Long Live the Stick Shift

Companies like Ferrari and Lamborghini use the automatic-manual transmissions to speed up shifts and prevent problems like over-revving the engine if the driver misses a shift or is too slow. The "floppy paddle" adds 5000 pounds to the price in England, so it's not likely to show up on modest priced cars.

Personally, one reason I drive a pickup truck is because I wanted rear wheel drive, manual transmission, and low cost all in one package. My Ford Ranger offered all three.

Enough torque and who needs gears?

At one point in my youth my daily driver was a 48 Ford with a 331 Chrysler hemi (maybe 200hp) that was stock except for shaved heads with a 9:1 compression ratio. One night I managed to shuck all the teeth on the front end of the transmission cluster gear; so I had only third gear. The road leading to my home had the steepest hill in town, something like an 8 or 10% grade for a short distance between two 90 degree corners. For most cars strictly 1st gear. That old Ford with a 3:78 rear axle climbed it in 3rd going about 20 mph without a hickup.

Ed Weldon

Bet you were glad you had high octane gas in the thing.

I've been driving a manual transmission only for the past 25 years here! The kids (now 19 and 22!) are amazed at the difference in performance that a stick makes--I've a 98 Jetta with a NA 2.0L, and the darn thing hauls out like there's a VR6 living under the hood!

Al

I have a stick in my '99 Saab 9.3. The 2 cars before that had a stick, Toyota tercel and Chevy nova. I had a 10 year intermission with my 88 Chevy pu,( bought w/ automatic because I had knee surgery and couldn't shift for months) which replaces a 77 rabbit w/ stick. Hopefully the next car will have a stick as well. I love the responsivness and control you can get by selecting the right gear for the right conditions.

When I lived in the city the stop signs at every block corner would drive you nuts if driving a stick. So I bought automatics. But I no longer have to stop every 100 feet so my next vehicle will have a manual transmission.

Having been raise by using Manuals Transmissions. Switching back and forth, on the automatic I would catch myself reaching for the stick, or on the manual I would be braking and then only to realize, I have to clutch too.

Given the choice I rather prefer the automatic or hybrid transmissions.

Whether city driving or rural. Once in a while I do enjoy manual, but I can live with out it.

For reason mentioned, but it does relieve some of the, with a lack of a better word, "stress" from driving stick.

p911

I have always enjoyed a manual transmission...being "part of the machine" and all that. But after spilling coffee on my clothes for decades I finally moved to an automatic so I can enjoy my java during the morning commute and still arrive at work without brown spots on my shirt. ...getting old I guess.

I prefer to drive a manual and 3 of my 4 cars are manuals. I had a hard time finding a car that fit my needs with a manual since in the US many new cars only come with automatics. Maybe the transmission computer can pick the optimum gear and shift point 1000's of times a second but it can not see the road, conditions and know what I am about to do. It can only react not anticipate so is poor choice in many cases. Maybe they will be able to in the future but I think mind reading is still some time off. Until then I will stick with a full manual or maybe a manually controled double clutching transmission.