Posted on 04/10/2022 3:21:08 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
Only around 18% of American drivers can handle a manual transmission, according to U.S. News and World Report. You know: the clutch pedal and the stick shift—three on the tree, four on the floor or, I don’t know, five to drive maybe. Different gears, manually engaged.
Turns out that “basically” isn’t the same as “actually.” When my father’s Oldsmobile died this month, my family replaced it as the backup car with a used Chevy. Since I’m the backup driver, I climbed in, stepped on the clutch, started the car, stepped off the clutch. The engine promptly stalled. Only by grinding the gears, smoking the clutch and jerking forward in jumps did I finally get moving.
In 1980, some 35% of cars produced in the U.S. were manuals. Today that figure is closer to 1%, and only 3.7% of Carmax sales are for stick shifts—shockingly low considering that 80% of cars sold in Europe have manual transmissions. Some car makers, including Audi, no longer offer manual transmissions in the U.S. market at all.
So why would anyone want one? Your car is less likely to get stolen, for one thing. Thieves prove as incapable of using a clutch as any other American.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
—”The electronically controlled “manual” transmissions are expensive “
Our son HAD a VW diesel with a DSG, the dealer charged over $600.00 for the fluid change at 40k miles!!!
Less than two gallons of fuel will take you 100 highway miles and the trans service cost $1.50 for the same hundred miles!!!
Diesel was about $2 a gallon at that time.
I was gearing up to do it for him for about $200 parts and fluid.
And purchase a VW OBD reader to check levels and reset.
But VW made him an offer he could not refuse.
The issue is a horse and cart dilemma. Why make cars for a small market of 18% and of that less want a standard.
I always preferred a standard, much nicer to drive at higher rpm’s when necessary.
—”There’s a LOT of parts in the door these days...”
And just one part can stop the window from functioning!
I learned how to use a stick shift on a 1965 VW Bug - best way to learn. If you messed up switching gears it would stall, LOL.
—”Heck, I can ride old British bikes with the shifter on the right. “
I used to race Bultacos, but also had a couple of smaller Yamahas.
Occasionally ride in two different classes.
A bit of straight then a tight turn off the line in a tight pack.
No time to think it through, JUST STEP ON BOTH FOOT LEVERS at the time.
Same result.
—” My wife went to town last week and the car texted me every time she was speeding.”
A friend received a speeding notice from the car rental company!!!
It was a warning but next was a cash penalty.
My dad got a brand new 1950 Pontiac Chieftain stick. I was 10 at the time and that’s what I learned on.
Works best in reverse, pushing it backwards.
Apparently it’s a common failure on Chrysler minivans.
The cable mechanism between the electric motor and the glass gets worn out and jumbled up.
The counter guy at local NAPA said he sells about one a week.
Luckily it’s cheap, about 50 bucks. There’s many good videos on YouTube about how to install.
Now, now, use your words freep.
I was not insulting you, just commiserating.
And an even more lost, a rollstart with a dead battery.
4 of my kids so far know. 2 boys & 2 girls.
My summer and winter commuter cars are both manuals. My truck and the family van are automatics only because manuals are simply not available for those vehicles.
Yep, bracket racing. Went through a lot of white shoe polish. You know how it works, post your time on the car and run as close as you can without breaking out. The tree is adjusted so the cars do not leave together, but finish close. It is about running consistent times, not being the quickest car.
If you own a car with over 100,000 miles and it is an automatic then you must have at lese $3 or $4 grand set aside to pay for a new transmission. I refuse to play that game. The auto trans is a silly luxury, too expensive for my taste.
"YABBA DABBA DOO!" ~ Fred Flintstone
I’ve never owned an automatic, and probably never will.
I drove my preowned ‘07 Murano into the proverbial ground, with the CVT finally giving up around 150k. Extended warranty covered it (saving me thousands in repairs), only for the ‘new’ transmission to start going bad a few months later. Given that that particular model of CVT is no longer manufactured (per the guys at the Nissan dealership), I can only assume any extent transmissions would be similarly iffy.
The only pre-owned vehicle available that was under 100k while ALSO being priced under $10,000 was a manual Mazda 3. That was worth teaching myself how to drive a manual.
Fortunately, there are plenty of YouTube videos to learn how to drive a stick.
After two weeks, I’ve concluded that driving manual has made driving much more fun and enjoyable.
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