Automobiles come with numerous parts, and with those parts comes a multitude of myths surrounding them. The transmission in particular remains a mystery to many drivers today. The professionals at Mr. Transmission banded together to help you determine what’s fact and what’s fiction when it comes to these popular claims:
- Manual transmissions get better mileage than automatic ones. While this particular myth may have been true in the past, it’s not so much the case anymore. Inefficiencies that plagued automatic transmissions in previous years have been smoothed out and replaced with more variable speeds – perhaps giving them an advantage over manual models when it comes to mileage.
\ “Inefficiencies that plagued automatic transmissions in previous years have been smoothed out.” - Manual transmissions are cheaper to repair than automatic transmissions. Many automotive experts would agree manual transmissions tend to cost less than those needed for automatic transmissions. Yet, manual models frequently need replacement over the life of the car, whereas an automatic one might not. In the end, you might not be saving much – if anything. Additionally, transmission repair shops have access to the latest equipment and repair techniques, enabling them to fix a variety of transmission issues, possibly at a lower cost than you initially anticipated.
- Changing the fluids will help right any transmission shortcomings. Actually, the opposite may be true in the case of this myth. If you notice dirty transmission fluid, it’s likely there’s a part that’s being worn down somewhere along the line. Changing fluids might result in a buildup of debris – one that causes a major malfunction.
- My transmission is on the brink of failure, but I can drive until it quits completely. You could, but it would cost you a lot more down the road. Driving until your transmission fails will likely result in the failure of other parts and a higher repair bill at the end of it.
For more information on transmission maintenance and repairs, please visit Mr. Transmission’s website!