Keith Devens .com

What you need is a car with a manual gearbox: at least that way, you always know what it's doing. Also, they allow you to shift gears more efficiently.

I should have been clearer... my main car is a manual. I rented an automatic, and while with a manual you always know that it's in the gear, I was wondering if an automatic might take you out of it while cruising. Probably not, but it feels almost like the automatic puts you in neutral when you're not on the gas -- I think there was much less feel of the gears slowing you down. Of course, it could just be my car that I'm used to.

automatics will not put you in neutral when cruising but will stay (almost) in "crusing mode" if you are not on gas.

So it is true, automatics do not have something like an inherent "motor brake" (i.e. decelerating because of the friction causes by the motor while in "neutral" mode).

That's why automatics will have to replace their brakes more often than cars where you have to manually shift the gears.

(btw: although i too drive an automatic, it does annoy me if the car in front of me stays on the brake all the time while rolling slowly towards the traffic light. i never know does he BRAKE now, or does he just roll on slowly because of his automatic gear ....;-)