They were on the early hydramatics, Powerglides, Torqueflites etc but were dropped as a cost saving measure.
Posted on 09/04/2026 2:24:01 PM PDT by Libloather
Are drivers who never learn this skill getting the short end of the stick?
Recent research shows that this once-ubiquitous ability is increasingly becoming a lost art.
Only 18% of Americans know how to use a stick shift — with the number even lower among younger drivers.
In a survey of US drivers, Extreme Terrain found more than a third of Gen Z drivers (35%) never learned to drive stick, compared with just 9% of baby boomers.
Further, driving confidence is waning among younger drivers, with only half of those under 30 believing they could competently drive a manual.
“People in their mid-40s and up are probably the only people left who really grew up with the stick shift; people now don’t know how to drive it unless their parents or grandparents teach them,” driving instructor Andy Nelson, owner of Safe Driver Solutions, told The Post.
To that end, and to Nelson’s point, more than half of manual drivers (56%) surveyed learned to drive a manual from a parent or older relative.
The reason for learning how to drive a stick has evolved over time; only 22% of Gen Z drivers learned out of necessity, compared with 55% of boomers.
“Like most of society, it’s turned toward disposable technology, so rather than fixing the transmission, they just replace it,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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Some cheep models come only with an aerosol can inflating foam.
Put it in neutral and push.
Sold separately of course. And it wasn't about savings; it was less weight in the car to meet the soviet-style fuel mileage requirements.
Manual transmission sales didn’t drop because of traffic jams, they declined because most cars now are first leased and the finance companies found it much easier to sell the car at the end of the lease if it had an automatic transmission.
Most drivers cant do 2 things at once well. Most have trouble just steering and hitting thegas or brake pedal. The problem is their effing phone they keep staring into and texting on.
I learned to dtrive on a “beater” with a four-speed manual. Nothing quite like driving stick (especially on roads with lots of twists and turns).
I can’t remember ever buying a vehicle with an automatic transmission, Although I did drive a few that were my Mom’s.
Although I’ll admit I didn’t much like the ‘3 on the column’ in the old Rambler station wagon that was my Grandpa’s, although I wouldn’t mind having that car back. It was otherwise pretty useful and reliable.
Wow, we trained both of our daughters to drive stick shift, their boyfriends couldn’t do that, they later taught their husbands how 🤣
It is funny that when I go to the lumber yard, garden center or such my truck draws a small group of youngsters who want to see it and the manual transmission. 25 years and still on the original clutch, touch wood.
Isn’t this situation similar to when cars overtook horses? A lot of people grew up not knowing how to ride a horse (I don’t know!).
Yep - I learned to drive in an old 3 on the column Rambler.
My next few cars were either 3 on the column or 4 on the floor.
Last time I drove something with a clutch must be over 40 years ago though. But, I could slide into one today and be comfortable in about 12 seconds.
You left out smoking!
My first car was an automatic, but the first cars that I have any memory of driving were std. transmissions. Since then I’ve owned both. However, I rarely drive a standard now.. Not that I don’t know how, it just takes a bit to get the “rhythm” right so things work smoothly. Some “standards” are easier than others to drive smoothly.
And smoke a cigarette at the same time .
—
Or driving a Beetle to Frankfort, Germany on the Autobahn, while rolling a hash & tobacco joint on your thigh, waiting for the LSD to kick in ...
Honda. All the disciples were in one Accord.
If I recall correctly there’s a YouTube video of a carjacker bailing from a car he jacked because it was a stick shift ....
Same here. I just bought my first AT car 18 months ago...
Thanks, got it.
Not in that industry, a friend is.
They were on the early hydramatics, Powerglides, Torqueflites etc but were dropped as a cost saving measure.
Yes, I remember.
As far as I know, with older Mercedes automatic gearboxes it was possible, as they, too, had a similar supplementary pump, which was driven by the driveshaft. However, it was not recommended by the company to tow the car for distances greater than 30 miles, and not at speeds above 30 mph.
I am afraid that newer automatic MB gearboxes have lost that facility as well…
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