Why Don't people enjoy driving a manual trans??

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I just don't get it. I think driving a standard transmission has so many advantages, including better/more engaging driving experience, (often) longer transmission life, ect. My trucks previous owner had a hard time selling his F150 because, according to him everyone that called about the truck was flabbergasted when they learned it wasnt an automatic.

Recently I helped a friend buy a truck. We found so many really solid deals that were manuals but he wouldnt even consider them. I tried to take time to teach him but after 5 mins he gave up and acted like it was as complicated as learning quantum physics. He is not a dumb guy by any means, but unfortunately it seems like he is the norm. I'm in my early 30s and I would estimate that 95% of people my age or younger either dont know how or are too lazy to drive a standard. I'd like to hear others take on why this has come to be. I think its a shame.
 
I'm in the auto trans only club. Not a fan of 1920's technology. Now a double clutch automated manual would be just fine for me.
 
Most people don't equate driving with enjoyment, period, and for them having to shift gears manually is just an extra hassle. They want their appliance to take them from A to B, and they want it done with minimum amount of effort and engagement since they have many other things to focus on, like their phone or their make-up. And there's nothing wrong with that. Just a different approach to driving.
 
When I first started driving manual, I thought you were supposed to ease out the clutch pedal on every single shift. It wasn't until later I found out you only have to ease out the clutch when pulling away from a stop.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
When I first started driving manual, I thought you were supposed to ease out the clutch pedal on every single shift. It wasn't until later I found out you only have to ease out the clutch when pulling away from a stop.


Wrong, you should always feather gas with each shift for smooth shifting ( unless you are speed shifting). Clutch and gas feet work opposite.

My Corvette is manual, but I didn't have city commute, or I would have got an automatic. Manuals are no fun in stop and go traffic! And yes my Corvette was a daily driver/ work commute (was because I am now retired).
 
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
When I first started driving manual, I thought you were supposed to ease out the clutch pedal on every single shift. It wasn't until later I found out you only have to ease out the clutch when pulling away from a stop.


You dont have to ease it out ever. Burnout!
 
Originally Posted By: cashmoney
I'm in the auto trans only club. Not a fan of 1920's technology. Now a double clutch automated manual would be just fine for me.


Thats exactly what he said. When .gov mandates self driving cars you guys will be happy i guess.
 
I enjoy driving a stick, but my current car was only available as an automatic. I keep saying I want to get a project car that's fun to drive and has a manual transmission. That way I can enjoy working on a car, and have fun driving a stick whenever I take it out. Only problem is there is always traffic around where I live, so you only get to enjoy driving a stick in short bursts.
 
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Wrong, you should always feather gas with each shift for smooth shifting ( unless you are speed shifting). Clutch and gas feet work opposite.

My Corvette is manual, but I didn't have city commute, or I would have got an automatic. Manuals are no fun in stop and go traffic! And yes my Corvette was a daily driver/ work commute (was because I am now retired).


But you're not suppose to let the clutch out quite as slow when shifting gears as you do when pulling away from a stop. If you do, it considered dogging the clutch.
 
Considering the state of the Main Street economy you would think the incentive to save at least 1000$ on a car by selecting a manual would be a no brainer. Heck then the cost of maintenance goes way down as well, and the longevity of that manual box is going to be quite a bit longer than the auto/CVT/DSG anything, it could last three times longer.
 
Originally Posted By: sicko
I enjoy driving a stick, but my current car was only available as an automatic. I keep saying I want to get a project car that's fun to drive and has a manual transmission. That way I can enjoy working on a car, and have fun driving a stick whenever I take it out. Only problem is there is always traffic around where I live, so you only get to enjoy driving a stick in short bursts.


Heavy traffic is no issuue (to me) Whats the big deal, when your stuck in traffic put it in neutral.
 
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Considering the state of the Main Street economy you would think the incentive to save at least 1000$ on a car by selecting a manual would be a no brainer. Heck then the cost of maintenance goes way down as well, and the longevity of that manual box is going to be quite a bit longer than the auto/CVT/DSG anything, it could last three times longer.


Exactly. But people are ham fisted dorks.
 
I miss my old manual transmission truck. When I got my new one, I couldn't even find one in the state with a manual to test drive. Probably should have had a dealer bring one in, but figured if I did get it, I wouldn't get near as good a deal as one already on the lot.
 
I enjoy manual transmissions, but there is a very small market for them in the US compared to say Europe. The Grand Cherokee was only offered with a manual gear box in 93 and 94. Wouldn't mind having a 5 speed 2 door XJ though.
 
Originally Posted By: Clubber_Lang
Originally Posted By: sicko
I enjoy driving a stick, but my current car was only available as an automatic. I keep saying I want to get a project car that's fun to drive and has a manual transmission. That way I can enjoy working on a car, and have fun driving a stick whenever I take it out. Only problem is there is always traffic around where I live, so you only get to enjoy driving a stick in short bursts.


Heavy traffic is no issuue (to me) Whats the big deal, when your stuck in traffic put it in neutral.


Its the 5000 shifts in and out of neutral that are the killer...
 
Originally Posted By: Clubber_Lang
Originally Posted By: sicko
I enjoy driving a stick, but my current car was only available as an automatic. I keep saying I want to get a project car that's fun to drive and has a manual transmission. That way I can enjoy working on a car, and have fun driving a stick whenever I take it out. Only problem is there is always traffic around where I live, so you only get to enjoy driving a stick in short bursts.


Heavy traffic is no issuue (to me) Whats the big deal, when your stuck in traffic put it in neutral.

Stuck in traffic sitting is different then stuck in traffic going 5 mph for some time. Daily event here got day 5 to 10 minutes. Average day 20 minutes, bad day 40 minutes+.

We opted for 1 manual and 2 automatics for the record. The two autos are older, and as we've talked about replacing with a new car, it would be hard to go with another MT. Nothing like driving through NYC with an MT and hitting a traffic jam.
 
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Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Most people don't equate driving with enjoyment, period, and for them having to shift gears manually is just an extra hassle. They want their appliance to take them from A to B, and they want it done with minimum amount of effort and engagement since they have many other things to focus on, like their phone or their make-up. And there's nothing wrong with that. Just a different approach to driving.



I agree with this mightily -- except for the last line, which I disagree with just as mightily.

In this country, people HAVE to drive just to get around, and cars are sort of ingrained in the culture as symbols of freedom and empowerment. Therefore, most people see driving as a necessity and a right, not as a privilege. It makes sense that they'd value simplicity and mindlessness over involvement and control. So, that's where we agree.

How could anyone say there's nothing wrong with this picture? When you see parents pacify their kids with iPads just so they can watch TV all day and not care, would you call that "just different approach to parenting?" If there were a whole community (let alone a nation) of absent-minded parents like that, would you want to live anywhere near those kids when they grew up? If their eyes glazed over whenever you talked about more effortful methods of child-rearing, wouldn't that disturb you?

America's obsession with mindless driving is a bad thing. It fills the roads with people who are intentionally ignorant about what they're doing. It pushes the car industry toward boring and isolating products that make the laziness worse. It creates conditions that are unfriendly to people who WANT to know what they're doing (i.e. enthusiasts). Seems plenty wrong to me.
 
Originally Posted By: ClutchDisc
I will never give up driving the stick!! I hate it when I have to drive an auto.. Which is thankfully not very often!


Off topic but are things as bad in Detroit as they seem from articles/photos/video? From what I've seen you'd need some armour plating ala Mad Max to weld onto your truck for drives through scenic downtown.
 
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