Two of the main transmission types for vehicles nowadays are automatic and manual transmission. For automatic transmission, generally, all you have to do is put the transmission on drive and then you simple press the accelerator to move and the brakes to stop. In manual transmission, things are a bit more complicated. You'll have to press the clutch and position the gear yourself. Do you want to put it on first gear, second gear, third gear, and so on and so forth. Learning how to drive manual transmission is much more complicated. You have to memorize the position of the gears. Should you position the stick to the upper left or the upper right? Should it be in the middle or should it be down below. The timing of the clutch is also a complicated matter. You have to make sure that your car will not stall when you change from one gear to another. If you are planning to purchase a vehicle that has manual transmission then you have to make sure that you know how to operate it. If you do not know how to operate a manual transmission vehicle then you will end up burning the clutch and maybe even breaking your entire gearbox. Transmission is a very expensive component of the vehicle and this is one of the last things that you would want to break down, aside from the engine.

In general, manual transmission is cheaper and more gas consumption efficient than automatic transmission vehicles. If you would like to save on gas then manual transmission would be a better choice in most cases. On the other hand, if you do not like the responsibility of constantly shifting from one gear to another then automatic transmission would be a great option for you. In times of heavy traffic, shifting from neutral to first gear can be very tiring for manual transmission vehicles. If you do not want to go through all this hassle then you should simply get a vehicle with automatic transmission.

There are also some other transmission systems out there aside from the automatic and manual transmission. These hybrid transmission systems are in between automatic and manual transmission. Some transmission systems out there allow you to shift gears as you please without the clutch. There are also some transmission systems out there that are attached to the steering wheel already. These high tech transmission systems allow you to shift gears as if you were playing a computer game.

Should you purchase a vehicle that has automatic, manual, or hybrid transmission? This is a question that you will answer upon purchasing your vehicle. If you think that you want better gas consumption efficiency then a manual transmission would suit you whilst if you want easier driving then automatic transmission will suit you. Should you go for a hybrid transmission? Ask your dealer and find out how it fits in with your needs. There are so many types of hybrid transmissions out there and you may need a more detailed description of them to make a good decision on your purchase.