The 'Death Of The Stick Shift' Is Almost Here For Americans

Heat84

https://m.slashdot.org/story/456332

I’ve never driven stick myself. I’ve never needed one. I’m neither a race car driver nor a trucker and I live in South Florida. The only hills here are overpasses. Does a stick get better MPG’s?

My sister is one of the weirdo Americans who prefers a stick. Although she hasn’t driven one in 10 or 15 years.

I didn’t realize Mustangs were only stick.

I don’t understand how there are automatic semi tractors. In some of the situations I’ve seen them in, I don’t know how you can use an automatic transmission. Maybe it’s only for local hauling? Are truckers ashamed to drive a tractor with an automatic transmission? Is it like a male biker riding in the bitch seat?

Here’s a comment from the article. Is that how the automatic transmission in a tractor works that enables it to work as good as a stick?:

It’s more than that. Modern automatics are equivalent. You can use the controls to switch into manual mode and then push the knob up and down to manually shift. All that we lost is having to use a clutch. I’m been driving manuals for 40 years. I’ve tried the modern automatic’s manual mode. I find it to be functionally equivalent, it solves the same problem, it allows me to fine tune things. This personal appraisal was immediately apparent from the first couple rentals or loaners that had automatics with a manual mode.

Do you Canadians say manual transmission instead of stick?

dave

Manual transmission is just more fun to drive. Alas, it is getting harder and harder to find, and of course is non-existent on electric vehicles.

When last shopping for a car (2010) I did drive some automatic BMWs and they didn’t suck. But I still bought the six-speed manual.

real_aurgathor

I’ve had several cars with stick shifts. although currently has none. When I learned to drive in my late teens (in Europe), that was the only thing available. With a stick and clutch, you can have more precise control over power transfer [burnouts 😉 ]; and lately, a MT can be considered an anti-theft device since young people in general do not know how to drive a stick, especially some of the older ones like three-on-the-tree.

real_aurgathor

dave Manual transmission is just more fun to drive.

Unless you’re in a slow stop-and-go traffic. I’ve had a 3 speed Maverick a long time ago, and the afternoon commute speed was too slow even for the first gear, so I either had to play with the clutch, or shift constantly between neutral and first. But in most other cases – yes, it is much more fun.

px_eliezer_

real_aurgathor

Trying to remember the movie in which the getaway driver didn’t know how to drive a stick, so got caught.

real_aurgathor

px_eliezer_

Don’t know that, but this is a true story from Renton: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-2670835/Carjackers-fail-clutch-drive-stick.html

Going nowhere fast: Carjackers fail in their bid to steal woman’s car after realizing none of them can drive stick

px_eliezer_

real_aurgathor

Ah, here it is.
Not movie. rather SNL.

“Car Heist” is a comedy sketch from Saturday Night Live Season 47, Episode 5 (hosted by Kieran Culkin with musical guest Ed Sheeran). It spoofs action movie clichés by featuring a car thief who claims he can drive anything, only to panic and stall because the getaway car has a manual transmission.

KurtLandis

At one point I was working with Pakistanis. Manual transmission is what they knew. I’m not sure why, Perhaps less maintenance & easier to repair?

real_aurgathor

KurtLandis

Manual transmissions are cheaper and simpler, repair doesn’t usually require special tools, and as long as there’s oil in them, they can work until wear-out. Although wear-out can depend a lot on the driver because bad shifts can significantly speed it up.

egeezer

Heat84 I don’t understand how there are automatic semi tractors. In some of the situations I’ve seen them in, I don’t know how you can use an automatic transmission.

This article provides some insight on the subject.

https://www.slashgear.com/1862564/types-of-transmissions-semi-trucks-how-work/

The truck that transported our cable tool drilling rig had a 5:speed with a two speed axle. Double clutching was a must. 😄

The Chevy small block street rods I put together sported 4 speed “rock crusher” Muncie M22 transmissions.
Here’s a video to illustrate the reason for the name.

Andyross

Only car I drove with a manual was a 1978 Honda Accord.

Guy54435

egeezer Nothing like the sound of a Muncie Crusher. Two of my good friends had them one was in a 70 Nova, the other was a 69 Camaro. I loved riding as a passenger side by side cruising in town, the Nova’s Muncie in my left ear and the Camaro’s Muncie in my right ear.

takeahike

I’ve had many sticks, a ’61 Rambler Classic with three on the tree, an ’86 Mazda B2000 pickup, an ’87 Mazda 626, a ’90 Honda Accord, a ’98 Honda Accord, and when younger it was almost essential when buying a car. Also, virtually all motorcycles are manual, and I had two of those. Now I just have two cars that are automatics, but I still yearn for the old days to a large extent. You’ve got to be good with it at a traffic light on a hill so you don’t roll back into the car in back of you when the light changes, especially in a city like San Francisco. When I took my driver’s test when I worked in the post office on a two ton truck that had a shift the guy told me that I could not roll back at all if I was to pass the test. To be able to take off on a hill without rolling back you have to be very good at feeding the clutch slightly without having it stall.

San Francisco

urbanriot

Heat84 Do you Canadians say manual transmission instead of stick?

both.

I prefer stick when I’m driving for pleasure but I mostly prefer automatic for every day driving because I’m always trying to juggle a lot of things (phone, drink, food, bad drivers, etc.)

I learned to drive stick so it’s second nature.

dave

takeahike

Hill starts are (or were, when I took it) a requirement in the UK driving test. No rollbacks.

My current (US) vehicle has some assist where the brakes hold for a sub-second after release, until the car moves or the accelerator is pressed, or something — not sure of the details since it isn’t something I need to consciously think about.

dave

urbanriot I’m always trying to juggle a lot of things (phone, drink, food, bad drivers, etc.)

Surely satirical?

Sparkchaser

urbanriot I learned to drive stick so it’s second nature.

Same here

Drove everything from a VW Beatle to this

david3

My family’s car when I was learning how to drive was a stick shift, and the first new car I bought for myself was also a stick shift.

I remember my grandpa explaining to me that it had a synchromesh transmission, and I could shift without using the clutch.

I was trying to teach my girlfriend how to drive it, but she had a hard time with it. After that, we bought automatics (she’s my wife now).

Sparkchaser

dave UK driving

I thought the challenge for a Yank was shifting going through a roundabout, you’re using the right hand to shift .

danf

Learned to drive a tractor when I was six or so… currently have four vehicles, all manual transmissions.