Driving a manual transmission

[Bi11Hudson]

One of my biggest gripes with the screens that now dominate the dash of modern cars is stereos. Upgrading the stereo was something I enjoyed in my older cars, nothing crazy but it is not hard to improve over even the "premium" factory options. With every car different these days I'm not sure how there is enough business for car stereo shops to survive, or maybe they haven't and I just haven't noticed. I drive my cars a long time so haven't been shopping for a stereo in quite a few years.

I have only come into contact with GM audio systems, but have been told that many manufacturers use the electronics in the radio as a large part of onboard security systems. This is, of course, limited to higher end vehicles, lower end units without the security systems still use a universal, doesn't fit anything really well audio system. Mostly for noise I think, high volumn and distortion seem to be the "in" thing these days.

As far as manual transmissions go, I have had both. Usually when I buy something for myself, I opt for manual. My last company truck, 3/4 ton Silverado, was diesel with a God knows how many speeds Allison. A basic 6 speed that could be shifted around with several modifiers, usually decreasing top speed but suited to different traction scenarios. But on my own is an old C-30 dualie with a dump bed and a "granny gear" 4 speed. That's what I'm most comfortable with. I'd like a 4+1 but that style transmission is seldom available any more. So I stick with 3+1.

Wife had an older Ranger 5 speed pickup when we met. But she was nailed in the driver's side and was so injured she can't handle a stick now. So I bought her a Dodge 1/2 ton automatic. She still has the Ranger, I drove it to work for a long time. But it just doesn't have the weight capacity I need.

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[rabler]

All my manual transmissions since 1982 were 18 speed!

My tractor is 16 forward/16 reverse
I've never driven anything for a road vehicle larger than my duallie pickup, although with the gooseneck trailer I've scaled that combo at over 14 tons.

 

[westerner]

I fully understand the need for automakers to optimize the emission/mpg/power compromise. That said, these modern 8 and ten speed automatic trannies in an SUV with negligible load are overkill, IMHO.
The tranny is wearing itself out shifting gears to only incremental benefit.
4L80E gm 4 speed auto is the pinnacle for light gas powered trucks.
Allison 4 and 5 speeds are durable behind the modern diesel engines.
I feel like any additional complication is past the point of diminishing returns.

Your mileage will almost assuredly vary.

 

[ericc]

After a bad experience letting someone else drive my manual transmission car and a resulting chain of errors at different shops costing me thousands of dollars and many months of downtime, I swore that I would never buy another manual transmission equipped car again.

Unfortunately, I bought a Ford Focus with an "automatic" transmission, mainly because it got such good gas mileage. I found out later that the reason it gets such good gas mileage is that it doesn't really have an automatic transmission. It has a robotically shifted DCT which is basically a manual transmission with two clutches. And, even worse, the shift computer is thermally coupled to the case. There is a failure mechanism in which the computer makes slight errors which cause burning of the clutch (like a teenager learning how to drive a manual). Enough of these errors will cause a positive feedback loop due to the temperature increases degrading the computer. The end result is a spectacular death on the freeway. "Fortunately" it was under warranty. The car was out for months until I finally got Ford to start reimbursing me for the rental. I ended up getting one free day of car rental when I got a frantic phone call to return the rental car since the issue was fully fixed. They were just sitting on it until they had to reimburse rental!!!!!

I like manual transmissions, but I have other things to do...

 

[pontiac428]

I can not drive an automatic. They are slushy on the upshifts, and the downshifts too. They drift in speed, usually accelerating when not wanted. They don't scrub speed when I lift my foot off the pedal like they should. They feel disengaged from the driveline. I hate 'em!

Drove stick all my life. Used to drive truck (13 forward gears). Owned two automatic vehicles, sold both within less than a year of buying, because automatics disgust me to my core.

Walked out of a Honda dealer when I went in to buy a new car. No more manual transmissions from Honda, unless I pony for the $25k Type R trim. That's the last car Honda sells in manual! Where do I go from here? Restoring old, likeable vehicles so I can drive stick, I guess!

 

[Barncat]

Our local golf course superintendent for the longest time wouldn’t hire people if they couldn’t drive a stick since so much of the equipment was stick shift. He didn’t want to waste time teaching people to drive a stick when they could be working. The last couple years there are so few applicants that he has been having to teach them all to drive sticks.

 

[rabler]

I can not drive an automatic. They are slushy on the upshifts, and the downshifts too. They drift in speed, usually accelerating when not wanted. They don't scrub speed when I lift my foot off the pedal like they should. They feel disengaged from the driveline. I hate 'em!

I remember when I first got my Toyota Tacoma (5 spd manual), I thought something was wrong as it felt like the engine was pulling shifting into 5th even with no pressure on the accelerator. Took me a few days to realize it was the anti-pollution controls not allowing the RPMs to drop quickly after accelerating. Felt wrong from a driving perspective, but I get it from a pollution control basis so I've adjusted to it.

 

[rabler]

Looks like most people that responded are not in line with the WSJ demographic. Of course I may have biased the way I asked the question such that people who can't drive a stick are less likely to respond.

 

[pontiac428]

And what about the lies told by the oil backers who say consumers "need" an automatic transmission for TOWING?! Why, so I can heat up my torque converter so much that it interferes with the radiator's ability to cool the engine? No thanks man, I can count- one gear, two gear, three gears, four. No wonder overkill electric trailer brakes are all the rage, that's what it takes when your auto trans coasts uncontrollably whenever the road points downhill. Not to mention those unsightly brake dust stains all y'all got all over your wheels from just driving around town. If I can't shift, I'd rather walk.