Fed Up with Driving a Manual Transmission?

[double vanos]

I graduated high school in 1970 so i was around a lot of high performance cars of that era. Manuals ruled the roost unless you came up against an automatic with a good shift kit. Words can’t express the joy of a T400 or C6 that’s been set up properly for street / strip use. Tight shifts that border on getting scratch in every gear at anything over half throttle get additive quick.
Having said that I’ve owned more manual equipped vehicles than autos, it’s just my nature I guess. So at 68, after two auto trans F150s, I’m back in a stick again in my Kia Soul. It took about 50 miles to get dialed in to the clutch and shifter nuances, now I don’t even think about it, just drive - the automatic is in my head. I will say this: a manual shifter sticking up out of the console will get some attention. I was washing the soul and the next door neighbor came over to have a look and when he saw the shifter and three pedals....”my God, it‘s a standard...”

 

[Cujet]

My Jag is a manual. Wonderful to drive!!! Responsive throttle, good shift feel.

However, many modern cars with manual transmissions have "rev hang" for emission reasons. Very annoying.

 

[FordMan59]

I started driving automatics back in the '70's. In the early '80's I bought an MG Midget with manual 4 speed. When the Midget got totaled I went back to automatics until the early '90's and drove nearly exclusively manuals in the '90's and '00's. At 61 I've still got a '97 Ford Escort with a manual. My last purchase a '16 Nissan Versa has a CVT and is my first experience with one.

 

[Skippy722]

Why the fear of a CVT? They've been out for ages. The Prius has used one for over 20 years. The Corolla hatchback had a glitch early on a few of them. But I don't see some wide spread outbreak of issues.

Someone show me the numbers on CVT failure vs non CVT failure.

I think Nissan ruined many people's perception of CVTs a few years ago.

CVT’s are fine for soul sucking appliances on wheels, which is what most people want out of their vehicles and that’s fine. But I’ve been spoiled by the ZF 8 speed which is light years ahead of any CVT.

 

[Rmay635703]

i used to drive clapped out 6speed ram and ford duallys all over america and it was not fun. even if rowing gears becomes second nature it slowly drives you crazy

Meh, I drove my 5mt Cobalt 4000 miles through the mountains twice

Had more fun than the autotragic (planetary cvt) I took out a few years later seems like automatic are better for becoming a zombie and falling asleep at the wheel, seemed like I actually saw more of the scenery in the manual

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Next

You just haven't had the right vehicles.
Some manuals are actually OK to drive in heavy traffic.
neither of our vehicles are auto (or CVT), and we're perfectly fine with this

My Focus was absolutely terrible to drive in traffic. It just was not geared to creep along in heavy traffic. My 6MT forester and my F-350 with a granny gear are much better to drive in heavy .

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Yea, my commute is a lot of stop and go traffic. I just would hate to have a CVT give up on me and have to shell out 3-5k for a new/rebuilt one. I hate that when the CVTs fail they send shrapnel all over. A run of the mill domestic auto tranny is like 1500 to rebuild.

That's the case for Nissan CVT failures, but Subaru CVT failures are usually not that catastrophic. Usually it's the valve body which , in some models, can be changed under the hood.

 

[Pew]

I thought I'd be fine with driving a manual transmission for life until I decided to go up Pike's Peak during rush hour with a ford focus. I'd rather be stuck in Chicago rush hour for the day than to do go through Pike's Peak rush hour for 30 minutes.

 

[jeepman3071]

I think it's impossible to make a blanket statement about manuals vs. automatics. I consider myself an enthusiast, and there are many cars I'd rather have in auto simply because the automatic is better matched to the car and the engine.

My Jeep Wrangler I like in manual, because while the AX-15 isn't exactly something you can bang through the gears with, the gear ratios are appropriately matched to the torque of the 4.0L, and it is fun to shift with the top and doors off. Many Hondas are fun to shift because they make great feeling manual transmissions, but a Civic with 100hp isn't something I'd want to be stuck in traffic with or in an area with a lot of hills. Newer BMWs with the ZF 8-speed auto and paddle shifters are so much fun, I prefer those over the manual, where as in an older more analog BMW I'll take the manual (e46 330i ZHP comes to mind).

In an appliance econobox or modern suv/truck the automatic usually just feels better to drive. Add in stupid CAFE nannies like stop/start or gear lockout to manual transmissions (looking at you Dodge) and it makes the manual even less appealing.

 

[circuitsmith]

I loved driving my 4 previous stick-shifts, but after getting stuck in stop-and-go traffic on the interstate for an hour or more, my left leg getting sore, feeling panicky, I can do without.

 

[Hogwash]

CVT’s are fine for soul sucking appliances on wheels, which is what most people want out of their vehicles and that’s fine.....

Yeah....my wife couldn't care any less about whether her transmission is geared or a CVT....or would even know the difference. She just knows it's an automatic. She hasn't a clue that it has drum brakes or a torsion beam rear axle. She liked the color, the way it drove, the interior and it was a vehicle she could pay cash for. She loves it.

And that's what some people don't realize. The average person just wants a car as a conveyance appliance. It just doesn't define who they are.

Toyota sells so many Camrys and Corollas for a reason.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I used to love my manual, too. I miss it often. Unless I'm stuck in traffic. Then I don't miss the endless clutch, shift, clutch shift, clutch, shift, clutch, shift...

You just leave it first and idle around.

 

[Aredeeem]

I can remember driving a manual 4 speed on the column and afterwards a few 5 speed manuals but it’s been auto ever since. What was cool when you were 17 becomes burdensome when you’re pushing 70. I could drive one if I had to but...

 

[dja4260]

I LOVE driving standard. I just sold my 6 speed Elantra GT and miss driving it everyday. 3 kids forced me to get a minivan..

 

[HowAboutThis]

You just leave it first and idle around.

In stop and go? Gotta leave the clutch pushed in if it's in gear. And I've heard rumors leaving the clutch pushed in not only makes your leg cramp, it can be bad for the bearings and stuff in the clutch when done for extended times.

 

[HowAboutThis]

You just haven't had the right vehicles.
Some manuals are actually OK to drive in heavy traffic.
neither of our vehicles are auto (or CVT), and we're perfectly fine with this

What's your definition of "heavy traffic"?

 

[IndyFan]

Both of my Jeep Wranglers are manuals. The 08 JK really feels like a truck transmission, but I love it. The 2018 has an Aisin transmission that is just butter smooth. It is just a blast to drive with smooth shifting and a light clutch combined with a rev-happy Pentastar that pulls hard all the way through the power band. It gets an extra kick in the pants at 4500 and pulls even harder up to redline. Best of all, it performs equally well off-road when crawling in 4wd.

The rev hang doesn't bug me a bit. I don't even notice it. What it does do that is great is it blips the throttle when I depress the clutch approaching a stop. It has a cool sound to it. I've also got a Magnaflow axle back exhaust, so that just adds to the aural enjoyment!

 

[Ausfahrt]

I'm 58 and just retired in July. I've been driving sticks all my life and it's just second nature to me. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I drove an automatic.

My wife feels the same way but there may soon come a time when we have no choice.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

In stop and go? Gotta leave the clutch pushed in if it's in gear. And I've heard rumors leaving the clutch pushed in not only makes your leg cramp, it can be bad for the bearings and stuff in the clutch when done for extended times.

Nope. You just leave it first and let the car creep and idle. I will roll at about 5 mph. Just leave three car buffer room for the stop and go.

 

[PimTac]

Nope. You just leave it first and let the car creep and idle. I will roll at about 5 mph. Just leave three car buffer room for the stop and go.

That works for short periods. After a hour or so passes I would want to rest my left leg. Somewhere around the 90 minute to two hour mark you are very thankful you have a automatic.