The real difference between an automatic transmission and a manual transmission is the way that the vehicle shifts through gears.  On an automatic the driver shifts the gear to drive (or lower set gear) and hits the gas, as speed increases the transmission automatically steps up the gear to keep RPM's under red line.  However, on a manual, the driver is responsible for shifting between gears to as speed increases to keep from red lining.

Automatic transmissions are preferred amongst the common driver, because of it's ease of use.  A manual transmission requires coordination between the clutch, throttle, and shifting of gears to provide a smooth ride and not damage the transmission.  However, there are some performance incentives for both automatic and manual transmissions, depending on what role is required.

Automatic Transmissions For Drag Racing

Most bracket drag racers prefer an automatic transmission.  This is because in bracket drag racing consistency counts more than specific times.  Elinating factors like clutch speed and shift speed a racer is able to lay down consistent runs in the quarter or eighth mile runs.  Furthermore, most racing automatic transmissions are equipped with stall converters, which allow a high rpm drop into gear, emulating how a manual transmission would react to immediate high RPMs.

Manual Transmission For Racing

Manual transmissions are preferred for traditional racing applications, where quick gear changes are required to exit turns quickly.  In most cases an automatic transmission could not keep up with a skilled driver using a stick shift.  Properly navigating turns, following the driving line, and exiting fast requires foot work on the clutch and throttle and being able to keep high RPMs no matter the speed.  It truly is an art that requires practice and training.

Difference Between Automatic and Manual Day to Day Driving

It boils down to personal preference on what kind of transmission you would want in a daily driver.  I prefer driving a manual because I feel that I have more control over the vehicle's direct performance.  For some, like myself, driving a stick shift is an enjoyable experience and comes second nature.

Manual cars and trucks will typically get better gas mileage than an automatic.  That's because instead of a catch all RPM shift, manual drivers can shift early, to keep RPMs down, thus driving more efficiently.

------------------------------------------

This has been a post into a series of articles on explaining entry level questions to automotive enthusiasts.

Other Difference Articles:

Difference Between Halogen and HID Lights

Difference Between Turgo and Super Chargers

What does 5.2 liter engine and 10 cylinders have in common?  They both are helping rocket the all new Audi R8 to over 500 horse power.  What's even more inspiring is that the V10 Audi engine is naturally aspirated, so no boost making the big horsepower numbers, just tried and true displacement and Audi racing technology.

As for the raw facts, the Audi R8 reportedly does 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and produces just under 400 ft lbs of torque.  Furthermore it's power peak isn't reached until a whopping 8,700 rpms.  Plus there are lots of handling and suspension technology that Audi prides itself on, which it claims it borrows from Audi's Le Mans victories.  Far to advance for my taste, but just look at the Audi R8 pics from detroit below, enough to get my motor running. /end stupid pun

A part of the reason that Mustangs have endured so long as the top muscle car in America is that they are so customizable. Each Mustang owner can modify their car exactly the way they want, because there is such an endless supply of parts for them to choose from. It's this wide variety of ways to personalize your Pony that makes them such an alluring vehicle. And it's AmericanMuscle's wide variety of the best aftermarket Mustang parts that keeps people coming back time and time again.

When you want to talk selection, rims are a great place to start. And here at AmericanMuscle, we stock plenty of them. Even the famed Shelby wheels, inspired by the designs of possibly the most famous Mustang enthusiast and modder to ever live, Carol Shelby. These rims, styled after Shelby's high performance Mustang variants of the 60s and 70s, give you car a powerful, retro look.

Being able to sufficiently enjoy time in your Mustang is often dependent on how comfortable the ride is. You could have all the horsepower and torque in the world, but without a set of high-quality Mustang shocks, you're going to get bumped around like crazy. A smooth ride makes everyone in the Mustang happy. Especially the owner, when they think about how wear and tear they're preventing on the rest of their Pony.

And as any real Mustang fanatic will tell you, love of your Pony doesn't stop just because you're not driving it or working on it. With a couple Mustang t-shirts from AmericanMuscle, you can now satisfy your Mustang obsession anywhere you go. We stock a huge selection of both men's and women's Mustang shirts, including ones that help you express you love for Foxbodies, Cobras and 5.0s.

That old idiom, "Planning makes perfect" is just as true for your Corvette modifications as it is for any other project. You may already have a vision of how you want your Corvette to look, sound, and feel - if you don't, looking at some examples of other Corvette pictures can give you some ideas on style trends you'd like to incorporate. And if you head over to CorvetteGuys, our selection of Corvette pictures also includes some favorite performance modifications that our customers have done to their Corvette, so you can put together your parts list.

Once you've been inspired, you may take a walk out to look at your Corvette and finalize your ideas. Have a Corvette rim that's a little scratched? Want to step up to nicer ones? A new Corvette Exhaust from a top name like Magnaflow or SLP might be on your list, too. But here's where things can get frustrating for the project-oriented guy (or gal) - because in the not-so-distant past, it was hard to find all your parts in one place. Happily, if you're already on CorvetteGuys, you don't even have to leave the site to get everything you need to complete your car - and best of all, it's all delivered to your door with free shipping. And while you're there, you might just find a few things to make your Corvette uniquely yours (and to add to your next project list, perhaps?)

Once your Corvette is ready for your next show, race, or club outing and prepared for its "wow!" reception, don't forget to finish off your polished look with some Corvette apparel for yourself, your family - or for the younger folk, your future pit crew. And regardless of whether you own or just love Corvettes, a t-shirt is the perfect way to highlight your admiration for this icon of American sportscars. CorvetteGuys has got everything you need to find inspiration, design your plan, and execute your project in one place, so make it your first stop for all your Corvette performance parts needs.

Audi hopes to capitalize on the luxury SUV market in the US come 2010, by offering a new model Q5 Hybrid.  Currently Lexus is the leader in the market,  with the RX400H, but so much can happen by 2010, especially with the lean towards greener vehicles.  Discussions on what the hybrid engine will actually run on is creating some controversy.

In the European markets consumers are happy to purchase diesel hybrid vehicles, mainly because the price of gasoline is higher than diesel.  However, in the US the price between diesel and gasoline is extremely close, and an American consumer is more likely to pick a traditional gasoline hybrid engine.

A simple upgrade that can increase safety and looks of a vehicle are projector head lights and in turn HID lights.  The difference between HID lights and Halogen lights is the way they burn, to light up.  An HID light will make an arc between two electrodes, while a Halogen light will heat up filament within a gas filled glass.  In most cases HID lighting is more efficient, brighter, and thus safer to use on vehicles to see better in the dark.

Projector Headlights

When buying projector headlights do not assume that you are getting HID lights.  Often times cheap projector head lights are made to use halogen bulbs, instead of the brighter, more intense HID.  The bulbs are generally not interchangable and require an actual kit to get HID lighting out of a traditional halogen bulb setup.  If HID bulbs are used, then melting of the lens and housing is possible.

Before buying projector headlights, for the HID upgrade, make sure that HID bulbs will work in the new headlights you are buying.

High End Vehicle Use

Generally just because headlights on a vehicle are bright, does not mean that they are HID.  High end vehicle manufacturers like Ferrari, Porsche, and Lexus are the only vehicles that have stock HID lighting.  Any other mas produced mid range vehicle will require a HID kit to replace the halogen stock head lamp assembly.

----------------------------------------

This has been a post into a series of articles on explaining entry level questions to automotive enthusiasts.  There are greater details of differences that can be found on HID and Halogen lighting via Wikipedia.

Next What's The Difference Article: Automatic Vs. Manual Performance

It may sound a bit odd, considering the state of upheaval the US economy and much of the world is in, but Lamborghini sales rose 1% last year. A significant amount, when you consider their cars sell for around $200k each, which is making them consider new dealerships in 2009. The super rich always seem to have money, even in a down economy.

At the Detroit auto show Lamborghini showed off their Matte Blue finish LP640. They were making a statement that those lucky enough to purchase a Lambo, were offered cosmetic options at the time of ordering. Custom colors are offered for everything from Brake Calipers to the type of leather used inside. Those with a big enough wallet can live by Lamborghini's moto, "Think The Impossible".

Those looking for big power gains usually turn to some sort of power adder, either a Turbo Charger or a Super Charger. There are some big differences between operation, benefits, and setbacks depending on which setup you choose. Both utilize what's called forced induction to help increase the amount of air mass entering the engine, thus creating more horsepower. How each power adder increases the amount of air mass is where the differences begin and I hope to simplify the differences in this article.

Difference Between Looks

First, a turbo charger looks different than a typical roots style super charger. Furthermore, they are located in different places on the engine.

Difference Between Source of Power

To create forced induction, an accessory like a turbo charger or supercharger requires a power source.  The turbo charger relies on exhaust to power the turbine, which forces air into the engine.  A roots style supercharger will rely on an accessory belt, which spins the turbine and forces air into the engine.  This is why typically going with a turbo over a supercharger is more expensive, because the setup to pull exhaust and pipe back into the turbo is a more expensive installation and requires more parts.

Difference Between Turbo Horsepower

The additional horsepower that is created by a power added engine will also fluctuate depending on which accessory you choose.  A Turbo charger has the capability of providing higher power gains, but only at higher RPMs.  That's because it relies on exhaust to spool up it's turbine, which requires more time, thus power on the lower RPMs are not as high as a supercharger can provide.  Also, even at higher RPMs a Turbo Charger will provide spikes in power, where a supercharger will provide a more even distribution of power over the entire RPM band.

The drop in power at lower RPM's is frequently called Turbo Lag.  This is the name given to the time it takes to bring a turbo up to speed and actually start producing horsepower gains above a normally aspirated engine.  This is most noticable changing from idle to throttle response time.

Warning About Power Adders

Even though a turbo charger or supercharger can be more expensive, they provide the greatest horsepower per dollar spent.  But, just because you can buy a Turbo or Supercharger does not mean you should, because most engines require a lot of prep work before being able to utilize any power adder.  A Turbo or Supercharger adds a lot of strain to an engine, so replacing internal parts of an engine is highly recommended to support the large increase and boost of horsepower.  Furthermore, even after a turbo or SC is installed it's important to make sure your car is properly tuned before going WOT(wide open throttle).  If you don't take the proper steps, installing a power adder may just blow your OEM engine apart.

---

This has been the first in a series of articles on explaining entry level questions to automotive enthusiasts.  There are plenty of other differences in turbos and other power adder sources, but this article just attempts to scratch the surface and explain the basic questions someone may have.

Next What's The Difference Article: HID vs Halogen Lights

Used truck prices can very a lot, just like any vehicle, depending on which part of the country you live in. For some reason, in the Midwest I've found that used truck prices are extremely high and damn near equal the same as a new truck. A domestic used truck price will usually hold it's value, as long as it's taken care of, free of rust, and has a strong motor.

Normal wear and tear doesn't bother potential used truck buyers, because they are buying a truck for a purpose, not a luxury. Having a used truck for sale with general wear and tear, like scratches, and dents just adds character to a dependable investment. As mentioned, buying a used truck for a purpose means that the truck will be used for work and be more susceptible to these imperfections by the new owner anyway.

Small pick up trucks experience a little bit more depreciation on the market when comparing used truck prices.  This is due to the fact that a typical small truck will not have the durability or longevity of a heavy duty full size pickup truck.  Furthermore the uses for a full size pickup far outweigh what can be done with a small size, like a Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado.

New Truck Buyers

The good news for those looking to buy a brand new pick up truck is that you could expect the resale value to hold.  The less depreciation you expect when driving off the lot, the better and the more likely you will be able to resell in a few years and recoop some of the original buying price.  There is always a market for used trucks that are priced right, because you just can't haul a mattress or tow a trailer with a gas saving small car.  Everyone needs a friend with a truck to help them move...right?

Used Trucks on eBay

Enthusiasts drive the automotive industry and making a truck look good requires a few necessary items.  Customizing a truck can be tricky, when getting started, but one thing that you must have are either running boards or nerf bars.  I personally enjoy the looks and function of nerf bars far more than running boards and typically a nerf bar will be more fitting on a 4x4 truck and hold up better when going off road.

Nerf bars are the round metal bars that you see along the bottom of a truck, generally the same length as the doors.  They provide function, by allowing a step for people to use when entering tall trucks or to be used simply for convenience and comfort.  To some extent a nerf bar will also protect the bottom of the doors or floor board in the case you were to bottom out.

As far as style, there are plenty of different flavors of nerf bars to choose from and just as many manufacturers and quality difference.  In past trucks owned I always went with the painted black nerf bars, because frankly the chrome or aluminum ones were just a little too flashy for me.  Nerf bars also vary in price, from as little as $180 up to $1,100, length can have a great impact on the price of nerf bars.  Therefore having 4 doors on a truck will increase the price of a nerf bar, so dont' get shocked when you start shopping and see all the differences.