Kinda of hard to do this with an automatic...
Posted on 06/01/2012 7:23:21 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
Go to any given dealership with 100 new cars.
On average, just four of the 2012 models will have manual gearboxes.
The trend of the vanishing third pedal is nothing new, notes The Detroit News.
Even a decade ago, just 8.5 percent of 2002 models were manuals. The paper’s own automotive reporter even confesses she never learned to drive a stick shift until it essentially became a job requirement.
It’s more than a little contradictory to automotive reviews (including many you’ll read here) extolling the pleasure of enthusiastic driving with a true manual gearbox. Likewise, purists gravitate to manuals for tackling their favorite twisting road or occasional track day. It’s the original form of in-car connectivity.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Got one.
I was always a manual transmission guy until I got married.
The wife could shift gears just fine, but I could not ‘learn’ her to stop riding the clutch, and changing throw-out bearings is either time consuming or expensive.
I still miss slamming gears, but quite frankly, with the wimpy engines in most of the cars today, it wouldn’t have the same feel anyway.
For many years. Mrs. jimfree has a 15 y/o 5 speed Saturn wagon. She aspires to a Mustang convertible.
I can, but had to give it up when my knees began to hurt after driving in heavy traffic during my commute. Too bad, it’s a lot of fun.
Took my driving test in a ‘68 VW microbus. That was manual everything.
Are you kidding?
TR4, MGA, Ford Anglia, Ford Cortina, Ford Capri V-6, Toyota SR-5....Is that enough?
Me and I prefer a stick. Driving a vehicle with automatic Transmission is boring. However we only have one car (We just don't need two because we are in rock throwing distance of all the necessities) and the wife drives it way more than me and she wanted an automatic.
Since 1988 I’ve had nothing but a manual.
I have never owned an auto transmission, owned twelve cars.
Man, what a waste to drive one.
My car and previous 2 cars were 5 speed standards and I love them but the article is correct, they are very difficult to find even in Japanese cars.
Shoot, my first car was manual transmission and the shift lever was on the steering column.
Kinda of hard to do this with an automatic...
Several of the advantages of driving a manual are gone. Gas mileage is no longer a problem compared to manuals.
I took my driver’s test in 1966 Beetle.
Love manual transmissions.
Learned on a ‘31 Model A Ford.
Drove a VW bug for 15 years.
Teaching my kids how to drive a stick on an old Jeep.
With my eyes closed.
And the tranny is often the first thing to go out...not so it the manual one.
Every vehicle I have ever owned (dating back to 1967) has had a manual transmission. Would not want an auto. Taught both of my children to drive with a stick and they can drive anything.
CC
4 on the floor, and 3 on the column.
My jeep is a stick...wouldn’t have it any other way!
Hah.
I learned to drive on a John Deere "A". Automatic trans. was not an option.
Learned how to double clutch on it also.
I used to always get a manny tranny for economy and reliability, but the new auto tranny’s are so much improved I prefer them, especially in traffic jams. I would only go stick again in a sports or muscle car.
While lighting a cigarette and tuning the radio...
Just us elders.
I’ve owned 8 cars and only 1 was an automatic. I took my driver’s test in a manual. Recently I was shopping for a newer used car and tried a few of those ‘paddle-shifter’ transmissions and missed the control of a manual.
And I’m a relative young-un (42), and most of my gear-head friends drive manuals, but most others drive automatics.
If it doesn’t have three pedals, I don’t want it.
Boring right back at ya.
I’ll keep using my stick, and make it click.
Made that mistake one time, and one time only. Never again.
This must be a subversive liberal plot...
I can drive one, my husband taught me...marital no-man’s land. I like them except for hills with ice and snow covered roads.
It was required when I took driver’s training but was no big deal because I was already and experienced driver in a Ford F150 with 3 on the tree.
I prefer a stick to an automatic.
I always drove stick’ even from high school when I first had my ‘ricer’ and raced it on the weekends. I have always thought anyone who drove automatic’ were not actual drivers. Now I drive a 6 speed auto (sigh)
I remember trying to teach one of my kids to drive a stick about 16 years ago. This kid is brilliant, a double major in the sciences and instructional tempered as well. But the car I had was equiped with a grabby quick spring pressure hydro clutch and he couldn’t get the feel for it. It made him so mad I thought he would have a stroke.
When a lot of use older guys learned we had steering column mounted three speeds with low rpm higher torgue engines on old pick-up trucks and sedans to start learning on. It made it a lot easier to get started. Even if you slammed it and popped it, it would still muddle through without the stalls and giant jerks of the higher rpm engines of the 80s and 90s.
My current vehicle is the first on in almost 25 years that has automatic transmission. Before that every car but one had manual transmission. I think I can still drive a stick.
I married a shiftless woman; but that was remedied in the first year.
guilty...
Up to a 18 speed :)
have a stick.
It would seem that the government overlords would have mandated more standard transmissions because of the fuel economy involved.
Go figure
“How many here can drive a “Stick”?”
I have never purchased a new car with an auto trans. My wife and 2 kids all drive manuals and LIKE IT!
This is what I learned to drive a “Stick” on:
http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/2/9/291-farmall-m.html
They want to get rid of all those independent minded hot rodders...
Learned to drive on a stick and loved smashing that pedal on highway 9, 17 and the 280.
Nothing feels so good as downshifting as go into a curve and slamming it up coming out of one.
Vrooom!
A recent book on four-wheeling (I think the title is "The Four Wheeler's Bible"--but I'd have to rummage around my bookshelves to find out the title for sure), says that auto transmissions are superior for off roading, because they can respond faster to changing conditions than a human can shift a manual transmission.
/johnny
Learned to drive on a stick and loved smashing that pedal on highway 9, 17 and the 280.
Nothing feels so good as downshifting as go into a curve and slamming it up coming out of one.
Vrooom!
No.. it’s actually easier to do burn outs, rockfords, doughnuts with a automatic ;)
Ya don’t need 3 feet :)
A stick is fun in a sports car.
For day to day driving in rush our traffic I much prefer an automatic. Get stuck on the expressway because of a wreck and you’re hatin’ that stick and that clutch.
Who buys a 4-door Honda Accord with a stick? Nobody in their right mind.
Who buys a Corvette with an automatic? Nobody in their right mind.
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