Manual transmissions

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DiamondEagle

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I'm apparently an "old school" driver and quite prefer cars with a manual transmission. Recently I've been looking at replacing my trusty Golf 4 that was written off by a taxi driver... It was a wonderful marriage, but it's time to move on.

I've had my eye on a Hyundai Tucson for a few month but only just recently had a look at the details, now that I'm forced to. What "bothers" me is that there seem to be 7 Tucson models. Of those only one has a manual transmission!

And it seems that the story is similar for the other makes of cars. Most showrooms are dominated by automatic transmission models.

So, are manual transmission cars fading away?

If so, why? Do motorists just prefer the automatic transmission cars these days?

And if I go ahead and buy a manual transmission can I expect to have problems sourcing spares in a few years time?
 
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When sitting in the PTA to JHB traffic, spending an hour and a half to do a 60km commute, an automatic sure makes sense.

And in 2013 only like 4% of vehicle sold in the USA were still manual. In Europe and Japan still more manual vehicles sold than automatic, but it's getting less and less.
 
As auto boxes improve in efficiency there is no point to a manual gearbox any more.
 
Why would you want to change gears yourself ?
 
Baise said:
Why would you want to change gears yourself ?
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Because the auto gearbox is crap (Renault's EDC, entry level cars, etc). Other than that, if you can afford the auto you should take it. I have a manual now and must admit I really do miss my Elantra's auto :(
 
DiamondEagle said:
I'm apparently an "old school" driver and quite prefer cars with a manual transmission. Recently I've been looking at replacing my trusty Golf 4 that was written off by a taxi driver... It was a wonderful marriage, but it's time to move on.

I've had my eye on a Hyundai Tucson for a few month but only just recently had a look at the details, now that I'm forced to. What "bothers" me is that there seem to be 7 Tucson models. Of those only one has a manual transmission!

And it seems that the story is similar for the other makes of cars. Most showrooms are dominated by automatic transmission models.

So, are manual transmission cars fading away?

If so, why? Do motorists just prefer the automatic transmission cars these days?

And if I go ahead and buy a manual transmission can I expect to have problems sourcing spares in a few years time?
Click to expand...

If you go ahead and buy that particular manual Tucson you won't necessarily struggle with spares but you won't get value for money, it is an empty shell compared to most of it's peers, take your time and compare it to other models in the same price range.
 
I'm also old school. I get bored in an automatic car especially if it also has cruise control. Just sitting there doing nothing....
 
The "old school" argument is great, until you have to live with it. It's fine for a blast on the weekend, but terrible to sit with in traffic.

My daily commute, traffic or not, is way more stress-free now that I've made the move to auto. And it's probably more fuel efficient than me changing gears on my own.

If you can afford a weekend car then by all means get something fun and manual. Otherwise IMO it's kind of pointless putting up with a headache for 5 days, to be able to get 2 days of joy out of it...
 
I definately dont deny manuals more fun in most spirited driving situations. Im unfortunately a realist. I spend most of my time commuting or have the mrs with me. So i prefer my double clutches. It is my daily after all. Besides, hammering around dewaal balls to the wall, i prefer both hands on the wheel :) But at the end of the day, laziness wins for me.
 
Manuals is just better for anyone driving more than 15min a day on their regular commute. If it's more stressing or there is a big difference in feul economy, you probably don't know how to drive.
 
DiamondEagle said:
Because... it gives me complete control of the car... :unsure:
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"Control" :rolleyes:
There are so many other systems on your car that rob you of control that being able to select what gear you're in hardly makes a dent in the larger scheme of things.
 
rietrot said:
Manuals is just better for anyone driving more than 15min a day on their regular commute. If it's more stressing or there is a big difference in feul economy, you probably don't know how to drive.
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On a day when you have to spend 2 hours on an 8 km commute due to a gridlock, it's not fun at all.

You have your preference, rather leave it at that. Doesn't make you any more of a petrolhead...
 
rietrot said:
Manuals is just better for anyone driving more than 15min a day on their regular commute. If it's more stressing or there is a big difference in feul economy, you probably don't know how to drive.
Click to expand...

Now you talking nonsense, sitting for an hour on the N1 in Midrand, an automatic is much better than pressing in and releasing the clutch 50 million times.

For my sub 20min commute with almost no stationary traffic driving a manual is no extra effort or stress and I would get no benefit from an automatic.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
On a day when you have to spend 2 hours on an 8 km commute due to a gridlock, it's not fun at all.

You have your preference, rather leave it at that. Doesn't make you any more of a petrolhead...
Click to expand...
If you drive like a idiot yes. In that situation you shouldn't speed up and brake all the time. You can just as easily crawl forward with a manual car as you can with a automatic.
 
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