The End of Manual Transmission

[bwframe]

The End of Manual Transmission

Stick shifts are dying. When they go, something bigger than driving will be lost.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[tim87tr]

Three on the tree! Drove a 70s? Ford cabover grain truck with a two speed axle. Also a 41 GMC and 43 6x6 gravity bed grain truck with I'm guessing a cable clutch. Only thing I have to compare is an 03 Cobra with cable clutch.

Still have an 08 BMW 335 and Jeep with manual . A clutch away from a repaired transmission and the last two vehicles we bought you don't get a choice. It's thousands of dollars to repair new auto trans. Goodbye stickshift, we'll miss you

 

[spencer rifle]

All our kids learned stick, which puts them in pretty rare company for their ages.
All on 5-speed Geo Metros and the current VW Golf TDI. Their reward for knowing stick and driving efficient cars? Everyone at the university wanted to ride home with them, rather than in their 10 MPG Jeeps, but couldn't help drive.
Former manuals: 1966 VW Squareback, 1973 Pinto station wagon, 1986 Honda Civic wagon, 1986 Nissan Stanza wagon, 1983 Subaru wagon. 1992, 93 and 94 Geo 5-doors. HMMM... sensing a pattern here.

 

[rooster]

Everyone wants a manual until they have to drive it in city traffic Every day.

I’ve owned several and currently commute 80 miles round trip in one through the city.

 

[bobzilla]

Everyone wants a manual until they have to drive it in city traffic Every day.

I’ve owned several and currently commute 80 miles round trip in one through the city.

I still want it. Wife did but her sciatica acts up and she physically can't. But we always have at least one manual trans in the fleet for out fun needs.

 

[cosermann]

"They" don't want you to enjoy driving or feel in control.

 

[Super Bee]

I love driving a stick. My knee on the other hand. . . not so much.

 

[BigRed]

Everyone wants a manual until they have to drive it in city traffic Every day.

False

 

[BigRed]

Manuals are all I have driven since I was old enough to drive...legally.

They are definitely tougher to find as time goes by, but so far successful.

Nothing beats a manual in my opinion.

 

[BigRed]

BTW, this author touches on the topic and others on this book....

Amazon product ASIN 0062741969
A good read.

As time goes on and folks become more drone like, the act of driving itself becomes more a lost skill. Idiots today get excited over automatic everything, self driving crap, etc. Pussification in full swing.

 

[Alamo]

I drove a stick daily from 1984 to 1993. About 1991 or so I was trying on some tall boots and was surprised to find out that my left calf was bigger around than my right, presumably from the clutch work.

Don’t really miss driving a stick tho.

 

[Bigtanker]

Manuals use the be faster in just about everyway than autos. But with the new dual clutch, which is truly a manual trans completely operated by a computer, that is no longer the case. The fastest supercars are all DCT now.

Heck, even in the world of semi's, the automated manual transmission outsells the standard three pedal about 20:1. No I don't like it. I still prefer a true manual. But if I did what I do say in Indy or another larger metro area, the auto would be gladly welcome.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Like regular cab/long beds the reason they are dying is simple: Not enough people want them. Take rates for manuals continually drop so why complicate assembly lines by offering an option maybe 5% of people want...and of that 5% most will go ahead and buy the automatic if that's what's offered.

Enthusiast cars, primarily on road but a few off road oriented models, still offer the manual because that's the only segment were a significant number of people buy them. Ford has said the next gen Mustang will still have a 6 speed. Nissan's newest "Z" does. Wrangler/Rubicon, I *think* the Tacoma still does.

Personally, I like a manual. I know it's actually slightly worse in every measurable metric...but it's more fun. But I'm not commuting every day, either, and can afford impracticality in my vehicles.

 

[MRockwell]

Manual transmissions were phased out of pickup trucks in 2018.
I've been driving a manual since 1993, and don't plan on stopping anytime soon.



And besides, without a stick shift, you couldn't do this:

 

[indyblue]

I love the feeling that I am operating my car, not just driving it.

Nailed it!
I guess I'll never own another new car when their gone. Even in heavy traffic, if you know what you're doing a clutch isn't bad at all.

>76% of all new MX5 Miatas are manuals. So there is still demand among people who really enjoy driving.

Except for my bad weather beater (a used 2001 QX4) all my vehicles are manuals.

I'm probably a very tiny minority who doesn't really like the new Corvette's looks and the lack of available manual. Technically it's an amazing design and competitive with much more expensive sports cars, but with an all digital ipad dash and no 3rd pedal I'll never want to own one.

 

[gregkl]

The Tacoma is the latest vehicle that I know of that is losing the manual.

I really like manuals, but I'm not holding out hope that I will have one in the future.

Unless I can find a clean, used manual Tacoma in a couple years!

 

[gregkl]

Like regular cab/long beds the reason they are dying is simple: Not enough people want them. Take rates for manuals continually drop so why complicate assembly lines by offering an option maybe 5% of people want...and of that 5% most will go ahead and buy the automatic if that's what's offered.

Enthusiast cars, primarily on road but a few off road oriented models, still offer the manual because that's the only segment were a significant number of people buy them. Ford has said the next gen Mustang will still have a 6 speed. Nissan's newest "Z" does. Wrangler/Rubicon, I *think* the Tacoma still does.

Personally, I like a manual. I know it's actually slightly worse in every measurable metric...but it's more fun. But I'm not commuting every day, either, and can afford impracticality in my vehicles.

BBI, sadly the stick is disappearing out of the next gen Tacoma.

 

[cosermann]

A list of all the cars still available with manual trans. . .

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g20734564/manual-transmission-cars/

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

The last vehicle I had that had a manual in it was my 98 S-10. I didn’t mind it. It wasn’t a big selling point for me. When I got the next truck (Silverado) it had an automatic in it and I discovered I didn’t mind the manual but was glad to have my auto.

i’d read one time one of the big pushes for car companies to go to autos is that they can control the shifting better and that translates into better fuel economy.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

I've always had manuals...
My 2008 Mazda 3 cost more because of it... but aside from more control, it's the best damn theft deterrent ever!

My next car will probably be an auto though... in addition to the added cost, my 52 yr old ass is getting tired of being stuck in traffic with a 12 yr old clutch pedal anymore...