Kinda of hard to do this with an automatic...
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 ...
Got one.
I was always a manual transmission guy until I got married.
The wife could shift gears just fine, but I could not ‘learn’ her to stop riding the clutch, and changing throw-out bearings is either time consuming or expensive.
I still miss slamming gears, but quite frankly, with the wimpy engines in most of the cars today, it wouldn’t have the same feel anyway.
For many years. Mrs. jimfree has a 15 y/o 5 speed Saturn wagon. She aspires to a Mustang convertible.
I can, but had to give it up when my knees began to hurt after driving in heavy traffic during my commute. Too bad, it’s a lot of fun.
Took my driving test in a ‘68 VW microbus. That was manual everything.
Are you kidding?
TR4, MGA, Ford Anglia, Ford Cortina, Ford Capri V-6, Toyota SR-5....Is that enough?
Me and I prefer a stick. Driving a vehicle with automatic Transmission is boring. However we only have one car (We just don't need two because we are in rock throwing distance of all the necessities) and the wife drives it way more than me and she wanted an automatic.
Since 1988 I’ve had nothing but a manual.
I have never owned an auto transmission, owned twelve cars.
Man, what a waste to drive one.
My car and previous 2 cars were 5 speed standards and I love them but the article is correct, they are very difficult to find even in Japanese cars.
Shoot, my first car was manual transmission and the shift lever was on the steering column.
Kinda of hard to do this with an automatic...
Several of the advantages of driving a manual are gone. Gas mileage is no longer a problem compared to manuals.
I took my driver’s test in 1966 Beetle.
Love manual transmissions.
Learned on a ‘31 Model A Ford.
Drove a VW bug for 15 years.
Teaching my kids how to drive a stick on an old Jeep.
With my eyes closed.
And the tranny is often the first thing to go out...not so it the manual one.
Every vehicle I have ever owned (dating back to 1967) has had a manual transmission. Would not want an auto. Taught both of my children to drive with a stick and they can drive anything.
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