Are manual cars still a thing? Is there even a future for the old gear stick?

[chrisc]

Electric for me
I drove my cousin's e-Mini in the UK last year. Would not want to go back to internal combustion engine and manual box

 

[Quey_Quick]

Auto for day to day, manual for fun.

 

[pinball wizard]

I would swop my manual car for an automatic any day of the week

Only CVT.

 

[Willie Trombone]

Less fuel efficient ? Huh ?

This is from Suzuki - just picked the Baleno 2020. Granted it's less obvious than prior years, but still a thing.



Kuga auto on the left, manual on the right

 

[WorldWarIII]

Ive had autos and manuals from luxury sedan to 4x4s in both transmissions and for some retarded reason I end up back on Subaru Manual turbos all the time. Just such a drivers car. Ive given up fighting. Got 3 now.

 

[Dan C]

This is from Suzuki - just picked the Baleno 2020. Granted it's less obvious than prior years, but still a thing.

View attachment 863937

Kuga auto on the left, manual on the right

View attachment 863943

Is that a 4 speed auto Also the auto is faster than the manual and will consume more.

 

[Gtx Gaming]

Is that a 4 speed auto Also the auto is faster than the manual and will consume more.

Welcome to 1991 Suzuki lol ( not actually sure when 4-speed auto launched)

 

[CUZ_458]

Manual is my preference but my next car will probably be an auto as i am spending more time in traffic these days

 

[Geoff.D]

Electric for me
I drove my cousin's e-Mini in the UK last year. Would not want to go back to internal combustion engine and manual box

That makes sense.

 

[Geoff.D]

Why not convert to the better option?

Axe -> chainsaw
Coal stove -> electric stove
Donkey cart -> automobile
Manual -> Automatic

Stupid attempt at analogies.

 

[Crowley]

No you!

 

[Dan C]

Apparently cars with manual transmissions will be taxed soon due to bad and old drivers.

 

[Brieuse]

I’ve had an auto for so long now , it doesn’t cross my mind the fact I’m driving an auto instead of a manual.

 

[Rickster]

Forget automatic and DSG, give me sequential pls.

 

[The Voice]

Manual is my preference but my next car will probably be an auto as i am spending more time in traffic these days

That was the decider for me. Spent way too much time in Gauteng "rush hour" with a manual.

 

[kolaval]

And when that automatic gearbox breaks, you pay...

 

[Dairyfarmer]

Auto is less fuel efficient and more expensive to maintain.

Wrong. I just changed my Everest from a 6 speed manual (at 20,000km) to a 10 speed auto. At least 0.5L/100km better fuel economy and the engine still has not run in properly yet (only 4,000km). Will get better after 10,000km on the clock.

With automatics you can have so many more gears and, if you drive correctly, your fuel economy will get much better. In the old days an automatic car had 3 forward gears and sometimes a 4th gear (called overdrive) was available using torque converters. These were competing against 4 speed manuals. Now you have 10 speed gearboxes with electronic clutch systems and even VST's. Engine management can also work out how you drive and tweak gear changes accordingly.

 

[Dairyfarmer]

And when that automatic gearbox breaks, you pay...

Warranty?

 

[pinball wizard]

Forget automatic and DSG, give me sequential pls.

CVT rather.

 

[pinball wizard]

And when that automatic gearbox breaks, you pay...

Daft argument.

When anything breaks on a car, you pay.

Besides, unless pulled through it's own arsehole, I don't see all these new auto's breaking all the time.