Pitlab77

iTrader: (3)

Just for fun I went to look at different cars yesterday and was surprised how few manual transmission car are left. I guess i'm so insulated with all my friends driving manuals (even my sister drives a manual) I knew it was getting bad but wow. All the places I looked at were telling me the sporty fun cars are bought almost the moment they come in (used). I see why some of the used manual cars now are more expensive compared to their automatic versions (enthusiast tax) Its sad to see that in 10 years or so new cars will be left.

I understand the pros of newer modern automatics I guess for me its just the raw feeling that l will miss, along with the fact that I always figured I would teach my son how to drive a manual. So now I'll have to decided do I get a newer manual that will last longer or just say #$%^ it and do what I want to the miata and keep my 04 mazda3 (manual).

Just curious to driver experiences with the new crop of automatics as it comes to racing them.

bahurd

iTrader: (8)

I guess you did ask about automatic cars as they relate to racing but I spend enough time in traffic during the week that if I had only 1 trans type to choose from it’d be an automatic. For those times I want to do a track day or autox I have my Miata.

Wife is the same (and she was a diehard manual shift girl).

For daily sporty driving there’s some really capable automatic cars.

xturner

Some years ago I read an interview with a big exec at BMW. He said that if not for the US market, they wouldn’t make traditional manuals at all - Europeans favor the racing-style paddle-shift semis or traditional automatics. Kind of implied that we Americans have an old romantic idea of driver involvement.

I spent 30 years of commuting in Fairfield County traffic, finally surrendered and went to auto in 2001. The trip computer in my 6 showed that I averaged 27 mph, including highway. The Miata is my only manual car, but now that I am mostly in rural Maine I might change that if I can.

I may be a dinosaur, but I find a proper heel-toe rev-matched downshift somehow satisfying.

Lokiel

In Australia when I was growing up, automatics were considered "girls cars" and males that couldn't drive a manual (aka "stick" in the US) were considered effeminate.
Young guys would ALWAYS choose a manual over an auto (unless it was a massively worked V8, that made up for the "lost rsepect" of only being able to drive an automatic car).

This view still lingers but soon we'll have no other choice than automatics :(

When I drive an automatic I feel like I'm not doing much at all other than steering and mashing the pedals, I just don't feel involved at all.

My DD is a 5-speed 2005 Mazda SP23 which I don't find too bad in heavy stop/start traffic since the clutch is light and the gearbox is very forgiving (as opposed to any Aisin 6-speed I've tried).
If I had an automatic I'm positive that I would have had an accident by now since the manual makes me concentrate more.

Stealth97

iTrader: (5)

The good thing is they are still out there.

toyota, Honda, Mazda make plenty.

Roda

I always preferred manuals to autos, in almost any vehicle, but particularly sports/muscle cars and trucks. Better control, better performance, more reliable and simpler to work on.

Two years ago, I bought the my first automatic diesel tow rig. It works so well, I don't think I'd ever buy another manual truck. After driving a friend's PDK GT3, I chose the 10 speed auto in our ZL1 over getting a manual. It's no PDK, but it's pretty damn good, and I have no regrets over the decision.

I still enjoy the engagement I get in our Miatas, but there's no denying a modern auto is easier to drive on the track. The only real drawbacks are cost and complexity, but it's not we'll have a choice for much longer anyway.

90LowNSlo

I've always owned manuals. I get bored driving an auto. I, admittedly, cannot heel tow worth a damn though. I can never seem to get my foot/leg to rotate enough to do it. If I'm driving aggressively I just left foot brake and float (rev match) the upshift.

I work for a medium size trucking company now and most of the drivers we hire have automatic restrictions on their licenses. Meaning these "professional drivers" cannot LEGALLY operate a manual commercial vehicle. A lot of them have never driven a manual car. We only have 50 manual trucks left in the fleet and we have to beg for people to take them.

My son will 100% learn how to drive a manual... Autos are for people who just see driving as another chore to do for the day. (Or die hard drag racers trying to get the most out of every .01s)

z31maniac

In my case, it kind of is. My daily commute is 5.5 miles of all surface streets. No turns, just stoplights, plenty of traffic, and 40/45 mph speed limits.

My 135i w/DCT is way nicer to commute in than my manual BRZ was. Granted it's a much nicer car with a much nicer stereo, but it's specifically why I searched out a DCT car. Next car I get will likely have a manual depending on what I get. But that won't be until next year.

Mudflap

According to a thing I just googled, manual trans new sales last year were only 2%.. I suspect that number will likely go to zero.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/autos/...710-story.html

Go get your Manual Gearbox Appreciation Society gear!

https://thecurbshop.com/collections/tmgps

x_25

All my current cars are manaul, but I live in the boonies and rarely am stuck in traffic. My next daily will likely have a CVT of some sort.

Only reason my current daily is a manual is the programing for the autos in the base model second gen Fits was *****.

masterjr33

just had to buy a car.. ended up with a 350Z because it was about the only thing i could find with a stick and tolerate.

every car at my house is a manual and unless i buy a weekend old school big block station wagon to cruise in it will stay that way.

z31maniac

I hope you enjoy it. I had one for 3 months before I ditched it. The interior is absolutely abysmal in quality.

masterjr33

mines a 05 anniversary model. leather. 6speed. brembos. and with out that plastsic covered deal that flakes off. Bose sound system.
it was taken care of and looks decent. feels decent.

It was a step up from a 07 focus hatch base model.. hub caps. roll up windows. no tach( with a stick?).
and i stole it since it needed a clutch.

z31maniac

I had an '06 Grand Touring, in '10 when I bought it with 26k miles on it, it was already showing wear. But having a 300ZX in high school, I always wanted one.

Then I bought a new '11 Pro-4X Frontier, same cheap interior. I really hope Nissan comes up with a good replacement for the 370Z and doesn't let it die on the vine like Mitsubishi did with EVO.

I'm going to ditch my 135 sometime next year, I've got my eye on a few different cars, and waiting to see if Nissan does something, or if we get concrete news on the next STi or BRZ.

90LowNSlo

Just to take us further off topic...

I miss my z32 every day. I don't care about 350s and 370s are just too expensive. I would give all three of my current cars to get one of my z32s back

sometorque

iTrader: (1)

This is my dilemma. My daily and the miata are both manual, but most of my driving is stop and go highway. While i love my 5spd IS300 dearly, my next car will probably be auto. Fun with the manual when i want it and something auto since sometimes, i just want a cushy appliance to get me to work and back.

tomrev

When my son was 10, I had a beater MGB that was going to donate her drivetrain to an engineless MGA I was dicking around with. The B was super rusty, but ran great, and my kid thought it was cool! Before parting her out, I took my son to a subdivision that had no houses built yet, and swapped him in as driver. With a little coaching, he was launching it pretty smoothly, and then going up in 2nd, 3rd gear, doing laps around this little sub. Finally, he was able to do a OK heel/toe, and we lapped for about 30 min. before heading home. I figured when he was an old guy, he'd remember taking that old B around as his first stick adventure. Now he's 38, has an MGA and a turbo'ed 240Z, and a little 3 year old boy who loves being in the garage with his Dad, just like my kid did; this all makes me very happy, and no doubt my Grandson will be jamming gears at an early age.

x_25

My commute is a two lane road through the local state forrest. So it's fine. But yeah, if I had to deal with traffic every day I would have an auto. I do want something cushier than the fit someeday. Been hunting for a rwd turbo Volvo wagon for that... Though and IS300 is a possibility too. I like those...