Manual Trans are Disappearing !

[VNTS]

Smaller engines need the sticks, have 5 stick cars, 3 PT GT turbos, 2 Shelby Turbo Daytonas, auto Durango 5.9 46RE 4spd, auto WJ 4.7 545RFE and new WK2 with hemi and ZF 8spd HP70.

That 8 spd kicks arse. Debating on what to do next year when I order a SRT Challenger. Probably go 8spd and get the maxcare lifetime, then everything is on them versus getting the Tremec and dealing with clutch replacement.

Reality is kids today cant drive a stick. My nephew and neices are pathetic on cars, wife driving her PT GT convertible, has teh Getrag 5 spd with the cue ball on the shifter. Her neice goes, wow thats cool, how do you put it in drive LOL! Wife points out it is a 5 spd and asks her what do you think the pattern on the ball is? rolls eye!

 

[IndyIan]

I've just driven our "new" 06 CRV with the 5spd auto for a couple weeks now. Its OK I guess since the whole thing is a bit awkward, with weirdly boosted powersteering, DBW throttle, and a CofG 6" too high, so its not very rewarding in the corners or anywhere else, so why not have the transmission out of your control too...
It is much easier to drive around with a coffee though.
For just putzing around with the kids, I guess it hardly matters, but I do miss the directness, and mechanical "purity" of the Tracker.
Also I can't remember how the CRV shifted when new, so its fun to wonder if the odd hesitation or firmer shift is normal, or is the trans having troubles...
I'll take a manual anytime its an option.

 

[A_Harman]

All of my vehicles have stick shifts, and I haven't owned an automatic trans vehicle since 2003. And my left knee is arthritic.

 

[Vikas]

This will come as a blasphemy to most of you; even I was shocked at myself but hear me out.

I just drove a beautiful 6-speed manual transmission Acura TL. It was immaculate, inside and out. I had fun test driving it but when I sat back in my automatic TL, I did not miss the manual 6-speed at all.

The manual 6-speed, the top gear was way too high. If I were to purchase that car, I would forget that the car has 6-th gear and would just drive as if it were a 5-speed manual.

Obviously, some of the difference was the power difference between the 2 different generation Acura TL but regardless, current automatic are good enough that I no longer miss the manual 6-speed transmission. Heck, my automatic downshifts on me whole slowing down and uses engine braking!

 

[wemay]

When i'm in traffic, i love an A/T. When on an open road, a 6spd is nice. When i want to relax on my drive home, i'm back to the A/T. It all depends on my mood. Both have their place. I'm cool with either.

But the labeling of A/T people as lazy and M/T as old school snobs is just ridiculous. Every topic doesn't have to be polarizing.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Here we go-another manual transmission thread where all of the manual transmission chest-thumpers come out in droves, as if driving a manual requires any sort of special skill or advanced knowledge. It really doesn't-even my 60-something wife drove our manual Subaru until we sold it last winter.

Driving a modern, dumbed down manual transmission is no more difficult than driving an automatic-it is just a slightly different skill. Yet I'm willing to bet that the majority of those touting their superior driving skills with a manual wouldn't have the first idea of how to drive a real manual, something not synchronized and with twin sticks perhaps. Or something non-synchronised with 13 or 18 gears, or even a little 5 & 2.



Pops, you may have nailed it directly on the head. No reason to brag that you can shift gears in a car...

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Many automotive manufactures don't have manual transmission available for most models, some even don't have any manual transmission at all. Only few manufactures have manual transmission for some models, Honda is one of those few and only with some Accord and Civic trim levels.

The reason is manual sold less than 5% of total vehicles in 2014, cost of certify manual car is high and volume is so low, such that car manufactures just drop it.

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/question-of-the-day-why-do-people-buy-manual-124248577082.html

You're just now figuring this out? It's been this way for quite some time, and it's been discussed to death here on this site about 13,458 times.

 

[quint]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Here we go-another manual transmission thread where all of the manual transmission chest-thumpers come out in droves, as if driving a manual requires any sort of special skill or advanced knowledge. It really doesn't-even my 60-something wife drove our manual Subaru until we sold it last winter.

Driving a modern, dumbed down manual transmission is no more difficult than driving an automatic-it is just a slightly different skill. Yet I'm willing to bet that the majority of those touting their superior driving skills with a manual wouldn't have the first idea of how to drive a real manual, something not synchronized and with twin sticks perhaps. Or something non-synchronised with 13 or 18 gears, or even a little 5 & 2.


My thoughts exactly.

Go land a F-18 on a carrier moving at 20 knots at night in near zero visibility and get back to us on your special talents. Until then, driving a stick puts your 'special talent' on par with my grandmother, literally.

My wife is about as coordinated as a drunk blidfolded giraffe walking a tightrope. She had no concept of how a clutch worked, how to coordinate engine speed to which gear, or anything at all regarding a manual. I took her out in my 5-speed '86 Rx7 one evening years ago in a local mall parking lot and within 10 minutes she could consistently get it rolling without stalling it, within 20 minutes she pretty much was shifting smoothly and at the correct speeds, and in a half hour was driving in traffic. So much for needing any special talent or skill.

A clutch pedal? A shifter and tachometer? Someone please call Einstein to explain all this to me, this is just too difficult! Said no one, ever.

I drove manuals for years in my younger days. Three of my first four cars were manuals. I wouldnt have another, its just not for me anymore. It really wasnt then either.

I'm glad they are still available for those that want one. Roaring around a track in a Vette, sure I can see why someone would prefer one. Or maybe you just like shifting gears yourself, have at it and enjoy the drive. But ridiculing people as lazy or uncoordinated or whatever because they prefer an automatic? Good grief, grow up and get over yourself.

 

[Scum_Frog]

Between my wife and I we have always had at least one manual in our stable for over 20+ years.

I don't see that changing anytime soon.

To me, the driving experience and fun factor just can't be compared. As well in winter the control over an auto is night and day.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Here we go-another manual transmission thread where all of the manual transmission chest-thumpers come out in droves, as if driving a manual requires any sort of special skill or advanced knowledge. It really doesn't-even my 60-something wife drove our manual Subaru until we sold it last winter.

Driving a modern, dumbed down manual transmission is no more difficult than driving an automatic-it is just a slightly different skill. Yet I'm willing to bet that the majority of those touting their superior driving skills with a manual wouldn't have the first idea of how to drive a real manual, something not synchronized and with twin sticks perhaps. Or something non-synchronised with 13 or 18 gears, or even a little 5 & 2.


It's not difficult to double declutch or do mental arithmetic until you learn which gear is where and when, you make it sound like driving a manual is difficult.

It's not more difficult than driving automatic, it's easy! I think treason people hate on automatics in these threads is because of how slow they are to react. They don't look half a mile down the road and preempt conditions. They don't let you select the gear before you get to the corner. There's more to go wrong with them. They allow for more driver distraction.
People who learn in automatics have a reduced skill set because they don't know how to rev match and don't understand the relationship between gear ration, road speed and tractability. They probably don't know what synchronisers are or why we have them, and they especially don't know how to double de clutch.

Think microwave dinner vs. 5 star Michelin haute cuisine... They both put food in your belly and they both end up in the sewer, but one is the easy lazy way and one is the forward thinking, rewarding due to skill and foresight way of doing things.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I do prefer automatics off road. I finally had a chance to drive a manual transmission Jeep off road. Wasn't too bad. Only thing that got a bit dicey was starting off up a hill with the back to a tree. I did like that I could just put it in 4Lo 1st gear and it would walk along on its own without any input from me.

It's just fun for me. There are good automatics out there. I think I'd even like towing with an automatic. The problem I have experienced towing with 5 and 4 speed manuals is there just aren't enough gears.

 

[KitaCam]

When my last MT Altima got totaled... the only feature I required on its replacement was a manual tranny...as it had been in all the 12 previous cars I've owned and driven 3/4 million miles or so...

I didn't think it'd be easy to find one, but surprise surprise, I found Kitacam at the 1st place I stopped to kick tires...a dealer, the closest to my house....

I know modern ATs can give you some control over the engine's RPMs and torque, but I imagine I'd just leave it in 'auto' and run...the MT forces more attention to controlling the engine...obviously my preference for over 55 years...and for a few more....

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
They are cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, and much more durable and reliable than ANY automatic style unit.


I think that's old, out of date information. Maybe cheaper to buy, the rest, not so much. If there is an advantage to having a stick shift, it's theft deterrent.

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: Olas
I think treason people hate on automatics in these threads is because of how slow they are to react.


Not the case anymore.

 

[Delta]

Must be a regional thing, but car lots around here have several sticks in different trim. When I lived down South it was almost impossible to find a stick, let alone one with "leather" seats. I finally found my Jetta in Georgia. Was it worth it? Some days yes, cruising through the mountains is much easier in a stick, IMO. The Camry's wonky 6 speed auto is atrocious in the mountains. The other days driving stick in traffic, heck no, not worth the trouble I went to buy the Jetta! Had I known I was moving back to a more populated area I would have gone a different route. It's tolerable now though and I have no issues. It is laughable that my 60 year old mother can drive the car no problems (I honestly think she likes it...) but my sister in her mid 30's has no clue. My grandfather tried to teach her years ago in a little Metro convertible, but could never grasp the concept. Heck I think my 80 year old grandmother drove it once.

 

[SHOZ]

Manual trans are one of the best deterrents for car theft.

 

[KrisZ]

I don't mind both manuals and automatics, perhaps mostly since the slushbox in our Mazda 3 is quite good for a simple 4spd automatic.
The DSG in my in-laws Jetta TDI is also quite good, but I did have to switch to S-mode in heavy traffic to prevent it from shifting too much and riding the clutch.

Automatics did come a long way and it's about time. It took them only 50 years or so...

 

[quint]

Originally Posted By: Olas

I think treason people hate on automatics in these threads is because of how slow they are to react.

Are you serious? Have you driven an automatic built in the last 25 years? Or even recently?

Originally Posted By: Olas
They don't look half a mile down the road and preempt conditions.
They probably dont invest wisely or plan for retirement either. Idiot automatic drivers!


Originally Posted By: Olas
They don't let you select the gear before you get to the corner.
Even my lowly Mazda3 5-speed automatic allows me to do this. Pull the lever to the left, select gear. Exit corner, push back to the right, back into automatic mode. And no clutch.


Originally Posted By: Olas
There's more to go wrong with them.
Like clutches. And synchros. Those NEVER fail. I have replaced four clutches and roasted two second gear synchros. I have yet to have any of my automatics fail. Not one.

Originally Posted By: Olas
People who learn in automatics have a reduced skill set because they don't know how to rev match and don't understand the relationship between gear ration, road speed and tractability.
Oh they arent quite as dumb as you think they are. And why I would need to rev match anything when I am driving an automatic, I'll leave for you to explain. And having one of my kid recently go through driving training, I can assure you the relationship of speed and tractability was covered quite well. So... wrong.

Originally Posted By: Olas
They probably don't know what synchronisers are or why we have them, and they especially don't know how to double de clutch.
And why, exactly, would they need to? I'd be willing to bet most average manual transmission drivers dont know what a synchro is either. Or double clutching.

They probably cant fly helicopters either. Distracted, lazy fools.

Originally Posted By: Olas
Think microwave dinner vs. 5 star Michelin haute cuisine... They both put food in your belly and they both end up in the sewer, but one is the easy lazy way and one is the forward thinking, rewarding due to skill and foresight way of doing things.
And here we go with the 'lazy' nonsense again. Grow up.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: quint

I think treason people hate on automatics in these threads is because of how slow they are to react.

Are you serious? Have you driven an automatic built in the last 25 years? Or even recently?

A Honda crv and a Jag x type this year, an Audi A6, an X5 and a E39 last year.
In every single one of them, you experience a distinct delay between matting the throttle and accelerating.


Originally Posted By: Olas
They don't look half a mile down the road and preempt conditions.
They probably dont invest wisely or plan for retirement either. Idiot automatic drivers!

That comment was aimed at the box, not the driver.
Is your Mazda a manual, with automation? Or is it an automatic, with manual override? If the latter, why not have a real manual instead of a pretend one? Or if the former, what is your aversion to taking control of a manually controllable device?

 

[grampi]

This is all nothing but the automakers making things easier for THEM. It's not unlike when they went away from individual options to option "packages"...if they had their way, EVERY vehicle they built would be the same model, same options, same color, etc...