4WD
$50 site donor 2024
The next vehicle I own with a carburetor will have a manual gearbox … and I hate carburetors …
I’m tired of manual transmission
- Thread starter MetalSlug
- Start date
I'm older than your dad, and I hope to be driving a stick for a lot longer.
Granted the stick vehicle I have I don't drive everyday anymore. Now that I think of it I've had a least one vehicle in the fleet for at least 48 of the 52+ years I've been driving.
My dad lost his left leg in Korea. Automatic transmissions were a godsend to him, but he could still drive a manual by pushing down on his prosthesis with his left hand. I always said he was the only person I knew that had an excuse for driving an automatic, but it’s almost certain my next new car will be one. The market has spoken, at least in the USA.
I feel like I should be snatching up cheap used manuals just to have a couple of spares. My 2016 Mazda6 is a manual and I doubt there will ever be anything even remotely like it on the market here again.
I feel like I should be snatching up cheap used manuals just to have a couple of spares. My 2016 Mazda6 is a manual and I doubt there will ever be anything even remotely like it on the market here again.
+2
I'm sure I've mentioned it already in this thread..... I've had some excellent manuals but I also had one that was so finicky that I'd arrive home each day right on the verge of Road Rage. I'd have kicked my dog if I had one. I'm not sure if the clutch was worn or if it was some kind of alignment issue but it never seemed to change in the 40-50K miles I put on it.
Every single car i've ever had, except one, were manual. They were also all either pure sport cars or sport coupes, except one. Porsches, Lotus, BMWs, Mustang, Dodge, Mazda, Datsuns and many others. ...then the bikes, Yamaha, Honda, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Aprilia.
Then one fine day, in the middle of rush hour, on a job i used to travel about an hour to and an hour from, all for the (better) money, i suddenly realized, am i insane? Why do i still have a manual? Why am i punishing myself? I'm not boy-racer any more and under these conditions, it's not worth it. What's interesting is that i have built thousands upon thousands of automatic transmission from all makes and yet, up until that point, had never owned one.
My left calf muscle was literally and visually bigger then my right.
The automatic that i chose, along with the "sport" sedan it's attached to, does not behave like the "lazy" automatics of it's contemporaries. It stays in gear around a fast corner because it "knows" i may want to accelerate out of that corner. It shifts down sooner(than others of it's time) when i take my foot of the accelerator and touch the brakes and you hear the RPMs bump up a little with each down shift. It has several "intelligent" programs in it and was an under-appreciated marvel of it's time, in fact, it was THE most advanced auto(including one extra gear than any other) of it's time, the only other was in a Porsche. (today many have TOO many gears). It's a good auto for anyone transitioning from manuals and it's made by ZF.
I really like some of the choices ZF makes in design which reduces friction, heat and energy-loss in this automatic compared to others.
It did come with a few flaws from the factory which will eventually show up with many miles. Check-balls which thin out and eventually get stuck because of the material they're made from. A particular pressure valve which will eventually cause massive pressure rise and blows out a drum and your done. ...and a few other smaller issues. ALL of them are easily fixed with a particular and specific kit and re-building the valve body with it. Now suddenly, it becomes an auto so tough(if you change the fluid at proper time) it will probably out last the rest of the car(unless your constantly doing really silly things).
Anyway, my calf muscles are back to normal now and about even.
Then one fine day, in the middle of rush hour, on a job i used to travel about an hour to and an hour from, all for the (better) money, i suddenly realized, am i insane? Why do i still have a manual? Why am i punishing myself? I'm not boy-racer any more and under these conditions, it's not worth it. What's interesting is that i have built thousands upon thousands of automatic transmission from all makes and yet, up until that point, had never owned one.
My left calf muscle was literally and visually bigger then my right.
The automatic that i chose, along with the "sport" sedan it's attached to, does not behave like the "lazy" automatics of it's contemporaries. It stays in gear around a fast corner because it "knows" i may want to accelerate out of that corner. It shifts down sooner(than others of it's time) when i take my foot of the accelerator and touch the brakes and you hear the RPMs bump up a little with each down shift. It has several "intelligent" programs in it and was an under-appreciated marvel of it's time, in fact, it was THE most advanced auto(including one extra gear than any other) of it's time, the only other was in a Porsche. (today many have TOO many gears). It's a good auto for anyone transitioning from manuals and it's made by ZF.
I really like some of the choices ZF makes in design which reduces friction, heat and energy-loss in this automatic compared to others.
It did come with a few flaws from the factory which will eventually show up with many miles. Check-balls which thin out and eventually get stuck because of the material they're made from. A particular pressure valve which will eventually cause massive pressure rise and blows out a drum and your done. ...and a few other smaller issues. ALL of them are easily fixed with a particular and specific kit and re-building the valve body with it. Now suddenly, it becomes an auto so tough(if you change the fluid at proper time) it will probably out last the rest of the car(unless your constantly doing really silly things).
Anyway, my calf muscles are back to normal now and about even.
When I first came here, I was of the opinion that if it didn't have three pedals it wasn't a real car. A stick is very entertaining to drive and traffic isn't bad either. If you're constantly on the left pedal you're doing it wrong.
Today, in our late sixties, we have two automatics. I do miss having a stick and may buy a fun car as a retirement gift to myself, a toy car.
Something cheap, fun and comfortable, like a really easy to drive MGB.
If you haven't owned an MGB, you haven't owned a really pleasant stick car.
Today, in our late sixties, we have two automatics. I do miss having a stick and may buy a fun car as a retirement gift to myself, a toy car.
Something cheap, fun and comfortable, like a really easy to drive MGB.
If you haven't owned an MGB, you haven't owned a really pleasant stick car.
My favourite manual was a 1980 Ford Courier. Great little truck, fun to tool around in, and tremendous mileage.
We currently have a 2005 CR-V with manual that my wife and I both love driving. There aren’t many of these and I’ve had multiple people try to buy it since it’s in so much demand.
I also have a 65 Mercury half ton with the three on the tree and really enjoy driving it.
Having said that, I do like the convenience of automatics and it’s doubtful I’d buy a manual again.
We currently have a 2005 CR-V with manual that my wife and I both love driving. There aren’t many of these and I’ve had multiple people try to buy it since it’s in so much demand.
I also have a 65 Mercury half ton with the three on the tree and really enjoy driving it.
Having said that, I do like the convenience of automatics and it’s doubtful I’d buy a manual again.
I could have written your reply. I love my 5 speed Jetta TDI and have no problem driving it in traffic. Still, it is my distance car. With 330,000 miles on the clock I am not sure how much long I can count on it lasting so my daily driver is my Mach E. Still, it runs fine so I have no hesitation about hopping in it for a 3,000 mile trip. My wife prefers an automatic, but has no problem hopping into the Jetta and driving it when the need arises.I'm older than your dad, and I hope to be driving a stick for a lot longer.
Also, since when did pushing 65 get to be old? I will be 71 in less than two weeks and feel middle aged, most of the time.
You're as old as you feel, most of the time.
Keep that stick as long as you can!!!
My toy car is a 6M, but the automatic version of it is faster/quicker in every situation. Even as I approach retirement, there's just something about a perfectly performed shift that still brings joy to my heart especially WOT no lift upshifts and rev match downshifts. Despite the cheaper initial list price, stick versions of most sports cars resell at higher prices than the automatic versions.
I live in the suburbs but, through a strange set of circumstances, my kids went to High School just outside of downtown Chicago. I bought a 6M manual transmission car and had oldest commuting in it as quick as he got his license at just over 16. The first couple of days nearly resulted in tears. My other child also followed the same routine. I sent the both off to college with the same 6M cars. That was the best move. Nobody ever asked to borrow their cars.
I live in the suburbs but, through a strange set of circumstances, my kids went to High School just outside of downtown Chicago. I bought a 6M manual transmission car and had oldest commuting in it as quick as he got his license at just over 16. The first couple of days nearly resulted in tears. My other child also followed the same routine. I sent the both off to college with the same 6M cars. That was the best move. Nobody ever asked to borrow their cars.
These days a stick shift is almost theft proof. My oldest son wore out his manual Civic, lot of miles. He had to look a while to find a brand new Civic with a manual transmission.
Almost nothing beats shifts so smooth no one notices.
I'll be 72 in August. My fair-weather retirement toy is an M6 Hellcat. Not the least bit difficult for me to drive and a heck of a lot of fun. A guy on another forum has an '18 Demon and an M6 Hellcat. Even though the Demon is significantly quicker, he says the manual is more fun.You're as old as you feel, most of the time.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
I had a 69' Camaro and a 64 Volkswagen Beetle that had stick shifts. By 1982, both of these-2 were long gone and it was all Automatics for me ever-since.
When the Automatics started to gain popularity, at least one brand name from every USA Manufacturer came out with a push-button Automatic that was mounted near the driver-side roll down window on the dash. I had one of those in the early 70s and really liked the concept / design. For whatever reason, all the manufacturers here let the fad just die-out.
When the Automatics started to gain popularity, at least one brand name from every USA Manufacturer came out with a push-button Automatic that was mounted near the driver-side roll down window on the dash. I had one of those in the early 70s and really liked the concept / design. For whatever reason, all the manufacturers here let the fad just die-out.
