As the age of manuals closes around me, I just hope I can keep one running until I can’t drive anymore. Manuals are simply more thrilling to drive than automatics. Performance is so minutely worse, that only professional racers should care.
Manual Transmission Sales Are Up Again This Year
- Thread starter Oillover
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The auto industry has gotten away from stick shifters for the same reason Formula 1 has. They have outlived their time.
Certainly from a performance standpoint. For nostalgia, yes I can understand someone wanting one to play with. They're fun.
But there is no longer any reason to drive one for performance. 50 years ago there was.
Certainly from a performance standpoint. For nostalgia, yes I can understand someone wanting one to play with. They're fun.
But there is no longer any reason to drive one for performance. 50 years ago there was.
So what? They existed back then. There just weren't as many idiots to record. One of the funniest shows on in that era was "Candid Camera".
But they recorded people who were funny... Not idiots who think France won the Civil War.
I totally agree with you.
But then why are the sales numbers for manuals increasing despite all you posted?
Shouldn't it be going the other way?
Since it isn't, what's the reason? is this a trend indicative of other factors in North American society?
In Europe is huge demand talking about used VW cars with sticks cause of the problems with the famous DSG transmission. My Toyota’s are sticks, never changed the fluid although, my negligence. Both have nice feeling changing gears, VW are more sophisticated ( you can change the gears with 2 fingers) and the old bimmers are even more slick. Zf 8 is very smooth also. My preference is stick to stick. With automatic transmission I feel that somebody else is driving ….
Not true. Thick traffic is a very real, very punishing thing in many people's lives. For my last car, the manual was available.
I preferred it mechanically but even with using public transportation regularly, I was still working and couldn't risk the strenuous bother of crawling with a stick.
The screenshot of the survey of younger drivers (post #51) expressing interest in manuals is worthless.
That manuals were cheaper than automatics has been mentioned once.
No one has reminisced over avoiding faulty / old automatics in favor of manuals which happened a lot when I was a young driver. Many girls had manuals so they wouldn't have to deal with, what were then, inevitable repairs.
I believe Europeans have embraced automatics on par with No. Americans. Scandinavia might have more manuals.
I built the V1 and I built the V2. I worked for the Fuhrer and I'll work for you too. from a bad presentation I once saw.
I'd love to be able to get a Ranger with a stick.
Tacoma fans - enjoy it while it lasts.
9 years ago I owned 3 vehicles, all sticks. One of them I specifically sought out and had to cover some area before I could find one. Ford Escape 4WD with a stick. Ended up finding an '07 (this was in '13) and it's still in the family.
Also owned a 2000 F150 with a stick and a 2013 Mustang with a stick. I live in SC and had to get one I wanted in the config I wanted shipped from Florida. Around here, you saw very few Mustang sticks.
Tacoma fans - enjoy it while it lasts.
9 years ago I owned 3 vehicles, all sticks. One of them I specifically sought out and had to cover some area before I could find one. Ford Escape 4WD with a stick. Ended up finding an '07 (this was in '13) and it's still in the family.
Also owned a 2000 F150 with a stick and a 2013 Mustang with a stick. I live in SC and had to get one I wanted in the config I wanted shipped from Florida. Around here, you saw very few Mustang sticks.
I lived with a manual for a long time. To me traffic made a difference.
Without getting political, how much different is it than what we're doing with Zelinski and Ukraine today? Most governments deal with villains when they have to. Or when it is advantageous for them to do so.
It's been going on since the dark ages, and it will continue to go on until the human species has dissolved into dust. You can wear a white hat, chant, and wave whatever flag makes you feel better. It doesn't change a thing.
I am a manual transmission zealot, but I can understand the appeal of automatics. Most people, no, the vast majority of people are not car enthusiasts. By car enthusiast I mean people who love driving for the experience in of itself.
If people want a point a to point b family vehicle, an automatic is for the most part better. I will concede that price favors the manual, but that’s the only thing for non enthusiasts.
Automatics are just as reliable (seem to be declining though), more fuel efficient, accelerate faster, and just convenient.
As a car enthusiast myself, I don’t care that everyone else is driving an auto. What does bother me is that manufacturers aren’t making manuals for the slim minority of people who love stick shifts! So I am left in the cold because everyone left manuals behind. And it’s not an anachronistic thing. Manuals are more fun for recreation. Doesn’t matter what people say there.
If people want a point a to point b family vehicle, an automatic is for the most part better. I will concede that price favors the manual, but that’s the only thing for non enthusiasts.
Automatics are just as reliable (seem to be declining though), more fuel efficient, accelerate faster, and just convenient.
As a car enthusiast myself, I don’t care that everyone else is driving an auto. What does bother me is that manufacturers aren’t making manuals for the slim minority of people who love stick shifts! So I am left in the cold because everyone left manuals behind. And it’s not an anachronistic thing. Manuals are more fun for recreation. Doesn’t matter what people say there.
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I remember playing hockey in 2000, it was actually coed. Tempers would flare. One attractive female threw her stick down and called our goalie a f****** a*****. They were competitive. Next thing you know at the happy hour they’re making out 
But I remember. Every one of my teammates had a stick. Probably at the time athletic people opted for manuals. I could be wrong but that’s what it seemed like. I think one girl even had a Saturn so it was not a sports car.
But I remember. Every one of my teammates had a stick. Probably at the time athletic people opted for manuals. I could be wrong but that’s what it seemed like. I think one girl even had a Saturn so it was not a sports car.
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My 2003 Ford F-150 XL short bed has the 5 speed manual in it and I really enjoy
driving the truck. 4.2 V6 engine.
And, with only 95,000 original miles.
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That would explain problems adding and subtracting.
In 2009, I brought a battery back to Advance Auto which was purchased in 2005 and had a 84 mo warranty. Two clerks told me my warranty expired. I started out by being nice, don’t even factor in what month I bought the battery and what month it is today. If you subtract 2005 from 2009, what do you get? Both were lost already. So now I was angry. It’s 4! How many years is 84 months?! Lost again. It’s 7. Does 4 years sound like it’s longer than 7 years? One bursts out laughing, the other was still lost. They were about 25 at the time.
Two for one...you got the communication skills demo with the math.
As coincidences would have it, a young pitcher for San Diego refused to exceed his 3 pitch per outing limit last night.
Such "stories" can be so spun.
As coincidences would have it, a young pitcher for San Diego refused to exceed his 3 pitch per outing limit last night.
Such "stories" can be so spun.
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Many leave home when they marry, as marriages become late and rare that also motivates the might as well save money at home mindset.
Considering basic housing Is 10x what it was not long ago we might end up with generational homes like we had in the Middle Ages or in foreign countries.
I totally agree with you.
But then why are the sales numbers for manuals increasing despite all you posted?
Shouldn't it be going the other way?
Since it isn't, what's the reason? is this a trend indicative of other factors in North American society?
I’ve never owned manuals for 0-60 performance,
Price, repairs, maintenance, reliability, “snow” driving and fuel economy always made up my mind to never own another automatic.
Knowing the differences and flaws of the EPA fuel Economy tests for auto vrs manual and having owned identical vehicles with both automatic and manual transmissions I can easily say that you can always get better fuel economy rowing your own gears. (Even when epa says you can’t)
The EPA testing is invalid and you can shift for economy if you want.
a few manual out there that are interesting are
Ford Bronco
Ford Bronco
- Acura Integra A-Spec
- BMW M2
- BMW M3
- BMW M4
- Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
- Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Spark
- Dodge Challenger
- Ford Bronco
- Ford Mustang
- Honda Civic SI
- Honda Civic Type R
- Hyundai Elantra N
- Jeep Gladiator
- Jeep Wrangler
- Kia Forte GT Manual
- Lotus Emira
- Mazda Mazda3
- Mazda MX-5 Miata
- MINI Clubman
- MINI Cooper
- Nissan Versa
- Nissan Z
- Porsche 718
- Porsche 911
- Subaru BRZ
- Subaru Crosstrek
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Corolla Hatchback
- Toyota Corolla Sedan
- Toyota GR Corolla
- Toyota GR86
- Toyota Supra
- Toyota Tacoma
- Volkswagen Golf GTI
- Volkswagen Golf R
- Volkswagen Jetta
I rarely see manual transmission on lots. Maybe vw has a one or two base jettas in manual
These days you have to order it special, they are never on the lot
I bought a ford mustang and the throttle hang was horrible, worst/longest hanging throttle I’ve ever experienced, ended up but a “restrictor plate” for the idle air control valve which, on that car, helped lessen the time the throttle hung open. My jeep does it too but not nearly as much or as bad. But nothing compares to driving my carbureted Camaro, no throttle hang or anything, it’s amazing
new cars are comfortable and nice to drive, but so much emissions/safety stuff ruins the driving experience if you like that raw feeling of a car with no stability control, traction control, abs, etc. but I guess the idea is if the car can do most of the “driving” less room for human error, but that also makes people not know how to control a car on a snowy slope or other areas where the car is at its mechanical limit and needs a skilled driver to recover.I recently inherited a 2011 Hyundai Tucson with MT and sold it. It took about a week to sell…I noticed that everyone who came to look was either from Peru, Chile, or Mexico. The guy who bought it (a recent immigrant from Peru) said in South America most vehicles are still manual so it’s what people are comfortable with.
My wife and I rented a car in Mexico about 5 years back and it was MT - they all were at the place we rented from.
Our main vehicle is a 2005 CR-V AWD with a manual and we absolutely love it. We hope to get to 400k.
My wife and I rented a car in Mexico about 5 years back and it was MT - they all were at the place we rented from.
Our main vehicle is a 2005 CR-V AWD with a manual and we absolutely love it. We hope to get to 400k.
