Manual...anyone?

As an European I think I can speak a little about it.

Regulations play some role. In some countries you don't have a choice - you have to learn to drive a manual to get a driver's license. Some others will only give you a restricted driver license if you don't pass the exam in a manual. That's like having a shame badge on your forehead.

Also several countries tax cars based on engine displacement so typical cars would be econoboxes with small engines - you really don't want to hate them any more by putting a slushbox in them. Automatics have still the label of "luxury" in them fitting larger, big displacement engine vehicles.

Acquisition and maintenance play a role for sure, especially the latter. Shops that fix auto trannies are relatively rare, specialized and expensive.

I also like to think that more people actually have more of enthusiasm towards driving in general, and treat cars less like a necessary evil (having more access to public transport) or a mobile appliance, and more like weekend fun device. But I may get disappointed to learn it's not really the case.

 

That argument is so over played , like a vehicle theif hasn't taken the 3 hours it takes to learn to drive a stick shift

 

*30 minutes

 

May be overplayed but still funny to picture some tweaked out meth head panicking while stalling and hopping all over the place in your truck while they try to drive off in it. Yep, makes me smile....

 

@SafetyDang

 

Great post unclemat.

I am burning far less fuel in my 6spd Frontier than my Automatic Tacoma. Both trucks are the same setup (4.0L, Ext. Cab, 4wd). I do the exact same drive to work 5 days a week. I don't care what the EPA rating is, in the real world the manual truck is 2L/100km better, even with the larger stock tire size, heavier curb weight and worse government rating.

 

I prefer to drive a manual and plan to buy one, but in heavy stop and go traffic my knee starts to bug me. If it's a fairly light clutch I'm generally fine, but a stiff or sport clutch really aggravates it.

 

"Never understood the traffic argument, never will. I guess some people don't really know how to drive manuals, if it bothers them in traffic."

Respect your take on this, but it's a matter of having to work 4 controls (clutch, brake, gas, shift) versus 2 controls. And in some very slow traffic, just letting off on the brake is all that's needed with an auto trans. I have a history of having driven a shift for 15 years and subsequently an auto trans for another 15 years in one of the worst traffic centers of the US (Wash. DC), and the AT makes life easier. And I know all the tricks of engine braking and avoiding neutral in traffic and a few other strategies possible with a MT. The MT is still a constant drain on attention and coordination that's just not there with an AT.

 

I don't think when I drive.

 

Which is pretty true of anyone that has driven a manual for any length of time basically throwing the " you're more aware and connected to the driving experience with a manual " argument too lol

 

Having a manual makes it really annoying to text in traffic while eating spaghetti.

 

I cant argue with your logic but I got hit by a guy driving an automatic transmission while he was eating a sandwich (a much easier food to eat while driving). I could probably handle eating the spaghetti while in traffic better than most people eating a bag of chips

I definitely prefer a manual in traffic to auto anyday (i live and work on long island where traffic is always awful during rush hour). The manual transmission keeps me calm in traffic and gives me something to concentrate on instead of how annoyed I am at not moving fast. I always find an appropriate speed to roll at to minimize clutching and brake usage.

 

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=35137782

 

Having a physical issue is about the only valid excuse. Ok, there are some people how are simply unable to learn to drive a manual, but those are a minority. If a majority of European drivers can learn that skill, I bet Americans could do as well (like they sure did before the advent of slushboxes).

Never. It's a second nature, not an attention drain. If it is for you, I am sorry you never learned how to drive it properly, or don't drive it enough. On the contrary, while a second nature, makes you subconsciously more focused on driving, leaving less opportunity for distractions.

 

A thought... maybe part of the reason is that manual transmissions in American boats sucked, hence the autos become more popular? Majority of American cars, some muscle fun cars notwithstanding, simply sucked well into the 1990s (many still do) compared to their imported competition (and don't get me wrong I love the styling of e.g. American boats from 1950s-1960s but they still sucked as driver's cars).

Because autos were developed here early, and they matched the huge engines in Americans boats better, basically the transition was from a column operated crummy, perhaps unsynchronized, manual to an acceptably performing slushbox mated to some monster torquey V8.

In other words, there were technical/technological reasons that were enablers to the automatic transmission development and proliferation?

 

Holy hell is that funny! Thanks for sharing.

 

I don't believe the epa rating for the manual. Far less drive train losses with the manual. If you drive it properly you'd get better mileage. Imo.

 

I've never driven anything but a manual shift since I learned how on my first car back in 1966. That one was a "3 on the tree". Some 3 speeds were floor mounts, like the old fifties corvettes among others. Over the years , all my vehicles including 5 Toyota trucks among many others were always a manual shift. I never wanted an automatic. My older brother recently bought a 2015 vette and special ordered a manual tranny, 8 speed, I think. My whole family was kind of old school, all of us driving manual shifts into our later years, just what we happen to like. A manual shift transmission puts the "FUN" into the drive as you become one with the vehicle and learn more how it feels and when something may be "not quite right". Who hasn't push started a manual? Can't do that in an automatic. I love the old manual shifts but the shift box always got in the way at the drive in movies with my dates.
In stop and go heavy traffic, sticks kind of suck, always have, always will, just my opinion, unless the road is a slight downgrade then neutral can be your friend, but if an upgrade?? Lots of clutching. On curvy mountain roads they are the most fun EVER to drive.
I bought a new 4runner in 2012 with auto of course and love it. My first auto tranny EVER! Having the "sport mode" shifting feature helps in not having a fully manual tranny. I'm glad manuals are still around because some people like them and I fully understand why they do. In the coming years more and more cars will be driving themselves and people on forums like this one will be complaining about having a lack of choice in being able to drive a "manual driving" car remembering the good old days when all cars had to be driven. I'll be gone by then, thank you.

 

Thanks for the one example , that totally changes my mind , driving a manual tranny is a superpower afterall

 

why are you being a cunt?