Posted on 10/12/2017 1:04:32 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
So many Europeans have now decided driving stick sucks that even BMW decided to make the M5 an automatic only car about 5-7 years back. This was only reversed when American dealers and customers demanded BMW give them a manual option. The Europeans were fine with the manual going away.
“and 46k is the average.”
Unless you go Kia, you’ll be spending about that for a near loaded Jeep, Chrysler, etc...
Dodge has deleted the manual from all but their HD diesel trucks and IIRC that’s set to go away soon as well. Minimum entry point is about $45K, even for a fleet 2500/3500.
I’m a Jeeper and I see a lot of ridiculous mods. To each their own, I suppose, but I have to LOL at people who will lift their Jeeps to get an extra 4-5” of ground clearance, and then need to add side steps which effectively reduces the ground clearance by 5-6”.
I can’t explain that one.
My Jeep Rubicon is a 6-speed manual. IMHO, a manual is much better for navigating extreme terrain than an automatic. Yes, Hummers and Abrams are all automatic transmissions, and handle rough terrain well enough, but I prefer the added control and ability to manage where and how my torque is getting used.
Exactly why I got ride of my stick pickup at the time. Commuted to work through city traffic with something like 30+ traffic lights on the route. I developed a very painful hip flexor as a direct result of the constant shifting.
Yeah, manuals were great in the day when they delivered greater gas mileage (not anymore) or if you live in a rural area of the country, but for urban and even suburban traffic, no thanks.
I agree.
I did see something that struck me as funny during the last election cycle...they were building a large addition at my company, and the construction workers parked outside my window. I saw this great big, black pickup, completely tricked out, I am guessing it was easily an $80k truck. Very nice looking.
Had a Bernie Sanders sticker on it!
4wd and manual transmissions to me are the natural match.
Abrams tanks are fun to bounce around in, I did some in NG and I wouldn’t want to imagine manually shifting gears on it.
That's me. Give me dead reliable mechanicals, a bench seat, places to plug stuff in, headrests low enough that I can keep my hat on, good towing mirrors, am/fm and a/c and I'll buy. I hate all the entertainment center/Big Brother crap.
- A stick shift nowadays is an anti theft device -
No kidding. I bought my 1st automatic because I couldn’t find an employee who could drive stick. Had one who said he could but that didn’t end well.
Snowed last night.
Last I heard though next week is supposed to be warm, 60s etc.
I guess you have been following weather reports. Hell, this year we might finally get to see Yellowstone blow, just to top everything off.
Yes, nowadays they couldn't build or sell the pickup I'm talking about.
Instead we get a couple-three tons of plastic and aluminum, more gloss and comfort than my living room, for about twice as much as I paid for my first home.
Though I did just buy a 1980 Jeep CJ for running around in, and that DOES have a manual transmission AND makes a guy appreciate at least some of the amenities of newer rides.
I bought a ‘17 Chevy Colorado with a 4 cylinder diesel.
I always owned manual trans cars and really wanted one in the truck for obvious reasons. However the only way to get a 6-speed manual was to go with the entry level 4 cylinder gas model. Basically a model that just has a steering wheel and seats.
Hate having the auto in this truck but it’s just not an option on higher trim levels.
Vent windows died when people decided they didn’t want their trucks to leak and when CAFE became heavily enforced against trucks. 4x4 is already an option on fleet trucks.
LOL - I bought a ‘98 Chevy quad cab 4 wheel drive pick up 2 years ago for $2000. She leaks and squeaks in all the usual places but still runs fine with about 275,000 miles on it now. It’s a tool. I use it when i need a truck. My son has it at his place right now in San Antonio hauling things for friends. Gets about 12 mpg. Bug out truck if needed.
Go put the original MSRP of your CJ into an inflation calculator and then look at the price of a new Wrangler (CL equivalent). You’ll see that there’s not a lot of difference.
A 1983 Jeep CJ Renegade had a list price of $11,449. If you go by the consumer price index (which isn’t entirely accurate, usually on the low side) that would be $27,600 today. The Wrangler starts at $23,995 and you can get a Renegade equivalent for $27-28K. Allowing for inflation, the price hasn’t really changed that much.
Also, uh, if your living room has less gloss and comfort than a base truck these days, may I suggest upgrading your living room and furnishings to something not from the 1970s? :P
These are soccer mom trucks, even if dudes buy them.
Never had a vent window leak. Maybe a bit of wind whistle.
The reason the vent window went away is because A/C became the standard. No need to open windows to bring in the added ventilation the vent windows supplied, when instead the driver would just crank the A/C.
And eliminating them reduced the build cost.
I still have a truck with vent windows. Leaking is such a known issue with them that there are adjustment procedures in the manual.
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