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  #16  
Old 01-18-2022, 10:53 AM
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Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
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I get it. With people not buying them and left foot traffic issues. And the shifting via automatic shifting. But there's just something about going through the gears that gets me. I'm glad I got to experience my 69 Chevy Chevelle and Audi TT turbo.
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  #17  
Old 01-18-2022, 11:56 AM
FrankHudson FrankHudson is offline
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In my youth it was sort of point of pride that one could drive a manual, and in those days the automatic transmissions were less efficient, had fewer gear ratios, and sometimes had reliability issues. So by and large, my cars have all been manuals.

My 2004 Passat is still running with a manual. Given current car prices I don't know if there will be a "next" car for me before I give up driving. If there is one, I'm guessing it will not be a manual due to lack of availability.
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  #18  
Old 01-18-2022, 12:56 PM
brad4d8 brad4d8 is offline
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An old GF recently reminded me of my teaching her to drive a stick 50 (!) years ago, either on my Fiat or VW Bug, don't remember which. It's been a long time since I've had a stick, and with at least 75% of my driving interrupted by traffic lights or stop signs every few blocks, don't think it would be as much fun as it used to be. In one of our cars I do occasionally use the manual/sport mode when entering a highway with no entrance lane, it allows me to keep it in low longer than the auto does, thus getting up to highway speed faster.
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  #19  
Old 01-18-2022, 12:56 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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In my teens I learned from one of the local street racers how to toe-shift an automatic...

Got to where I can consistently hit my shift points with any good auto (still can) - handy at the track, works just fine on the backroad twisties, and there's one less pedal to worry about...

Driven stick on several occasions with no problem (including getting my daughter's car to/from the mechanic to get the clutch replaced - twice ), other than the total PITA of up/downshifting in snails' pace NYC traffic...

Just because you can doesn't always mean you should...
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  #20  
Old 01-18-2022, 01:49 PM
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I greatly miss having a manual transmission. But, given the old man cars I drive these days, I doubt that I'll ever have another.

I taught my son to drive in my 5-speed '90 Miata. He loved it. When he could finally afford his first "nice" car he bought a '15 Mustang GT- with a 6-speed.

I was so proud.... sniff!
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  #21  
Old 01-18-2022, 01:57 PM
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My previous post got me to thinking- I wonder if I can recall all of the manuals I have owned? This will seriously tax my balky memory, but:

1965 Chevrolet Corsa
1977 BMW 320i
1983 Honda Accord
1987 Honda Civic
1991 Honda Accord
1986 Nissan PU
1987 Honda Prelude Si
199? Mazda B2000
1990 Mazda Miata
2000 Chevrolet Corvette

If I were to draw up a list of my five all-time favorite cars, they would all come from this list.
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  #22  
Old 01-18-2022, 02:11 PM
Malcolm Kindnes Malcolm Kindnes is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RP View Post
One can't get anything but a manual transmission on a '22 MX5 unless opting for the upper grade Grand Touring edition...
Save your money and buy an old one. I have a 30 year old MX5 with manual transmission and it's just a joy to drive.
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  #23  
Old 01-18-2022, 02:25 PM
rule18 rule18 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by llew View Post
I think the newer truck transmission are more smooth. I know my F-150 (light duty truck) has a 10 speed automatic and shifts pretty seamlessly even under rapid acceleration. I tow a 30' RV trailer that weights just under 3 tons dry and it pulls it without an issue during acceleration. You do lose the overdrive gearing in tow mode however and that helps with the "shift surge". Gotta keep the horses happy!
I agree. My 2017 RAM has an eight speed auto, smooth as silk. If I get really nostalgic for my manuals-gone-by, I'll get a Subi WRX.
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  #24  
Old 01-18-2022, 05:06 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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My Dad owned and ran a garage selling and serving cars, vans and lorries (trucks).

He ran away from home when he was nine and never went back and that was when his working life began.

He made me work there from the age of nine, pumping petrol and diesel. Come the summer holidays, I was working on cars, and servicing them.

We had a WW2 army surplus Perkins Diesel howitzer tractor that had been converted into our breakdown truck and it was always in the wrong place and it was my job to move it. I'd stand on the brake and clutch and hang onto the nearly horizontal steering wheel (no PA of course), so I wa driving cars and such small distences, and moving them in tight places.
In March 1966, I applied for my licence and in May I passed my test.

I learnt on manuals as there were very few autos, My first five cars were Fords :Anglia Cortina mk1, Mk2, Escort Sport, then an Escort 2000e.
In 1980, I moved down south and got an unexpected payoff for selling my flat and bought a VW Scirocco 1600cc four gears. We drove that from London to the south coast of France in one day!
The most evil car I owned was probably my last manual - a BMW 320i - I was convinced it tried to kill me - always something wrong with it.

Can't remember my first auto, possibly a Ford Scorpio - I had three and Mondeo, then a Mercedes C180 estate (my only diesel), then Hondas - 2 accord EX estates - great cars for a muso, and now I'm on my second CRV - all with the same unbreakable, if thirsty 2 litre engine.


Thinking about a hybrid now - been looking at Toyotas, Hondas and Peugots but based on my mileage since 2017... maybe I should get a Nissan Leaf (rather have a Tesla!)
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  #25  
Old 01-18-2022, 05:08 PM
JimC1702 JimC1702 is offline
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My motorcycle has a manual transmission.
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  #26  
Old 01-18-2022, 06:32 PM
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My 2004 Toyota Matrix is a 5-speed. Whenever we go somewhere together my wife insists on driving- she loves the shifting

As do I, even in traffic.
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  #27  
Old 01-18-2022, 07:02 PM
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The manual is indeed going away soon. The sports cars have all basically moved to paddle shift. And the mileage improvement that a manual brought is now a negative , with precise 10 speed automatic transmissions that shift more optimally than a manual. I for one, am sad, but this is where we are.
In an all electric future, however , it wont matter!
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  #28  
Old 01-18-2022, 07:43 PM
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I'm getting a hip replacement (right side) in about three weeks so I'll be sidelined from driving for a while. But I'll look forward to getting back in my VW and putting it thru it's paces. I will add that driving a manual transmission is just more fun even if it does make me drive more aggressively than with an automatic transmission. Especially if you have a twisty mountain two lane switch back road! Unfortunately nowhere near me?
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  #29  
Old 01-18-2022, 08:43 PM
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Since the 1960s, I always enjoyed shifting on curvy roads in cars, trucks, big trucks. Still a motorcycle fan.

Before I retired military in 1997, the pre-2002 Coronado Bridge alone stopped me 450-500 times every morning, creeping 11,178' to 5-6 clogged toll booths (I had plenty of time to suss out the numbers). Between those daily marathons - and trailering boats in and out of the water - I'm all automatic with cars/trucks now.

I have longtime friends who insist on buying brand new Honda 4-door sedans with manual transmissions every 4-5 years. Their last three were special orders and took awhile for dealers to locate them. When I asked if they really wanted "Barney purple" on their most recent...

"Nope, but that's all we could get with a clutch and that took months."

Last edited by tinnitus; 01-19-2022 at 01:17 PM.
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  #30  
Old 01-18-2022, 08:58 PM
sayheyjeff sayheyjeff is offline
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Driving was more fun with a manual shift. We miss those cars. My wife’s arthritis forced us to give up the Alfa convertible she drove for almost 20 years. Had to get her a convertible with an automatic so she wasn’t having to grab the shifter? My Mini recently went down after 15 years and I have adjusted to not shifting in my hybrid. Easy adjustment, but miss being more engaged in the driving.

Jeff
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