Cars and driving experience are changing?

[ram_man]

I've thought about this the last couple cars I have bought. (Both cheap cars). I guess the writing is on the wall that combustion engines will be phased out and electric will take the helm. The sounds the noises the smells will all be gone. The feeling of what a car has been for so many of us will be gone or at least change drastically. My single favorite thing in any car is a manual transmission. I have thought about this quite a bit though, I think I care more about the being a purist than I really do about driving a stick. I like that they are generally more reliable but it seems that automatics have gotten good enough to close the gap. Obviously myself and others don't have to give up rowing gears tomorrow, but do we think we will have to in the next 15-20 years? I imagine we shouldn't be so pessimistic or at least I shouldn't be. Maybe the future cars will offer some new experience that is brilliant and enjoyable.
We went to look at Christmas lights last night and took the minivan, it was 2 hours of 1mph crawling between the line to get in and the light display a stick would have been miserable in this situation. They're fun to drive and it's nice to have the control but there are so many things they just are superior at anymore. It's almost doesn't make logical sense to consider one at least on paper. Maybe this will be just like electrified cars? They'll do it so much better than owning a gasoline or Diesel vehicle will become a burden of sorts? What do you guys think? How many of us are excited for the new age of cars we will likely be dealing with exclusively at some point?

 

[supton]

Doesn’t bother me, I’m getting older and just don’t care.

Drove stick for 25 years, took a few off as I couldn’t find one I wanted to pay for, back with a stick again. Its ok, but one weekend with the wifes car and suddenly I start forgetting to use the clutch to engage reverse. Oops. Add i. the fact that hers was getting deep into the 40‘s for mpg when i would have gotten low 30’s…

I love simple mechanical stuff but the new stuff can be quite nice too. At least when new and before the problems start!

 

[Passport1]

I won't be hasty about the demise of the manual trans and gas/diesel vehicles. Unless we all get herded into megalopolises, EVs aren't going to work for all.

We've had outboard motors for way more than a hundred years but you can still buy a rowboat or a canoe.
Remember the Betamax? Yeah, neither do I. KCCO

 

[samven]

I love driving with a manual tranny but if I lived in a city or crowded suburban area or had to do rush hour traffic I would pick an automatic in a New York second. With a manual I can anticipate what gear I need as I approach a sharp curve or long steep hill, I love being able to run a gear out to get my rpm up before the shift or use a lower gear to slow down on long downhill runs, but this is all when I am actively driving and not just leisurely driving to the range or grocery shopping. Then I want an automatic, half my brain can go to sleep and I dont do any damage to the tranny. I really do find I pay a bit less attention to the road when driving an automatic. Maybe as EV's progress we will find they not only go faster off the line but with a supper low COG handle better in the twisties, I will just have to find a different road into town that takes advantage of those attributes.

 

[Nick1994]

Just the way it is, it's progress.

We no longer have to tune our carburetors and adjust the points, change belts every 10k miles, clean spark plugs, adjust the choke cable, and pray it starts.

 

[Kurtatron]

I decided that electric vehicles do appeal to me, but battery technology does not. Electric vehicles:
1. Instant torque
2. Insanely high rpms
3. Drastically less complex electric motor
4. Much less cold start issues.
5. Less maintenance

But battery technology sucks. It's expensive, weighs a lot, manufacturers are not making them easy to replace, and I doubt their longevity. I have a 30 and 21 year old car. I don't think batteries would have lasted that long at all.

 

[svtrit]

Like most things, change will happen….

I keep my Jeep around just to keep my desire to drive stick met. All other cars we own will be auto because my youngest son and I are the only 2 who can drive stick in the family. He just got rid of his manual GTI and is in an old 4Runner to start over landing. He bought an auto.

I’m not as afraid of electric cars as I used to be, but I admit that I am starting to fix anything remotely wrong on the Jeep to keep it up in case parts start to become scarce as electric cars take over. Gas availability will be the final nail in the coffin, like many gun owners are finding with ammunition these days.

As people become less skilled at driving, the technology will take over. I just have to accept it, like my dad has excepted a turbo 4 in his Mustang instead of a V8 like they had back in his day.

 

[Voq]

You can get EV (electrical vehicles) with manual transmission. A conversion from EVWest, for example.

 

[svtrit]

You can get EV (electrical vehicles) with manual transmission. A conversion from EVWest, for example.

It got me last night that I’ll probably be able to convert my Jeep to EV someday. It needs an engine anyway…..

 

[PimTac]

Drive 50, 60, 70 or more miles of stop and go traffic with a manual transmission and get back to me.

 

[supton]

Drive 50, 60, 70 or more miles of stop and go traffic with a manual transmission and get back to me.

BTDT. Didn't phase me when younger. Won't phase me now.

But ask me to do it on a daily basis and... I'll go find a different job and/or move.