Manual Transmission Sales Are Up Again This Year

[Oillover]

https://jalopnik.com/manual-transmission-sales-are-up-again-this-year-marke-1850871128#:~:text=Cars with manual transmissions are,to 1.7 percent in 2023.

I only have manual transmission vehicles.
The Honda is 6 speed and in the past several months, I've seen less than a handfull come available (as soon as they are available, they are gone).

 

[Rmay635703]

https://jalopnik.com/manual-transmission-sales-are-up-again-this-year-marke-1850871128#:~:text=Cars with manual transmissions are,to 1.7 percent in 2023.

I only have manual transmission vehicles.
The Honda is 6 speed and in the past several months, I've seen less than a handfull come available (as soon as they are available, they are gone).

And people have to really really want a stick to get one because manufacturers and dealers don’t want to sell any.
Try to buy a 2wd manual truck and expect to overpay 30-50%.

If the us had a Euro like agnostic take on engine and transmission the natural take rate for manual transmissions would float around 10%, but with millions of dollars in additional testing costs to offer manual it kills the option.

By the surveys there are millions of people who want a stick but they only buy used and there are none available.

We also no longer have cheap economy cars either, so no stick there either

 

[DemoFly]

Probably entirely because of the Civic Type R and GR Corolla.

From 0.9 to 1.7%!!!!

 

[Rmay635703]

Probably entirely because of the Civic Type R and GR Corolla.

From 0.9 to 1.7%!!!!

2011 era on the new (lol) Fiat 500 the factory actually rejected manual transmission orders because the take rate was too high ~80% MT and the line wasn’t tooled for it. (Take rate dropped in subsequent years)

 

[billt460]

In the 60's most every kid wanted a stick. And they were relatively easy to find. Mostly because all that was available in automatics back then were Ford C-6's, Chrysler Torque-Flights, GM Hydramatics, (all 3-speed). Or Chevy Powerglides, (2-speed).

When I had "drivers ed" in high school, we all learned on a Chevy Biscayne with a 6 cylinder and "3 on the tree"..... Fast forward to today, and the kids don't even want to get a drivers license, let alone learn how to drive a stick.

Your best bet today if you don't want your car stolen, or to be carjacked, it to have a stick shift. None of these idiots would know how to drive it.

 

[Pelican]

The Honda is 6 speed and in the past several months, I've seen less than a handfull come available (as soon as they are available, they are gone).

It's an extremely small niche market! I'd be VERY surprised if any dealer ordering and they'd be very few, would get more than 1 or 2.
The auto has proven itself to be a better overall transmission. Even tractors, the last bastion, are moving to CVT
more and more.

 

[John105]

Interesting how conclusions have been drawn that manuals are not as good. I've never had a manual serviced (rebuilt) other than a fluid replacement, nor a clutch replaced, in my lifetime, which doesn't exactly make me a spring chicken. The Maxima went 240k and emissions did it in.

I'll say it probably for the one millionth time on a forum--I've never bought into the, "I like manuals, there's just too much traffic here in Los Angeles (or New York, or Atlanta, or Boston)." You either like them, or you do not. Traffic has nothing to do with anything.

Luckily I still have one in the garage. I prefer them and there isn't any study or marketing that can tell me otherwise. Hopefully it goes up to 1.9% for 2024.

 

[MrHorspwer]

CarMax says buyers in their twenties are among those who most commonly opt for stick shifts

But what about boomers and their "manual transmissions are the millennial anti-theft device" rhetoric?

edit: I should have read the replies before I posted this

Your best bet today if you don't want your car stolen, or to be carjacked, it to have a stick shift. None of these idiots would know how to drive it.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Interesting how conclusions have been drawn that manuals are not as good. I've never had a manual serviced (rebuilt) other than a fluid replacement, nor a clutch replaced, in my lifetime, which doesn't exactly make me a spring chicken. The Maxima went 240k and emissions did it in.

I'll say it probably for the one millionth time on a forum--I've never bought into the, "I like manuals, there's just too much traffic here in Los Angeles (or New York, or Atlanta, or Boston)." You either like them, or you do not. Traffic has nothing to do with anything.

Luckily I still have one in the garage. I prefer them and there isn't any study or marketing that can tell me otherwise. Hopefully it goes up to 1.9% for 2024.

Easy to say for a 1-person household or the vehicle which has been relegated to commuter/weekend car status by the family. I ran into this problem early on when I got married. My wife didn't drive a manual and refused to learn.

 

[Marcozi]

3 pedals forever!

 

[atikovi]

The death of manual transmissions has been greatly exaggerated. Plenty of new cars available with a stick. Mostly VWs, but also Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Chevy, etc.

 

[AZjeff]

..... Fast forward to today, and the kids don't even want to get a drivers license, let alone learn how to drive a stick.

Some kids somewhere. I don't personally know hundreds of teens but I don't know of any who couldn't/can't wait to get their driver's license. Anyone?

We bought an '02 Jeep Wrangler with a 5MT this spring and are having a great time driving it. Of course we both grew up driving manuals so maybe it's remembering the good old days.

 

[billt460]

But what about boomers and their "manual transmissions are the millennial anti-theft device" rhetoric?

It's not "rhetoric". Many of them don't even drive. Let alone drive a stick. Which only figures if the bulk of them can't even tell time by looking at a clock. Not being able to drive appears to be the least of their problems.

Forget getting to work. They have a hard enough time trying to figure out WHEN to get there.

Why There's Been a Huge Decline in Drivers' Licenses for Millennials and Gen X

But the opposite is true for older people

money.com

millenials can't tell time on a clock - Google Search

"Younger people were those who struggled the most, with 21% in Gen Z (18-24) saying they found telling the time a problem".

 

[drtyler]

It's not "rhetoric". Many of them don't even drive. Let alone drive a stick. Which only figures if the bulk of them can't even tell time by looking at a clock. Not being able to drive appears to be the least of their problems.

Forget getting to work. They have a hard enough time trying to figure out WHEN to get there.

Why There's Been a Huge Decline in Drivers' Licenses for Millennials and Gen X

But the opposite is true for older people

money.com

millenials can't tell time on a clock - Google Search

"Younger people were those who struggled the most, with 21% in Gen Z (18-24) saying they found telling the time a problem".

I work with a lot of younger folks, and they aren't as idiotic as you (and some news sources) make them to be.

 

[KrisZ]

Oh man, here we go again about the superiority of the older generations vs the young ones.

Let me ask you baby boomers and gen Xers, who popularized the automatic transmission? It was your generations.

It’s quite hilarious watching you guys pint fingers, but you’re not an better.

 

[IndyIan]

It's an extremely small niche market! I'd be VERY surprised if any dealer ordering and they'd be very few, would get more than 1 or 2.
The auto has proven itself to be a better overall transmission. Even tractors, the last bastion, are moving to CVT
more and more.

I did get an HST tractor, but most/all of the decent old tractors in the 30-40-50 year range are manual with little or no automatic shifting gimmicks.
It is a bit odd to think about, but $2-3-4-500k big field equipment now is more disposable than old stuff due to its complexity and cost of repairs. The transmissions are a small part of it, or big, if one fails!

In the car world, a simple car with a 5-6 spd manual can be rewarding and challenging to drive, and can last a long long time. Makes a low hp, low weight car more fun. Only very recently have automatics performed better in enthusiast cars in the $40-50k range, and still if you want a dead reliable track toy, probably the manual version is the one to get, as many sports/sporty cars still overheat their automatics in lapping sessions.

 

[Skippy722]

It's not "rhetoric". Many of them don't even drive. Let alone drive a stick. Which only figures if the bulk of them can't even tell time by looking at a clock. Not being able to drive appears to be the least of their problems.

Forget getting to work. They have a hard enough time trying to figure out WHEN to get there.

Why There's Been a Huge Decline in Drivers' Licenses for Millennials and Gen X

But the opposite is true for older people

money.com

millenials can't tell time on a clock - Google Search

"Younger people were those who struggled the most, with 21% in Gen Z (18-24) saying they found telling the time a problem".

In 2021 per the Federal Highway Association, GenZ accounted for 11.2% of total drivers, pretty good considering some of them were only 9 years old. Millennials come in at 26.2%. GenX accounts for 33%. That leaves 29.6% split between boomers and silent generations. I think we’re doing fine.

Yeah, there is probably a drop going on. But look at the state of the world right now, a lot of people are just barely squeaking by, adding an unskilled new driver to their insurance+registration on another vehicle is just out of budget for a lot of people.

 

[billt460]

I work with a lot of younger folks, and they aren't as idiotic as you (and some news sources) make them to be.

I'm not "making them up" to be anything. This stuff is all over the place. All you have to do is look it up, or punch it into You Tube. Kimmel and Jay Leno have been doing this kind of stuff for years. While it might seem so, they're not staging this, or making it up. These kids are honestly that stupid.

These idiots don't know the simplest of questions. They can't name 3 countries on a world map. They don't know who won the Civil War. They have no idea who we fought in WW 2. And as I said, a large portion of them can't tell time on a clock face...... But they can name every Kardashian girl.

I wouldn't have made it out of the 5th grade not knowing what the bulk of these high school kids are at a total loss for today. And it's getting worse every year. It's no wonder why these kids are still living at home until they're 27 years old.

What is the Average Age to Move Out of Parents’ House?

Knowing what you need to accomplish when moving out for the first time is essential. Here’s our guide for moving out of your parents’ home.

www.imoving.com

"The average age when people move out of their parent's home is somewhere between 24 and 27".

 

[JoelB]

The death of manual transmissions has been greatly exaggerated. Plenty of new cars available with a stick. Mostly VWs, but also Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Chevy, etc.

Does Chevy still offer a manual? Apart from the civic SI the rest of those manufacturers only make sports cars with manuals, if I'm thinking correctly really only 1 available from each manufacturer too. Not exactly a smorgasbord.

 

[nwjones18]

Interesting how conclusions have been drawn that manuals are not as good. I've never had a manual serviced (rebuilt) other than a fluid replacement, nor a clutch replaced, in my lifetime, which doesn't exactly make me a spring chicken. The Maxima went 240k and emissions did it in.

I'll say it probably for the one millionth time on a forum--I've never bought into the, "I like manuals, there's just too much traffic here in Los Angeles (or New York, or Atlanta, or Boston)." You either like them, or you do not. Traffic has nothing to do with anything.

Luckily I still have one in the garage. I prefer them and there isn't any study or marketing that can tell me otherwise. Hopefully it goes up to 1.9% for 2024.

I think I'm pretty fond of manual transmissions as I have 3 vehicles with them one of which is my DD, but if I had to commute in ATL traffic every day I'd drive an auto.. haha. Thankfully I do not. My Ram is the first Auto I've ever had that I truly don't think I could do much better if I was shifting myself. My Mazda would be boring without it and the 5spd is the only reason I bought it.