Hello guys! I'm starting this thread, in response to the several automatic transmission failures, documented on these boards. Now many would state they prefer automatic transmission, due to ease of driving, Lagos traffic etc. Some prefer automatic transmission, simply because it make their automobile seem more "full option". Personally, the benefits of automatic transmission over manual don't seem worth the issues that go with them. We all know Nigerians have this obsession with fuel economy, reliability, low maintenance etc. Do these benefits outweigh those offered by manual, which is pretty much maintenance free? Automatics make any car thirstier, that's a known fact. They are heavier, sap valuable engine output, require more periodic maintenance, are very unforgiving of contamination, do not like heat (the most common killer) and their malfunction can pretty much ground all but the most expensive of vehicles. The mere action of keeping the shift in D, holding t