What percent of Americans can drive a stick shift car? (luxury, vehicles)

[tstone]

I would leave the manual trans in the project/fun car and have my daily drive as an auto.

It's always good to learn in case you need to drive one. My girlfriend (now wife) taught me how.

[maciesmom]

^^It's a good thing to know - even if you don't think you'll ever need it - if you plan on traveling or find yourself in a situation where that is the only thing available and you are the only driver. You don't know what life has in store.
Besides, it's FUN!
I could say that the only people I know who look down their noses at people who drive stick - shifts are lazy people who have no real enjoyment for driving....but I wouldn't do that, it might sound rude and judgemental.

[HighlandLady]

I am another who agrees with thinking it is a good idea to at least learn how do drive manual. I purchased a Jeep Wrangler some time ago and had no idea how to drive manually...but I took it out each day and worked with it until I learned....LOVED it! I wish I hadn't sold that thing now. You may never need to drive manually, but having the know-how in the instance you have no other alternative is always a good thing.

[grmasterb]

When I was stationed in Germany years ago, manual transmissions were all I ever saw. My impression is that automatic transmissions are rare outside of North America. I feel comfortable driving a manual transmission vehicle, although it's been years since I've done so as I only buy vehicles with an automatic. If you live in an urban area and deal with stop-and-go traffic, it can be very uncomfortable.

[Tek_Freek]

My mother was born in 1908. She learned to drive (obviously) using a stick shift. The interesting part is that he clutch in the car she learned on did not work so she had to figure out how fast to get the engine running so the car would shift without a clutch. That's knowing how to drive a stick!

I learned on a stick and probably 1/2 my cars have been. I enjoy driving them, but I find as I get older automatics are less distracting.

[Tennesseestorm]

My aunt got tired of her huge 1972 Mercury Cougar that she had when she was 16-18, so when she turned 19, she bought a brand new Nissan truck. This was in summer of 1988. It had a 5-speed manual and she did not even know how to drive a manual! My grandmother had to drive it home for her, then teach her how to drive it! Apparently the automatic option was like $700 and she did not want to spend that.

She traded it in December of 1990 on a brand new AUTOMATIC 1991 Honda Accord LX 2dr.

[meadgrad]

I didnt know how to drive one till I bought my first car in my early 20's (that I bought myself, my folks bought my previous two cars, which were autos). It was a strait shift and over a decade later I still havent bought an auto.

for me strait shifts are just more fun...I would probably pick an auto if I was in stop 'n go traffic all the time though.

[ShelbyGirl1]

2 out of our 4 cars are stick. One automatic and one with a F1 transmission. So, in a sense, your still shifting(but with paddles). Both of our kids also can drive a stick. I thought every red-blooded American knew how! When I first got my license, my Dad wouldn't let me out on my own until I knew how to drive both manuel and auto...AND how to change a tire

[HighlandLady]

Originally Posted by ShelbyGirl1

2 out of our 4 cars are stick. One automatic and one with a F1 transmission. So, in a sense, your still shifting(but with paddles). Both of our kids also can drive a stick. I thought every red-blooded American knew how! When I first got my license, my Dad wouldn't let me out on my own until I knew how to drive both manuel and auto...AND how to change a tire

That is how my father was for me...but he gave up on me learning manual I never had to change a tire until this past week when my tire blew and I was alongside the Glenn Highway - somewhere you really don't want to be stranded any great length of time on...and those lessons he drilled into me regarding changing my own tire came in quite handy

[Fleet]

I own three luxury cars and all are automatics. One of them is a limousine and it would be silly to own a limo with a manual transmission!

I've always preferred automatics. If I were to buy my favorite muscle car ('69 Dodge Coronet R/T 440-Magnum) I would get one with an automatic trans but add a shift kit.

I have never driven a stick shift car but I can drive a stick shift forklift.