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No More Manual Stick Shift Cars?


Wolfbane

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This is not the case here:

 

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/10/09/will-stick-shifts-become-extinct?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=19_October_12_Weekend_News

 

Taught all my girls and a couple of nephews how to drive with a clutch and manual transmission. Victoria took her driver's test using my MT Honda.

 

At least two of the above still prefer to drive a car with a manual transmission and clutch.

 

Wb

 

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All my kids learned with a manual tranny. Have to say having a manual transmission is now the best way to avoid car jacking! When my kids went away to college having a manual car kept anyone one borrowing it!

For my daily driver I have only owned one automatic and I do not intend to change!

 

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a column shift would stop any modern car thief.

I enjoy both. Living in the boonies, I don't have to spend a lot of time with a foot on the clutch. In traffic/city, automatic all the way.

 

I learned a manual on a motorcycle.  Learned to not like manuals driving semi. Stop & go on the 405...ugh

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19 minutes ago, Bosco-d-gama said:

Require folks to use manual transmissions and texting while driving would be reduced.

certainly one of the reasons I had my kids drive manuals. At least there is an increased demand to pay attention to what you are doing!

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27 minutes ago, WillyBob said:

a column shift would stop any modern car thief.

I enjoy both. Living in the boonies, I don't have to spend a lot of time with a foot on the clutch. In traffic/city, automatic all the way.

 

I learned a manual on a motorcycle.  Learned to not like manuals driving semi. Stop & go on the 405...ugh

One of my first cars was a 1964 Mercedes 220 sedan. 4 on the column!

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2 hours ago, Wolfbane said:

This is not the case here:

 

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2019/10/09/will-stick-shifts-become-extinct?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=19_October_12_Weekend_News

 

Taught all my girls and a couple of nephews how to drive with a clutch and manual transmission. Victoria took her driver's test using my MT Honda.

 

At least two of the above still prefer to drive a car with a manual transmission and clutch.

 

Wb

 

Not necessarily a CAR, but in my case a Pick-up truck!  Things have completely turned around on the transmission option for new vehicles!  It really ticks me off!  In order to get a 2WD pick-up with a MANUAL tranny, it costs more, instead of less than it used to cost!  This is TOTALLY ridiculous.  The maintenance needs of automatic transmissions has traditionally been far more costly than it is for standard tranny needs.  Not only that, but the standard tranny innards tend to last almost forever, with just minor maintenance as scheduled such as replacing the gear oil when required in the maintenance schedule....which just generally leaves minor repair issues for the owner over long periods of time!  The cost of damage in automatic trannies is much higher in comparison! 

 

The advantages of the automatic transmission consists of two major points:  1. With the advent of automatics with many more "speeds" built-in the past few years, they are much more fuel-saving than most standards could be during NORMAL highway usage....and... 2.  Driver convenience...and that is basically IT!  But, with a standard tranny the owner has savings advantages, and the ability of easily "rocking the vehicle out of being stuck", etc., by quickly going from reverse to a forward low gear and vice/versa...negating the need for 4WD in many instances, especially so if the vehicle comes equipped with a winch or the driver carries a "come-along" just in case of this thing happening.  The ability of push/roll-starting a vehicle with a standard is also much better than with an automatic transmission. 

 

Granted, I tend to drive a vehicle until it totally falls apart and/or its maintenance/repair costs begin to exceed the cost of making monthly payments on a new vehicle.  And I would love to have a new truck now that I can afford it...BUT I have major problems with the sticker prices of them and finding one which I REALLY WANT!  There are now "conveniences" in vehicles which used to cost more, but are standard with every vehicle, but I honeslty don't need most of them...so why do I HAVE TO PAY MORE just because they are automatically included with the basic model??  Things have gotten RIDICULOUS, IMHO!...when a new vehicle to meet your needs includes so much stuff you don't need but still have to pay for...and it costs as much as your home does! 

 

What ever happened to being able to buy a small-to-medium-size truck with a dependable 4-cylinder engine and standard 5 or 6 gear-tranny?  And why do they cost so much?  And why is almost everything on the body that is susceptible to damage made of plastic which will damage more easily than steel would?  To be honest, things like electrical adjustable mirrors are handy to have...along with things like power windows and aircon...but from MY point of view, we are all paying for too many things we really don't need just because they come standard with the base vehicle price which has ridiculously sky-rocketed because of it, nowadays!  GAWD, I miss having my '88 Mitsubishi SPX macro-cab pick-up with that 2.6 liter 4-cylinder engine and chain-driven overhead cam!  It got great gas mileage, handled like a sports car, was low to the ground so it was easy to get in and out of and I got an ungawdly amount of miles out of it with putting little into it maintenance/repair-wise.  Its predecessor, a 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport (same drivetrain!) was just as good!  Both of these were able to do whatever was asked of them!  And trust me, I asked a lot from them!  I currently own a 2008 Kia Sportage with 4-banger and auto- tranny...but am waiting for a pick-up that I really WANT to own to rear its head, and so far, that hasn't happened! My experience with this Kia (my first one!)...makes me wish they made a simple pick-up truck with a 3/4 ton suspension rating, RWD, and a reliable standard tranny!!...the HELLo with all the un-needed bells and whistles!  End of rant!  

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11 hours ago, HDBRbuilder said:

Not necessarily a CAR, but in my case a Pick-up truck!  Things have completely turned around on the transmission option for new vehicles!  It really ticks me off!  In order to get a 2WD pick-up with a MANUAL tranny, it costs more, instead of less than it used to cost!  This is TOTALLY ridiculous.  The maintenance needs of automatic transmissions has traditionally been far more costly than it is for standard tranny needs.  Not only that, but the standard tranny innards tend to last almost forever, with just minor maintenance as scheduled such as replacing the gear oil when required in the maintenance schedule....which just generally leaves minor repair issues for the owner over long periods of time!  The cost of damage in automatic trannies is much higher in comparison! 

 

The advantages of the automatic transmission consists of two major points:  1. With the advent of automatics with many more "speeds" built-in the past few years, they are much more fuel-saving than most standards could be during NORMAL highway usage....and... 2.  Driver convenience...and that is basically IT!  But, with a standard tranny the owner has savings advantages, and the ability of easily "rocking the vehicle out of being stuck", etc., by quickly going from reverse to a forward low gear and vice/versa...negating the need for 4WD in many instances, especially so if the vehicle comes equipped with a winch or the driver carries a "come-along" just in case of this thing happening.  The ability of push/roll-starting a vehicle with a standard is also much better than with an automatic transmission. 

 

Granted, I tend to drive a vehicle until it totally falls apart and/or its maintenance/repair costs begin to exceed the cost of making monthly payments on a new vehicle.  And I would love to have a new truck now that I can afford it...BUT I have major problems with the sticker prices of them and finding one which I REALLY WANT!  There are now "conveniences" in vehicles which used to cost more, but are standard with every vehicle, but I honeslty don't need most of them...so why do I HAVE TO PAY MORE just because they are automatically included with the basic model??  Things have gotten RIDICULOUS, IMHO!...when a new vehicle to meet your needs includes so much stuff you don't need but still have to pay for...and it costs as much as your home does! 

 

What ever happened to being able to buy a small-to-medium-size truck with a dependable 4-cylinder engine and standard 5 or 6 gear-tranny?  And why do they cost so much?  And why is almost everything on the body that is susceptible to damage made of plastic which will damage more easily than steel would?  To be honest, things like electrical adjustable mirrors are handy to have...along with things like power windows and aircon...but from MY point of view, we are all paying for too many things we really don't need just because they come standard with the base vehicle price which has ridiculously sky-rocketed because of it, nowadays!  GAWD, I miss having my '88 Mitsubishi SPX macro-cab pick-up with that 2.6 liter 4-cylinder engine and chain-driven overhead cam!  It got great gas mileage, handled like a sports car, was low to the ground so it was easy to get in and out of and I got an ungawdly amount of miles out of it with putting little into it maintenance/repair-wise.  Its predecessor, a 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport (same drivetrain!) was just as good!  Both of these were able to do whatever was asked of them!  And trust me, I asked a lot from them!  I currently own a 2008 Kia Sportage with 4-banger and auto- tranny...but am waiting for a pick-up that I really WANT to own to rear its head, and so far, that hasn't happened! My experience with this Kia (my first one!)...makes me wish they made a simple pick-up truck with a 3/4 ton suspension rating, RWD, and a reliable standard tranny!!...the HELLo with all the un-needed bells and whistles!  End of rant!  

 

I'd consider buying used if I was you. Since you don't want to buy a sludge bucket... keep an eye out for a low mileage truck driven by a little old lady from Pasadena (she's probably now Mike Love's wife) 🚗😉:

 

 

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In college in the late 60s - early 70s, two buddies and I were hired to drive semis for a moving company (what were they thinking?).  I was the only one who could drive a stick.  To get experience, my friends practiced on my 67 Corvair 4-speed.  I tried to warn them that the carry-over to a semi tractor would be minimal.

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Much more cars today are automatic transmissions. Especially in a more expensive segment.

I only had manuals and still drive a manual stick. I am used to them and never drove an automatic. And yes, manuals are in most cases less problematic and easier to maintain.

But it is the feeling. There is just some magic in a smooth manual gear changer and more if it is short shifter.

 

Modern auto transmissions are very good, at least that's what I heard from friends that drive these. But still I am sure I will miss manual in the future.

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