The Demise of the Manual Transmission

[VictoryAtNight]

Now we come to the year 2010. The ability to drive a car equipped with a manual transmission is becoming a dying art. The sales numbers tell the story: In 1985, according to Ward’s Communications, 22.4% of all vehicles sold in the United States came with a manual transmission. By 2007, the number had plummeted to 7.7%.
A quick check of vehicles for sale on AOL Autos tells a similar story. Of the 4,391,747 vehicles recently listed for sale, only 241,560 -- or 5.5% -- came with a manual.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/26/s...t-love-affair/



There are many articles regarding this subject, but this is the first one that I read many years ago and kept a copy.
I have 2 vehicles that are 5-speeds and would not never consider replacing it with an automatic. If I ever buy another car, a manual transmission is a requirement.

Are there any stick-shift enthusiasts?

[Jett Rink]

I have heard a manual transmission is a pain in the ass to drive in a city. Why get one when you can have the ease and comfort of an automatic transmission? I never learned how to drive manual.

[OI8T12]

I learned how to drive using a stick shift. It was my mother's 1968 VW. I drove it up and down in our driveway, until I backed into the bush on the side of the house. I was only 12 years old at the time. Later, when I was older, I use to borrow,

[Show spoiler](steal )

her 72 Pinto when I was around 15. I used to drive it around the back roads in the small town I grew up in. I could actually get a small chirp from the rear tires banging second gear in that car. It was hella fun. One day my father caught me, that was the end of my borrowing cars from my parents.

During one of my many mid life crisis, I was really into Mustangs. We had 3 of them in the driveway at one point. Mine was the supercharged Cobra, my son had a 5.0 GT, and my wife drove a 5.0 GT convertible. They all had sticks. I had to teach my wife how to drive the stick shift. It wasn't easy, but hey, if she wanted to go somewhere she had to learn how to drive it.

So yeah, I'm ok with a manual transmission. Our present cars are all automatics, but that's because they are grown up cars. No more mid life crisis.

[OI8T12]

Originally Posted by Jett Rink

I have heard a manual transmission is a pain in the ass to drive in a city. Why get one when you can have the ease and comfort of an automatic transmission? I never learned how to drive manual.

Yes, they are a pain to drive in the city. If you're in bumper to bumper traffic all the time can be really bad. I use to drive in and out of Boston all the time in my Mustang. It didn't really bother me too much in the morning, but the commute home was way worse. That's the price you pay for driving a sports car.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by OI8T12

Yes, they are a pain to drive in the city. If you're in bumper to bumper traffic all the time can be really bad. I use to drive in and out of Boston all the time in my Mustang. It didn't really bother me too much in the morning, but the commute home was way worse. That's the price you pay for driving a spots car.

What's a spots car?

[Jett Rink]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

What's a spots car?

I'd imagine it would be one of these.

[Al_The_Strange]

Yep, I learned stick shift and drove a few manual transmission cars. My parents' Ford Contour primarily. I remember driving a stick shift van for work once--I was glad I was able to, because I was the only one present who could do it.

I definitely like the amount of control stick shift gives you. But it's not something I feel is missing or ever felt a need to get back.

With the way technology's progressing, we'll eventually have more articles about "the demise of manual-drive cars" once self-driving vehicles become more of a thing.

[VictoryAtNight]

I learned how to drive stick on my sister's truck.
She learned how to drive on her boyfriend's (who eventually became her husband) Mazda hatchback. Only their oldest son knows how to drive stick, as the other 3 have no interest.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

My work beater is a stick. I ordered a Camaro SS right when I graduated from college and didn't even know how to drive a stick. I knew by the time it came in

[Mike16]

I learned how to drive on a manual...haven't driven one in years though, I actually miss it. I never found it difficult to drive in stop'n go traffic, the trickiest part for me was catching a red light on the top of an incline and not rolling back into the car behind me but also not stalling

[MaCruz]

I've been driving a 6-speed since August 2001.

2002 Acura RSX Type S from 2001 to 2005

2005 Acura TL 2005-present (Car bought new has just over 236,000 miles)


Sad that you don't see many MT cars out there which has been replaced by steering shifters. I do get tired of it sometimes especially now that traffic is getting worse, but I know the day I have to drive an auto is the day I will miss driving a stick.

I'm going to Daytona with my buddy this weekend to check out the races between some Porsche cars and the NSX. We're driving his two cars down. He'll be in his M3, and I'll be driving his Legend.... BOTH manual transmissions.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

I've been driving a 6-speed since August 2001.

2002 Acura RSX Type S from 2001 to 2005

2005 Acura TL 2005-present (Car bought new has just over 236,000 miles)


Sad that you don't see many MT cars out there. I do get tired of it sometimes especially now that traffic is getting worse, but I know the day I have to drive an auto is the day I will miss driving a stick.

Never been able to drive a stick shift so the demise of that gearbox is just fine with me.

[MaCruz]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

Never been able to drive a stick shift so the demise of that gearbox is just fine with me.

It's not hard. My dad taught me, and I'd say it took me an hour to learn, and that was on my brand new RSX back then! I stalled hard on it and the car wasn't even broken in yet.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by MaCruz

It's not hard. My dad taught me, and I'd say it took me an hour to learn, and that was on my brand new RSX back then! I stalled hard on it and the car wasn't even broken in yet.

Well I drive exactly one car - my 2016 EX so I don't see how learning to drive a stick would effect my life that much. The only way I'd see it becoming a necessity is if I started dating and my squeeze drove a stick.

[OI8T12]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

Never been able to drive a stick shift so the demise of that gearbox is just fine with me.

You have not really driven a car, until you have driven a stick. Anyone can drive an automatic, but it takes skill to bang through the gears of a 5 speed manual transmission. Going from first gear to second gear and hearing the rumbling of the engine and exhaust, isn't like anything you've experienced before. Hitting third gear and pulling away from your competition is pure heaven.

You should seek out someone that has a stick shift, and take it for a spin. If the car has any balls, you should have a big smile on your face. You might even get a boner.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by OI8T12

You have not really driven a car, until you have driven a stick. Anyone can drive an automatic, but it takes skill to bang through the gears of a 5 speed manual transmission. Going from first gear to second gear and hearing the rumbling of the engine and exhaust, isn't like anything you've experienced before. Hitting third gear and pulling away from your competition is pure heaven.

You should seek out someone that has a stick shift, and take it for a spin. If the car has any balls, you should have a big smile on your face. You might even get a boner.

Heh sounds like something I may need to do for my birthday, just to get it out of the way. There are people who've told me you don't know how to drive unless you can drive a stick.

[Dex Robinson]

The imagined superiority of the stick is a misplaced nostaligc affectation. It's the same reason that people buy turntables. I expect the stick will die a slow but well-deserved death. I have great respect for the stick as I respect my old record collection...but it's time has passed.

So you may well be thinking, "Ah, the voice of a delicate little snowflake driving his mom's old Ford Taurus".

On the contrary, I have never owned an automatic in my life. I've driven several. Every few months I do drive my moms little Korean compact with an automatic. However, every car I've owned has had a manual and I still own three of them. I own the first car I ever bought (when I was 19): a 1976, 455 Trans AM with a Borg Warner T-10 4 speed. I own a '59 Corvette that a previous owner fitted with a Muncie M21 Rock Crusher. And I have my old Triumph convertible with the factory 4 speed.

[Show spoiler]

The reality is that modern automatics are fantastic. In most cases, they equal the fuel economy of manuals. They provide superior low end torque that usually makes them quicker off the line. Manuals don't provide any real advantage. Any preceived manual superiority is in the mind of the driver.

Of course, if somebody has convnced themselves that manuals are better, then there is certainly no harm in them enjoying the driving experience. If somebody imagines that vinyl sounds better than digital then it doesn't matter as long as they are enjoying the music. For me, driving a manual is (pardon the pun) automatic. My driving is 90% in town and I can shift 300 times during a trip and not even remember doing so. It really makes no difference to me if I'm driving an automatic or manual. If I had the money for a new Corvette, I'd buy an automatic.

[VictoryAtNight]

I have both of these shift knobs for my car and truck. They are very good quality and inexpensive.

[sk33tr]

right after i got my license, i taught myself how to drive a manual shift.

my mom and dad were gone in my mom's car and i decided to take my dad's car, '72 super beetle, down to the local middle school (less than a mile from my house) and teach myself. well, by the time i got to the parking lot there, i was fairly good with it. i wasn't grinding the gears or letting it slip or anything. i then went to the nearest hill i could think of and see if i could do an uphill start; did that just fine.

i used to own a manual shift quite a few years ago. and i rather enjoyed it until the clutch started going out and slipping.

and i've said for a long time, with thanks to my dad for putting this thought in my head, that everyone needs to learn how to drive a manual shift vehicle. there may come a day when someone needs your help in an emergency and all that is available is a manual shift and you have to drive it. so if you don't know how to drive one, find someone with one and ask them to teach you. they can be quite fun.

[Omegaice]

My last 4 vehicles have been a manual transmission including my '72 Chevelle. My next new car will be a manual as well, just enjoy driving too much to have an automatic.