Article - Mini offering discount for manual tranny

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Originally Posted By: rjundi
If you want to drive a Subaru WRX, Subaru STI or Subaru Legacy turbo you drive a stick or nothing.


Same with the SVT Cobras and GT500...never offered with a slush box afaik.


...and I think still in the Z06, and the ZR1?

 

[KrisZ]

Stick is alive and doing very well, not in NA of course, and is definitively not on its way out.

Also, if our economy continues to deteriorate, along with loosing job market and gas prices go up significantly, we may see more manuals here as well, as people will be looking for cheapest transportation possible with the best REAL WORLD gas mileage. Added benefit would be less people yapping on the phone and actually paying attention to the road in front of them.

 

[MarkM66]

Nothing new here, just about every car company gives an "incentive" for getting a manual.

For example;

Chevy Cruze, Auto is a $925 'upgrade'

Ford Fiesta, Auto is a $1095 'upgrade'

Toyota Corolla, Auto is a $800 'upgrade'.

 

[Shannow]

In Oz, autos have always been more expensive...but businesses are now buying autos only, given the number of people who cannot adequately manage a manual transmission safely

 

[The_Jeff]

It's a challenge stateside to meet smog requirements with a manual. For example you can lug up a hill in 5th gear making tons of NOx when an automatic would have downshifted, or at least unlocked the TC if in semi-manual mode. Even years ago you'd find EGR valves on stick cars that weren't there on automatics.

They are also taking the fun out with idle speed motors holding wide open for "dashpot duty" maintaining 2k RPMs between shifts. Makes it harder to rev-match if driving conservatively.

There can't be much R&D spent on the gearbox side so they'll still make and sell them in other countries. Bothering with an EPA certification is probably the bigger hurdle.

 

[urchin]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Nope. Even in Europe, the sales of manual trans are drastically dropping, being pushed out by automatics. And with time, the same will be true for most other parts of the world.


No. You're completely wrong.

Except for a few speciality vehicles and luxury cars. The manual transmission will be the OVERWHELMING choice for the rest of the world's consumers.

The fact is that the rest of the world knows about the benefits of a stick shift . US consumers are just less educated more gullible when buying.

@KrisZ:

You "get it". Very good point that most people here miss.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: urchin
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Nope. Even in Europe, the sales of manual trans are drastically dropping, being pushed out by automatics. And with time, the same will be true for most other parts of the world.


No. You're completely wrong.

Look up the stats. As a percentage, cars with manual trans are continuously dropping in Europe.

Quote:

Except for a few speciality vehicles and luxury cars. The manual transmission will be the OVERWHELMING choice for the rest of the world's consumers.

Yeah, but for how long?

Quote:

US consumers are just less educated more gullible when buying.

Well, US drivers are less educated in a sense that most of them never learned how to drive a stick.

Besides, US driving is all about convenience. How in the world are you supposed to talk on the phone and eat a BigMac while manually shifting gears at the same time?

 

[urchin]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

Look up the stats. As a percentage, cars with manual trans are continuously dropping in Europe.





I don't care what some random stats say, they can be fudged like any other numbers. I also agree that with the another burst of recessionary economics just around the corner even folks in the US will be looking for the most value oriented products they can find. A thousand here and 1500 there will make a LOT of buyers consider learning how to drive a stick for the first time in a looong time.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: urchin
I don't care what some random stats say, they can be fudged like any other numbers.

So you're relying instead on subjective experience? Just how non-random and un-fudgable do you think that is?

 

[Ausfahrt]

Its a cultural thing, at least in Germany. I grew up in Germany and visit every other year or so and I do believe that A/T's are slowly getting a bigger share of the market, mainly among women.

But.....most guys and all "car guys" would never drive an automatic. They are considered old ladies cars.

 

[HyundaiGuy]

We couldn't find a stick to save our lives when we bought our Accents. We both waited way too long to replace our previous rides and had to buy what was available at the dealer. Not a stick shift to be found in the entire Orlando metro market.

The Accent my be dull as all get out, but they have been the most reliable cars either of us have ever had. Next time I won't wait so long and will make sure to get a stick (me- probably a Forte Koup.)

 

[CBR.worm]

The Infiniti G cars are less expensive with a manual, or more accurately they come with more options for the same price as an Auto without the options.

 

[hattaresguy]

Its a shame because they are a lot of fun.

No one wants manuals anymore though, even BMW who will sell you one at no cost can't find takers. Ferrari and Lambo have given up on them.

 

[d00df00d]

I suspect that part of it, especially for makers of high-powered cars, is that they want to minimize repairs. Those whizbang semi-autos don't give you as many ways to abuse them, whereas a full manual can easily be abused even unintentionally...

 

[urchin]

Originally Posted By: HyundaiGuy
We couldn't find a stick to save our lives when we bought our Accents.


Quote:
NOBODY wants manual transmissions anymore.



Obviously SOMEBODY DOES WANT MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS TODAY.

But if the dealer refuses to stock them it makes it darn hard to buy one, doesn't it? Oh and when that dealer sells an auto they make more money too. Hmmm!

I call bullocks on that tired old phrase that marketing people in the auto industry like to use. "Nobody wants that anymore."

 

[KrisZ]

I want a stick shift, I guess I'm a nobody