Goodbye To The Left Pedal

[CharlesInCharge]

I enjoy manuals, occasionally and in the right car and if the manual is designed well. But I guess in this regard I'm somewhat lazy, and most often prefer a good well built automatic. And, truth be told, in an evasive situation you can drive much better with a automatic b/c your hands are on the wheel, not shifting hunting for gears.

They are fun, sometimes, on a nice open road day. But heavy urban traffic or subdivisions stopping and going 100 times, it's tedious.

I do hope they continue to make them but I see significant loss of demand with autos being better than manuals.

 

[samven]

All I can say is that Ford forced me to buy the base model Fiesta. I wanted an upper level with more options like power windows and remote door locks but the only model available with a 5 speed was the S base model and I had to get on a waiting list to get one. The dealer told me that all the manual trans Fiestas they had coming in were already sold. This was 9 years ago and there was no shortage of Fiestas on the lot. I had to wait 2 months for mine. Was I ever glad I didnt get stuck with one of those auto double clutch models.

 

[ad244]

Bye bye.

I won’t miss them. No desire to drive a stick unless it’s the 70’ VW Beetle. Then by the end of a 5 mile drive I’m over it.

Dont worry, they're not going anywhere. Truth be told, 1970 Beetle has a pretty terrible transmission.

 

[buster]

The first 18 years or so I drove nothing but manuals. For me it depends on the manual. I've driven some that are not fun to drive at all and some that are. In densely populated areas they can be annoying due to traffic.

 

[atikovi]

Most cars with a manual are sold as the stripper models to a price point. I would argue the GTI is a premium car marketed to be sporty, not thrifty.

Those are two opposing statements. The GTI with a 6-speed is far from a stripper model.

 

[Kruse]

I grew up with manual transmissions, driving both cars and farm trucks. Here’s what I think: I love manual transmissions, but I live in a large county with only about 3,000 people. In other words, no bumper-to-bumper traffic. Your drive is full speed or getting up to speed.
A few years ago, I drove for two straight days in Dallas, TX traffic with my 5-speed Jeep and the manual transmission had lost some appeal. Bottom line, for me anyway, manuals are great for low-traffic or highway driving. Not so much in the city.

 

[E365]

The article says

When 2030 rolls around and the only new cars you’ll be allowed to buy are electric cars – courtesy of the…

Complete nonsense. The author is liar.

 

[Oillover]

Nobody wants to drive my cars.

Both my cars are manual (one with a 5 speed and the other a 6 speed).
I see it as an anti-theft device to keep the trouble making youngin's away

 

[Wylie6G72]

Is this true?

"...as for example Mazda has; all of its current models are automatic-only except for the Miata..."

 

[measureman]

My son just recently bought a 2018 Mustang GT with a manual tranny.
It was not easy to find one.

 

[Wylie6G72]

Both my cars are manual (one with a 5 speed and the other a 6 speed).
I see it as an anti-theft device to keep the trouble making youngin's away

Kids are so different these days. When I turned 15, my dad and I started shopping for my first car, and an automatic never even entered consideration. I just knew my first car was going to be a manual, and it was.

 

[Nick1994]

Dont worry, they're not going anywhere. Truth be told, 1970 Beetle has a pretty terrible transmission.

Doesn't matter to me how good it is or not, it's the fact of rowing through gears and clutching. Yuck.

Drove my coworker's 17' Mustang GT 6MT a couple months ago. Hated it. Wish it were an automatic.

 

[E365]

Is this true?

"...as for example Mazda has; all of its current models are automatic-only except for the Miata..."

Nope. You can build a 2021 Mazda 3 Hatchback with a manual transmission right now on their website.

Maybe 2022 is different, but I see no mention of a 2022 Mazda 3 specs on their website.

 

[Jake_J]

Manual transmissions aren't going the way of bias ply tires and carburetors. They are in decline in North America but there will always be a small market for them here, and they still dominate in Europe and much of the world. There are inherent advantages of manuals like lower weight, lower cost, reduced powertrain loss, etc that mean a market for them will remain for a long time. Can't say the same thing for truly abandoned automotive technologies like carbs, distributors, bias ply tires, etc.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I drove truck early in my lifetime and got tired of shifting all the time. It's all automatics for me except my Monkey bike. I like the freedom of having use of my right and left hand all the time. Ever tried to eat an ice cream cone with a manual transmission? My wife cannot drive a manual either. The last manual trans I had was in a 2006 Honda Civic 2 door and I got tired of shifting that too however it would go 90 mph in 3rd gear and I had two more gears left. LOL!

 

[Pelican]

Cut my teeth on a manual in 61 and drove both MT/AT, on the open road and with the traffic of 60 yrs ago I'd still have a MT, would also enjoy a manual on occasion even now on the open road (where is THAT these days), but as daily drive I'll stick to my AT, thank you.

 

[ecotourist]

I prefer manual transmissions. I was recently in the market for a new car with a manual transmission that had a spare tire, an engine oil dip stick and that could seat 4. A GTI would have worked but they don't have a great repair record. A couple of BMWs would have worked but I like to keep my cars forever and BMWs aren't so good for that. (I forgot about a Subaru WRX which could have worked.)

So I bought a Tesla instead. If the auto makers don't make cars that buyers are looking for, they will branch out and buy something completely different. I did anyway.

 

[B1974]

Shifting a bike sucks

What type of bike are you riding? Shifting a bike is as easy as it can get.

 

[Number_35]

Is this true?

"...as for example Mazda has; all of its current models are automatic-only except for the Miata..."

I think the Mazda 3 is still available with a manual transmission.

We have a manual Mazda 5, but the 5 was discontinued here a few years ago.

I believe that the Mazda 6's MT has been dropped in the last couple of years.

The CX-5 was available with a 6-speed MT, but only in FWD configuration, and the MT has been gone for at least a couple of years.

The CX-3 and CX-30 have never been available with a manual tranny here. Elsewhere, yes.

The CX-9 has always been AT-only.

 

[edyvw]

There is NO WAY I will ever give up manual.
I drive kids to daycare and school, ski, go to office and track in my manual BMW. When last screw falls apart I will get another BMW manual, and if they stop making there is some other company offering manual.
I have two other cars with automatic, and 4-5,000 miles I make with each a year is enough of that “experience “ for me.
I am not going even to entertain EV hair dryers.