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Old 03-26-2011, 02:03 PM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,099,520 times
Reputation: 10355

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I grew up in Europe and still visit; manual trans cars are still common there. In fact, last time I was in the UK, it was cheaper to rent a manual trans car than an automatic - do US rental agencies even rent manual vehicles, exotics excepted?

Anyhow - to this day I vastly prefer them. For many reasons:
More power and performance. (More fun!)
Better control in adverse or hilly conditions.
Cheaper - better gas mileage, less brake wear, much cheaper to replace - my 1995 Nissan beater pick-up with almost 250,000 miles still has the original clutch.
When my Chevy Venture needed a new transmission at 160,000 miles, the cost of having it done at a shop almost exceeded the value of the van; I sold it.

I've also owned a Saab Viggen and a Porsche 944S - both very nice sports cars and I cannot imagine them being nearly as much FUN to drive with an automatic! I adore driving, though.

The Advantages of Buying a Manual-Transmission Vehicle — Edmunds.com

"There is no question that manual transmissions "resonate with customers who still enjoy the act of driving," said Marie.
...To many people, driving is just getting from Point A to Point B. ... In recent years, consumers have been willing to pay more, get fewer miles per gallon and have less control of the vehicle — all for the sake of convenience."

I've asked people I know and the most common reason they prefer automatics is because they're "easier to drive in traffic." Maybe it's because I'm used to driving a standard, I don't put any conscious thought into it; in fact it's automatic. LOL.

Is it a convenience factor? Are newer automatics better, cost-wise? (I haven't owned anything newer than ten years old in several years but the article I linked to suggests they are.)

An aside - I think driving a standard makes a person a better driver, because it's a bit more interactive. For several years back in the 1980s I drove a semi over the road; having 18 speeds does make you more conscious, especially when how you drive impacts fuel economy and your bottom line! (I was a company driver but got fuel bonuses.) Maybe I am an old fogey, but I also prefer stiffer steering and brakes and guages instead of warning lights; because it seems to me I pay more attention to the act of driving generally. I've driven hundreds of thousands of miles on several continents and different countries without an accident and I wonder if learning to drive in a more conscious, interactive way makes people more attentive drivers in general?
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Old 03-26-2011, 02:10 PM
 
Location: Sloooowcala Florida
1,392 posts, read 3,116,371 times
Reputation: 1232
I prefer a manual transmission. Looking for a new truck last year, I found it hard to find one that wasn't automatic.
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Old 03-26-2011, 02:50 PM
 
2,142 posts, read 3,040,859 times
Reputation: 12203
I live in the DC area. Traffic here SUCKS and is so congested that my husband would drive from DC to our home (all of 8 miles) and never get out of first gear some days, hard on the clutch, hard on the hips.
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Old 03-26-2011, 02:50 PM
 
Location: Pomona
1,955 posts, read 10,952,654 times
Reputation: 1562
I don't recall any rental agencies that'd rent a car with a manual transmission. You know how folks treat rental cars? Look up "rental car abuse" on YouTube. Yeah ... can you imagine how many clutch jobs the car will need before it even hits 10k miles?

I live in SoCal. My daily driver is a manual. My station wagon is a manual. And if I could have 6-on-the-tree, my Buick would be a manual too.
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Old 03-26-2011, 03:08 PM
PDD
 
Location: The Sand Hills of NC
8,773 posts, read 18,311,987 times
Reputation: 12001
The more options a vehicle has the more profit for the manufacturer/dealers.
This is why most cars are automatic, have power windows,A/C, power seats, GPS, 1000Watt stereo C/D players.

A lot of Americans don't know how or don't care to drive manual trans cars.

City driving with a manual would be a pain.
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Old 03-26-2011, 03:26 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
13,715 posts, read 31,031,321 times
Reputation: 9270
My best guess is that in the US in general we have bigger vehicles than in other parts of the world. The clutch/tranny of a truck like vehicle is just not very popular. I have long preferred manual transmissions, but I have to admit the 5 speed in our 1990 Ford Explorer wasn't much fun.

Compare to the beautiful 5 speed in our 1990 Miata which just snicks from gear to gear.

Now - 6, 7, and 8 speed automatics are very efficient and with electronic control can produce both better fuel economy and acceleration than manuals. High end sports cars now have very sophisticated autos - a trend I think began years ago in F1.
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Old 03-26-2011, 03:43 PM
 
Location: SE Michigan
6,191 posts, read 18,099,520 times
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My best guess is that in the US in general we have bigger vehicles than in other parts of the world. The clutch/tranny of a truck like vehicle is just not very popular.

Well, as I pointed out, I drove an 80,000 lb semi all over the US - 18 speeds plus overdrive; I am not sure why size makes a difference here? Except for, as you point out, people value convenience and push-button driving over economy, fun and utility?

City driving with a manual would be a pain.

See above. It's not a pain for everyone. In general I find driving a manual a pain but I realise I am in the great minority. So most people would rather sacrifice cost, control and the fun of driving for convenience, I guess?
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Old 03-26-2011, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Metro Phoenix
11,048 posts, read 16,772,132 times
Reputation: 12944
I drive a stick in San Francisco and it doesn't bug me.
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Old 03-26-2011, 05:20 PM
 
874 posts, read 1,642,736 times
Reputation: 790
Because we are lazy lol jk

I'm sure I could get used to a manual, but I bought my first car as a automatic since I was used to it. I think it all depends on what transmission your first car was.
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Old 03-26-2011, 05:51 PM
 
Location: Pinal County, Arizona
25,100 posts, read 39,149,134 times
Reputation: 4937
I could be wrong but, doesn't Kelley's Blue Book "knock off" some value for manual transmissions (in passenger cars)?
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