[C19fan]

I have driven nothing but manuals for my personal cars. I like the higher MPG and sense of control especially in snow/ice conditions. I am not sure if manual transmissions are more reliable than autos but never had major issues with the manuals.

[moovova]

I can’t text, eat my sausage biscuit and fiddle with my Garmin while driving if I have to manually shift the transmission.

[muir_redwoods]

I learned to drive on a manual. When I had to take the state mandated 6-hour course from a driving school it was the first time I drove an automatic.

I have purchased almost nothing buy manuals for my personal car and presently drive a six-speed manual. I don’t think you really know how to drive if you can’t drive a standard but that’s just my opinion.

[RayChuang88]

However, manuals are going to still continue to be less and less common for the following reasons:

1. Conventional automatics aren't the heavy, mechanically-complicated, and slow-shifting units of the past. Thanks to modern electronics, today's automatics with torque converters actually have surprisingly few parts and are physically way smaller, since the control of the torque converter is done electrically.

2. Dual-clutch automatics such as Volkswagen's DSG and Ford's Powershift have gotten a lot lighter, since electronics eliminate much of the need for complex hydraulics needed with older dual-clutch automatic units.

3. Companies like Porsche and Ferrari now offer sports cars with dual-clutch automatics because sports cars with dual-clutch automatics are actually faster on race courses than conventional manuals.

4. It's actually easier to make an automobile meet emission standards with automatics than manuals.

Because automatics no longer impose performance, fuel economy and weight penalties on automobiles, no wonder automatics are found on most new models. And with electric cars, shifting gears have no meaning given the way electric motors work.

[FreedomPoster]

It’s worth noting that most automatic transmissions have a torque converter, which is basically a fluid coupling in the drive train.

Many modern automatic transmissions, especially from Europe, are basically automated manual transmissions. They have a gear set, clutch(es), actuators, and computer controls to make it all work. They don’t have the inefficiency of the fluid coupling. All in all, they’re pretty nice, especially with paddle shifters for when you want to choose what gear you are in.

[Slyfox]

Crooks generally don’t steal a car with a manual transmission because they don’t know how to drive them.

[scouter]

I have a 2003 Honda Accord, and I have over 160,000 miles on the clutch without any hint of a problem.

So I'm glad to hear that they'll be around for a while. I will probably buy 1 more car before I die, and I want it to be a manual.

[lacrew]

A manual transmission lasts forever...the major wear part being the clutch disk.

A trained ape (me) can change a clutch and flex spring for around $250. I have done it many times.

Now if an automatic fails, its a little more complicated. There are dozens of friction bands, pressure ports, electronic sensors. This trained ape usually has to replace the whole thing with a rebuild. Average cost $1,200. Often more than a used engine to buy a rebuilt transmission.

I keep my cars for a loooong time. So I like to buy the manual transmissions.

[Fresh Wind]

I’m happily in that tiny M6 sliver.

[Hoodat]

I drive a manual. Wouldn't have it any other way. It means one less thing that can break on my car. It also means my car will never get stolen.

Stick shift foils armed carjackers at medical center

Victim: 2 men didn't know how to drive stick shift

[minnesota_bound]

All you guys talking about manual transmissions.
I am hearing lots of grinding noises here : )

[FunkyZero]

I was always partial to manual gearboxes in past years, mainly because of their efficiency and putting as close to 100% of the delivered shaft horsepower to the wheels as possible. The surfacing of a positive lockup converter was the first step in putting that to rest.

Now, I drive a DSG and wouldn't have it any other way. As much as we would like to think we can, no one can shift as quickly and perfectly as the DSG computer. The only thing absent is the clutch pedal... and the way my knees are these days, I'm quite content with it being gone.

I'm a willing adopter of tech, I remember the carburetor and mechanical points... and I don't miss them one bit!

[IDFbunny]

You’d have to be a tap dancer to run today’s 6 and 7 speed manuals, no thanks. With traction control and a smart 6 speed automatic I miss nothing, even on ice.

[cyclotic]

Last year, I had a minor tear on my left Achilles tendon and wore an air boot for a couple months. Made shifting a bit of a challenge. After 35 years of driving manuals, I learned how to get really good at shifting without the clutch. The boot is gone but I do it all the time now. I also do a little hyper mileage stuff sometimes and slip into neutral on long downhills.

Last week I meant to get gas on the way home. There are several 5-8 mile gaps between exits on my commute and of course I remembered about the fuel just after passing an exit. Bring it up to speed and slip into neutral for half a mile, losing 5-8 mph, but still near the speed limit. Did that for 7 miles. No problem.

[Thorliveshere]

YAY!! It’s so good to hear this. I’m teaching all my girls to drive manuals. The eldest daughter loves knowing this skill over other girls (and guys).

[discostu]

My mom always preached that you drive a stick and you steer an automatic. That being said if I lived in a big city with real traffic I’d totally get an automatic, driving around San Francisco in my stick for one day just about blew up my left knee (which is already a little wonky). So I don’t live in those places.

[JAKraig]

I'm driving my fourth VW Passat TDI. This is the first one with an automatic. It has cost me a good 10MPG but is is really nice to not be manually going through the 5 gears. The next one may be manual again though, 50 MPG is worth a little extra headache.

[SamAdams76]

Manual transmission is probably safer because you have to focus on your driving. It’s harder to play with your cellphone and other distractions when you have to keep one hand on the wheel and the other on the shifting knob.

[Yardstick]

I love manuals because they’re fun. Never owned an automatic. Sometimes my commute has me thinking an automatic might be nice, though. All that clutching gets old in stop and go traffic.

[cyclotic]

Yesterday, for the first time in years, I would have liked an automatic. I-95 was closed for an accident. 3 hours 40 minutes to drive 32 miles. At one point, I shoved it into 3rd for the first time in over 2 hours.