are we nearing the end of the manual transmission?

Even in the taco, some manuals are going away. I wanted a TRD Sport DC Long Bed Manual tranny. None to be found. They dont even make a manual in a long bed.

Had to settle for a short bed.

 

Driving stick shift should be part of getting a drivers license. If you can't drive it then you cant drive.

 

Yes-ish.

The only people who want manuals anymore are boutique buyers that:

- like the feel
- think "it's just right"
- etc.

Pretty soon, to cut costs and leverage economies of scale, manuals will be an upsell option costing more, just like autos used to be.

That's really not a bad thing. Autos are as reliable as manuals these days, the gas mileage differences are insignificant.

Manuals only really make sense in muscle cars, roadsters, and super cars where the point is to flog them for fun. The extra "something-to-do" in the cockpit contributes to the activity of recreational driving. Everywhere else, they're just a pain in the ass.

 

Wow! I never thought I'd be lumped into the "Boutique" category of anything. I have been called many things in my life, but I think I resent this one the most
:sigh:

 

Well I love my 5 speed stick in my Toyota 4x4. I have better gear ratio's than an automatic too. There is also more control of the vehicle. I do agree on the cost thing for sticks going up though. My Saturn sl also a stick shift. My wifes Ford has an automatic in it. A big POS. I'll stay with a stick shift anyday.

 

For all of you guys that are saying the manual will never die,I have to disagree. There are only about 3 vehicles total that ONLY come with a manual, and in about 85% of all vehicles you cant even get a manual if you want one. BMW is the only manufacturer I know of that still puts a manual in most of their line. It's dying off, quick too.

 

x2 except the auto part



p.s. I am 28 years old and of the 15+ cars and trucks that I have had since I started driving at 16 only 4 of them were automatics.

 

WTF is the "Boutique" category ? Always learning something new on TW. Don't know what it is that I am.

 

Wow tough question!
I guess it depends on who you are and how it's used. I prefer an auto on my truck because I use it mostly for work around town and tow regularly. However I just got back from a long weekend at the Gap in my Miata and couldn't even imagine having done it with an automatic. And finally I'd rather stop riding than have an auto on my bike!
Can't we continue to have both?

 

in england (where i live now) you're hard pressed to find an auto, and your insurance rates go up for having one. they have the idea that if you drive an auto, you can't drive well enough to drive a stick, so you are probably a bad driver. my taco is a standard and i love it!

 

"Better" gear ratios? Define better.

"More control of the vehicle" is pretty moot at this point as the Auto has a gated selector which allows you to specify gears when needed (offroad, bad weather driving, towing, etc.) - yes, you technically have a few tricks we don't, like clutch drops, but that shit's so hard on a vehicle I'd never do it anyway.

Again, I see the point of manuals in a toy like a pony car or Porsche that actually have cornering, acceleration, and steering to allow for a fun driving experience. In a daily driver or workhorse vehicle, all a manual will really do is piss the driver off in stop n go traffic.

 

Sad to say I think they are on the way out. Check out the 2011 Ford full size line.
No manual option all the way up through the F350.

 

Well, Solid axle is gone
Gear driven transfer case is gone
Manual hubs are gone
Manual 4x4 is gone
I am pretty sure manual tranny will be gone too.
BTW I hope I am wrong and for the sake of offroading they keep manuall tranny

 

I just did a search on ebay motors for all cars and trucks with model years of 2005-2010 and these are the numbers on vehicles currently for sale.
Automatics: 18,584
Sticks: 2,819

That is approximately 15% of the 2005-2010 cars and trucks for sale on ebay are Sticks. Unfortunately it looks like sticks are on their way out.

 

I enjoy my stick for offroading. 1st and 4 low in an older toyota thats been re gear'd you cant beat it. With an auto if you are crawling they tend to overheat without a trans cooler. I can use my rpm's better over all than an auto. Like for slowing down or towing a trailer. I had a jeep with an auto. I hated it. Going down steep grades when wheel'n you had to stay on the brakes. Even when shifted all the way in 1st and 4lo. My toy will just walk. Its like anything some people just like auto's and some like sticks. Yes I agree with the stop and go traffic though. I would drive an auto if I lived in the city.

 

Sad that all that is going away. Older 4x4s will be coming more popular compared to some of the junk they are building these days.

 

Subaru? The WRX only comes in manual... and most of their other vehicles also primarily focus around manuals as well.

 

I think government regulations mandating things like emissions and fuel economy performance will box mfr's into it. They'll need to do as much as possible to control the engine's performance envelope for the largest number of driver/owners, the only way to do that is with automated controls.

The only reason manuals are so popular in the nanny state (EU) is because they tax the crap out of owners with larger displacement engines leaving tiny little torqueless 4 bangers for the proletariat. It's just a different approach to the way the US does things.

 

I love the brits

 

dude me too, they dont mess around. you get caught without your road tax or MOT, they don't write you a ticket, they call in a mobile crusher and crush it right there, no stopping them. they are just a no BS group of people... except for thier bureaucrats, they like BS