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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?

#431

Post by boppo1 »

Buttons840 wrote: post #149
boppo1 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>because the front of the car eats people. Swallows them, chews them up, and spits them out. How so? Could we just use modern crumple materials in the same shape?

A crumple material that will crumple in a car vs pedestrian collision? Like NERF foam or something?

Ahaha I was thinking of passengers. Hence "how do they get eaten?" But even so, were old car shapes really worse than modern car shapes? Seems like you get hit, you're gonna have a bad time no matter what.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#432

Post by Tade0 »

ryandrake wrote: post #296
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,…

When he was alive, my ol grandpa once told me: "Nobody makes anything for me anymore--they've all just left me behind!" I thought to myself HA! I'll never get like that! I'm always going to be an early adopter, I'll always be optimistic for the new, I believe that technology always marches forward! Now that I'm getting up there in age, despite swearing otherwise, I'm starting to feel like grandpa. I'm just not the ta…

> Computers keep getting more and more locked down and are losing peripheral ports.

Excuse me Sir, do you have a moment to talk about our Lord and Saviour, the Framework laptop?

https://frame.work/

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#433

Post by artogahr »

dgently7 wrote: post #417

I’ve dailied a mt in LA traffic since 2009. I’m one of those connected to the car people. I don’t even like cruise control bc I can’t feel what is happening. That said, I will never buy another ice engine if I can help it. That’s coming for all of us ”enthusiasts”. For better or worse “boring” electric motors with all the smoothness and infinite torque across all rpm’s are the future… Mt and even ice will be only for…

That's never going to happen en masse because petrolheads are always going to complain "But it's not the real thing and you're a stupid person for enjoying it!!!"

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#434

Post by bayindirh »

nawitus wrote: post #418
mnd999 wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, they probably care less about failing European safety standards since pickups aren’t a big market in Europe.

Are you claiming they're failing European safety standards? American pickups are sold in "Europe". Or does "fail" mean low rating here?

While the vehicles sold under same brands and names, the outside configuration is different.

For example, you can't attach animal guards here to pickup trucks, and you need extra reflectors and different lighting configuration in US for all cars.

While not directly related to safety standards, intelligent active matrix LED lighting systems are illegal in US, too.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#435

Post by seszett »

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.

> * 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.*

Sounds like a Dacia Duster Pick-Up. It's 22 000€ or so (new).

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#436

Post by marcusestes »

bambax wrote: post #399
Retric wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s more than just about style. As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement, many large pickup trucks are providing real utility to construction, farming, etc. And much like 18 wheelers they can’t scale down the front while maintaining utility because they need large engines and high ground clearance.

> As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement Pickup trucks are the opposite of fashion. There are to cars what Crocs are to shoes.

Disagree. Because the utility is seldom fully utilized in an urban environment, they are nearly pure fashion. They serve as a signaling mechanism the same way that a pair of Gucci loafers do, just for a different culture.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#437

Post by consp »

boppo1 wrote: post #431
Buttons840 wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A crumple material that will crumple in a car vs pedestrian collision? Like NERF foam or something?

Ahaha I was thinking of passengers. Hence "how do they get eaten?" But even so, were old car shapes really worse than modern car shapes? Seems like you get hit, you're gonna have a bad time no matter what.

There is a reason RR and Mercedes don't sell hood ornaments any more in certain markets as an example. They first crush your legs and then shread everything above. I imagine some of the 50s and 60s designs will be worse with sharp corners and pointy spikes.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#438

Post by M3L0NM4N »

bambax wrote: post #399
Retric wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s more than just about style. As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement, many large pickup trucks are providing real utility to construction, farming, etc. And much like 18 wheelers they can’t scale down the front while maintaining utility because they need large engines and high ground clearance.

> As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement Pickup trucks are the opposite of fashion. There are to cars what Crocs are to shoes.

That's false, and so is your metaphor.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#439

Post by seszett »

Vecr wrote: post #233
calvinmorrison wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it started automatically keeping pace with the car in front of me on the highway I hate how technology is changing the roads. This happens to me so frequently. I am a right lane driver. I hang out, I cruise at 55, and take my time. It feels like every few minutes someone comes up behind me, slows down, and doesn't go around. If I go to the left lane they speed right past me, so I can go back into my right lane... B…

I'm not sure where you live but what those cars are doing is the correct thing, in regards to laws and driving best practices in what I think are many places in the US. You shouldn't really be going left to get rid of them, even if that's legal where you are (it's not legal to go into the left lane except to pass in multiple states), or you are driving on a highway with three lanes in each direction. The cars should…

I know what they're saying and I've often found it annoying as well.

If such a car is following you and you get to the left or middle lane to overtake a slower car then the car behind you first accelerates to your right as if they were going to pass you, then brakes because of course there's another car there, the one you are overtaking.

The other case where I find them annoying, the worst case for me, is when I'm quietly driving my speed, overtaking a (slow compared to me) car that is following another one. But while I'm overtaking the "auto following" car, the car in front of it gets back to the right lane and the other car suddenly takes off much faster than me. So here I was, driving 110 and overtaking a car driving 90, while suddenly accelerates to 130... until it gets stuck again a kilometer further, and I have to overtake it again, and everything repeats.

Of course, I could do the same acceleration/braking dance and stay behind them all the time, but I care about not spending fuel for useless speed changes.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#440

Post by gjulianm »

euroderf wrote: post #381
lisper wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I drove a manual for about 20 years and I still really enjoy them, but there is one thing that made me happily leave them behind: stop-and-go traffic. Not having to clutch constantly when driving in the city is a big enough win that I'm willing to give up the fun of a manual for it. But I do sometimes miss having a stick on a windy mountain road.

And don't forget leaving from a stop uphill.

A lot of modern cars have an automatic brake that keeps your car from going downhill in those situations. Some are smoother, some are weirder, but it works.
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