Manual Transmissions

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

Since we had the Pick-Up thread and the pet peeve thread..... I thought I would combine the two in what may hopefully be an interesting discussion:

I am very disappointed at the veritable lack of manual transmissions available on vehicles in the U.S. anymore. For me, I find a manual transmission better because a) for me it gives me better feedback on the road conditions (especially ice & snow), b) in many cases it gives better gas mileage, c) they traditionally resulted in less pollution being emitted as well, and d) it is a more interactive experience (IMO). I have driven manual transmissions on all my vehicles for more decades than I care to admit (except the occasional driving I would do in my wife’s vehicle.

I know it is “more profitable” I guess for the automotive industry here.... but it aggravates me when the same vehicles built and/or sold here are available in Europe, Mexico, and sometimes in Canada with a manual transmission but it is not an option in the U.S.

I would actually pay a (small) premium even... to get a manual transmission on my next vehicle if I had to.

I just wish we had more choices in this regard.

 

[olkofri]

They also make your car less likely to be stolen too.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

The last couple of cars I bought I just couldn't find one. I too would pay a little extra. Maybe this is the year I find my dream car.. a manual early 90s model Camry wagon.

 

[tokerpipes]

I to agree with you on most of your points. I being a truck driver am even more peeved that the trucking industry is turning to all automatics as well. I have driven an 8, 10, 13, and 18 speed transmission on many different rigs. I have even had the luck of driving a chain drive rig on one occasion. Nothing compares to the control you have going down a 12% grade catching the right gear and jake break down the hill with no issues switching up gears. About had to change my shorts going down cabbage in an auto magic that trues to up shift with the jake brake singing that mellow sound and the damn thing wants to go faster. You save costly repairs on breaks for a rig by having better control. Now if you want to buy a manual transmission it costs more on the sticker price.

 

[mingc]

Since we had the Pick-Up thread and the pet peeve thread..... I thought I would combine the two in what may hopefully be an interesting discussion:

I am very disappointed at the veritable lack of manual transmissions available on vehicles in the U.S. anymore. For me, I find a manual transmission better because a) for me it gives me better feedback on the road conditions (especially ice & snow), b) in many cases it gives better gas mileage, c) they traditionally resulted in less pollution being emitted as well, and d) it is a more interactive experience (IMO). I have driven manual transmissions on all my vehicles for more decades than I care to admit (except the occasional driving I would do in my wife’s vehicle.

I know it is “more profitable” I guess for the automotive industry here.... but it aggravates me when the same vehicles built and/or sold here are available in Europe, Mexico, and sometimes in Canada with a manual transmission but it is not an option in the U.S.

I would actually pay a (small) premium even... to get a manual transmission on my next vehicle if I had to.

I just wish we had more choices in this regard.

Agreed, though I understand (c) and (d) are no longer true.

 

[gervais]

Unfortunately the newer generations want a simple, hassle free way of life. This "automatic" way of life is just going to make people more lazy. Kind of like "Siri" and "lexa". Everyone wants to have everything without doing anything for it. People don't even want to get up and turn up the volume anymore. I try to keep it retro whenever possible.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I'm in on the manual transmission. Society is getting lazier, I gotta have my remote though. Haha

 

[voorhees]

The last couple of cars I bought I just couldn't find one. I too would pay a little extra. Maybe this is the year I find my dream car.. a manual early 90s model Camry wagon.

I had a 1991 Camry for a couple of years, however it was the auto. It had such character and I like it very much, but I’ve heard the manual was quite engaging and fun to drive.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I had a 1991 Camry for a couple of years, however it was the auto. It had such character and I like it very much, but I’ve heard the manual was quite engaging and fun to drive.

They just don't make cars like that anymore. I've owned 5 from the 90s, most of those were manuals. I bought my first one as a commuter way back when the gas prices went crazy. I found myself never driving my truck. Sold the truck and never looked back. We also have a 2016 and although it's a nice enough car. It just isn't made as well as the old ones and doesn't have that charm.

 

[samuelgawith01]

At this point,I don’t own a standard,but during my navy service at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,we had a Dodge 4x4 six pack with a V8 and a standard tranny.This was one mean pick up,and it had very heavy clutch springs.I drove it all over Brooklyn,Manhattan,Staten Island,New Jersey,Pennsylvania.It was a joy to jockey this truck around,and I became proficient at it.I remember you could not stay in 1st long at all,and it was better to start out in 2nd sometimes.

 

[Briar Baron]

Yes I prefer a manual. Also like the fact that if you get a flat battery you can clutch start it to get out of trouble, with an auto you are stuck.

 

[seldom]

For the driving I typically do in America in a pickup, in mountains and on logging roads, often in more remote areas, a manual is absolutely what I want. I know what gear I need to be in more than the vehicle does. Also I can bump start her if it comes down to it. In the Africa bush it was also important to me but fortunately nearly all vehicles were manual. Here in Europe it appears that the majority of vehicles are manual as well.

I suppose I can understand having a family car that is an automatic but automatic transmission in a pickup truck, especially a 4x4 pickup, doesn't make sense in my opinion.

 

[mortonbriar]

I much prefer driving a manual here in New Zealand, too many twists and turns, hills, orcs, dragons etc to rely on a machine to know when to gear down.
My trusty steed is a 1997 manual Toyota Hilux.

Isaac

 

[olkofri]

I drive a stick. I like standards but for piping I want an automatic: darn tobacco shifts inside the bowl when I shift and pipe goes out.

 

[crawdad]

I enjoy a manual myself and teach the kids how to drive a stick as well. The oldest, the twins, both drive stick still and they prefer it that way as well.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It's a simple matter of demand. There's not enough volume for manual transmissions to make it feasible to continue offering them. Chrysler, for example, has multiple very large plants dedicated to automatic transmissions. It's not possible to make 100 per day, of a manual transmission, and keep it feasible economically.

It also isn't just about the transmission. There are a number of other significant changes to the vehicle design that would need to occur to accommodate a manual transmission. Automotive is about automation and mass production. With manual transmissions, the mass is no longer there.

 

[alaskanpiper]

They are more fun that’s for sure. But with most youth these days having to have their teeth pulled to even get a license (which I will never understand) I can understand their being phased out. Just like cursive, apparently.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I to agree with you on most of your points. I being a truck driver am even more peeved that the trucking industry is turning to all automatics as well. I have driven an 8, 10, 13, and 18 speed transmission on many different rigs. I have even had the luck of driving a chain drive rig on one occasion. Nothing compares to the control you have going down a 12% grade catching the right gear and jake break down the hill with no issues switching up gears. About had to change my shorts going down cabbage in an auto magic that trues to up shift with the jake brake singing that mellow sound and the damn thing wants to go faster. You save costly repairs on breaks for a rig by having better control. Now if you want to buy a manual transmission it costs more on the sticker price.

I hate to say it, but after driving trucks for 15 years (just short haul to the grain elevator in my case) I'm going to welcome Tesla to the market.
Imagine running down a hill and generating power the whole way instead of just saving mechanical wear.
My assumption is electric won't work for the transport industry until they can physically swap battery packs to keep trucks running the same as today, but at least in some areas there's little doubt they'll get it figured out sooner than later.

 

[timelord]

I started out driving manual (I was living in UK and most cars were manual at the time); when I started working for part of the Mercedes empire I had pretty much a free choice of any C- or E- class; I tried to get a manual shift E-class to test drive but the dealership said "none are available and as far as we can ascertain none have ever been sold in the UK". So I started driving autos; must admit for driving in traffic they were a lot more relaxing to drive.

But to make up for it; at the same time as changing jobs I bought a Morgan +8. 2 seat open top car whose basic design was pretty much unchanged since the 1930's. 4l V8, manual gear box, no power steering and weighed in at 750Kg. Boy could that thing shift! Dealer advice was start with 2nd gear otherwise you'll be changing up immediately you move off (only use 1st for parking!); in London traffic, just leave in 3rd and treat like an automatic as it had loads of torque. Not much fun driving it in heavy traffic; but once it was an open twisty road . Sadly I sold it before I moved to Australia in 2012 (mind you, it -and I - wouldn't have stood a chance against a Kangaroo); still plenty of happy memories with that car.

 

[mikethompson]

I will add my voice to this chorus as well. I already have an idea what my next car will be, and thankfully they come in a manual version.