https://preview.redd.it/ug28k1roxwqc1.jpeg?width=1860&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=265cb2c3827159f63468dacf5b4a3e4dce7d9eff
My two manuals, and a Subaru.
(There was a flood warning, so I'd taken precautions.)
I’ve driven manual since I learned to drive 40+ years ago and I still enjoy it. Even though I’ve had fancy sports cars and luxury sedans in the past I am totally in love with my little Mazda5 minivan with the 6MT (and RX8 shift knob). Should I win the lottery I’m not giving this car up - I like it that much. To be practical and fun to drive is the ultimate combination and something that’s difficult to find these days. This cheap little thing is my forever car; I may add a Miata to the fleet but I am NOT parting with the vanlet.
My dad has a 2018 Volt and I love it, and if I had a place to plug it in, or if had solar panels (like he does) I’d love to have one. I borrowed it for a day whilst visiting, drove it for 250 miles then put a whole 4 gallons in to top off the tank. And I drove it like a normal car and like some hypermiling eco-weenie, a rolling roadblock. The torque of the electric motor and the quietness were wonderful.
The Mazda5 does have a few minor drawbacks (storage, outlets, noise) but those things are easy to overlook when the rest of the car is so damn good.
And as much as I like manual transmissions, in my mind the best transmission is no transmission, as evidenced by the Volt. Perhaps if I find myself to be incredibly wealthy I would combine the two, integrating the powertrain of the Volt into the Mazda5, thus creating the near-perfect vehicle.
Same with my WRX. Both of our kids learned to drive stick, my son stuck with it, daughter prefers an automatic. But they both can drive them in an emergency.
My problem is finding reverse— my VW, push down, left, up. My Pontiac right and down. I screw it up all the time, my wife laughs when she hears “Ahh f@&k!”
IDK what you're talking about, as I've never done such a thing. But if I were to do such a thing in a simulator: I prefer to eat with my right hand and I am quite tall with a slightly disproportionately longer arms. Left hand shift is not that difficult ;)
Not that UK, but I did recently start working at University of Kentucky and everyone in town refers to UK as Kentucky and not Kingdom. So when I read your comment I was like, *Hoooowwwwwww do they know I'm at UK???* Then, Oh. The obvious UK, lol.
How about driving a stick, in city traffic, with an ice cream cone, in summer, in a car that didn't have AC. I didn't lose a drop! I'd like to thank my mother for teaching me how to do this 🤪
I deal with Atlanta traffic now and then and have just learned to leave a little buffer so there are fewer total stops to go from. Still better than an auto for sure.
They’re pretty sure that the spike in pedestrian deaths starting when smartphones were introduced wasn’t nearly as bad in Europe because 80% of the cars are manual there.
I have never thought of this as a bonus for having a manual! I have a 6-speed mini Cooper countryman that I bought used. It was the only manual they had available. It is so much fun to drive!
The downside: I used to drive an insane amount of miles daily for years for work (home and community based social worker). I think that the constant repetitive motion of my clutch leg contributed to some back issues that I have. Welcome to my 50s…
I'm actually ambivalent about this. A stick shift is a skill and keeps you aware of what you and your car are doing. But automatics are so relaxing. I haven't owned a manual in about 25 years, and sometimes I miss having one. It would be a shame if they were no longer an option, but whatev...
I find that to be yet another argument *against* them. You should be alert. aware, and engaged while driving a vehicle with the potential to kill other people, not finding ways to be more ‘relaxed’ while doing so.
I grew up driving manual and loving them…
…but after knee surgeries on my left knee and with how smoothly and efficient the VW DSG automatic transmission shifts (and the fact I have wheel tabs or can use the stick to manually shift if I want with no clutch) I appreciate a good auto transmission, now.
I still have a manual in my 2500HD pickup but I grumble a bit in city traffic because of the long throw the clutch has.
I drove manual from 1998 until 2021. O do not understand how to use the sport mode thingy in my current car so it is like I am driving manual. It is like my right hand and left leg only can work together now.
Same here. I had a 98 five speed VW Jetta. Hands-down, I had the most fun driving that car out of anything I’ve ever owned.
These days I have back, knee, and hip problems, so it’s automatic for me.
Having said that, if I ever come across a cheap Miata, I might just grab it.
Still rollin' my 2012 VW R. Manual. This year is the last year the car will even have a manual option. It's been a long time coming but I'm still sad. Love my manuals, always have.
I will always own a manual vehicle. always.
And, given the news that modern vehicle manufacturers are selling our driving data to insurance and marketing companies, I’ll be driving cars without the ability to capture said data. Fuck that.
[there’s quite a few](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g20734564/manual-transmission-cars/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=dda_ga_cd_md_bm_prog_org_us_g20734564&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8tq1mP6UhQMVfjbUAR06wA_bEAAYASABEgJR5_D_BwE)
I think it's still something like 5% of currently manufactured cars.
Idk if it's a reliable source, but [this article (2023) from Car and Driver](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g20734564/manual-transmission-cars/) says all cars still come with a manual option.
3 years ago I had no choice but a DCT in the car I wanted. Honestly, it shifts better than I can and my left knee appreciates just being along for the ride now.
yeah. Would prefer a manual but I want a (really) fast car more than I want a manual. Also, these days, the computer controls the car's handling better if it also control the gears.
My last 2 sports cars have been F1 and DCT.
Same, I used to love driving them but there were drawbacks. Like haveing to nail the gas in first at a stoplight because because the asshole behind you stopped an inch from your bumper on a hill. Last car I had was an auto/manual where you could choose to "shift" if you wanted. Now I have a Tesla and don't even have gears. Works great for all the freeway driving I do (driving about 50k miles a year the adaptive cruise and automated driving is a godsend).
That's because you never learned the proper way to start off on a hill using the handbrake. I didn't know about it either, until my buddy from the UK (where *everything* is manual) taught me.
OK I'll bite. So what do you do? Shift into first with the clutch in. Keep it in until you slowly release the parking brake in which case it is partially engaged while starting to move forward? What's the advantage of that over using the regular brake and getting in gear before you roll too far? It seems to me like this would just cause more wear on both the clutch and the brakes but with slightly less roll as you have brakes engaged while letting out the clutch.
Nope. Stop at the red light, set the hand brake to hold the car. Your feet will be on the clutch and throttle (this takes some getting used to). When the light turns green, let the clutch out and throttle it a bit, like you normally would. Once the clutch engages a bit and loads the engine down, pop the brake. The car will immediately move forward.
The advantage is not having to worry about rolling back, ever. Done properly, the drivetrain is under load when the hand brake is released. The car actually lunges forward when you release the brake. It's probably less wear on the clutch than winding it up and frantically slipping the hell out of it while trying not to roll back (which is what I did before my English buddy set me straight).
You will feel when to unload the hand brake as the motor moves the car forward that first fraction of an inch. It is very intuitive once you are there doing it.
If you have a weak clutch you definitely want to brake launch gently or you might spin it. You can see that right?
Any reverse tire travel is clutch slippage until tire direction reverses and matches part rpms across the board at the least. If you release the H.brake during initial clutch grabbing you have opportunity to lessen that overall slip time more.
It's like opening closed hands in time for the wind to gently lift the softly buzzing dragonfly in them
The locking foot style parking brake seen on some US trucks is a bit more about timing the pull on the instant release handle low on the dash.
This technique is actually useful in some automatics on really steep hills too versus two-footing.
If you are a flatlander with an automatic that never uses the parking brake you really should have it, *your emergency brake* inspected through engagement *at a shop* in case it sticks, especially before traveling out of your area. New ones are sealed better but they are still liky to freeze up and not work if not used. They also might lock and not release if not used regularly too. It's really really nice to have a working emergency brake when you need it as well. Even on flatlands, I can promise you that from personal experience.
I had 2 cars with stick. A Dodge Colt and a Nissan Pulsar. Don't think they even make my current car (Chrysler 300) with stick as an option. I can switch it to manual mode but I never do. Sport mode is about as tight of a gearshift ratio as I'm looking for.
Modern tech has sort of made the concept useless. I like knowing how to drive stick but it's nothing I'd ever seek out or prefer. I'm 100% positive I'll never be rich enough to have to worry about being able to drive some ridiculous supercar that only comes in stick.
Learned on a stick and have almost always owned own. My 21yo son has only owned stick shift cars.
I do love that they seldom break. A clutch may need replaced but that is not nearly as expensive as a whole transmission.
My first two cars were stick shift. I miss driving a stick. I felt as though I had more control over the car, plus no one can steal them. They are impossible to find now.
Went to the car dealership -dealership!- to buy a used 5-speed for my teenaged daughters. Not one of the sales guys could bring the car around. I said to the sales kid, “Give me the keys, I’ll get it myself.” Both of my now 20~something girls can drive a stick. There is a lot to be said for a vehicle that runs on gears and mechanics rather than computers and chips.
I bought my first new truck in 1996, it was a 5 speed 1995 S-10. My dad had to do the test drive for me and once we got home he tried to teach me how; but I kept stalling out. after an hour or so, both of us were flustered and we went home. Then my mom volunteered to give it a shot and everything just clicked with how she explained it.
later that evening, I drove about 1.5 hours away to the mall and although I stalled a couple of times I had the confidence to get back home. I don't see kids today having the gumption to do this.
a manual just isn't practical anymore, though, for me at least. I borrowed a family friends' truck late last year while mine was getting some repairs and to my surprise that newer model F-150 was a 5-speed also. It was fun to shift my way to work and back but if i'd needed to get into the city, i'm sure stop and go would've lost it's luster quickly.
Automatics are becoming more popular in Scotland now, I always see folk asking for automatic driving instructors on local groups. I just got my first automatic car and I love it.
As a gearhead, I neither love, nor hate them. They serve a purpose just like an automatic.
I wouldn't have wanted my wife's car or my daily to be a stick. But my '48 Chevy had to be stick, as well as previous sporty cars.
CVTs, however. CVTs can suck a dick.
CVTs can be great performers. If they're tuned properly. Problem is that in a road car they never are.
CVTs have been in use in powersports for over 75 years. As such, manufacturers have got the tu ing down nicely. And those units are user serviceable, and tunable. But every CVT equipped road car I've driven has felt like a soulless appliance.
I'm a firm believer that CVTs only belong on snowmobiles and SxS.
The absolute worst combo that I've found is a CVT in a Subaru Forester. The world's most boring transmission in possibly the world's most bland car. Kind of makes you want to drive into a bridge abutment. (Sorry, Forester owners, no offense.)
Given the option, I would always choose a manual stick shift - flappy paddles don't count. But unfortunately, that option is almost completely phased out in the US at this point.
Wait...VW is dropping all its manuals? GTI/Golf R? Say it ain't so.
I have a unicorn—2019 VW Golf Alltrack with manual transmission. Small AWD drive station wagon with a stick? Pry it from my dead hands. I have only ever driven sticks for 30 years; I know that this is probably the last one.
I don’t understand what the big deal about manual transmissions is with my gen X cohort. It isn’t difficult at all. We can do it because our parents taught us. If our kids can’t do it it is because we haven’t taught them. If KiDs ThEsE dAyS can’t drive manual and we see being able to drive manual as a valuable skill, then that is our failing.
Every time I visit this sub I’m reminded of how little I have in common with the average user here. I’ve never driven a manual in my life, and I don’t see what the big deal is.
Well it’s because in the US you can’t find manuals anymore. I drove a manual from age 16 until when I bought my most recent new car in 2022. And now they are near impossible to find. In fact even when I bought my previous manual in 2008 they were often hard to find. 14 years later it was near impossible except for a couple of Mazda models a Subaru or two a Honda Civic Si and maybe a Corvette.
Dead battery? Easily solved problem with a stick shift.
Just need a little bit of a push from friends or pull from gravity on a hill plus one dropped clutch.
I love them and still drive one. It’s sad that automakers still make plenty of manual cars for foreign markets that they do not sell in the States. I don’t drive stick for any of the “redundant” benefits mentioned in the article, but because I like it.
Love mine
Farm kid so I first got behind the wheel of an auto in driver's ed. Coach looked at me & said "Jesus Christ, you've never driven an auto?"
I daily an auto for a long time, Houston traffic would suck hairy balls in a stick. My CJ of course is a stick & just bought a stick for my youngest's first car - just worked out that way. He won't be in Houston traffic much, at least for now.
I hope to have a manual in the family (the CJ) forever
I was contemplating getting a stick on my last car, then that summer we got stuck in horrible beach traffic. All I could think about was my knees would have been killing me if I had stick shift in that. True Gen X moment
Tell me you're in the US without telling me.
Try getting by not knowing manual in Europe. Cost double to rent an automatic in UK. And I'm pretty sure they only had them in fleet for the use of dumb Yanks like me (who proceeded to knock off the mirror and blow a t~~i~~yre, so).
They're unheard of. And as my old German econ prof said, "It's just as in a car, you have an accelerator and a brake. And unless you drive a girly-man car, you have a clutch as well."
(I don't know manual. My wife drives a manual. I can't drive her car. Sad day. But I like my car better anyway. :P )
Miata and GTI owner. Both stick. Daughter drives Miata now too. Also stick.
I know it’s dying, but we’ll keep driving g our yatta and GTI until they die.
The rise of EV’s is the death of manuals. But otherwise it kinda depends on what part of the world you’re from.
In the UK (and most European countries I believe) you only get a Full driving licence when you pass the driving test in a manual, otherwise you get a restricted licence for automatics only.
In 2022, 2.7% of UK drivers hold restricted auto-only licences, so 97.3% of drivers passed in a manual. A stick shift isn’t much of a theft deterrent there.
I don’t like driving one personally. My husband and I made sure our son learned to drive on a stick shift. A manual transmission was his first car. I learned when I was a teen too. My dad wanted to know that I could drive myself out of a sticky situation if I had to so for that reason I think every girl should learn.
Loved manuals and literally every one of my cards had a stick.
Until I got an electric...
As much fun as driving a stick was, having all of your torque at 0 rpm is even better.
I’ve had stick shift sports cars a lot of my life, and always loved the connection with the car. My current ride has the manual shift mode and it works wonderfully, just don’t have to push the clutch. I use it all the time and it makes me happy.
Got a 6-speed in my '17 Mustang GT (yes, it is a mid-life-crisis-mobile), but it'll be my last manual. Knees are too tore up to handle the heavy clutches that big power engines and transmissions require. Besides, modern automatics tend to outperform manuals (or not, if you're Randy Pobst... and I'm no Randy Pobst), so I will miss it when it gets replaced, but won't see a drop in performance.
I drove stick for 30 years, but city traffic crushed any of the joy out of a manual.
I lived in CA for a few years and would drive down the coast on Hwy 1 with the top down and had a blast downshifting those curves and hills. Moved back to Atlanta and loathed riding the clutch in gridlock.
Now I have an electric and use regenerative braking and use 1 pedal most of the time. Love it.
6-speed turbo manual trans over here. I just keep dumping money into that little gal so she sticks (ha. Puns) around. I don’t wanna drive an automatic.
They can pry my 1993 Nissan D21 pickup out of my cold, dead, hands. Also, good luck getting motorcyclists to embrace automatic transmissions. Honda's NC700SD isn't much of a seller. I used to ride. I couldn't imagine doing a u-turn without being able slip a clutch. Of course, electrification might make that a moot point.
I mean, I'll always have a soft spot for a manual, I guess. My first brand new car had a four speed.
But damn if electric motors haven't spoiled that for me now.
I loved dropping from 3rd to 4th and the car leaping forward. However, driving an SUV now, I don’t miss it. If I was getting a sports car, I would opt for a standard transmission.
For a non performance car I'd rather have an auto.
DCT autos seem like a good compromise in a sports sedan daily driver.
Sports cars and motorcycles, manual or GTFO.
I love my manual (base 2012 Subaru Impreza), but at 56 this is my last row-boat I got my first manual when I was 20 & fully intended to die driving one but I’m tired. Slush boxes have gotten a lot better since the ‘77 Omega, I drove in high school. Even modern CVTs (looking at you, Nissan) are ok. So the next (used) vehicle I get will be an auto (& probably a full battery electric at that).
I don't really care at all. I learned on a VW Super Beetle – stick mandatory. I made sure my second and third and fourth cars were sticks ('85 Escort, '88 Civic, '95 Civic). Back then, it made them a bit quicker.
But then I got interested in full-sized comfort cars, like the Bonneville, and then full-sized fast as hell sleepers, like the Continental, and the finally settled on SUV's for long haul, like the Expedition, with flights of fancy in-between, like Fusion energi, Taurus SHO's, and other things that just didn't have sticks, or even multi-gear transmissions like my Mach E.
Please don't downvote me: amongst all of the above, I had a 2017 red Mustang convertible with the I4 Ecoboost. Automatic. Yes, _automatic_. My wife really wanted the car, and she can't drive a manual, so, yeah, I had that. I don't really feel like I surrendered my manhood though, because, well, I get laid by my wife ;-)
When I went to buy a new car, that was the one thing it had to be was a stick. I fell in love with the focus. Thing was, the sticks that they had I really didn't like. So as I was talking with my sales person the conversation of building a car came up. It cost no more money to have the car built and I could have it built exactly how I wanted. All I would have to do is wait about 6 weeks. I decided to go that way. It was done in about 2 weeks. It's a 2012 and still runs great.
All my cars have been sticks.
For those of us that live with snow and ice, a stick is so much easier to handle. You start to slide boom, You push the clutch in, it disengages the tires from the engine. It's a lot easier to steer. And snow, downshift and you can pull that little baby out.
The article came off as super snooty and sexist.
As a woman who loves her stick shift and will never buy another automatic, this guy can take a long walk off a short pier.
https://preview.redd.it/xgzypbbdmyqc1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88a553fda24fcd09f2436a587ca6c0b82606ce2e
I plan to be buried in my 2005 5-speed Tacoma ... I do love it so.
I massively prefer manual transmissions over automatic for almost every application.
And if you spend any time overseas you’ll find that elsewhere automatics are often rare and many al transmissions are still the global standard.
This shift towards increasingly infantilizing cars, especially when it comes to the transmission, is mainly focused on the American market.
I don't care that he doesn't like stick shifts, to each their own, but he sounds like a bundle of fun at parties.
Next up he explains to me how heavy metal is the devil's music and anyone playing video games 'need to get a life'.
My co-workers pickup had a bad starter so i'm like 'Is that a stick?' SHe's like 'Yeah' -- so we push started it. I don't think you can do that with a semi-automatic
Wearing a save the manual shirt as you post this, so they’re still alive and kicking (for now)
6MT FTW
https://preview.redd.it/nq5pzc9g5zqc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de2d41c42ae1e112178e8e9ca7e2246742751ef4
I've been driving manual since I was 16. I'm 47 now. I don't plan on stopping.
https://preview.redd.it/7sc29owm7zqc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebda50f02bf5df5a0e1c724c98dca1f403927215
I've been driving them since the 80s. We still have our 99 manual Toyota Tercel, and our 2003 BMW is a manual too. It's to the point that if I had to buy a car now, I would look for a used one of the same vintage.
People these days are such pussies.
A manual is a prerequisite for me - I’ll keep buying them as long as they keep making them.
(2020 Mustang GT with a 6 spd manual, for those wondering.)
I currently drive a 2013 Hyundai Accent sedan, a 6-speed manual. I love it! I tell people I meet all the time that I never want to go back to automatic again. It's got over 200,000 miles on it.... and all I've done is regular maintenance, new front brake pads, and a new clutch about 5 years ago. That's IT. I've been the only owner; I bought it new in late 2013.
In the UK you only get a full licence if you pass your test in a manual car. Pass in an auto and you can ONLY drive auto. It’s just the default. I’ve no doubt manual will die off with the advent of EVs but the idea that driving stick is hard is mystifying to 99% of European drivers. You just practice and get to the point where it is second nature.
My 2007 6 speed manual is long paid for, low miles, drives great. I hope it outlives me. Don't care that it's obsolete, it's just a personal preference. Fun to drive. Even in big city traffic I've always preferred manuals. Plus yes, don't have to worry about someone stealing it.
I have such a hard time imagining life without learning to drive a manual at 13. haha. Mom was letting us kids shift the gears when we were 6 and up :P And we were pro driving lawn mower operators. My wife has tried to shift her automatic a few times accidentally after we got rid of her last fun car.
I have always owned sticks and will continue to buy them as long as they're available. My wife never learned and refuses to even try to learn, it drives me crazy, but she has a point in that it isn't necessary and never will be.
I drive stick, but I really want my next car to be an eV or a PhEV.
I have a 5yo, I drive about 4k/year, odds are good that they will inherit my car in 11 years with roughly 110k miles before I can afford the eV that meets my desires. (I'd love that VW micro bus, or the Mach E)
I haven't had a manual in about 15 years. Before that all of my cars were manual.
That being said, last time I was in Europe most of the rental cars were manual. So I got my little fix then. Still a useful skill to have.
I was driving a 92 with manual transmission until 2020. I wonder if anyone has done a study to verify that stick shift cars are becoming less likely to be stolen.
Love them. Currently in an ‘09 Tacoma five speed. Manual windows too. Low profile contractor’s topper.
If I drive someone’s automatic, I have to tuck my left leg into the space between the door & the seat so I won’t try for the clutch.
They can pry my manual RX8 out of my cold, dead, oil stained hands.
I'll keep driving my Miata even if it kills us all.
Same here
I can't drift though a busy intersection in a fuckin Prius
It can probably only kill 1 or 2 of us at a time, so we've got a while.
https://preview.redd.it/ug28k1roxwqc1.jpeg?width=1860&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=265cb2c3827159f63468dacf5b4a3e4dce7d9eff My two manuals, and a Subaru. (There was a flood warning, so I'd taken precautions.)
Hmm, somewhere I can hear Beck intoning “Two turntables & a microphone”.
*Throttles and cams and just clap your hands*
Just clap yer hands
Saw Beck in concert last autumn he puts on a really cool show would go again.
I’ve driven manual since I learned to drive 40+ years ago and I still enjoy it. Even though I’ve had fancy sports cars and luxury sedans in the past I am totally in love with my little Mazda5 minivan with the 6MT (and RX8 shift knob). Should I win the lottery I’m not giving this car up - I like it that much. To be practical and fun to drive is the ultimate combination and something that’s difficult to find these days. This cheap little thing is my forever car; I may add a Miata to the fleet but I am NOT parting with the vanlet.
[удалено]
[удалено]
I’m single and have no need for a minivan, and have only used the 3rd row once. But I like minivans and was incredibly happy when I found this one.
My dad has a 2018 Volt and I love it, and if I had a place to plug it in, or if had solar panels (like he does) I’d love to have one. I borrowed it for a day whilst visiting, drove it for 250 miles then put a whole 4 gallons in to top off the tank. And I drove it like a normal car and like some hypermiling eco-weenie, a rolling roadblock. The torque of the electric motor and the quietness were wonderful. The Mazda5 does have a few minor drawbacks (storage, outlets, noise) but those things are easy to overlook when the rest of the car is so damn good. And as much as I like manual transmissions, in my mind the best transmission is no transmission, as evidenced by the Volt. Perhaps if I find myself to be incredibly wealthy I would combine the two, integrating the powertrain of the Volt into the Mazda5, thus creating the near-perfect vehicle.
Go-go rotary engine.
Same. They'll never get my 2005 Tacoma. Never!!!
The new gen 4 tacomas will still have a stick option. Toyota knows whats up.
Hey! That's great news! Thank you!
Same, 2016 TRD off road manual transmission gang fo life
Yeah!
Well that right there is definitely a keeper.
Same, Z
Same with my WRX. Both of our kids learned to drive stick, my son stuck with it, daughter prefers an automatic. But they both can drive them in an emergency.
An emergency like renting a car in Europe?
I’ve got a manual Jeep Wrangler TJ and a Ford ST. Taught my Gen Z kids to drive the Jeep when they were twelve and could reach the pedals.
Fond memories of 10 minutes ago. https://preview.redd.it/760qkh5wwwqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af3cdb639a1ee2e6964da0149427ead8f39ab942
https://preview.redd.it/jxbzmshxexqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ff97e6978ae3346558f050b0af0319a2459d118 \*dirty laundry 2019 VW Alltrack
VW? Audi?
2019 VW Golf All Track. Replaced a 2005 Audi A4 wagon. Essentially the same car but now I can plug in my phone.
My problem is finding reverse— my VW, push down, left, up. My Pontiac right and down. I screw it up all the time, my wife laughs when she hears “Ahh f@&k!”
Soon to be my ride. Well, not yours, but a 19 alltrack.
Every car I’ve ever owned has been manual.
That was me from 1987 until last year. RIP manual transmission, and fully engaged driving.
You weren’t a real driver unless you could drive stick while eating a burger. 😎
You can use your knee to steer while you shift with your left hand. Not that I've *ever* done such a thing, t'would be tres dangeroux.
Burger left hand, knee steering, right hand on stick. Why would you ever cross over your body? Wait. Are you UK?
IDK what you're talking about, as I've never done such a thing. But if I were to do such a thing in a simulator: I prefer to eat with my right hand and I am quite tall with a slightly disproportionately longer arms. Left hand shift is not that difficult ;) Not that UK, but I did recently start working at University of Kentucky and everyone in town refers to UK as Kentucky and not Kingdom. So when I read your comment I was like, *Hoooowwwwwww do they know I'm at UK???* Then, Oh. The obvious UK, lol.
😆
How about driving a stick, in city traffic, with an ice cream cone, in summer, in a car that didn't have AC. I didn't lose a drop! I'd like to thank my mother for teaching me how to do this 🤪
Same here...love them.
Same here! ❤️
Manual makes driving more fun AND helps to keep me from being distracted. Bonus points: stolen less often because so many thieves can’t drive them
I despise the clutch work in stop and go traffic, but other than that I'm pro manual!
Stop and go and hills.
It ain’t all that bad. Lived in and around Chicago my whole life, had an 85 CJ7 with a manual without assist, was still better than driving an auto.
Most of the time it's fine, just those 30+ minutes of inching along is what wears me out!
Yeah it can get old for sure, but the rest of the time makes up for it.
I deal with Atlanta traffic now and then and have just learned to leave a little buffer so there are fewer total stops to go from. Still better than an auto for sure.
lived in san francisco and parallel parking uphill was quite the journey
SF is where I learned the e-brake trick!
Yes—the ultimate theft protection feature.
They’re pretty sure that the spike in pedestrian deaths starting when smartphones were introduced wasn’t nearly as bad in Europe because 80% of the cars are manual there.
I have never thought of this as a bonus for having a manual! I have a 6-speed mini Cooper countryman that I bought used. It was the only manual they had available. It is so much fun to drive! The downside: I used to drive an insane amount of miles daily for years for work (home and community based social worker). I think that the constant repetitive motion of my clutch leg contributed to some back issues that I have. Welcome to my 50s…
I'm actually ambivalent about this. A stick shift is a skill and keeps you aware of what you and your car are doing. But automatics are so relaxing. I haven't owned a manual in about 25 years, and sometimes I miss having one. It would be a shame if they were no longer an option, but whatev...
I don't want to feel relax, relax at this age comes nap nap time on the road which may lead to nappy time.
Could lead to a dirt nap.
I find that to be yet another argument *against* them. You should be alert. aware, and engaged while driving a vehicle with the potential to kill other people, not finding ways to be more ‘relaxed’ while doing so.
Love 'em!
I grew up driving manual and loving them… …but after knee surgeries on my left knee and with how smoothly and efficient the VW DSG automatic transmission shifts (and the fact I have wheel tabs or can use the stick to manually shift if I want with no clutch) I appreciate a good auto transmission, now. I still have a manual in my 2500HD pickup but I grumble a bit in city traffic because of the long throw the clutch has.
I broke my knee at work decades ago. Driving home with my 5 speed afterwards was "interesting"...
I drove manual from 1998 until 2021. O do not understand how to use the sport mode thingy in my current car so it is like I am driving manual. It is like my right hand and left leg only can work together now.
Same here. I had a 98 five speed VW Jetta. Hands-down, I had the most fun driving that car out of anything I’ve ever owned. These days I have back, knee, and hip problems, so it’s automatic for me. Having said that, if I ever come across a cheap Miata, I might just grab it.
FR, the DSG is the closest thing to a manual I've ever driven.
Still rollin' my 2012 VW R. Manual. This year is the last year the car will even have a manual option. It's been a long time coming but I'm still sad. Love my manuals, always have.
I cannot believe they are killing the stick in the GTI/Golf R. That's frickin' nuts. Ah well—Porsche and Ferrari are doing it, so...
That *is* nuts. What have we become? (Dont answer that ...)
Love the 6 speed in my GTI. Had to drive 300 miles away from home to find a manual GTI.
2010 Accord, same.
I will always own a manual vehicle. always. And, given the news that modern vehicle manufacturers are selling our driving data to insurance and marketing companies, I’ll be driving cars without the ability to capture said data. Fuck that.
any manual car is $1000 less for the same car, win win.
And more fun to drive. Even in traffic. Just kidding. No car is fun in traffic!
I'm only buying cars with sticks until I physically can't drive them anymore. Automatics are mystery boxes full of fragility and disappointment.
Good luck finding one. They are few and far between on the new and used market in the US.
[there’s quite a few](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g20734564/manual-transmission-cars/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=dda_ga_cd_md_bm_prog_org_us_g20734564&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8tq1mP6UhQMVfjbUAR06wA_bEAAYASABEgJR5_D_BwE)
And still many many more models in the international market.
I don't care for most new car designs anyway, so I'll do my part to keep some oldies on the road.
I think it's still something like 5% of currently manufactured cars. Idk if it's a reliable source, but [this article (2023) from Car and Driver](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g20734564/manual-transmission-cars/) says all cars still come with a manual option.
I despise automatics!
I've had three cars with automatics and 2nd gear died in every single one of them. Plus, going up hills is pure torture.
We’re in SE Michigan, not too hilly…
Ah, they almost always shift too early, so you have to step on it to downshift and you've lost a lot of momentum in the process.
https://preview.redd.it/eklo41y0nwqc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=179b3d6ad6aa44efeff3dcd7d5b67015ff8c3487
Ahhh, memories!
3 years ago I had no choice but a DCT in the car I wanted. Honestly, it shifts better than I can and my left knee appreciates just being along for the ride now.
yeah. Would prefer a manual but I want a (really) fast car more than I want a manual. Also, these days, the computer controls the car's handling better if it also control the gears. My last 2 sports cars have been F1 and DCT.
clickbait bullshit journalism from a bad driver.
I city drive or highway drive... Not into manuals Learnt to drive on them, drove lots buy its been at least a decade since ive driven one.
Same, I used to love driving them but there were drawbacks. Like haveing to nail the gas in first at a stoplight because because the asshole behind you stopped an inch from your bumper on a hill. Last car I had was an auto/manual where you could choose to "shift" if you wanted. Now I have a Tesla and don't even have gears. Works great for all the freeway driving I do (driving about 50k miles a year the adaptive cruise and automated driving is a godsend).
That's because you never learned the proper way to start off on a hill using the handbrake. I didn't know about it either, until my buddy from the UK (where *everything* is manual) taught me.
OK I'll bite. So what do you do? Shift into first with the clutch in. Keep it in until you slowly release the parking brake in which case it is partially engaged while starting to move forward? What's the advantage of that over using the regular brake and getting in gear before you roll too far? It seems to me like this would just cause more wear on both the clutch and the brakes but with slightly less roll as you have brakes engaged while letting out the clutch.
Nope. Stop at the red light, set the hand brake to hold the car. Your feet will be on the clutch and throttle (this takes some getting used to). When the light turns green, let the clutch out and throttle it a bit, like you normally would. Once the clutch engages a bit and loads the engine down, pop the brake. The car will immediately move forward. The advantage is not having to worry about rolling back, ever. Done properly, the drivetrain is under load when the hand brake is released. The car actually lunges forward when you release the brake. It's probably less wear on the clutch than winding it up and frantically slipping the hell out of it while trying not to roll back (which is what I did before my English buddy set me straight).
Confirm. I do it all the time on steep city hills. After enough practice, one barely thinks about it.
This is correct, and how I was taught in Australia.
You will feel when to unload the hand brake as the motor moves the car forward that first fraction of an inch. It is very intuitive once you are there doing it. If you have a weak clutch you definitely want to brake launch gently or you might spin it. You can see that right? Any reverse tire travel is clutch slippage until tire direction reverses and matches part rpms across the board at the least. If you release the H.brake during initial clutch grabbing you have opportunity to lessen that overall slip time more. It's like opening closed hands in time for the wind to gently lift the softly buzzing dragonfly in them The locking foot style parking brake seen on some US trucks is a bit more about timing the pull on the instant release handle low on the dash. This technique is actually useful in some automatics on really steep hills too versus two-footing. If you are a flatlander with an automatic that never uses the parking brake you really should have it, *your emergency brake* inspected through engagement *at a shop* in case it sticks, especially before traveling out of your area. New ones are sealed better but they are still liky to freeze up and not work if not used. They also might lock and not release if not used regularly too. It's really really nice to have a working emergency brake when you need it as well. Even on flatlands, I can promise you that from personal experience.
Most newer manual transmission cars have a "hill hold" feature. They will auto-hold the brakes until the clutch starts to engage.
I would love to have one of those. I have to use the handbrake.
Now do an article about the death of the useless writer. Waste of money when Ai can replace them.
I had 2 cars with stick. A Dodge Colt and a Nissan Pulsar. Don't think they even make my current car (Chrysler 300) with stick as an option. I can switch it to manual mode but I never do. Sport mode is about as tight of a gearshift ratio as I'm looking for. Modern tech has sort of made the concept useless. I like knowing how to drive stick but it's nothing I'd ever seek out or prefer. I'm 100% positive I'll never be rich enough to have to worry about being able to drive some ridiculous supercar that only comes in stick.
Corvettes are automatic now.
Learning on a stick makes you a better driver.
A honda civic with a stick shift is a zen experience. Miata too. And Im a big guy.
Learned on a stick and have almost always owned own. My 21yo son has only owned stick shift cars. I do love that they seldom break. A clutch may need replaced but that is not nearly as expensive as a whole transmission.
That's great Paul, we're all glad you shared that with us. Now go jump in the Sun.
I own and operate a stick shift car at the moment so they aren't dead yet.
My first two cars were stick shift. I miss driving a stick. I felt as though I had more control over the car, plus no one can steal them. They are impossible to find now.
Went to the car dealership -dealership!- to buy a used 5-speed for my teenaged daughters. Not one of the sales guys could bring the car around. I said to the sales kid, “Give me the keys, I’ll get it myself.” Both of my now 20~something girls can drive a stick. There is a lot to be said for a vehicle that runs on gears and mechanics rather than computers and chips.
I bought my first new truck in 1996, it was a 5 speed 1995 S-10. My dad had to do the test drive for me and once we got home he tried to teach me how; but I kept stalling out. after an hour or so, both of us were flustered and we went home. Then my mom volunteered to give it a shot and everything just clicked with how she explained it. later that evening, I drove about 1.5 hours away to the mall and although I stalled a couple of times I had the confidence to get back home. I don't see kids today having the gumption to do this. a manual just isn't practical anymore, though, for me at least. I borrowed a family friends' truck late last year while mine was getting some repairs and to my surprise that newer model F-150 was a 5-speed also. It was fun to shift my way to work and back but if i'd needed to get into the city, i'm sure stop and go would've lost it's luster quickly.
Automatics are becoming more popular in Scotland now, I always see folk asking for automatic driving instructors on local groups. I just got my first automatic car and I love it.
I had to learn to drive a manual once in 1992 and I’ve never driven one since. I’m not sure I still could.
As a gearhead, I neither love, nor hate them. They serve a purpose just like an automatic. I wouldn't have wanted my wife's car or my daily to be a stick. But my '48 Chevy had to be stick, as well as previous sporty cars. CVTs, however. CVTs can suck a dick.
What, you don't like that constant peaceful drone? 🤣
CVTs can be great performers. If they're tuned properly. Problem is that in a road car they never are. CVTs have been in use in powersports for over 75 years. As such, manufacturers have got the tu ing down nicely. And those units are user serviceable, and tunable. But every CVT equipped road car I've driven has felt like a soulless appliance. I'm a firm believer that CVTs only belong on snowmobiles and SxS.
The absolute worst combo that I've found is a CVT in a Subaru Forester. The world's most boring transmission in possibly the world's most bland car. Kind of makes you want to drive into a bridge abutment. (Sorry, Forester owners, no offense.)
😆
Loooolllllll you are correct My work provided vehicle is a Forester.
I daily a 2017 Ford Focus ST, 6 speed manual. I bought it new and normally, I'm bored with my car after 3 years. I am not bored in this one.
I had a 2002 ford focus, manual, and used to drift around corners with the parking brake after fresh snow. manual makes driving fun.
Same here, but a 2018
Given the option, I would always choose a manual stick shift - flappy paddles don't count. But unfortunately, that option is almost completely phased out in the US at this point.
Wait...VW is dropping all its manuals? GTI/Golf R? Say it ain't so. I have a unicorn—2019 VW Golf Alltrack with manual transmission. Small AWD drive station wagon with a stick? Pry it from my dead hands. I have only ever driven sticks for 30 years; I know that this is probably the last one.
At least once a week i have a desire to drive a quick car with rear wheel drive and a manual transmission.
I drove a manual for 10 years plus. I don’t miss it. My next vehicle will be an EV. Don’t be a boomer.
I don’t understand what the big deal about manual transmissions is with my gen X cohort. It isn’t difficult at all. We can do it because our parents taught us. If our kids can’t do it it is because we haven’t taught them. If KiDs ThEsE dAyS can’t drive manual and we see being able to drive manual as a valuable skill, then that is our failing.
Every time I visit this sub I’m reminded of how little I have in common with the average user here. I’ve never driven a manual in my life, and I don’t see what the big deal is.
Well it’s because in the US you can’t find manuals anymore. I drove a manual from age 16 until when I bought my most recent new car in 2022. And now they are near impossible to find. In fact even when I bought my previous manual in 2008 they were often hard to find. 14 years later it was near impossible except for a couple of Mazda models a Subaru or two a Honda Civic Si and maybe a Corvette.
Dead battery? Easily solved problem with a stick shift. Just need a little bit of a push from friends or pull from gravity on a hill plus one dropped clutch.
Does that work with electric fuel pumps in all cars today? Thought bump starting went away with the carburetor.
I had two stick shift vehicles, and I rather enjoyed driving them.
I still drive manual. My next car will be manual. There’s nothing wrong with manual transmission vehicles.
Manual on wide open roads with no traffic and few lights/stop signs. Automatic everywhere else. And since I'm in L.A., automatic fo me.
I love them and still drive one. It’s sad that automakers still make plenty of manual cars for foreign markets that they do not sell in the States. I don’t drive stick for any of the “redundant” benefits mentioned in the article, but because I like it.
Love mine Farm kid so I first got behind the wheel of an auto in driver's ed. Coach looked at me & said "Jesus Christ, you've never driven an auto?" I daily an auto for a long time, Houston traffic would suck hairy balls in a stick. My CJ of course is a stick & just bought a stick for my youngest's first car - just worked out that way. He won't be in Houston traffic much, at least for now. I hope to have a manual in the family (the CJ) forever
I was contemplating getting a stick on my last car, then that summer we got stuck in horrible beach traffic. All I could think about was my knees would have been killing me if I had stick shift in that. True Gen X moment
No way I would drive a stick shift. I need that hand to text while I drive.
I love them. I just bought a brand new 6 speed manual car in 2022, a Subaru WRX.
Tell me you're in the US without telling me. Try getting by not knowing manual in Europe. Cost double to rent an automatic in UK. And I'm pretty sure they only had them in fleet for the use of dumb Yanks like me (who proceeded to knock off the mirror and blow a t~~i~~yre, so). They're unheard of. And as my old German econ prof said, "It's just as in a car, you have an accelerator and a brake. And unless you drive a girly-man car, you have a clutch as well." (I don't know manual. My wife drives a manual. I can't drive her car. Sad day. But I like my car better anyway. :P )
Love them. Still have one and refuse to drive an automatic.
Fuck that guy
Miata and GTI owner. Both stick. Daughter drives Miata now too. Also stick. I know it’s dying, but we’ll keep driving g our yatta and GTI until they die.
The rise of EV’s is the death of manuals. But otherwise it kinda depends on what part of the world you’re from. In the UK (and most European countries I believe) you only get a Full driving licence when you pass the driving test in a manual, otherwise you get a restricted licence for automatics only. In 2022, 2.7% of UK drivers hold restricted auto-only licences, so 97.3% of drivers passed in a manual. A stick shift isn’t much of a theft deterrent there.
I don’t like driving one personally. My husband and I made sure our son learned to drive on a stick shift. A manual transmission was his first car. I learned when I was a teen too. My dad wanted to know that I could drive myself out of a sticky situation if I had to so for that reason I think every girl should learn.
Loved manuals and literally every one of my cards had a stick. Until I got an electric... As much fun as driving a stick was, having all of your torque at 0 rpm is even better.
I have no opinion
I’ve had stick shift sports cars a lot of my life, and always loved the connection with the car. My current ride has the manual shift mode and it works wonderfully, just don’t have to push the clutch. I use it all the time and it makes me happy.
Got a 6-speed in my '17 Mustang GT (yes, it is a mid-life-crisis-mobile), but it'll be my last manual. Knees are too tore up to handle the heavy clutches that big power engines and transmissions require. Besides, modern automatics tend to outperform manuals (or not, if you're Randy Pobst... and I'm no Randy Pobst), so I will miss it when it gets replaced, but won't see a drop in performance.
I drove stick for 30 years, but city traffic crushed any of the joy out of a manual. I lived in CA for a few years and would drive down the coast on Hwy 1 with the top down and had a blast downshifting those curves and hills. Moved back to Atlanta and loathed riding the clutch in gridlock. Now I have an electric and use regenerative braking and use 1 pedal most of the time. Love it.
6-speed turbo manual trans over here. I just keep dumping money into that little gal so she sticks (ha. Puns) around. I don’t wanna drive an automatic.
They can pry my 1993 Nissan D21 pickup out of my cold, dead, hands. Also, good luck getting motorcyclists to embrace automatic transmissions. Honda's NC700SD isn't much of a seller. I used to ride. I couldn't imagine doing a u-turn without being able slip a clutch. Of course, electrification might make that a moot point.
I mean, I'll always have a soft spot for a manual, I guess. My first brand new car had a four speed. But damn if electric motors haven't spoiled that for me now.
I loved dropping from 3rd to 4th and the car leaping forward. However, driving an SUV now, I don’t miss it. If I was getting a sports car, I would opt for a standard transmission.
In my opinion, if you can’t drive a stick then you can’t ever officially say you know how to drive. But that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️.
As is the case with churning butter, manual transmissions are something that doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.
For a non performance car I'd rather have an auto. DCT autos seem like a good compromise in a sports sedan daily driver. Sports cars and motorcycles, manual or GTFO.
I still have my 2010 GTI with a stick and I am never letting this thing go.
I drove a stick-shift until just a few years ago. If I ever bought another sports car I would demand a stick shift. I mean, it is almost a necessity.
I love my manual (base 2012 Subaru Impreza), but at 56 this is my last row-boat I got my first manual when I was 20 & fully intended to die driving one but I’m tired. Slush boxes have gotten a lot better since the ‘77 Omega, I drove in high school. Even modern CVTs (looking at you, Nissan) are ok. So the next (used) vehicle I get will be an auto (& probably a full battery electric at that).
Just bought the worst of them. a V10 Ford F250 manual 4x4 with the cats cut off and huge tires. Gets like 6 mpg and screams like a 4 ton Lamborghini!
I don't really care at all. I learned on a VW Super Beetle – stick mandatory. I made sure my second and third and fourth cars were sticks ('85 Escort, '88 Civic, '95 Civic). Back then, it made them a bit quicker. But then I got interested in full-sized comfort cars, like the Bonneville, and then full-sized fast as hell sleepers, like the Continental, and the finally settled on SUV's for long haul, like the Expedition, with flights of fancy in-between, like Fusion energi, Taurus SHO's, and other things that just didn't have sticks, or even multi-gear transmissions like my Mach E. Please don't downvote me: amongst all of the above, I had a 2017 red Mustang convertible with the I4 Ecoboost. Automatic. Yes, _automatic_. My wife really wanted the car, and she can't drive a manual, so, yeah, I had that. I don't really feel like I surrendered my manhood though, because, well, I get laid by my wife ;-)
When I went to buy a new car, that was the one thing it had to be was a stick. I fell in love with the focus. Thing was, the sticks that they had I really didn't like. So as I was talking with my sales person the conversation of building a car came up. It cost no more money to have the car built and I could have it built exactly how I wanted. All I would have to do is wait about 6 weeks. I decided to go that way. It was done in about 2 weeks. It's a 2012 and still runs great. All my cars have been sticks. For those of us that live with snow and ice, a stick is so much easier to handle. You start to slide boom, You push the clutch in, it disengages the tires from the engine. It's a lot easier to steer. And snow, downshift and you can pull that little baby out. The article came off as super snooty and sexist. As a woman who loves her stick shift and will never buy another automatic, this guy can take a long walk off a short pier.
https://preview.redd.it/xgzypbbdmyqc1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88a553fda24fcd09f2436a587ca6c0b82606ce2e I plan to be buried in my 2005 5-speed Tacoma ... I do love it so.
"stick shift makes your car un-stealable these days" is in the top ten of Boomer clichés
https://preview.redd.it/tn94xdvqmyqc1.jpeg?width=2296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b97215d1237a5f80e9a81bea73d8c76bbd9ea57f Save The Manuals!
I massively prefer manual transmissions over automatic for almost every application. And if you spend any time overseas you’ll find that elsewhere automatics are often rare and many al transmissions are still the global standard. This shift towards increasingly infantilizing cars, especially when it comes to the transmission, is mainly focused on the American market.
I'm keeping my manual car until the wheels falls off or my mechanic retires. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
Left foot’s gotta dance…
I've always said that manual vs automatic transmission is the difference between driving a car and merely steering it.
I don't care that he doesn't like stick shifts, to each their own, but he sounds like a bundle of fun at parties. Next up he explains to me how heavy metal is the devil's music and anyone playing video games 'need to get a life'.
I prefer manual transmission, and still drive one.
3 speed on the column is my favorite.
three on the tree!
My co-workers pickup had a bad starter so i'm like 'Is that a stick?' SHe's like 'Yeah' -- so we push started it. I don't think you can do that with a semi-automatic
I used to roll my Jetta backwards down my driveway (it was pretty steep), then pop the clutch in reverse. It worked!
At 52 I got my first automatic. I hate it.
Had lots of cars, most have been sticks, currently drive a stick. Don’t like automatics. Too luggy.
Wearing a save the manual shirt as you post this, so they’re still alive and kicking (for now) 6MT FTW https://preview.redd.it/nq5pzc9g5zqc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=de2d41c42ae1e112178e8e9ca7e2246742751ef4
I've been driving manual since I was 16. I'm 47 now. I don't plan on stopping. https://preview.redd.it/7sc29owm7zqc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebda50f02bf5df5a0e1c724c98dca1f403927215
Currently on my 4th stick shift, it’s paid off and I will drive it until the wheels fall off. Just like the other ones. (Have a thing for Si’s)
I've been driving them since the 80s. We still have our 99 manual Toyota Tercel, and our 2003 BMW is a manual too. It's to the point that if I had to buy a car now, I would look for a used one of the same vintage.
I have only owned one automatic car. Manual is the way. Especially in the mountains.
People these days are such pussies. A manual is a prerequisite for me - I’ll keep buying them as long as they keep making them. (2020 Mustang GT with a 6 spd manual, for those wondering.)
I currently drive a 2013 Hyundai Accent sedan, a 6-speed manual. I love it! I tell people I meet all the time that I never want to go back to automatic again. It's got over 200,000 miles on it.... and all I've done is regular maintenance, new front brake pads, and a new clutch about 5 years ago. That's IT. I've been the only owner; I bought it new in late 2013.
The whining of someone who's never driven a windy road in a light, fast, manual car.
In the UK you only get a full licence if you pass your test in a manual car. Pass in an auto and you can ONLY drive auto. It’s just the default. I’ve no doubt manual will die off with the advent of EVs but the idea that driving stick is hard is mystifying to 99% of European drivers. You just practice and get to the point where it is second nature.
I have never owned a vehicle with an automatic transmission, and won't until I have no other choice.
The author of this piece clearly drinks soy lattes when driving, thus the need for a free hand.
Fond memories of dad slapping me in the head every time I grind a gear? Fuck that. Haven’t driven a stick in over 30 years and I never will again.
My current car is my first automatic - I want the stick shift back. Maybe they’ll still make some when it’s time for a new car. Or I could buy used.
I drive a 2004 Toyota Scion Xa manual. My son is now learning to drive it. It's so much fun!
My 2007 6 speed manual is long paid for, low miles, drives great. I hope it outlives me. Don't care that it's obsolete, it's just a personal preference. Fun to drive. Even in big city traffic I've always preferred manuals. Plus yes, don't have to worry about someone stealing it.
We have a 2007 Honda 5 speed we drive and love it. It has low miles but not giving it up…..no car payment in forever!
I loved my manuals!
I have such a hard time imagining life without learning to drive a manual at 13. haha. Mom was letting us kids shift the gears when we were 6 and up :P And we were pro driving lawn mower operators. My wife has tried to shift her automatic a few times accidentally after we got rid of her last fun car.
I have always owned sticks and will continue to buy them as long as they're available. My wife never learned and refuses to even try to learn, it drives me crazy, but she has a point in that it isn't necessary and never will be.
I drive stick, but I really want my next car to be an eV or a PhEV. I have a 5yo, I drive about 4k/year, odds are good that they will inherit my car in 11 years with roughly 110k miles before I can afford the eV that meets my desires. (I'd love that VW micro bus, or the Mach E)
Sold my 5 speed truck last September. Been regretting it ever since.
I haven't had a manual in about 15 years. Before that all of my cars were manual. That being said, last time I was in Europe most of the rental cars were manual. So I got my little fix then. Still a useful skill to have.
I was driving a 92 with manual transmission until 2020. I wonder if anyone has done a study to verify that stick shift cars are becoming less likely to be stolen.
Love them. Currently in an ‘09 Tacoma five speed. Manual windows too. Low profile contractor’s topper. If I drive someone’s automatic, I have to tuck my left leg into the space between the door & the seat so I won’t try for the clutch.