insurance rates because they tend to be attached to things like sports cars which have higher rates because they can reach incredible speeds that produce incredible damage if they hit something or go out of control. Of course, if the stick is attached to a Toyota Corolla that car isn't going fast no matter what transmission you put in it.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

I've never heard of any difference in insurance rates between the two, but I suppose it depends on the company. I've been driving sticks for 15 years and I've never had an accident. Best to call and check with them first, but I don't think there would be much if any difference.


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## Bon (Dec 24, 2005)

I wonder if this has to do with the idea, that standards (today) are typically cheaper, my Mom's winter car, is a stick because it was cheaper (like, what........50 cents a month......) I'm not talking about a high performance car....

When given the VIN number.... When comparing the cost of insurance, the forms I have seen ask what my car had "Tilt wheel" Sun roof......

If a car is cheaper, the value isn't as high so the insurance rates are cheaper.......Just a thought.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

Lonelyguy said:


> I've never heard of any difference in insurance rates between the two, but I suppose it depends on the company. I've been driving sticks for 15 years and I've never had an accident. Best to call and check with them first, but I don't think there would be much if any difference.


I never learned how to drive a stick. My dad always had automatics to drive. Here sticks are a pain with the steep hills, and slick roads in the winter. Most time you have to keep both hands on the wheel at all times when the roads turn into car hockey rinks.


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## odun (Nov 9, 2003)

ive always driven automatics.

be that as it may...automatics are trash and can only give you problems..


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

odun said:


> ive always driven automatics.
> 
> be that as it may...automatics are trash and can only give you problems..


I never had any trouble with automatics. I drove many vehicles for many miles with no problems. The only thing is to change the trannie fluid every so often. One car I drove 250,000 miles with no problems, and we pulled boats, and snowmobile trailers with it.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

odun said:


> be that as it may...automatics are trash and can only give you problems..


Yeah, my dad used to give us that story, saying "automatics are unproven". He said this in the 1980s when automatics had first been put in cars in the late 1930s. I guess half a century isn't enough proof from some.

He shut the hell up about this after two Ford F-150s (a 1987 & 89 model) had serious problems. On one the clutch burned out and on the other the tranmission failed (while he was driving it -- which seems poetic justice). Actually, it didn't totally fail. My brother came out and had to shove it with full force and hold it to keep it in reverse so the truck could back up and then be driven home. The repair on that was $1,700 a decade ago. And these failures happened at fairly low miles (under 50,000).

Toyota manuals & clutches never failed and we've had 3 of them -- 2 went to the junkyard and #3 is still in use and running fine.

I don't know how reliable automatics are, but I can tell you that sticks are not without problems too.

In the case of the Toyotas all were either bottom of the line or very close to bottom. Your only choice on such a cheap car was either a good stick or a crappy 3 speed auto, which is crap. Any decent car came with a 4 speed auto with lock-up torque converter to lower engine speed and save fuel on the highway. Now they have automatics with 5, 6, and I think even 7 speeds.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

copper said:


> Here sticks are a pain with the steep hills, and slick roads in the winter. Most time you have to keep both hands on the wheel at all times when the roads turn into car hockey rinks.


I assume a lot of the 4x4 trucks in your area are also used to plow snow. It's virtually impossible to imagine anybody trying to plow snow with a stick.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

UltraShy said:


> copper said:
> 
> 
> > Here sticks are a pain with the steep hills, and slick roads in the winter. Most time you have to keep both hands on the wheel at all times when the roads turn into car hockey rinks.
> ...


Yeah alot of people have 4x4 with plows and contract their services out. You got to watch out in the morning, they will run over you. They spend all morning running house to house. You would burn your clutch out in no time. Like the parking lot at work needs to be plowed 2 - 3 times per day. They really get a work out. If I had a bigger driveway I would get a plow for mine. They make Blizzard plows just right out of town here. But my driveway is small and I am handling it with my 20 horsepower snowblower. I also have a big scoop and many shovels. Snow removing has become a regular art form for me.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

copper said:


> But my driveway is small and I am handling it with my 20 horsepower snowblower.


We have an 8 hp snowblower, a very standard full-size machine. Around here they don't even sell snowblowers bigger than 10 hp.


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

odun said:


> ive always driven automatics.
> 
> be that as it may...automatics are trash and can only give you problems..


I have had both in my lifetime and I would say either one can give you problems. How about replacing the clutch, you dont have that happen on an automatic. Cars break down, its just the way it is. I dont think automatics have more issues than standard.

I have never been asked by an insurance company in either California, Nevada, or Colorado (all states where I have been licenesed and insured) about that.


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