Manual vs. Automatic?

[Tiamat]

Would the 96-00 DX 5spd with it's economy gearing still be faster than an automatic?

[green_hornet_96]

Since the manual was a 5spd and the auto was a 4spd, probably, since the gears are closer. I speak from experience, just with the EX; the auto couldn't break the tires free on an uphill on gravel, wouldn't go to redline (so it fell to less than 4k after a shift), and has no power once out of second gear. In contrast, the manual on the same engine feels a whole lot more powerful no matter what the gear. I'd go with the manual for better efficiency and power.