Posted on 06/01/2012 7:23:21 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
Go to any given dealership with 100 new cars.
On average, just four of the 2012 models will have manual gearboxes.
The trend of the vanishing third pedal is nothing new, notes The Detroit News.
Even a decade ago, just 8.5 percent of 2002 models were manuals. The paper’s own automotive reporter even confesses she never learned to drive a stick shift until it essentially became a job requirement.
It’s more than a little contradictory to automotive reviews (including many you’ll read here) extolling the pleasure of enthusiastic driving with a true manual gearbox. Likewise, purists gravitate to manuals for tackling their favorite twisting road or occasional track day. It’s the original form of in-car connectivity.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Recently bought a 2012 Ford Focus with the manual transmission. Oldest kid purchased a 92 Jetta GTI and learned manual on it. I’ve decided all kids will have a manual as a first car - lessens distractions like eating, drinking, texting.
1: Better mileage
2: More fun
3: Had to replace the clutch on the first car at around 150,000 miles and my current car has 180,000 with no problem with the transmission. It seems people who owned automatics the transmission breaks leading to a very expensive repair.
4: Better control in snow.
-—No seat belt?——
I should have mentioned that was with a seatbelt. Seriously, I was having a hard time staying in. I may have been driving too fast for existing conditions. 8-)
I was a stupid 20-something with a few friends but, surprisingly, no alcohol was involved.
Sure, if the driver of the manual is an idiot.
I can, but learned late in life (20’s). Don’t have one now, but have had a couple over the years. I personally think driving tests should have to be on manual transmission vehicles, just so people do know how to drive them.
I learned how to drive with a manual transmission. I would probably still have my manual Honda CRX if some punk hadn’t totaled the car.
Just checked, because I couldn't remember... mine has 160MPH on the original speedo. I've only seen 140, with new tires, on a road closed for a rocket launch, somewhere near White Sands, many years ago. ;)
It also has the big throat carbs, gets about 8-12 mpg, but gets it fast. My original owner's manual (I do still have that) doesn't show a 5 speed manual transmission for the Model S30.
/johnny
4: Better control in snow.
Never claimed that. Never had a car with that safety feature. :)
If you use down shifting, saves on the brakes.
I just had the brakes done on my PT Cruzer (yea I know), 126K for the first time last month.
I will be really sad, if my next car has an auto.
(I have to admit that sometimes driving at rush hour in the LA basin, I wish I had an auto.)
Yup, we’ll go with the plot. take crawling as a baby, develops right/left brain coordination, so they want us to become brain dead. Anything challenging is a no-go because it makes you a stronger person. Besides, how can you text and shift at the same time?
Know what you mean. My 13 year old CRX got rear ended and the driver who hit me insurance declared it a total loss and towed it away. What a fun car.
-—I taught my wife to drive a car with a manual transmission. Don’t I get some sort of award for that?-—
Yes, but we will need some verification.
It’s like claiming to have seen a sasquatch....
Life’s too short for stick shifts.Many of today’s automatics can be shifted manually...mine included.There are shift paddles on my steering wheel that I never use.
My parents did not allow me to get my DL until I learned how to drive one. However, I am getting old enough to prefer the convenience of an automatic.
There are other advantages to manual transmission. Last time I bought a car, manual transmission was cheaper.
Manual requires less maintenance.
It is possible to get unstuck in mud and snow with manual transmission, by engaging clutch rhythmically, and rocking the car. I have never seen an automatic transmission which could do that.
With older cars, it was possible to push-start a manual-transmission vehicle if the battery was dead. It is not possible to do that with automatic. For some reason, newer shift cars advise not to do this trick, but they don’t explain the problem.
If you learn manual transmission, it opens up the ability to operate all sorts of other vehicles, like old farm tractors, many trucks, and even tanks. Might come in handy! Many race-cars are manual.
I learned to drive in a model A. I always had a stick shift. Automatic transmissions were not too reliable when I started to drive.
My family always had Studebakers. I remember my mother's Commander having the tree shifter, and the starter button underneath the big round clutch pedal. I remember our Lark being the first automatic transmission car we owned.
We also had a couple of 806 tractors back in the '60s. Put straight pipes on them and plowed at night with no headlights, the light of the flames out of the pipes was usually adequate.
Very little wonder I can't hear a damn thing any more.
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