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i know there is a loyal following of people that buy manual transmissions, but from everything i have read they are becomeing more and more scarace.since there is no real advantage with them. it seems they get less mpg,fewer and fewer drivers can even drive them,they have less resale value and do not perform as well as modern automatics..
I like driving a manual and am not trying to start a flame, and am just curious is the manual trans. on its way out.
From a worldwide perspective, the manual transmission is not on its way out. Look to Britain and most of Europe, for example, where renting an automatic is problematic. The continent of South America is also mostly manual. In the US/Canada manual transmissions only account for 10% of cars. I don't know about Mexico. KikeDiaz, can you tell us if the 6MT is popular in Mexico?
The jury is still out on these new transmissions. Consumers Reports dropped the ratings on many car manufacturers because of CVT, DCT, 7 speed auto transmission problems. Honda specifically dropped 4 places this year. Manual transmissions still trudge on.
Almost all motorcycles continue to be manual shift. Apart from scooters, some of which can be quite large but rare, there has been no consumer demand to change.
The demise of the manual transmission seems to be a uniquely American phenomenon. This reinforces my belief that Americans are, by and large, shiftless, won't shift for themselves and don't give a shift.
yea my grandson has never driven a straight shift, got 4 daughters and none of them can drive a manual. i really think that manual trans. are sort of a cult following.
I've been a die-hard stick shifter all my life. All the cars I drove were sticks.
That said, my new Fit CVT is the best automatic I have driven. Smooth, seamless, and very little hesitation. It shifts under power and much quicker than I could with a stick. It cruises around at under 2000RPM in town and under 2500 on the highway.
It is different. The CVT turns the tachometer into a power meter. Engine RPMs are selected by the power demands of the driver and the engine is kept at the best point for power and economy. The old paradigm of the engine speed being directly linked to the vehicle speed is gone. The CVT basically is doing what a multi-speed manual approximates, and does it independently. The engine speed not being connected to vehicle speed takes some getting used to, but that's the way of the future.
The ideal sporting setup would be a CVT hooked up to a conventional clutch. Why have 5, 6, or 7 speeds when you can have 50? The real advantage of a manual gearbox lies in direct clutch control, after all.
Frankly, I'm very happy with it. It makes the car an enjoyable cruiser and extracts maximum economy at the same time. Driving my Scion that cruises at 3500RPM (like the stick version of the Fit) now seems frenetic!
Europe has stuck with sticks mostly because their vehicles have smaller engines that could not cope easily with the inefficient automatics initially available. American cars had monster V8s that could afford to be wasteful.
Modern automatics are much better. In fact, many of them offer better efficiency. They are making inroads in Asia and Europe. I liken the resistance to that for automatic spark advance. Some people resisted, and you could even get a kit from JC Whitney that would convert your distributor back to manual advance. How many spark levers do you see on cars now, regardless of country?
Most definitely not on its way out. It is very common. Also a great anti theft device.
What, usa thief a are lazy? Here(in mexico) manuals are the option to go for expert thieves(the one that you live the car in the supermarket and you come back and there is none). This occur at least one every week in my small city. The only guys that steal automatics are the one with ak47 and bigger guns, but fit are not a desirable car to steal.
Originally Posted by TorontoBoy
From a worldwide perspective, the manual transmission is not on its way out. Look to Britain and most of Europe, for example, where renting an automatic is problematic. The continent of South America is also mostly manual. In the US/Canada manual transmissions only account for 10% of cars. I don't know about Mexico. KikeDiaz, can you tell us if the 6MT is popular in Mexico?
The jury is still out on these new transmissions. Consumers Reports dropped the ratings on many car manufacturers because of CVT, DCT, 7 speed auto transmission problems. Honda specifically dropped 4 places this year. Manual transmissions still trudge on.
Almost all motorcycles continue to be manual shift. Apart from scooters, some of which can be quite large but rare, there has been no consumer demand to change.
Here in mexico the honda fit is relative expensive car. There are a lot of cars half the price. It almost competes with mada 3, sentra and civic that are in the upper level so most people buy cvt. But manual are really popular with lower trim cars. I had never driven a manual but it is like 3 thousands dollar less than the cvt to I thought to myself it is like receiving a bonus for learning to drive manual.
Originally Posted by GeorgeL
Why have 5, 6, or 7 speeds when you can have 50? The real advantage of a manual gearbox lies in direct clutch control, after all.
Because CVT can not handle power. That's why no big car had a cvt yet.
If I had the money I would go cvt, easy to drive, economical, practical. But manual have the fun factor and reliablility. So if you are planing to keep the car until it falls apart go for a manual, if you trade your car every couple of years go for a cvt.
I have a buddy who works at a Nissan dealership and he told me stay away from cvts, he does at least 3 rebuilds or replacements a week! I've read that Hondas are generally better but being that I prefer a stick, I went ahead and got a 6mt ex.
I would agree they are dying off in the states, we, as a country are getting lazier and lazier.
I have a buddy who works at a Nissan dealership and he told me stay away from cvts, he does at least 3 rebuilds or replacements a week! I've read that Hondas are generally better but being that I prefer a stick, I went ahead and got a 6mt ex.
I would agree they are dying off in the states, we, as a country are getting lazier and lazier.
Besides, having to shift gears interferes with texting while driving.
I've driven manuals all my life (I'm old) and I have to say it took me a while to get used to the 6MT Fit. I thought I'd made a big mistake in those first few days. The gearbox and gearing just felt weird to me. It didn't help that first gear is ridiculously short and fifth and six are virtually identical (short too).
That said, I've definitely adapted and couldn't see myself driving anything else. I test drove many cars (two or three a week for months) and always came back to the Fit.
After paying 4K for an automotic trans replacement on my sons 2000 outback with 130k on it I would hope not. Manuals a fun and cheaper to buy and repair. I drove a cvt before I bought my Fit and it was the most boring car I ever drove. I know the new cvts are tuned better today, but man you can't beat the feeling of actually driving a car vs just sitting in it and pressing the gas pedal. Teaching my youngest to drive a stick now. One thing that bugs me is that you can't get most cars with leather trim without being forced to buy it with a cvt.
I think it's on the way out. For example, Honda claims that they make manual transmission Accords. I visit dealers and they are not in stock because the take rate is low. It's too bad but then again I don't really care if manual transmission goes away in grocery getter cars.
...we, as a country are getting lazier and lazier.
Perhaps, but the process began when these controls were automated:
Are we lazy unless we know how to control our own mixture and spark advance along with the gear ratios?
Oh, and there was that big crank that stuck out under the radiator. Real Men don't use those effeminate electric starters!
For Kikediaz, yes, a stick shift is somewhat of a theft deterrent:
02-16-2016 | 07:58 AM
