Manual Shifting, A Dying Technology

[Yaris Hilton]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a1bBvbTkXwt0

[STC]

Thank you for sharing!

I've only owned manuals.

Cheers!

[Altitude]

Here's hoping I die long before the use of manual transmissions does. I can't stand automatics!

[GrimlockGT]

I hope I never see the day when a manual is no longer offered. Every car I've ever owned has been a manual and I intend to keep it that way.

[RedHatch08]

Those flappy paddle gearboxes are crap. I've tried a few (not Ferrari admittedly), and they were pointless. You might as well just leave it in Drive. It adds nothing to the driving experience.

Manual driving is definitely becoming a lost art. It was kind of funny when I went to the dealership to test drive the (5 speed) Yaris I eventually bought.

When I was getting in to drive it, the sales guy seemed almost concerned/surprised about me driving this strange vehicle that I had to shift myself.

I assured him it was fine, but his concern told me a lot about the typical customer he was used to seeing (slushbox drivers). Plus this was actually a GM dealer, so they probably get even less manual drivers than at one of the "foreign" car dealers.

[tomato]

Manual FTW!!!!

[Yaris Hilton]

There have been automatics blowing doors off of manual cars for 40+ years. I enjoy shifting, too, but as for "separating drivers from operators," there's no more truth to that than there was for knowing how to use a manual choke or hand crank start. Properly designed and programmed automatics will always outperform manuals as the human operator isn't up to snuff on determining the best operating conditions and can't manually perform the shift as quickly. Automatics that don't outperform manuals have design and programming deficiencies.

[severous01]

you all need to drive a bmw M car. i drove a M3 and that changed my mind. it is a manual transmission with automatic double clutch and automatic gear selection via solenoids. thing is awesome. can pull out of one gear and put into another at the same time. not like moving the shifter from 4-5 or from 1-3 or whatever. if you want to go from 4-7, it's immediate and quicker than you can think.

you have an option for full auto or steering controls, or shifter controls. if you hit the button on the wheel and it's in auto, it'll still downshift. and it wont upshift unless you hit it...but if you screw it up it'll know and you'll pay for it. if you bust redline it records it in the flight data for next shop visit...

[MadMax]

I've been predicting that for years now, manuals are barbaric and automatic transmission technologies advancing so fast that it won't be long before manuals aren't available at all!

By the way, most competitive offroad vehicles have automatic transmissions as well. When I got my Jeep with an auto, a few bozos gave me grief until they found out how much better it wheeled on the trail!

And, as I've always said, you can always shift an auto but you'll never get a manual to shift automatically!

Autos FTW!

[darkmoon87]

Originally Posted by severous01

you all need to drive a bmw M car. i drove a M3 and that changed my mind. it is a manual transmission with automatic double clutch and automatic gear selection via solenoids. thing is awesome. can pull out of one gear and put into another at the same time. not like moving the shifter from 4-5 or from 1-3 or whatever. if you want to go from 4-7, it's immediate and quicker than you can think.

you have an option for full auto or steering controls, or shifter controls. if you hit the button on the wheel and it's in auto, it'll still downshift. and it wont upshift unless you hit it...but if you screw it up it'll know and you'll pay for it. if you bust redline it records it in the flight data for next shop visit...

i was gonna say pretty much the same thing except that i was about to suggest people to drive the new evo with paddle shift. but tbh, manual is more fun hands down. performance wise, these automatic trannies with clutch can perform way better than a traditional manual gearbox

[bkrownd]

One of the reasons I got my manual now is in case they aren't offered on economy models in the future. I had to wait 6 months for a manual to arrive here. The auto makers have a vested interest in selling automatics that will need expensive repairs in the future, so I'm a little suprised that they still offer them without at least charging an extra premium.

I drive various automatics at work, and I refute any comments that you can "shift" them like a manual. They in no way operate like a manual. They shift when they darn well want to, which is not necessarily when you want them to, if they decide to allow it at all. We have several that frequently refuse to be downshifted to engine brake - yes at very reasonable RPMs - which is a safety hazard. The ones that toggle sideways (Fluffy Jeeps) are the worst. The mechanism is probably worn out because it was never designed to be used regularly by the average consumer. Nevermind that many of us navigate the mountains daily. But expensive repairs to all this nonsense are all part of the manufacturers' grand plan to increase profits.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton

There have been automatics blowing doors off of manual cars for 40+ years. I enjoy shifting, too, but as for "separating drivers from operators," there's no more truth to that than there was for knowing how to use a manual choke or hand crank start. Properly designed and programmed automatics will always outperform manuals as the human operator isn't up to snuff on determining the best operating conditions and can't manually perform the shift as quickly. Automatics that don't outperform manuals have design and programming deficiencies.

Only one thing is missing from this argument: the pleasure you get from driving stick. I know it's an acquired taste, not for everybody, but for those of us who enjoy driving stick, it's really hard to take it away. I hate that manuals are so hard to find in this country.

I probably should have gotten an auto (many benefits to having an auto around here with all these hills, in traffic, plus if I ever need someone to drive my car in emergency it would be easier) but taking the stick out of the car changes the experience considerably and to me diminishes the pleasure

When I was a little kid (back then there was no law saying kids had to be in the back), my dad used to let me pretend I was changing gears (I'd put my hand on the stick and he put his hand on top of mine and actually changed gears, not me, but I always thought I was doing it ;) It made me believe I was helping drive the car. It was pretty cool. I loved it.

Driving an automatic isn't the same, no matter how well it's engineered

sorry for the long post. I feel passionate about my stick-shift habit

[RedHatch08]

Originally Posted by bkrownd

One of the reasons I got my manual now is in case they aren't offered on economy models in the future. I had to wait 6 months for a manual to arrive here. The auto makers have a vested interest in selling automatics that will need expensive repairs in the future, so I'm a little suprised that they still offer them without at least charging an extra premium.

It's starting.

A new Challenger will hit you for like an extra GRAND if you want the 6 speed.

Used to be the other way around.

[silver_echo]

i remember that my grandpa taught me gear location at the beginning of a trip, then for the rest of the trip i was the only one to touch the shifter... period... after that i never forgot a shift pattern... manual trans FTW! slushboxes have their place, but it is not for the spirited driver... and IMO, ALL drivers should be taught how to drive a stick...

[bkrownd]

Originally Posted by silver_echo

and IMO, ALL drivers should be taught how to drive a stick...

By a competent instructor. My mother's attempts at teaching me to drive manual transmission actually made me scared of them in high school. Took 15 minutes with grandpa to get the problem sorted out.

[severous01]

Originally Posted by darkmoon87

i was gonna say pretty much the same thing except that i was about to suggest people to drive the new evo with paddle shift. but tbh, manual is more fun hands down. performance wise, these automatic trannies with clutch can perform way better than a traditional manual gearbox

the EVO is like 56k vs cable on the M3 or M5 trans. it's so lagged out, it's like an auto that's trying to be manual. the double clutch M trans is an actual manual that's been retrofitted with parts that make it automatic.

but yes, it's similar.

[slothman86]

IMHO, If you have an auto it should have the same type of engine breaking system that the prius has. When I test drove it, I thought it was a pretty cool feature. But, MT connects you with the car so much more.

Oh and there should ALWAYS be a physical way the driver can sever the connection between the engine and the transmission (Or engine and wheels) at least a back up system of some sort. *hint hint* Run away Toyota.

Oh and off topic if there is ever a run away car with a manual transmission the driver should be banned from driving!

[Aothachos]

wish i had bought a manual :(