Fewer drivers pick the stick: The increasingly rare manual - Polidicks

[QUOTE=duckmaster;51190595]Maybe not belittling but. Is very condescending.[/QUOTE] It's condescending to people that circlejerk or act like one is the "right" choice.

Automatic transmissions have never been that prevalent here. I've always been told that if something fucks up in the automatic transmission, you might as well buy a new car because it's so expensive to fix. That might just be here, or not at all really. I do sometimes in heavy traffic wish that I had an automatic transmission, because down- and upshifting constantly can be quite tedious. With that said, I do still believe that if I were given the choice, I'd pick manual over automatic. Simply because this is what I've grown up with, and manually shifting gears feels like I'm more in control of the car. That, and it's fun to quickly go through the gears at high rpm when getting down on the highway.

[QUOTE=Duck M.;51189349]I'm an enthusiast and even so you have to muster up a lot of courage to take the plunge and get a manual if you dont have the opportunity to learn in someone elses vehicle. It's a pretty big commitment to something that only serves as additional engagement and satisfaction from driving when you have no experience with it.[/QUOTE] Imo, people should learn to drive both. I can ride a manual, but never ever touched an auto, and it shouldn't be too hard, but I still have my doubts about a few things about it.

[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;51191007]The problem with automatics and fuel efficiency or performance is the automatic is reactionary. It can't read your mind so it has to wait to see what you are doing, then try to guess what gear you need to be in. Only then does it shift. This is not true when you shift your own gears. You shift the gears, which means that shift happens right when you need it with no waiting. You will always be in the 'right' gear, whether it's right for fuel economy or for performance since it's your brain with a direct connection to the transmission.[/QUOTE] Unless you get a hybrid, my volt probably gets more mileage than most if not all manuals.

[QUOTE=duckmaster;51192512]Unless you get a hybrid, my volt probably gets more mileage than most if not all manuals.[/QUOTE] I don't know about the Volt but there's quite a few manual diesel cars that get better MPG than a prius

[QUOTE=*Freezorg*;51192591]I don't know about the Volt but there's quite a few manual diesel cars that get better MPG than a prius[/QUOTE] This. Also, what's with the huge emphasis on MUH MPG's when it comes to cars, like damn, people should drop the "fuel efficiency" shtick when it comes to justifying being an enthusiast - just saying "I like this better" is enough. I don't even use efficiency as a conversation piece since true enthusiasts don't give two shits about the amount they spend on gas.

The efficiency argument is irrelevant because in the end it's entirely about how you drive. You can get terrible efficiency in a manual car if you drive like shit compared to getting great efficiency in an auto car by driving carefully, and vice versa. I'm also seeing a lot of manual proponents say 'efficiency isn't everything' but in the end you have to realise that the common person (80% of the population) looks for efficiency as a factor in buying a car. They look for the figure on the car and pick based on that, manual or auto otherwise. Again, like I said above: There's no point in having these arguments.

[QUOTE=FlandersNed;51192815]The efficiency argument is irrelevant because in the end it's entirely about how you drive. You can get terrible efficiency in a manual car if you drive like shit compared to getting great efficiency in an auto car by driving carefully, and vice versa. I'm also seeing a lot of manual proponents say 'efficiency isn't everything' but in the end you have to realise that the common person (80% of the population) looks for efficiency as a factor in buying a car. They look for the figure on the car and pick based on that, manual or auto otherwise. Again, like I said above: There's no point in having these arguments.[/QUOTE] Isn't really an argument though, just a discussion of who likes what and why. There's no point in discussing anything other than sharing opinions, which is what people are doing. There's no debate going on in here about what's better.

[QUOTE=Aetna;51192621]This. Also, what's with the huge emphasis on MUH MPG's when it comes to cars, like damn, people should drop the "fuel efficiency" shtick when it comes to justifying being an enthusiast - just saying "I like this better" is enough. I don't even use efficiency as a conversation piece since true enthusiasts don't give two shits about the amount they spend on gas.[/QUOTE] MPG is what they care about, just like you care about the car being a manual, it's a requirement of a car for them??? should be obvious? [editline]12th October 2016[/editline] fuel is expensive in europe, people care

[QUOTE=*Freezorg*;51192591]I don't know about the Volt but there's quite a few manual diesel cars that get better MPG than a prius[/QUOTE] Not the plug in variant though. Manual will be irrelevant when everything goes electric anyway since EVs don't even have gears to shift through. Will just be for hardcore hobbyists that keep ICEs around to work with.

[QUOTE=Ardosos;51183954]I didn't even know they still made manual transmission cars, I've only ever seen them in old movies from like the 60's.[/QUOTE] They're still the norm outside of the US really. Since Autos cost quite a bit more as well. [QUOTE=Rocâ„¢;51192096]Imo, people should learn to drive both. I can ride a manual, but never ever touched an auto, and it shouldn't be too hard, but I still have my doubts about a few things about it.[/QUOTE] I drive both and going from M to A is pretty simple. You just need to keep yourself in check so that you don't accidentally double press a break and speed when you want to step on the clutch. [QUOTE=Morgen;51196446]Not the plug in variant though. Manual will be irrelevant when everything goes electric anyway since EVs don't even have gears to shift through. Will just be for hardcore hobbyists that keep ICEs around to work with.[/QUOTE] Might not always be true actually. EVs benefit from transmissions quite a lot, but they tend to trash them super fast. So since they provide variable RPM and the transmissions break too easily, no one bothers. But that might be temporary.

[QUOTE=ghghop;51188286]I prefer autos for a shit ton of reasons, but the most important one is I'm not having to fucking with the car actively so I can talk with people I'm driving with. It's always felt like a hassle and it always will.[/QUOTE] Someone never heard of muscle memory.

[QUOTE=Drury;51189053]Honestly if you've driven manual once you can't really talk about how inconvenient it is.[/QUOTE] I gotta say I've only owned manual cars and its really not that inconvenient I mean once you get the hang of it you can eat a burger with the steering hand and shift with a drink in the other.

[QUOTE=Npc_Hydra3;51207878]I gotta say I've only owned manual cars and its really not that inconvenient I mean once you get the hang of it you can eat a burger with the steering hand and shift with a drink in the other.[/QUOTE] That sounds american as hell. And while you might think I'm making fun, that sounds like a good time. Except if you are in a mustang and are the typical mustang owner...

I love driving manual cars and my daily driver is a manual. This news doesn't surprise me in the slightest. These days there is no rational reason to drive a manual anymore. Automatics are more efficient, they're not much more expensive these days, and it requires less effort on the part of the driver, in a world where most people just see driving as a thing you do when you need to go somewhere. The only reason you would ever buy a manual (at least here in the US) would be if you [I]want[/I] one, and I happen to be one of those people. Driving a manual is [I]fun[/I], and that's why I do it. I like rowing the gears. I like having more control over the engine. I love the way an engine sounds, and the fun in learning how to shift better is something you naturally practice during any drive. I don't care if people prefer automatic or manual, just don't be a dick about it.

[QUOTE=Npc_Hydra3;51207878]I gotta say I've only owned manual cars and its really not that inconvenient I mean once you get the hang of it you can eat a burger with the steering hand and shift with a drink in the other.[/QUOTE] I can do this but since my car is an auto im shifting slowly towards preferring the autos day by day Yeah its fun to drive a manual but for me the fun in driving a car is actually driving the car

I wouldn't mind a shift back to manuals, I can't drive a stick but I'd just have to learn it. If it means less people on the road and forces governments to improve public transportation I'm all for it.

[QUOTE=Kabstrac;51207684]I bought the last 2016 Nissan Frontier PRO 4X King cab in Canada with a manual transmission according to my dealer [/QUOTE] Lucky find on that one. My dad has a 2015 Frontier SV 4x4 and grabbing a MT with that was basically not an option. Seems like the 4 cylinder 4x2 with the crew cab is only way to grab a 6 speed, aside from the PRO 4x model. It's disappointing, since Nissan's 4.0L V6 engines are fantastic when paired with their 6 speed. A while back my mom had an Xterra with the V6 and a 6 speed, that thing was pretty fun for a larger vehicle.

I decided to purchase a small utility pickup truck with a manual transmission (Ford Ranger) a few years ago. I'm pretty happy with it, but I definitely miss cruise control. Long drives are very uncomfortable, and it's harder to control my exact speed on highways so I'm prone to drifting 5-10 mph over the limit. Also, it's annoying to drive in heavy traffic. My next car will most likely be a minivan or passenger van with an automatic transmission and some comfort features like cruise control.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;51215779]I decided to purchase a small utility pickup truck with a manual transmission (Ford Ranger) a few years ago. I'm pretty happy with it, but I definitely miss cruise control. Long drives are very uncomfortable, and it's harder to control my exact speed on highways so I'm prone to drifting 5-10 mph over the limit. Also, it's annoying to drive in heavy traffic. My next car will most likely be a minivan or passenger van with an automatic transmission and some comfort features like cruise control.[/QUOTE] Cruise control isn't exclusive to automatics. I have cruise control in my manual car and it just disengages when I depress the clutch and re-engages after I brought it back up.

[QUOTE=LtKyle2;51215715]I wouldn't mind a shift back to manuals, I can't drive a stick but I'd just have to learn it. If it means less people on the road and forces governments to improve public transportation I'm all for it.[/QUOTE] It's not too difficult to learn, really. I had the basics down with one night of driving around a parking lot and some quiet roads in a subdivision. I still killed the engine pretty regularly for another couple of weeks, especially when shifting into first gear from a dead stop (doubly so if on an incline), but the more I drove the better feel I got for how and when to shift. [editline]17th October 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Morgen;51215795]Cruise control isn't exclusive to automatics. I have cruise control in my manual car and it just disengages when I depress the clutch and re-engages after I brought it back up.[/QUOTE] Really? Interesting, I didn't know that. Either way, my next vehicle will probably still be an automatic. It's just a more comfortable driving experience not having to frequently shift imo.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;51215796]It's not too difficult to learn, really. I had the basics down with one night of driving around a parking lot and some quiet roads in a subdivision. I still killed the engine pretty regularly for another couple of weeks, especially when shifting into first gear from a dead stop (doubly so if on an incline), but the more I drove the better feel I got for how and when to shift. [editline]17th October 2016[/editline] Really? Interesting, I didn't know that. Either way, my next vehicle will probably still be an automatic. It's just a more comfortable driving experience not having to frequently shift imo.[/QUOTE] Yep, I've owned (9?) manual cars now, the oldest being an '85, and all of them had cruise control.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;51215796]Really? Interesting, I didn't know that. Either way, my next vehicle will probably still be an automatic. It's just a more comfortable driving experience not having to frequently shift imo.[/QUOTE] There's loads of different implementations of cruise control in manual cars. A complementary car my parents had (an Audi A3 of some form I think?) had all kinds of neat things like that, and was still a manual. The car it was replacing (a Land Rover Freelander I believe) also can optionally have cruise control. You still have to shift up to the speed you want to be at obviously, but once you're there it's fine. Just remember to shift back down when you disengage it and slow down. On another note; did some research into the newer models of my current car (Smart ForTwo), Smart finally opted to give it a DCT, given how much the older models struggle with keeping their power up during shifts that must be like butter in comparison (along with adding a turbocharger in the higher end model for maximum go fast in a car lighter than the average mouse).

[QUOTE=Kabstrac;51218887]It's a shame really because they are just so good. Ah well. Always wanted an Xterra too, why'd you discontinue them Nissan!!? [editline]17th October 2016[/editline] My 1982 Datsun 280ZX witht he 5speed manual also had cruise in it, and it worked even still :D[/QUOTE] Woah, that's awesome! My first hooptie was an '85 300ZX 2+2, 5 speed. Cruise didn't work though, little plastic grommet that registered clutch actuation was cracked and disabled the system. I was too lazy to fix. Miss that car sometimes.

I dont think a manual transmission is a special thing, or "downgrade" from an automatic. My daily driver is a Mazdaspeed 3 6 speed, and commuting from classes through Tampa (Florida) traffic isn't hard at all. It's really just a preference. I love the feeling of being connected to the car, and being able to control all aspects. Unless you drive an a-to-b appliance, you most likely have to be a "car guy"/"gearhead" to enjoy a manual transmission. Talking about "downgrading", the Mazdaspeed 3 came with cruise control and SatNav in 2008. It's quite a comfortable car. But, it is a sports car. Manual transmissions as they are phased out will stick with sports cars, and even with DCT on the side for performance, sports cars will always come with the third pedal. Unless ICE engines are gone, I don't think you'll see Subaru, Toyota, VW, Chevy, ect. put out a sports car WITHOUT the option for a manual transmission. Even the new corvette has a 7 speed manual, STI's with manuals, FRS/BRZ is known for being shit with its auto (1 sec slower 0-60).

I would like to drive an automatic. I've driven stick all my life, and I've driven automatic only once. It was my boss' brand new car I had to drive ~200km from a gig we did. It was sweet, driving it felt like I was driving a toy truck for 4-year-olds that just had the capability of going 200km/h. It handled like an easy driving-videogame, compared to the shit-ass 20-year-old cars I usually drive. :v:

I'll probably stick to manual until electric cars take over. Not that I'm in a rush to replace my car anyway.

Traditional automatics will never get respect because of their mechanical heritage to slushbox planetary gear monstrosities. Supercar automatics work more similarly to the old manual way, with a clutch(s) coupling the engine to an input shaft(s), and a shifter locking a pair of gears to the output shaft, but automated.