The 20-Somethings Fueling a Stick-Shift Renaissance.

[Colo Springs E]

I would say 75% of the cars I've owned have had a manual transmission--I just really prefer them.

My current ride is a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. I find it bizarre it's even offered in an automatic-- I would have no interest in owning it without three pedals.

 

[Wrighty]

I had an Austin America which had a hydraulic clutch.
One morning the master cylinder was empty and to get the 17 miles to work through 11 stop signs I had to push start it, jump in, and shift without the clutch, creeping through the stop signs.
Austin brake fluid is special, AKA British, AKA hard to find...
Mine was orange and lacked the mags.

View attachment 1095673

That was an Austin 1100 over here. An early example of a hatchback. Nothing like as bling in it’s home market as when exported. Ours where mainly grey or khaki with plastic trims on steel wheels

 

[telemnemonics]

That was an Austin 1100 over here. An early example of a hatchback. Nothing like as bling in it’s home market as when exported. Ours where mainly grey or khaki with plastic trims on steel wheels
View attachment 1098534

Funny they called it America when shipped to US.
Mine was a two door, underpowered 1100cc but with the odd hydrolastic suspensin you did not need to slow down for turns!
Looked like an upsized Mini Cooper to us Muricans!

 

[Blrfl]

One of my son’s friends, a young lady about 25, didn’t even know manuals existed. Why would anyone want to do that extra work, she asked.

Valid question. The answer would be "because nobody could build an engine with a wide-enough power band, so we were kind of stuck with multi-gear transmissions. The best we could do for awhile was having to row through the gears yourself until someone figured out how to do it automagically."

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Automatics weren’t the norm over here for years. When I took my test, if I’d done it in an auto I wouldn’t have been l legal to drive a manual and that would have severely limited the availability of cars in my price bracket. Got my first auto around 30 years ago and didn’t have another manual until last year. Couldn’t live with it. I’ve always fidgeted in the driver’s seat, takes weeks to find a comfortable driving position. With a manual I’d get it set up but as soon as I had to drop in and out of gear in a queue, I was fidgeting again. Three months and I was happy to lose money to get back in an auto.

Both our daughters took the driving test in my wife's EV, mainly because it's smaller and easier to park. [Can EVs even be called "automatic" transmission? There's only one gear. Okay, yaddah yaddah Porsche Taycan...] On the test, you aren't allowed to use the back-up camera for parallel parking. When I was teaching them, I kept seeing them peek at it, so I took to covering it up with my hand -- oh the eyerolls! Then on the test, the tester hung his cap over the backup display

Result:

 

[421JAM]

Just got back from Spain. I don't know about private vehicles, but manual transmission is still the norm for taxis, shuttle vans, and and cars for hire there.

 

[imwjl]

It looks like Chicago Loop next week so a gamble to take. The last time no one at the hotel could park the manual transmission so it meant we got free parking and it was a few stalls right behind the hotel reserved for management and deliveries. The down side is getting to the loop is perfect for the car with adaptive cruise and auto. Our late model manual transmission car has the safety electronics but they can't operate the clutch the way they can slam on the brakes if needed.

 

[NoTeleBob]

Glad to hear it. Manuals have been fading fast I'm the USA. I've been driving them for decades. I like the added control. Also, I'm bored in an automatic transmission car.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

I've never owned a sports car, so I don't mind the automatic trans at all. I'm at the point where it's just a machine to get me from A to B.

 

[NoTeleBob]

I had an Austin America which had a hydraulic clutch.
One morning the master cylinder was empty and to get the 17 miles to work through 11 stop signs I had to push start it, jump in, and shift without the clutch, creeping through the stop signs.
Austin brake fluid is special, AKA British, AKA hard to find...
Mine was orange and lacked the mags.

View attachment 1095673

Almost all clutches are hydraulic now. Cable operated was too stiff for the modern age.

As for the wheels, Minilites! Loved those. I had an actual magnesium set. You know, where the phrase "mag wheels" came from. Sold them cheap back in the day when I no longer had a car they fit. Should have held on to them.

 

[NoTeleBob]

I've never owned a sports car, so I don't mind the automatic trans at all. I'm at the point where it's just a machine to get me from A to B.

I go the other way: sporting vehicle, manual tranny, I enjoy any excuse to go drive somewhere.

 

[Toto'sDad]

If I actually did want a standard shift, it would have to be equal to the smoothness of the 48 Cadillac. I've never driven anything again, with as smooth a shifting gear selector.

 

[imwjl]

If I actually did want a standard shift, it would have to be equal to the smoothness of the 48 Cadillac. I've never driven anything again, with as smooth a shifting gear selector.

Most all seem good these days including shift linkage. Many vehicles share same design if not same transmissions for a good while now. All that said, the German brands do seem really nice for overall feel and function kind of like back in the day I liked operating Paccar and classic Macks more than a GMC, Ford, White or Volvo truck.

Rev hang can be annoying and not something carbureted vehicles had as many fuel injected ones do. I think the problem is accentuated by direct injected gasoline engines solving the carbon build up problem with fuel ahead of the valves.

I read VAG is bringing back the smaller wagon to US in Audi clothing so will be curious about transmissions and price. My wife is as passionate about not spending money as she is about manual transmissions and vehicle dynamics so that's a killer.

 

[Colo Springs E]

Most all seem good these days including shift linkage. Many vehicles share same design if not same transmissions for a good while now. All that said, the German brands do seem really nice for overall feel and function kind of like back in the day I liked operating Paccar and classic Macks more than a GMC, Ford, White or Volvo truck.

Rev hang can be annoying and not something carbureted vehicles had as many fuel injected ones do. I think the problem is accentuated by direct injected gasoline engines solving the carbon build up problem with fuel ahead of the valves.

I read VAG is bringing back the smaller wagon to US in Audi clothing so will be curious about transmissions and price. My wife is as passionate about not spending money as she is about manual transmissions and vehicle dynamics so that's a killer.

Yeah, mine has a little bit of rev hang too. Doesn't really bother me, but if I'm focusing on it, it is noticeable.

 

[Toto'sDad]

I bought a new GMC club cab in 1996. I was still on a milage allowance at the time, and though I was moving to a larger truck, I wanted it to do well on fuel economy. It was nicely equipped, but I decided on a five-speed manual. Rev hang was a problem for a year or so, but eventually it just kind of went away. The truck was a very good one, and I drove it two hundred thousand miles pretty much without repair beyond brakes and normal maintenance. By the time I bought another new truck, I was truly and forever done with shifting.

 

[dkmw]

Rev hang is a reducing emissions thing, as I understand. The solution is to shift so fast that you don’t notice it

 

[imwjl]

Rev hang is a reducing emissions thing, as I understand. The solution is to shift so fast that you don’t notice it

For sure in the engine warm up, but I also understand it can come from how designs fixed the carbon build up problem from earlier direct injection designs. Now most engines have some fuel injection so there is solvent for the crank case fumes.

One of our cars has the ubiquitous VAG EA888 gen III in many Audi, VW and others and if it is warmed up the rev hang is not a problem with spirited driving. I've wondered if what is a bother with a manual transmission is an aid for a dual clutch type automatic.

 

[buster poser]

Just got back from Spain. I don't know about private vehicles, but manual transmission is still the norm for taxis, shuttle vans, and and cars for hire there.

Pretty common the half dozen or so times I've rented in the UK, Switzerland. I think just once I got an auto, and that was a DCT affair in a diesel Audi if I remember right. Driving manual from the opposite side of the car you're used to is an extra layer of fun on top of the trans being generally paired to grunty little diesels with narrow powerbands, but at least the pedals and shift pattern weren't also mirrored from LHD cars. Whole affair's made much easier by better driving overall in the few countries I've got seat time in. Gotta be down to our awful driver's education/licensure.

 

[dkmw]

For sure in the engine warm up, but I also understand it can come from how designs fixed the carbon build up problem from earlier direct injection designs. Now most engines have some fuel injection so there is solvent for the crank case fumes.

One of our cars has the ubiquitous VAG EA888 gen III in many Audi, VW and others and if it is warmed up the rev hang is not a problem with spirited driving. I've wondered if what is a bother with a manual transmission is an aid for a dual clutch type automatic.

I hadn’t thought of that (being an aid to dual clutch). I guess it could be, but the shifts are happening so fast you couldn’t tell.

What’s really fun about the PDK is the downshifts once you’ve pushed the car a little and it says “ok, let’s play”. As soon as you touch the brake it fires off downshifts just like you wish you could do - so fast and perfect.

 

[imwjl]

Both our daughters took the driving test in my wife's EV, mainly because it's smaller and easier to park. [Can EVs even be called "automatic" transmission? There's only one gear. Okay, yaddah yaddah Porsche Taycan...] On the test, you aren't allowed to use the back-up camera for parallel parking. When I was teaching them, I kept seeing them peek at it, so I took to covering it up with my hand -- oh the eyerolls! Then on the test, the tester hung his cap over the backup display

Result:

View attachment 1098619

Thank you for sharing that. I had to look again to get a smile before I make lunch. I enjoy your contributions and have enjoyed what you've said about your family. Best wishes for yours and all the other kids of the TDPRI gang.