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The end of the manual transmission is near?

popularmechanics.com

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Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#171

Post by radicaldreamer »

pier25 wrote: post #164

> As sad as it may be, manual vehicles make up a miniscule percentage of the current market share. Is the author talking about the world or the US? AFAIK the vast majority of vehicles sold in Europe are manual. Not sure about the rest of the world. I'm from Spain and I've never seen an AT car there. I'm sure they exist though, probably. I now live in Mexico where AT is very common and I've gotten used to it. I think…

Average MT cars also last a lot longer than AT cars… although with cars these days it’s almost as much about the software experience and interior than long term longevity so the market is really changing.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#172

Post by FPGAhacker »

bergenty wrote: post #158
emp wrote: post #49

If I could afford a Porsche I would still get a manual option. Changing gears cleanly, heel-toe blipping the throttle when gearing down, getting the right gear at the right time - simple pleasures. It seems the more refined cars become the less character they have. Even the equivalent cars to my old dependable friend feel like lesser cars. Annoy CVTs, electric power steering, and finishes that feel cheap. And windows…

Feels like a bunch of extra work for a shittier experience. If I wanted an experience I would ride a horse.

That's like saying dancing is a shitty way to experience music.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#173

Post by pier25 »

bl0b wrote: post #12

I hope that someday there will be an option for an electric car with a manual transmission. Regardless of how small the market would be and how little practical sense it would make

Some years ago, my father in law added an electric engine to an old manual Chrysler from the 70s I think. I drove it once and it used gears and clutch. It was a good experience except for the fact that the car was super old!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/petit_pierrot/3740207175/

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#174

Post by fortran77 »

blackfawn wrote: post #141

I doubt I'll never buy an automatic transmission vehicle. If that means never buying a new car after some point, then so be it. I've had quite a few manual transmission cars over the years and have driven them through all the things people complain about like steep hills in icy winters, stop and go traffic for an hour or two commute, etc. and I'd still go for a MT every time. Not only is it cheaper and less complex,…

You'll never own an electric car?

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#175

Post by quacked »

chucksmash wrote: post #167
quacked wrote: post #142

I would pay $25,000 cash for a new manual transmission '00s-style mid-sized pickup with hand-crank windows and knobs for the temperature and radio. Last time I drove a car from after 2018 it started automatically keeping pace with the car in front of me on the highway, and you couldn't manually close the trunk but instead had to push a button and wait for it to close. I hate modern cars.

You're in luck, that's about what manual transmission '00s pick up trucks with hand-crank windows are going for these days.

I had to amend my comment to say "new", because you're completely right... the last Tacoma I test drove (automatic) had 290k on it, the transmission slipped during all gear changes, and they weren't taking a dime under $9k. I have no doubt they eventually found a buyer, too.

Same thing is happening in power tools and large appliances. Things used to work, I guess.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#176

Post by [deleted] »

pier25 wrote: post #164

> As sad as it may be, manual vehicles make up a miniscule percentage of the current market share. Is the author talking about the world or the US? AFAIK the vast majority of vehicles sold in Europe are manual. Not sure about the rest of the world. I'm from Spain and I've never seen an AT car there. I'm sure they exist though, probably. I now live in Mexico where AT is very common and I've gotten used to it. I think…

[deleted]

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#177

Post by [deleted] »

fortran77 wrote: post #174
blackfawn wrote: post #141

I doubt I'll never buy an automatic transmission vehicle. If that means never buying a new car after some point, then so be it. I've had quite a few manual transmission cars over the years and have driven them through all the things people complain about like steep hills in icy winters, stop and go traffic for an hour or two commute, etc. and I'd still go for a MT every time. Not only is it cheaper and less complex,…

You'll never own an electric car?

[deleted]

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#178

Post by doliveira »

pier25 wrote: post #169
doliveira wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you really think your experience is representative and that most people take a few minutes to learn how to drive? Honestly, it even sounds like a humble brag (mostly because I'm a little jealous)

Learning to drive probably not, but learning to shift gears? It should be pretty quick. The most difficult part of driving is not even the machine itself but traffic.

Learning to shift gears while on traffic and without letting the engine die is one of the hardest parts of learning how to drive (together with parking). Granted, I'm a lousy driver, but it's the same for most people I talk to: letting the engine die is the top reason for failing driving tests.

Perhaps it's just Brazilian cars being bad, but I doubt it.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#179

Post by bpodgursky »

progman32 wrote: post #10
lapcat wrote: post #9

There's nothing worse than getting stuck in traffic going up a slick hill in a Midwest winter with a manual transmission. Your car goes backward!

In an old manual transmission, that's true. Modern cars have anti roll back systems. But also, use the hand brake.

My 2007 Mazda 3 has an anti rollback system! It doubles as a parking brake.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#180

Post by abdullahkhalids »

fortran77 wrote: post #174
blackfawn wrote: post #141

I doubt I'll never buy an automatic transmission vehicle. If that means never buying a new car after some point, then so be it. I've had quite a few manual transmission cars over the years and have driven them through all the things people complain about like steep hills in icy winters, stop and go traffic for an hour or two commute, etc. and I'd still go for a MT every time. Not only is it cheaper and less complex,…

You'll never own an electric car?

It will be interesting exercise to design a "manual gearbox" for an electric car so manual transmission drivers can have their enjoyment.
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