Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions • Hacker News Board

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#11

Post by bcook » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:21 AM UTC

sliken wrote: post #8

I was looking for a nice AWD hatchback. Subaru cancelled the WRX and STI version. Focus RS sadly goes with a manual only. Seems kind of silly to work so hard on performance/acceleration and then waste time on shifting.

Do any performance-focused vehicles use CVT?

Answer: No.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#12

Post by TomMarius » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:21 AM UTC

sliken wrote: post #8

I was looking for a nice AWD hatchback. Subaru cancelled the WRX and STI version. Focus RS sadly goes with a manual only. Seems kind of silly to work so hard on performance/acceleration and then waste time on shifting.

You can get better 0 to 60 time with manual.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#13

Post by patrickg_zill » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:22 AM UTC

I prefer stick but can't always get it.

Even the cheapest Korean manufacturer can make a 5 or 6 speed manual that is close to unbreakable.

And you can, in difficult situations at least, shift better than the automatic - especially if you are shifting a certain way because you can see traffic or the lack of it, up ahead.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#14

Post by toomuchtodo » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:23 AM UTC

TomMarius wrote: post #12

sliken wrote: post #8

I was looking for a nice AWD hatchback. Subaru cancelled the WRX and STI version. Focus RS sadly goes with a manual only. Seems kind of silly to work so hard on performance/acceleration and then waste time on shifting.

You can get better 0 to 60 time with manual.

Automatics are faster.

Cammisa, Jason. "Here's what's really killing the manual transmission." Road & Track. March 10, 2014. (April 10, 2015) http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a6308/whats-really-k...

Lachnit, Carroll. "Five Myths About Stick Shifts: Manual vs Automatic Transmissions." Edmunds. Sept. 26, 2013. (April 10, 2015) http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/five-myths-about-stick-s...

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#15

Post by toomuchtodo » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:24 AM UTC

bcook wrote: post #11

sliken wrote: post #8

I was looking for a nice AWD hatchback. Subaru cancelled the WRX and STI version. Focus RS sadly goes with a manual only. Seems kind of silly to work so hard on performance/acceleration and then waste time on shifting.

Do any performance-focused vehicles use CVT? Answer: No.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/why-you-wont-see-another-... (Sept 2015)

"Ferrari has emphatically ruled out offering a manual gearbox in its next generation of vehicles, for one simple reason: performance. Speaking at the Frankfurt motor show this week, stakeholders at Ferrari said the manual transmission had become obsolete in a performance sense because modern dual-clutch transmissions were much faster and effective in their shifts."

"We never say no, but today we say no," a spokesman said. "We are very convinced with our strategy about the automatic gearbox, it's the fastest gearbox in the market and this is a distinctive component for us. Right now we are not thinking about a manual because the performance is [less]."

Not a CVT, but a manual has no benefit. Either go CVT for efficiency or geared automatic for performance.

EDIT: astrodust: Let not split hairs; Formula 1 allowed the introduction of CVTs in 1993 and then banned them because they were too good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3UpBKXMRto

http://jalopnik.com/http-youtu-be-x3upbkxmrto-one-that-goes-...

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#16

Post by henrikschroder » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:24 AM UTC

TomMarius wrote: post #12

sliken wrote: post #8

I was looking for a nice AWD hatchback. Subaru cancelled the WRX and STI version. Focus RS sadly goes with a manual only. Seems kind of silly to work so hard on performance/acceleration and then waste time on shifting.

You can get better 0 to 60 time with manual.

It should be completely obvious that machines can be made to do things quicker, better, and more reliably than humans.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#17

Post by RikNieu » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:26 AM UTC

Where I live manual is the norm, but those I know that did switch to auto all to prefer it. It apparently makes the drudgery of sitting in traffic more bearable.

However, as one friend noted, once that fancy automatic gearbox goes legs up(and your car also happens to be out of warranty), the virtues of a manual comes calling again.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#18

Post by bitwize » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:27 AM UTC

toomuchtodo wrote: post #14

TomMarius wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get better 0 to 60 time with manual.

Automatics are faster. Cammisa, Jason. "Here's what's really killing the manual transmission." Road & Track. March 10, 2014. (April 10, 2015) http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a6308/whats-really-k... Lachnit, Carroll. "Five Myths About Stick Shifts: Manual vs Automatic Transmissions." Edmunds. Sept. 26, 2013. (April 10, 2015) http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/five-myths-about-stick-s...

If you're not driving a stick, eating paleo, and listening to your music on vinyl with a 100% analog mastering process, then you're doing it wrong.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#19

Post by astrodust » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:27 AM UTC

RikNieu wrote: post #17

Where I live manual is the norm, but those I know that did switch to auto all to prefer it. It apparently makes the drudgery of sitting in traffic more bearable. However, as one friend noted, once that fancy automatic gearbox goes legs up(and your car also happens to be out of warranty), the virtues of a manual comes calling again.

I honestly don't see the problem of using a standard transmission in traffic. Once you've learned how to drive with it the whole thing becomes instinct and you don't even consciously notice.

Re: Fewer than 3% of cars sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions

#20

Post by Yaggo » Thu, Nov 17, 2016, 7:28 AM UTC

I'm from Europe and learnt to drive with manual, but after getting used to my Prius' CVT, would never buy a car with manual for daily use. (Besides, my next car won't have an ICE.)

If you occasionally like "sporty" driving with manual shifting, modern automatics will paddle-shift quicker than most people with a real stick & clutch. Manual gearbox is just an artifact from ICE's very limited torque curve.