As much as I am a manual transmission guy, not everything is. The 4R70W where I got to dial in my own shift points was the best auto I had. Because I programmed it to shift like how I would shift a stick.
There are times where driving an auto is nice. Playing in big rocks, I like an auto. But just plucking along on a rocky trail, I like a good stick. I can keep momentum better with a stick. When the rocks get too big for momentum, auto. But with an auto, I like less torque convertor. Lot of gear with an auto is a lot better control then trying to get the same torque multiplied via a convertor.
If I add it up right, I have only owned 5 autos. Couple of 4R70W, a 5-speed, C6, and a 7-speed. Manuals, 3-speed (floor and column), 4-speeds, 5-speeds, and a 6-speed. Spread over too many vehicles to keep track of. I have way more miles on the manuals than I do with autos. All the motorcycles are full clutch manual as well, three 5-speeds but only one 6-speed. Short time with a 3-wheeler that was manual (forgot how many gears) but auto clutch, but didn't own long enough to really count.
What's better? Depends on what you want and what you want to do with it.
I thought your post said "661" not "601".
