The Death of the Manual Transmission (The Roman Report)
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- he manual transmission was once the foundation of the automotive industry. But now, manual transmission-equipped cars are hardly selling, and fewer people know how to drive stick than ever before - or so it seems. Is the death of the manual transmission greatly exaggerated, or are we at the end of the line for the manual gearbox? In this month's Roman Report, we discuss the history of the manual transmission, why it was popular, and how it began to decline. We'll also go over some theories as to why this is happening, and why there is reason for optimism.
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Chapters:
00:00 Manuals are not long for this world
01:54 Volkswagen and Honda announcements
03:42 The rise of the automatic transmission
04:29 Why manual transmissions were popular
06:15 The fall of the manual transmission
10:32 The history of the manual transmission
13:04 Why are manuals declining?
15:44 It's a skill issue
16:57 No, it's the cost - but also an age thing
20:52 No, it's the enthusiasts' fault
26:01 Reasons to be optimistic
30:40 A glimmer of hope
31:45 Ending/Sources/Photo Credits
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9 months ago i couldn't drive manual. Always wanted to, but no one could teach me. Bought a manual, taught myself with ample help from UA-cam, and I'll never buy auto again.
Til you have a 100+ mile a day driving need with a heavy clutch…I get it but auto is very easy. Put it in drive and go
@@ssssaintmarcusindeed. In Finland most cars were for the longest time mostly manual so everyone is taught to use it. I drove 17 years with manual until I bought my first automatic and have not really missed manual that much.
@@ssssaintmarcus I've never understood this argument. I'm a 6 year owner of an '05 STi and everyone always claims they have "heavy" clutches, and I've driven Hondas and other "economy" manual cars and while the clutch is noticeably lighter, I've never considered my "heavy" clutch to remotely be a burden. Heavy traffic, no traffic, stand-still Interstate delays, long drives, none of it has ever been an issue. Even in 2+ hour drives I don't bother touching cruise control. Either I'm just built different or people overly exaggerate the heavy clutch myth as an excuse to drive automatics 🤷
@@xXMasadaXx it's because they skip leg day
@@GRORGvideotyou always want what you can't have
TBH, my Honda Fit was way easier to buy because of its manual transmission.
Got one myself. Best Car ever made. I also am doing stupid stuff to mine to make it go zoom zoom faster and it's a go-kart
Could not disagree more - in Feb 2020, there were 3 base trim Fits with a stick in all of Massachusetts, and if I wanted a mid-trim Fit, I needed to go to Chicago. Sounds like you lucked out when you bought.
My last car was a 2010 Fit with the 5spd. Such a fun little car with the stick shift.
Currently hunting for a manual fit to replace my 89 wagovan.
I have a 2018 Fit Sport in championship white with the VTEC engine and the 6-speed. Love that little hatchback.
I have a 1991 Toyota Previa 5 speed. Since it's a van, I've had people ask to borrow it to help move stuff. I tell them it's a manual.
They ghost me.
So nice to have a polite way of telling people: No one drives my car but me.
I've dreamed of making my 2006 sienna manual. That would be so killer
There is always the direct way of telling it !
My ex wife drives a 5 speed manual Kia Soul. Manual transmission is an anti-theft device. Kia Boiz can't drive em!
That's why I bought my truck. No one can borrow it. I have a gooseneck connection, plenty of power and 4x4 and it's all mine.
Is it 4 wheel drive too?
I bought a 2001 Ranger via Craigslist in February 2023 to learn how to drive manual. The seller took 30 minutes of his time to teach me the basics. Thanks Andy.
Honestly, if you don't use it you lose it. When I bought my ND miata (right before the pandemic when prices were normal), my mom wanted to take it around the block. At that point, the last time she drove a manual was 1982 and that car would have been my grandpa's chevy c10, which is the car she learned to drive on. Needless to say my mom was very rusty.
@@andrewmaximo4485
The opposite is true, too. Now that the Ranger is my daily, I’ve started occasionally pressing phantom clutch pedals when I drive an automatic from time to time.
@Sunday_Woodward if I go back to auto it will be electric (although i hope they use manual gear boxes on ev's to extend range, i think toyotais toying around with that tech). But I got my eye on that new gr Carolla with the 300hp 3 cylinder and 6 speed. I don't want the auto Rev match and hope you can turn it off. ND miata's don't have auto rev matching but they have a slight delay on the brakes to assist with hill starts. BTW how do you like the ranger? I used to want a Tacoma, but I don't like the ride. It kind of made me car sick.
@@andrewmaximo4485 Bought the GR Corolla in December. It has auto-revmatch but it's not on by default. You have to turn it on every single time you start the car so it definitely doesn't shove itself in your face. The only thing that's a little frustrating is that the pedal spacing sucks for heel-toe downshifts.
The rev hang is definitely real though, unfortunately. But as Roman said that's an emissions thing - regulators love taking away our toys.
I learned how to drive manual on customers vehicles when I worked at Safelite XD
Learning to drive stick in my dad's 86 Pontiac Sunfire in an empty mall parking lot on a Sunday in Quebec will stay with me forever. Thanks for the video
Fond memories of my dad teaching me to stick as well. I learned to drive on an automatic but my first car was a stick. Lots of hills on back country roads made for great practice.
'81 Toyota pickup for me. First donuts I ever did were in my backyard with that truck. Great times
@@SpacemanXC YO.
80's Toyota trucks were the best. They looked so cool.
"YOUR GONNA BURN OUT MUH CLUTCH"
Pontiac Sunfire/ Chevy Cavalier & Quebec go hand in hand for some reason.
Miata is always the answer. Most are still manuals. Yet not one mention of this car. They’re not only available as manuals, but are one of the best manuals on the market.
I'm almost insulted when people think my Miata is automatic. No offense to auto Miata owners though, they're still fun.
Might wanna keep it that way. Some secrets are best kept.
I test drove a BRZ and its FRS twin before buying my Miata. Another very nice manual transmission.
@@haydn-db8zthe 2nd gen tC manuals are very fun to drive as well. I was shocked that Carvana had one
Unfortunately miatas take up such a small percentage of the car market compared to a gti/civic/impreza because they're just not that practical. Once the utilitarian-esque cars go (like hatchbacks, sedans) the death of the manual will increase substantially. I wouldn't replace my gti w a miata
Old guy story...in 1982 when I was a 19-year-old college student, I got a job with the Kent State U's transit system. Learned to drive GM Old and New Look buses. The Old Looks didn't have power steering. My arms and back would ache after a 4hr shift driving those pigs!!! Automatic of course. Had a chance for a side gig driving the 50 miles to Cleveland to pick up the Western Michigan U's football gear at the airport. When I showed up at the depot, I was assigned a manual transmission box truck. Hadn't driven a manual before and I wasn't about to admit it now. I needed the $3.75/hour the drive paid. I learned on the way. Haven't owned an automatic since.
When I used to work summers for my grandpa, I learned those farm trucks will start off fine in second gear. Don't believe I ever used first.
@@hankhillsnrrwurethra We had a '78 f150 302 manual on the farm, and we just never ever removed the tire chains on the rear once it became a strictly off road vehicle. I started it in first once as a child to move it for whatever reason and my foot slipped off the clutch cause I was barely able to reach it and it dug a 3 inch deep hole in the driveway before it took off. Second gear is the way, you basically have a crawler gear, second, third, and overdrive on those old trucks.
Awesome story! Thx for sharing - sincerely, another old guy.
Here in Europe, we always had most cars with manual transmissions. Even 10 years ago if you asked 100 people what transmission they prefer, 90% would tell you that they prefer manual. Nowadays in my country (Czechia) it's about 50/50 and we're one of the few European countries where it's that high, most other western European countries it's more like 70% of people prefer and buy automatics. With emission standards being ridiculously strict for new cars and so many "smart" assistants, it's a matter of time before you can't buy a new car with manual at all, before they eventually replace cars with soul-less electric ipads on wheels. Sad times ahead for car enthusiasts.
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Here in romania is the same. But with the roads we have i prefer a manual, because i have a lot more control over my car. I have driven an automatic once in my life, and i stomped on the break because i wanted to press the clutch :/
The most American reason to have an automatic: You can eat and drive at the same time.
It's too much trouble to reach into that bag of McDonalds if you also have to mess with the stick shift. Just put it in Drive and go for those McNuggets!
It's probably less bad than you think, the automakers are finally discovering how to implement electric power steering properly and let some of road's feedback onto steering wheel. We might lose manual gearbox but steering an average car is likely gonna be more fun than just 10 years ago... well, except for extremely fast toaster on wheels also known as Tesla, no way in hell they're ever gonna learn.
@@BlackPill-pu4viI mean, I’m an American with a manual and I have no issues eating and driving; I just don’t eat while accelerating (which is smart anyways, keeps your eyes on the road).
I wanted a manual when I was 16, but my parents didn't understand why and forbid me from buying one because "you couldn't possibly learn to drive stick, it's your first car! why get a manual" even though I was the one paying for it. I'm 25 now and bought a stick with zero experience, I learned in 2 days. I feel like the only reason to buy a manual today is if you're an enthusiast, there's no cost savings and it makes driving more difficult, but I love every minute of it because it's something I dreamed of ever since I was a little kid (also 6:36 is the same shift knob and generation of civic I just bought)
Good for you. "You can't" is a terrible thing to say to a kid. I fixed that one when I became a parent.
Longevity and reliability are valuable regardless of cost savings.
Its only harder at first. Once you know the car you don’t even have to think about what you’re doing. Rev match downshifting is the best, good for the clutch, good for the soul!
@@LeDankthis. I'd take a manual in a civic anyday over a cvt
My first car was a stick Mazda 3. I did not know how to drive it. My dad drove it home and i learned on the roads by my house that evening
I like how Roman has become such a solid research guy. His deep-dive pieces really give the channel some weight. Nice work!
Thank you!
I’m 17 and gonna buy and fix my uncle’s 1988 F-150.
My dad owned as many Standards as he did automatics, and he taught me well, now it’s my turn.
Generally, older folks are the ones that can buy brand new cars. And older folks generally value convenience over everything. So that's why manuals aren't purchased as much in my opinion. If 18 year olds could buy new cars (which will never happen) it might be different. It's a moot point with the phase out of ICEs sadly
I'm old and my new Type S Integra will probably for sale in ten years. It will be bone stock and owned by an old guy, i.e. dealer service. Don't give up hope!
Always thought it was strange seeing cars in the 90s and 2000s marketed at "young people".
I cant imagine a era when young people could comfortably afford a brand new car.
This is really being driven by the millennials imo, paddle shifting has always been cool to them, it goes back to 90s F1 for the older ones.
It's plenty possible for younger decent earning people to buy new cars if they want to prioritize it on their finances. I bought a 2019 Miata new the week before I turned 26. I chose to prioritize it. I see 20-somethings spending $40k on used trucks they don't do truck things with, you can buy new sports cars for less.
@@thatoneotherotherguy I guess sports cars have just failed to be appealing. They are typically impractical vehciles that can't fit the lifestyle of many who can only have one car. Most people may only need a ride to work and back. But many need space for other things.
Also insurance on a sporty car and small cars is expensive.
Bought a Honda Fit and it was crazy how expensive it was comapred to the larger cars I owned in the past. All because it was statistically more likely to be in a wreck due to its foot print.
At 70 years old I've driven manuals all my life. Had a hard time finding one in 2018 when I bought my last new car, a Versa S. I like the reliability and longevity as well as gas mileage.
Manual transmissions will always be my favourite. I’m sad to see them slowly going extinct.
I think the new crop of hypercars and sports cars will help bring it back. The Pagani Utopia. New Lotus. T50, etc
They still make horse carts for the 0.01% billionaires, so sure. Keep working hard 'and someday' you'll be granted an afternoon to drive that exclusive luxury car. Or until the repo man tows it away.
Fun fact: Toyota recently filed a patent for a 2-speed manual for their EVs. 😮
@@shauny2285 nice, they’re going to use both speeds?
My issue with automatics is that they are constantly shifting gears. If I wanna go a bit faster, I press down the gas pedal a bit and then I have to wait what feels like a year for it to downshift, even though I only wanted to go 5mph faster and it would have been easier for it to just apply the power in its current gear ratio. I don't need to drop a gear to accelerate by 5 mph. And then the same thing happens when starting from a stop.
A manual has more pronounced gaps in power while I shift, but those gaps in power are entirely under my control and I don't ever accidentally lose power while the car just decides to downshift.
I would consider buying a CVT if it was programmed to function like a CVT. But the issue with CVT's is that they don't take advantage of their continuous "gear ratio", because consumers aren't used to the different engine sound and will think their car is broken. So manufacturers have preset gear ratios programmed into the CVT to function like an automatic. So you get all of the downsides of the CVT without really any of the upsides.
Not every CVT is programmed that way. Suggest you do a test drive, and while doing so, also understand the modes (eco, sport, etc).
@@whickervision742 I had no idea not all CVTs worked that way. I'll be honest, my only experience with a CVT is in my friend's Mitsubishi Lancer which he sold a year or 2 ago.
My Seat Exeo (Audi A4 B7 clone) was a diesel CVT auto. In Drive it just rode the torque with no fake gearing points and was great, no surging like a small petrol cvt, all still low down the rev range. In Sport mode it had 7 fake gearing points it would jump to and wasn't nearly as smooth but gave the illusion you were in control, especially with the flappy padals behind he steering wheel.
The issue I have with automatics is that the gas pedal does nothing, nothing, nothing, drop a gear and take off and there is no in-between
Great take! I 100% agree with everything you said. I've driven auto, dsg and of course manual and I prefer CVT over all the other auto boxes as there's no lag and hunting around shifts.
I'm the strange one in my friend group for knowing how to drive a stick and like doing so.
I have found that many people, even more so younger people, don't care about driving. A car for most is just a tool to get to A to B. And they buy for convenience and affordability, not for style or fun. It's kind of sad.
Why is that sad?
I'm on of the few people in my friend group who drives at all! Here in Ireland getting a license has become financially restrictive so more young people simply don't bother. public transport is cheaper.
After being "bullied" by the enthusiast community for so long, I can totally understand why.
I remember asking my classmate why he loved cars but hated being associated with enthusiasts, and I never understood his answer until far later when I began associating with car guys.
If you don't have a cleanly modded car, you're doing it wrong. Spoilers on a Mustang? Wrong. Pinstripes on a Civic? Wrong you Ricer. Camber and rims? Absolutely wrong.
I feel after the insanely expressive days of Fast n Furious, everything about cars has become bland and I blame everyone for it. Manufacturers, Dealers and Enthusiasts alike. Now I just wanna get from point A to B without triggering someone for liking the wrong thing...
I can understand the 'tool' standpoint. Where I live, there's more and more traffic, more and more multi-lane roads with numerous stoplights. Not conducive to enjoyement.
Younger generations without souls will lead to civilizations without souls. Actually, civilizations without souls can't exist.
Most of the young people I know who enjoy driving buy motorcycles instead of fun cars because while interesting cars have rapidly gotten more unattainable you can still have an unmatched visceral experience on a bike for basically nothing.
YEP!
I wanted an E30 or E36 so bad in high school, about 10 years ago. Of course at least around here, that's when prices started to go bananas. $4000 for a rotten 325e. Trash!
Saved my money, bought a BMW RnineT, never looked back.
Takes up less space, less running cost, and can deliver an unmatched experience. Motorcycles really are the cheat code for driving fun these days.
Just realized this is true for myself too. Traded my old VW for a bike. Less maintenance, smaller, more fun, no real worries about rust and Id only drive my old car on nice days just like I ride my bike.
Excellent point! That was me twenty years ago. Always wanted a Ferrari. Like most, I couldn't afford one. So I bought a Ducati, the next closest thing. What an awesome machine. Still miss that bike. Also true that it is much easier to stay on top of maintenance. Everything is so much more accessible. Much less space needed to do the work and just fewer parts to maintain cosmetically.
A huge part of why cars aren't fun anymore is 'safety'; since motorcycles are inherently considered unsafe, they can still be made like they were 60 years ago, whereas cars can't be. Maybe one day, laws will change to allow a market of enthusiast cars to flourish.
Seeing my Element pop up in this video made me smile. Before the mods and the adventures. Before the hundreds if not thousands of memories and photos. I've put 68,000 miles, 48 states and 5 Canadian provinces since that video was filmed. Thanks for taking me back in time to when I had no idea where I was going with this car in terms of mods and adventures. I sincerely thank you.
It is funny how "here" in "Europe" automatic transmission is still think about more luxury option, than manual, which most of our cars have regardless of specs
Not anymore though. Due to emission norms more and more brands go into automatics (which can have a base/eco option that will give lower emission in tests) as default options. Especially with hybrid drivetrains.
But yeah, incredibly funny that USA is the opposite world, where manual is a paid luxury extra.. while for decades automatic was the luxury option in Europe.
@@veevoir Yeah there are now cars being sold in Europe by European manufacturers that don't even offer manual transmission options anymore
@@veevoir I mean yes, I never cars its fact that is less and less available (but not as much as in USA conterpart), but overall amount of manual cars is still prolly majority on the roads
funnily enough bmw and vw stop offering their manual super sport offering to european a while back now lol
The auto creep is happening here in Europe too unfortunately.
That Europe map is cursed:
-Bosnia ate half of Serbia
-Serbia ate half of Croatia
-Slovenia ate part of Croatia
-Luxemburg is double its size
-Moldavia got anorexia
-Kosovo is a pancake
-Lichtenstein is apparently moved between Austria and Czech Republic
-There is state inside North Ireland (I guess a Republic of Sober Irishman)
-RIP Andorra
-RIP Kaliningrad
-RIP Montenegro
And yet none of that area of the world matters.
Been daily driving a manual transmission in NJ/NYC for the last 17 years and make no plans on switching. In fact I have a deposit on a GR Corolla as i write this.
This is cool to hear. I live in the same area and I've been waiting to be able to afford a second car to finally buy a manual. Our area seems like hell for a manual daily.
really wish toyota dealers wouldn't have screwed up the hype of the GR corolla with all the mark ups etc. was gonna buy on but was completely turned off by the markup so I got a 6MT Tacoma. still happy but still can't believe it lol
@@steve4278 I never looked at the area as hell considering I’ve only ever had a manual transmission car, so I had no other choice. if I didn’t feel like shifting my own gears, I wasn’t leaving the driveway. Funny I actually enjoy driving a stick shift in traffic, it’s like having cruise control, hardly ever apply the brake pedal
"There's nothing like enjoying a manual transmission car in NYC" - DJ Premier (e34 525i)
I live in NYC and rock a stick too.
The northern-er you go, the more manuals you get. Here in euroland, manual cars from 2000-2010 command a steep premium over their automatic counterparts, to the point where there are specialized dealers who will swap the transmission for you. Or more likely, swap a newer engine and control unit over to an older model car. It is hard to pull your neighbor out of the snow with an auto. And they are not fun to take on ice tracks on lakes, so it just is what it is. I know it will reach us eventually, but what a bleak existence that will be.
Got a bad flat tire on my Integra Type S last week. When the wrecker driver got in and looked at the pedals, I said, "You'll need the clutch" and his face went blank. I drove it on the sled for him.
My shifting leg is fine but my shoulders ache after a 'spirited drive', I'm 60
Hell yeah, Space Ghost!
20 y/o here! I taught my self how to drive stick on my 88 corolla wagon 5mt (miss that car so much) and when it died i picked up a ‘10 ford focus 5mt. I don’t know anyone my age who knows how to drive stick which makes it easy to not let my friends borrow my car! I also sleep better at night knowing it is stick (street parking in major city) I think the best part about manuals is just the feeling of driving. It’s so pure, even on an econoshitbox, the feeling of nailing three downshifts in a row or just banging gears on an on ramp…never gets old. I hope some of my friends want to learn sometime i really would love to teach someone. Thanks for this sick video you guys are the best🩶
I’m 57, and drive a manual every day. As a teacher, my students are awestruck seeing a car with a stick shift.
When I was in college, I sold my car to pay tuition. I had to pick up the buyer at the Greyhound station, and teach her how to drive a manual before her 500 mile trip home.
Wait until you show your students a 3-on-the-tree stick shift! No shift intuitive shift pattern on the knob. It will raise you to god status as you row that unmarked shifter.
I'm 56, a teacher, and drove manuals exclusively for 17 years until I married someone who had not driven a manual since her Renault Fuego in 1980.
@@JRZ67 If you have two cars, yours can be a manual. :-)
@@BlackPill-pu4vi haha ya bolt action
im 29 and drive a manual every day
Fun fact, in the Uk f you learn in an automatic you can only buy and/or drive an automatic, as its on your license. Which means that most everyone learns in a manual car. Now, i live in America now, but i learned to drive in the uk n a manual car, but swappd to an auto over here. I went back to Scotland last year and rented a car with a manual transmission. My only difficulty was the swap from a hand break to the stupid auto/ button break…..i found it hellua confusing on a hill start. Couldnt find the bite as i let off the had break…it annoyed the piss out of me.
interestingly, auto only license holders often pay a lot more in insurance, probably because drivers who never learned to drive a manual don't have the same level of anticipation/forward planning as those in autos. The average auto driver goes the speed limit up to a roundabout, brakes, and only then looks for a gap. Manual drivers on the other hand plan well in advance of the give way line.
There's also an adverse selection bias here, where people already predisposed to higher risk (physical disabilities, mental health, anxiety, etc) are far less likely to be capable of using a manual, so automatics only is the only license they can really get, thus you get a class of drivers (auto only license holders) who are a generally higher risk category.
The advice is, even if you end up driving autos all your life, learn and pass your test with a manual.
When you go and test for a CDL , that applies too. Take the test in an automatic that is what your restriction will be, Class A or Class B. Most folks take the test on a 10 speed manual.
@@rocnnrollbusI have a friend with the auto only restriction. Drives a manual car and only wants a manual car, yet won’t touch a manual truck for anything. Lol
It's the same in Ireland. It's much better to learn manual,even if you ultimately intend to drive automatic.
Its already over 10% learning in autos. Sadly they will be extinct in the UK expect for classics in a generation or two.
I bought a Chevy Sonic in 2012 with the 1.4 turbo. My dealer spent maybe 3 hours teaching me how to drive before I left the lot and drove back an hour to go home
Roman, you are the best automotive documentarian on the internet. The best to come out of PA bar none. Its really impressive how deep your writing and perspective interweave with your solid research. Please never stop.
Thank you so much!
Here in Europe, automatics were not preferred in the past because the were heavy and inefficient. This counts a lot more for the smaller engines and higher fuel prices we normally had, compared to North America.
Now the automatic is more refined and efficient, it makes more sense to have them here too. Especially looking at the environmental concerns like you mentioned. I have always driven (used) manual cars but now, at 52, I would probably not be surprised if one of my next cars would be automatic. Great video, Roman ❤
Dsg and cvt are far worse than the old hydramatic . So much about "refined". I can't remember the name of the latest ford pos automatic .
@@cristig243emotion doesn't counter cold hard facts.
I want to buy the car once, not every month . If I never hear about mechanical problems, that's what I want . Something like Mercedes Cobra .
The pos Toy needs to go from A to B without technical problems .
I've driven 2 automatics in my live. One was a mid 90's honda with a dreadful 3 speed sloshbox that had a mind of its own. It was clunky, it never shifted when you expect it, reversing out of parking spaces was a pain because the column shifter was finicky, and the car was thirsty despite having a small engine. I hated that transmission with a fiery passion. It completely ruined an otherwise decent car.
The other was an around 2018 model. I can't remember the brand, but it had 6 gears with silky smooth, fairly predictable shifts. That car was pretty fuel efficient too despite its size.
The industry really has eroded most of the advantages manual transmissions used to have, beyond just being more fun to drive. And that fun only applies on fairly open roads. I knew an Oslo boy who was a stereotypical BMW driver. He was a big fan of manuals, but he dailied an automatic entirely because that auto box was a godsend in slow moving, stop and go traffic, which his commute apparently tended to devolve into.
Just traded in my old manual Corolla got one of the last manual K20 Civics ever made in the US yesterday. I feel so lucky!
You wanna blame someone? Blame the parents who didn't teach their kids to drive manuals, or blame the people who collect them instead of driving them. It's not the kids fault when nobody taught them. Hell nobody at the dealership even knew how to drive my new car.
not true in the slightest. It's cause automatics are faster and more fuel efficient now. Stick shift is purely for car enthusiasts that actually care about driving involvement. A niche within a niche. Most "car guys" only care about highway pulls or just standing around a meets which an auto is better at.
You will never shift faster than a DSG, PDK, or even a current gen Rav4.
I mean, it's also because manual transmissions are objectively worse and people buy cars not because they enjoy driving it, so things that make driving any more of a pain in the ass than it already is is naturally going to be phased out.
@@s_t_r_a_y_e_d uhuh. But something faster and more fuel efficient by tiny percentages isn't necessarily what everyone wants. Especially if you word it in a way that doesn't make you sound like you just sounded lol
@@Clangokkuner objectively worse... Than broken CVT belts in Subarus? Or ground up dual clutches in Hyundais, Fords and VWs?
I'm missing something and whatever your weird take's gonna be, I'm not interested.
@@CatalystOfFiremanual transmissions aren’t convenient for the mass majority of people. People have crappy commutes filled with traffic and crazy drivers to and from work and school everyday, and work annoying stressful jobs, and have families that require a vehicle filled with safety features.
They don’t have time to deal with shifting a stick that 95 percent of the time is never gonna touch a gear higher than third. You also can’t eat and drink while shifting. It’s seen as an annoyance and people don’t need an additional annoyance added to everything that they already deal with.
And now with EVs on the horizon, they make manuals functionally and fundamentally obsolete.
That’s why manuals are going away.
"Driving is terrible and no one should do it."
This was what I thought of driving before I had a fun-to-drive manual. Now I frequently go on hours-long joyrides through twisty mountain roads.
Funny thing is that is what most people outside USA think when switching from manual to auto
It's so sad that people are scared off by a stick when they're a youtube video away from being competent enough to drive home...
Thank you for the video. :)
Ive watched all the videos but nobody has a car to let me practice in. I called driving schools, all autos, I even considered renting a car but you have to wait for a manual! If someone just let me press a clutch I would get it but it's definitely daunting to buy a car you aren't sure you can drive home!
I think a lot of manual cara are dying out in the states, but it’s very much alive out side of it.
Manuals are out and huge ass SUVs and Trucks are in! This is why I'm a train, bike, and motorcycle girl now.
But for real though, I must admit something: I haven't been able to own a manual. The car I own is an automatic because I was in a bind and I didn't want to have my daily driver that's gonna be in traffic all the time be a manual. I ride motorcycles so I know how to shift but just didn't know if I had what it takes with clutching with my feet instead of left hand. Sort of a choice I regret but even if I wanted a manual, the only one I could get would be 10k more and would be a special order. The choices are getting very slim just in general for consumers in the new car market and it is kinda scary. Vehicles are state of change and I'm not sure if I really care for the future of automobiles at this point. There's gotta be a silver lining here somewhere, or at least I hope.
Traffic depends on the car. If you have a light clutch like most Hondas, easy as pie. My 6MT Miata has such a low first gear, it idles at 2 mph, which is actually really good for traffic.
Well, if it's any consolation, driving a manual car isn't that much harder than an automatic, or in your case, a manual bike. Just a different muscle memory that also isn't that hard to get. Along with what the other guy said. That stated, I'd go with used, since Rev hang is a real problem I've seen.
Man i never knew Roman would call this generation a skill issue
I would have used stronger language.
I love older people making fun of young generations for not being able to drive manual, while being the ones that never taught anyone and stopped buying them
Never had a "young" person ask me to teach them....besides, they already know it all anyway! 😂🤣 Yes, I'm a BOOMER and I stole your future to spend on manual transmission Corvettes, Porsches and other things I worked my A** off to get. Now get off my lawn!🤪
My dad tried for 5 minutes when I was 16 and had just gotten my license and gave up.
I learned to drive stick on a C5 Corvette…I’ve never looked back or missed having an auto since then
Every time someone says something to the effect of “enthusiasts don’t buy new cars” I feel the need to remind them of the fact that new cars are more expensive than used cars. And used cars are really, really expensive for the average Joe. Like, if your household income is less than 100k you should not be even thinking of buying any brand new car.
Hence why so many younger people will only buy new cars and a house when they are near retirement age
Just brought home a 2024 Jetta. The #1 reason I bought my first new car, and my first VW. MANUAL. Teaching my 16 year old how to drive stick on a 2011 Patriot. MANUAL.
Okay. Not sure what you're trying to prove. It doesn't make you more or less as a human.
Manual is totally useless these days lmao
What trim line did you get? I wanted a basemodel one because it was the only one in my price range but there was absolutely none.
@@vhateverlie Base model. In Canada that's the Trendline.
@@theothertonydutch Actually it does. scientifically proven.
Earlier this year I walked into my local VW dealership and asked to test drive the only 2024 6MT Jetta they had on the lot. Even in the GLI trim, at that time, they only had DSG's. I had been looking at this particular Jetta online for a few months and it had been sitting for a while. The saleslady was quite good, but very new. She didn't know how to drive it. They had to call some 16 year old with a zoomer perm who worked in the garage to bring it out to the front for me to drive.
He seemed thrilled to give me the keys. The car had 32km on it (Canada) and I took it on my test drive. I had brought a friend with me and once all the employees were out of sight, he hopped in and drove the car to the mall and proceeded to teach me how to drive stick shift. I stalled upwards of ten times before I was able to even pull it onto the road, and he had me drive it back to the dealership. I bought the car, picked it up three days later with my buddy. He drove it home for me and from there, I taught myself to drive manual on my new car.
No regrets. I understand they have cancelled the manual Jetta for 2025 in all trims except GLI, which is a shame. I am happy I finally scratched 'learn stick shift' off of the bucket list and I'm very happy with my new car.
I live in the SF Bay Area. Dealers here want a $20-50k markup for a manual transmission GR Supra. Meanwhile they are discounting the automatics. It’s dire here.
Nothing like the level of mechanical engagement in driving a car with a manual transmission. You’re driving the car instead of the car driving you. Guess it’s the difference between those who enjoy the car as a machine and those to whom it’s just an appliance.
This video has me pegged. Last year I had enough savings for a new car. I considered a fast, fancy electric car like a Taycan. I learned that for that cost, I could get a practical car, like a model 3 and something crazy-fun like an old lotus, delorean, or viper. I landed on a 93 Viper. They only ever came in manuals. Guy at dealership had to drive it to my house. My wife and kids got me a private driving lesson for father's day. At age 37, I finally learned, then finally understood the appeal. Sadly, in British Columbia it's objectively easier to pass the driving exam in an automatic car. The youth are less inclined to have a manual as their first car.
Bought my ND Miata new in 2020, a decision that was made with a lot of consideration towards voting as a consumer for manufacturers to keep making cars like these. My first car was a manual '89 Prelude Si, and I learned on my way to my girlfriend's house after I bought it in 2003, haha. I've had many old and new manuals between these cars, but I can't imagine not having a manual in my life--it's absolute therapy. If you're on the fence, just do it; you'll learn significantly faster than you think, and when it clicks it clicks forever.
Another small factor that bugs me is the allocation system for a lot of new cars. You can't actually order a manual. Your dealer can make an "allocation request" but at the end of the day they get what they get. The amount of people in the 86 groups that got an auto because they didn't want to wait 6 months to a year to get a manual is crazy. Another example is the Elantra N which supposedly caps manual production at 20%.
the 86 is a very good example of this because, while toyota operates this way, subaru does *not* operate this way. subaru lets you spec and order a car. because of this, the manual take rate with the 86 is ~50% while the take rate with the brz is ~70% iirc. essentially identical cars but one of them is more likely to have three pedals because the manufacturer is selling to customers rather than dealerships.
It's like driving with quick time events and it's the greatest thing ever.
Great video, Roman. Some meaningless anecdotes:
In 1987, after many years of them driving auto cars, I talked my parents into buying a new, 5-sp Integra for all the reasons first-gen Integras were fantastic. In 1992 when they needed a replacement for their larger car, it was down to the "4DSC" Maxima SE and the all-new ES300, which very briefly was considered competition for the sport sedan Nissan. (The 3rd option, the SHO, was never considered because my parents did not buy Fords. Loved that engine tho.)
In '92 the ES300 was technically available in a 5-sp. The dealer said only about 5% were ordered that way and so, they never brought any in. Never got to test drive one, and it's surely as rare as hens' teeth today. My parents were cool with manual trans still and got the Maxima.
I bought my own brand-new also, the '93 Sentra SE-R and 2001 Golf 5-speeds, the 2004 Element 5-speed. The Element was the turning point: Worse EPA milage figures than the auto and Honda fucked up the gearing on what should have been a 6-speed car. At 70mph it ran at like 4000rpm -- unecessarily. Bought a used "6-6-6," a 2006 Accord V6 6-speed (not coupe, but the sedan.) Available two-years only, well under 10K made in '06/'07. My kids learned how to drive it.
As to your closing question, yes they will all disappear along with I.C.E. cars overall. I have a life-long love of manual trans vehicles (we also have an '89 C3500 with the SM465 used in everything from '60s inline-6 C10s to school buses). For various reasons I'm looking for the exit ramp and want to ditch gas. *It's time, and I have other hobbies now.* I love driving but TBH, could be happier no longer _needing_ nor _wanting_ a car.
What you said about guys like you who prefer stick who don't buy cars with stick is the exit ramp description writ large.
I love driving a standard transmission. The connection you have with the car is what makes it worth driving. Great video
I listened to this while getting ready for the day. So well done that I'm pondering seeking out a podcast to listen to every morning. Made my morning so much more enjoyable. Bravo Roman!!!
Man this is so sad. Every single vehicle I have ever owned has had a manual transmission.
Last year in July, I got my first manual, and it was frustrating at first learning how to drive it. I stalled out so many times, but I didn't give up, and now, a year of driving with a manual, I enjoy driving so much more. I'm never giving up this car, and I'm not going back to automatics.
I am an enthusiast and I definitely buy new as well as used. 997.2 911, E39 M5, E46 M3, E92 M3, Z4MR, Subaru Legacy GT, Acura TL Type-S, and many more all manual that I bought used, however, I also bought a Civic Type R FK8 new, an Audi S4 new, 718 GT4 new, and now my G80 M3 new. Most recently my G80 M3 I ordered with manual last year for a modern daily to hopefully drive it for 10+ years. The options for a premium manual sedan are slim. I also am holding onto my 997.2 in manual. I'm 41 and have probably at least 20 good years left of my clutch leg so I will utilize it as much as I possibly can. I have taught my daughter who is now 17 to drive manual, and my son who is 13 will also be learning. Doing everything I can to carry on the skill - my daughter is demanding she finds a manual car to drive as a result of me teaching her manual when she was learning to drive. Unfortunately demand will still likely wane as a whole in society and it simply will not make any sense for any manufacturer at all to make a manual anymore because they will sell even fewer than they do now. Not to mention government regulations.
For many people, car is just transport tool.
I drive manuals and only manuals for my whole life, until this year when I got my first EV.
And yes, I sometimes miss shifting gears just for fun, heal and toe rev matching on the traffic light and going to the redline just to keep up with traffic (my last car was FIAT Grande Punto 1.2).
Now, I would buy an automatic over manual every time, because without shifting gears, each drive becomes so much more relaxing.
The first car I bought was a 91 BMW 318is. I'd never driven a manual before, but played plenty of Forza. Drove it home without ever stalling once. Proudest moment of my life.
Atta boy!
E30 318is… dynamically one of the best cars ever built.
I learned manual (25 years ago) on a 1987 325is with lsd. I still drive manuals (larger ones due to family size), but I miss my e30 the most of all.
Roman -
This is the first comment I have dropped on a video in a couple of years. Thanks for putting this together, it was exciting to see it pop up in my feed and I couldn't wait to hear what you had to put together on the topic. Keep up the good work, you have lots of support!
My wife and I only own (and have ever driven by choice) manual BMWs and Porsches, and at this rate that will continue indefinitely. You made a real good point that a main reason for them dying out is the fact that enthusiasts are not buying them new. New cars don't make a lot of sense to us enthusiasts. We do like old shit, and we do like the hunt for a treasure.
In my recent days, we have been toying with the concept of selling our Porsche 911, to purchase a new custom design spec ordered BMW M2. It may very well be the last fairly affordable manual trans M car. I have always wanted to order a spec'd to my liking car as an enthusiast, and this may very well be my last chance because my favorite manufacturers.have all given up the ghost..and I don't have GT3 money.
Curious to get your take on such a choice. Give up a car with character, to purchase a new car built to spec? Sad that I may never get the opportunity again, and coming to grips with reality that I'll only be driving this era of cars for the remainder of my life!
Cheers, a fan from the old days of UA-cam
European here, driving since around 2000. I first drove an automatic about 2 years ago - a Toyota CHR hybrid and it was kind of strange. The entire left part of my body had nothing to do. The muscle memory kept reaching for the non-existent stick and I had to stop my left foot from pressing the huge brake pedal to prepare for a gear change. After a while though I got used to it and found it to be a very relaxing way to drive.
finally, some good content on the internet again! thanks roman!
I've owned a lot of manual cars, RCR even reviewed one of them, but now I just don't care. Manual is fun place to visit when renting something on vacation but I don't want to live there any more. Any joy is quickly removed once you are in stop-start traffic. Great video essay The Roman.
100% spot on Roman! As a manual transmission enthusiast, im really only interested in the older, analog cars... Having a modern tech-laden vehicle just doesn't feel the same shifting your own gears.
There's nothing quite like the feeling you get from driving a manual transmission vehicle. It feels like you're becoming one with the vehicle.
I often feel that an understated advantage to driving a manual is it's ability to engage the driver to prevent distracted driving. This is obviously somewhat negated on highway drives / when you get to speed and aren't heading towards a red light, but in a case of city drivers being constantly distracted and having fender benders, pedestrian accidents, stop-and-go traffic love taps that cause 40 min traffic delays, and other stupid results from driving with a cell phone in one's hand, I feel as if the manual transmission could prevent some of those from even occurring. A manual coupled with new crash avoidance technology could result in far less city, and possibly certain potentially fatal accidents. And also fuck gigantic front-ends on SUVs and trucks that are pedestrian crushers and just make more wagons man
> stop-and-go traffic
This has evoked a conditioned response in me. I'm mad now.I sincerely think that having to deal with a clutch would solve particular modern traffic issues. Why the hell do you want to jump forward all the time? It's too much work! Every time I'm in slow traffic, I make like all the big trucks do, pick a gear and just let it idle along. Then suddenly fifteen dipshits slide into the gap and everyone has to slam the brakes on again...
@thigbreezy, yeah the dimensions of modern SUVs, and more specifically Pickups, stupid. I justify owning my Ram 1500 as a daily because I tow my fishing boat sometimes as often as 4 times a year lol.
I'm not buying the idea that manuals would decrease distracted driving significantly. If there is a possibility for people to be dumbasses, myself included, we will always find a way. One of my fondest memories growing up is of traveling anywhere with my uncle 15-20 years ago. He had a bench seat Jeep Comanche with the 5MT and chain smoked, drank coffee from an open top mug, all while 99% of the time arguing with whatever poor woman who had the misfortune of being in a relationship with him at the time over the phone he had pinned between his cheek and shoulder. I had a merchandising job as a weekend gig 10 years back which required me to drive my 99 S-10 5MT to and from 5 or 6 grocery stores per shift. On Sunday mornings, I would eat gas station biscuits and gravy (it's a thing) from the plastic serving tray with a fork while driving..... I was never as big a scumbag as my uncle though, I always used Bluetooth while handling my domestic arguments over the phone.
Fun fact: if you bought a used Comanche in the early 2000s, the first term GW Bush administration would actually send you a carton of Kools and an expired Subway sub club punch card. The idea was to make sure you had a story to tell all the other divorced dads hanging out at Autozone how bad Subway customer service was.
I’m a younger guy and my first car is a 2020 manual GLI that I got new. I can say from my perspective that others my age are fascinated when I tell them I drive manual. Especially when there is someone new in my car they are blown away watching me drive it and I see that as a good sign. It’s a sign that there’s still interest and excitement.
From the feedback I have gotten I can say that younger people are hesitant to buy a manual for two main reasons: 1. They don’t know how to drive it and 2. They feel it would be a burden to drive daily and an inconvenience compared to an auto.
So many Americans just care about getting from point A to point B with as little effort and as much comfort as possible. Putting a manual transmission in the way, with no real benefit to the average driver, is just a burden and extra work. I can see why they are declining but I hope my generation can spark a new interest in them as we start to accumulate more money.
When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, the message I took was that manual transmissions allowed you to execute shifting in a way that improved performance, at the expense of convenience. I also recall manuals being less expensive. At some point in the 90s or 2000s, I recall reading that automatics had progressed to the point where there really was no performance benefit to a manual, and I was prepared to believe that so I immediately internalized it. (The veracity of that statement notwithstanding.)
I have always driven an automatic, and have very limited experience with stick-shift, BUT... Occasionally, I find myself resting my hand on the shifter in my automatic and "imagining" the process of manually shifting. It seems like it would be a energizing, pleasant and engaging way to interact with the the process of driving. So, there's that.
Until 2017 I lived in a fairly large city (now significantly larger than when I left it), and found it amazing that the entire city and surrounding suburbs were purportedly served by just one company that could repair manual transmissions. I was told by multiple sources that all dealerships and independent auto shops in the area would send their manual transmission repairs to this single shop. I took a transmission there directly at one point, and found that it was basically just a guy and his hired help, working from a house in a residential area. The yard was piled high with transmissions, and to an untrained eye it looked pretty dismal, but supposedly they were doing decent business. All because there was too little manual transmission work for anyone else to bother maintaining the staff skills to do it.
I bought a 03 6sp vibe GT a few weeks ago and the dealer told me he has a really hard time moving manuals off the lot
Enjoy it! I've had an 03 Matrix XRS for almost 3 years now. 1 owner, bought just under 200k miles, now approaching 240k!
I am old school driver, and when you mentioned wanting a manual but knowing your spouse can't drive one being a factor in a purchase, I knew exactly what you were talking about. I think manuals will remain but only as a niche market offering. They'll be offered at a premium and in the near future only rich a$$holes will drive them. And they will not drive them very well.
A lot of the really basic hatchbacks that people drive here (in most European countries) with 1L (or slightly bigger) engines also have manual transmissions. Most fleet vans are bought as the lowest spec possible which tends to be the manual transmission too.
Gringos can't understand that manual transmission is the low-spec transmission
UA-cam is what taught me to know the concept of manual transmission. A few months later I ask my friend who knows how to drive manual, and a day later I was driving manual for the first time on the road. Now I teach some of my friends how to drive manual. Story of my manual life (started age 18 now 19)
Well in Canada I tried to buy a manual transmission 2024 Jetta basemodel (Trend line) I called every dealer in the province, and 2 in the next.
The first dealer told me it was the rarest car they had and would only have one in stock in 6 months and I'd have to put a deposit down.
So the manufacturers aren't even giving the option to buy one off the lot. My car needed $4k in work to keep running and putting a deposit down to not get a car was off the table.
Yeah it sucks a lot of manuals are special orders these days, and we have to go through the pain of waiting months and a very possible dealer mark up as a result.
What sucks even more is that you can't even get a traditional torque converted automatic with most cars. If you're lucky, it's a dual clutch. In most cases, it's a grenading CVT.
Dang my buddy just bought a base/6spd jetta in Fl last week. They had 3 on the lot too
Yikes. My Canadian friend down here in Texas bought a new manual Jetta for under 20k USD during the COVID vehicle shortage. She was going to buy used because her old Jetta was giving her problems, but the saleswoman said they could get her a new one for about the same price. I was amazed.
@@FrankOsman can't say I'm the biggest fan of Torque converter automatics except in light duty trucks because I don't like the lack of engine braking.
But if you city drive the torque converters are definitely superior.
I saw the writing on the wall. Traded my automatic 2022 civic for a new manual Mazda3 yesterday, after not daily driving a manual for 3 years. You always end up getting that itch that's gotta be scratched.
That's why I got a MT Civic Hybrid. It's not driving Nirvana, but the transmission makes 85 hp car "not boring". Plus you can touch 50 mpg sometimes.
@@Lazuriteplays slow cars are always more fun anyway 😅. You get to push it to the limits without getting tickets
@@LazuriteplaysI had no idea they were making Civics as slow as the old Geo’s 😂 my 2024 Civic Sport Hatch had like 158 hp
I had a Fiesta ST. It was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned. I did something really, really stupid, and sold it for a used Range Rover Evoque two years in. I got rid of the RR last October, and one of the cars I tested was a new Civic Type R. I was prepared to fall in love, and 60 seconds into the test drive, I decided I was done with manuals. I really shocked myself that day.
I learned to drive a stick on the fly. I figured it out pretty quick. This was in a new 1989 Geo Metro LSI that I had purchased. I think things will go along as they are, as far as the automotive manufacturers. Cool video, bro. I'm so stoned.
I've only driven manual cars. I like the feeling of me driving the car rather than the car driving me. 91 Civic hatch, 2014 Civic Si Coupe, 2003 Elantra GT hatch, 2004 Elantra sedan, 2006 Scion tC, and now I currently have a 2002 base model Toyota Camry with the 5 speed manual. I love the mechanical feeling of selecting a gear myself.
Me: buys an ND2 Club brand new to support Mazda.
Roman: doesn’t mention the MX-5 community even once.
I think they will stick around but definitely be more for a niche audience. I got a GTI with the DSG because of dealing with hills and traffic (which it has saved my ass quite a few times but the fluid change hurt) but I also have an 86 Corolla in the background. Might not be my daily but I still enjoy a manual transmission well enough.
The modern crossover and SUV was more of a sign of erosion of the manual to me than anything as the audience that want those big ass vehicles want to not have to shift while Billy in the back is tossing toys out the window. And if the driver has one less thing to worry about they are going to influence the other people in their life that way too.
Thank you, Roman; watching/listening to this presentation is time well spent, "standard" operating procedure for you!
When i was 27, i went and got the cheapest manual that wasnt falling apart, and figured out manual on the drive home.
And i loved every second of it. Surely i wont be the only one, but its a rare thing for sure.
I get a little annoyed in heavy traffic, sure. But I completely forget about that annoyance when it's the weekend and I get out and hit the mountains.
IMO, you are missing something CRITICAL as a car enthusiast if you can't drive manual. We gotta teach as many people as possible as soon as possible!
"Begs the question" doesn't mean "raises the question." Just so you know! This has been your English pedantry PSA for today.
The phrase irritates me to an utterly nonsensical degree. If you mean "raises the question," then FFS, just _say_ "raises the question," rather than using a phrase that obtusely refers to a logical fallacy.
To be fair, though-and to explain why my irritation is nonsensical-at this point, "begs the question" _does_ mean "raises the question," because no one ever uses the phrase otherwise. Arguing that it doesn't is like arguing that "everyday" doesn't mean "every day," even though almost every instance of "everyday" you'll see online today means "every day." I blame Keith Olbermann and Snoop Dogg respectively.
I'll bite. What's the difference Mr. Oxford?
@@hankhillsnrrwurethra Begging the question is asking a question that includes premises that are not necessarily true. For example, if I asked you if you're an LA Chargers fan or an LA Rams fan, I'm begging the question by assuming you're a fan of an LA-based NFL team and not any of the other 30 NFL teams, and I'm assuming that you're even an NFL fan in the first place.
@@AisuruMirai Exactly!!! Ahahaha language evolves and meanings change over time, the biggest modern example I can think of is “impact,” which irks my father to no end. However, no matter how he rages against the modern usage, there’s no putting that toothpaste back in the tube.
An example of “begging the question” as a logical fallacy is asking something like, “Why is the Toyota GR 86 the best modern sports car?” This is a question that presupposes the answer in the question itself, that the 86 is the best modern sports car. The response could be something like “Well, you’re begging the question; in my opinion, the Mazda Miata is the best modern sports car because it’s Hoosier track day bro.”
It will never be used like this again. English is full of words and phrases like this. I just noticed since Mr. Roman in this video used the phrase twice, and also claimed to be an English major eheheheheh.
@@marctheshark5315 I noticed that he said it twice, and my irritation would have been multiplied if I had also noticed that he said he was an English major. Sheesh.
When I watched your video about manual transmission, I see the lack of 2 major aspects. 1. Many people have chosen manual over automatic because of the economic reasons. Therefore, by the time goes by, in terms of fuel efficency, hybrid is getting on the 1st place, but also mentioned hybrid cars are almost impossible to be made in manual! ; 2. I live in a big city eastern/central europe, and form my point of view, in last 10-15 years, there is massive increase of numbers of cars in the city, wich causes extra traffic jam, where you travel approx. 6 miles per hour, start and stop, which is just very very uncomfortable in manual. If you go to work by car, every day, spending hours just on shifting between 1, 2 gear,, believe me, all you dream of, is an automatic car, just to chill and relax. Greetings, and thank you for your materials!
I learnt to drive in an automatic. A few years later I bought a manual Prelude to teach myself and it was one of the best decisions of my life
The VW 7 speed DSG fails at around 40k, the oil pump fails inside the box, and they cannot be rebuilt and they are ‘sealed’ units. I own a 2024 SEAT Ateca crossover, with the more reliable 6 speed manual, the problem is, drivers are getting more and more stupid, and are incapable of operating 3 pedals, and in America, the vast majority struggle with 2 pedals!!!.
In a commuting appliance I can understand how folks want auto, but cars like the T.50 are all h-shift and a surprising percentage of CTS-V Blackwing V8s are sold with an h-shift, so hopefully there is hope for sports oriented cars keeping their h-shift, or even going back like Porsche did when driving purists with pitch forks in hand demanded it back.
And h-shift sports cars nearly always resell for a higher price.
Edit:
I say h-shift because there are folks who want to argue that a DCT or a sequential are manuals, which is technically correct, but at the same time, let's be honest, it's not.
No arguments here. It's either gated shifters, or it's not perfect; there's no in between. - Vegeta, if he actually drove
i have never heard h-shift before it was always h-pattern
In the US, used manuals typically sell for a premium over autos if the model was offered with both.
I have tried to buy new cars with manuals a couple of times in the past and it was usually the dealers who refused to order them that way.
I remember looking for a VW Golf as a commuter car about 15 years ago. The closest dealer to me grumbled something like “oh, you’re one of those guys.” I asked him to explain and he said that he had 6-8 people a week coming in looking for sticks but they never sold so he didn’t order any that way. I called around and found a couple in stock at a dealer 30 miles away and I bought one the same day. His logic still dumbfounds me.
My son is on his learners permit and I just took him out to teach him to drive my manual 1999 Boxster. He wants a manual for his first car… it won’t be a Porsche but I hope we can find a good example when we are ready to buy.
i have a manual wrx and my girlfriend has a DSG jetta GLI. i’m satisfied with both transmissions. i am sad that less cars are coming with manuals but i can live in the world of dual clutches. what really makes me upset is the disappearance of the manual handbrake. i honestly think that hurts me more.
Time to get the fucking theme song stuck in my head again.
I think also it's a contributing factory that most drivers in the U.S. are utility drivers; meaning that unlike car enthusiasts who love driving cars for its own sake, most drive them to get from point A to B. They view cars, and I include myself in this camp, as much of a necessary appliance as a fridge or AC unit. To those drivers, manuals were still compelling back in the 70s, 80s, and somewhat 90s because they were more fuel efficient, that is a utility that those drivers could see. However, as automatics got more efficient and hybrids came online that were more so, the advantage if it is still there isn't huge enough to be compelling to that utility driver.
Also agree that it is a price thing as well. Most utility drivers do want cheap cars, but the manuals at used lots (at least in my area) are either more expensive than the cheap automatic options or the manual that is there is some dodgy model that they don't want to touch; like an older mid 2000s Kia or very high mileage Fords (and no, it doesn't matter how much folks in comments complain about "lAzY pEoPle", most regular folk do not want to fuck around with their cars like they are amateur mechanics). Even using FB Marketplace or Craigslist, the used auto here is a grand or more cheaper than the manual. Then yeah as you get to newer models the price gap gets bigger and again, for utility drivers who don't care about the driving experience, the higher price tag is not worth it.
Yeah, I think decades of technological development and changing regulatory and market pressures have led to something of a role reversal for manual vs automatic. Where the automatic was once an expensive and worse-performing option aimed at the niche of people who really wanted driving to be a less involved process, the manual is now an expensive and generally worse-performing option tailored to the niche of people who want to be more involved in the process of driving.
To use another millennial trope, learning to drive manual comes across sort of like learning to write in cursive - why bother developing the skills necessary to operate an inkwell pen when ballpoints exist?
Now, I think learning manual holds up way better than cursive does because it's good to understand what and why your engine and transmission are doing what they do, manual or automatic, and automatics aren't (yet) able to make more advanced decisions a manual driver can like pre-emptively reacting to road conditions ahead
But then again, there are enthusiast automatics like a paddle-shifting DCT that can give you the practical benefits of both types, and so it comes back to the subjective nature of driving feel
I guess the one area where manuals still have a clear practical edge over automatics is in maintenance, but with the difference in up-front price now favoring autos that pressure in favor of manual is also somewhat dulled...
It also has to be said that in a housing market that is out of reach to the vast majority of new buyers now, people are stuck renting apartments. Most of which do not allow maintenance. I couldn't even change my oil if I wanted to because I would be in violation of my lease agreement if I jacked my car up and changed the oil. Let alone any more involved maintenance that might require a day or two of work.
@@mikeydude750 Same situation. I can't be doing anything that required jacking the car up and even if I technically could I don't have the room to store all those tools in my apartment with all the other roomates stuff.
With advances in automatic transmission response and most people stuck in city stop/go traffic driving stick is a pain for most folk.Most people use cars as commute to work vehicle and the car enthusiast pool of drivers is a declining bracket with disposable incomes drying up in this economy.
Great vid Roman! As a manual owner and fan of your work, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Even if you want to learn stick, it is *hard* to find someone with the knowledge, means, and inclination to teach you. My own father insisted on buying me an automatic over a manual (yeah yeah first world problems), and I had a friend outright refuse to teach me on her Hyundai Veloster. At this point, the only way I'll be able to get a manual is as a second or even third car because my wife will *never* learn.
I have genuinely considered doing a buy in with some friends on a car like one would a boat purchase just so I don't have to explain to my wife the only reason I bought another car was "so I can practice driving"
You could also rent a manual car on Turo for a day or two and practice that way. A bit unethical, but at least the owner is getting something out of it.
@@domjfante8140 I suspect that nobody on Turo is looking to rent their car out for learning stick, and I would absolutely have to be up-front about my intentions.
@domjfante8140 just like, stand there waving until they drive away? Lmao.
I'm a millennial. I bought a Corolla with a manual because I thought I was an enthusiast, people wouldn't shut up about it, and I thought it would be fun. I liked it during the test drive but wound up hating it in daily use and traded it in for another car with an automatic after only a year.
Thanks! Great start to my day! FWIW I bought a new 2015 Forester as my first manual car; still have it nearly 10 years later. I've since taught 20 others to drive stick on it and supercharged it. :)
These videos are great, Roman!
I'm old, and remember the days when even a shitty manual was better than the best slush box. I got my first manual in 1987, and my last one was totaled in 2016. My current car has an 8 speed ZF. Put it in "manual" mode and it's great on twisty roads. Leave it in auto, mash the throttle, and it shifts faster than I could ever do with a 3rd pedal. I don't know if I'll ever have another manual. But I have driven a car with a CVT (my mom's Subaru). Those must die. Great video, Nick.
In a commuter car, like a Prius, I'd like that planetary CVT (which didn't have a belt).
Thank goodness Porsche still exists.
They exist, but good luck buying one other than a base Boxter new without blowing the sales manager.
Another banger Roman. Keep it up.
Another great video man!
I will never let it die!!!
Based Roman videos are why I’m still subscribed. No offense to Mr regular he just don’t do it for me anymore.
I cannot help but agree, something about his angsty negative attitude and the way it's veiled bugs me.
When I purchased my Ford Fiesta ST (new), which was a Manuel only model, the dealer was trying to sell me an anti-thief system. I told him the Manuel transmission was the anti-thief system!
I was born in '90 and a couple months later, my dad bought a '90 Nissan Hardbody with a 5-speed manual. All throughout my childhood and teenage years, I wanted to drive that truck. After my dad changed vehicles, it stayed in our backyard for a few years until I was about to head to college in '09. The day before I left, he gave me a crash course in driving stick. It was frustrating, but the next day, I loaded up the truck and drove all the way to college with just my friend as company. My dad didn't spend the extra money to get a tachometer in the truck, so I learned to shift based on feel, which I felt gave me a closer bond with the truck.
In '13, a drunk driver totalled the truck while it was parked and I got an '07 Nissan Versa hatchback with a 6-speed as a replacement. It had the rev hang, which was really irritating. I put about 148k miles on it(234k total on the odometer) before getting a 2016 Scion iM with a 6-speed manual in 2021. It doesn't have rev hang and has been a blast to drive. I was contemplating getting an automatic, but the one I found was $4k cheaper than auto models, so I grabbed it.
I'd love to eventually get a manual GR Corolla, so hopefully ICE and manual cars don't die out anytime soon. I really enjoy driving manual cars.