Manual Transmissions: Say Goodbye to the Last Symbiosis Between Man & Machine

"VW Fan Boy" (VWFanBoy) 10/01/2013 at 17:10 • Filed to: oppositelock

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The topic of the manual transmission and its possible demise (shudder) has been dissected, digested, regurgitated, re-digested (wait, that’s not right)…. well, you get the idea. I think for the most part each of us has our own external and internal opinions on this matter but the two may not always agree with each other. I’ll be the first to admit that verbally I am a die-hard, three-pedal knight in shining armor who heel-toes every freeway exit, takes joy in shifting through the gears, and rev matches as if it were second nature. Internally however, in some dark and damp corner, I know that the dual-clutch boxes and even some of the new autos are much more efficient than my left leg and right arm. Why then is it that I continue to refuse to give it up knowing deep down inside it is more efficient and practical? Allow me to take a whack at explaining it…

ADHD While Driving…No Seriously

Have you driven or ridden shotgun in one of these new cars with an auto/dual-clutch tranny and Adaptive Cruise Control? I don’t mean the older systems that only work while you’re on the highway and could not be trusted…I’m talking about the new systems Audi and Merc have in place that WILL ACTUALLY BRING YOUR CAR UP TO SPEED FROM A STAND STILL BASED ON THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU. I understand this may prevent Grandpa in the A6 behind me from slamming into my car while he figures out how to work his latest smart phone, but I just feel like this is opening the door for even MORE distracted driving when the systems are not engaged. Speaking from personal experience, I am about 60% more productive with things that have no place in the driving realm when I’m driving my wife’s car which is automatic. Why you may ask? For some reason I feel the need to be engaged when I’m driving a manual vehicle as opposed to an automatic. Lack of engagement leads to distraction, distraction leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering. You see, even Yoda thinks automatics are a hazard. Wait…. what just happened?

To my knowledge there are very little studies that track the trend of accidents as it pertains to the manual vs automatic argument so it is difficult to quantify this. However I am a firm believer that anybody who has driven both can come to their own conclusion and agree, in engaging the driver constantly a manual transmission forces us to pay attention.

Practicality vs Novelty

Here’s where I believe this argument starts expanding into many shades of gray. Not even the ‘Three-Pedal Knight” can deny the practicality which is afforded through an automatic vehicle. I am very lucky to have a route to work that contains little to no bumper-to-bumper traffic. I will be honest though; if I ever had to begin heavy traffic treks that dual-clutch transmission will start to look very tasty. I commend those individuals that start working the minute they get in their cars each morning, clutching and shifting through miles of bumper to bumper traffic…. your calves must be very defined by now and you are keeping the dream alive! Sharing cars with spouses and family members becomes difficult as well if they do not know how to operate a manual transmission. There are other practicality issues such as road warriors that drive their vehicles all day, kids who are susceptible to motion sickness, etc. In summary, I think the auto wins the practicality argument. (Grumbles under breath)

So far the score is tied 1 - 1. How about a tiebreaker?

Mankind and his Century-Long Love Affair with the Automobile

You didn’t think I could let the automatics, electro-clutch, and dual-clutch gearboxes win did you? In reality though, I’m fighting a war that has already been lost. With the advent of the electronic clutch pedal my final argument is really nil. Just look at Bosch’s new electronic clutch pedal.

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Even though the war is lost, I will still attempt to win this battle. I remember the first time I drove a Go-Kart that was handed down within my family. It was a lame 4-Stroke and the engine burnt more oil than gas but it was such a visceral experience I can remember that entire day of fun at the park. And this was 22 years ago! The same can be said for every car I’ve driven which I have felt in tune with, and the fact of the matter is they’ve all been manual cars. There is something primal about pushing that pedal down and grabbing a gear, it’s almost animalistic. It shows the fundamental engineering of a vehicle, and our fundamental bond with these vehicles. We created you, we tell you when to engage a gear!

There’s obviously a legitimate argument for driver aids and we should be thankful for many of them…really. It cannot be denied that driver aids help our day-to-day lives and increase safety which important especially with a family on board. There’s a certain experience to be had though when you hit the open road, track, whatever your poison may be and start shifting through the gears and start fusing together with that machine you are driving. Feeling your car accelerate and then reaching for the next gear, only to let it start all over again. Maybe I’m alone on this one, but sometimes I don’t want another immediate rush of acceleration…. maybe I want to grannie shift into my next gear and enjoy the anticipation until that next gear engages. Maybe I want to rev my engine in between a shift or as I’m approaching a turn. Every picture I’ve imagined about blasting down the open road in a car, or just generally having fun in a car, involves a third pedal and rowing my own gears. Why should I give that up?

Final Gear (You like what I did there right? RIGHT?)

I’m a realist, and a cynical one to boot. I know that the future is very grim for my beloved manual transmission. And to be honest, I wouldn’t want the manual car with an electronic clutch pedal. At that point, just give me the dual-clutch and be done with it. That setup will be like Las Vegas Elvis, or Steven Seagal as Lawman, or Mike Tyson when he fought Holyfield. The manual sports car will be a shadow of it’s former self and this person here will be ready to move on at that point. I’ll just have to keep an old car around to remind me of the glory days…

What will you do when that time comes?

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:18

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Leave for Mars.

VW Fan Boy > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire 10/01/2013 at 17:21

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That is one option...however will the spacecraft have manual rocket engagement? A HA!

GhostZ > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:21

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vs

desertdog5051 > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:23

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"I’ll just have to keep an old car around to remind me of the glory days…"

Precisely!

Turner950s > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:25

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Even when they stop making manuals altogether, there will still be used cars.

VW Fan Boy > GhostZ 10/01/2013 at 17:26

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That's an interesting perspective lol! I was thinking more along the lines of John Henry vs the Railroad Track Machine

VW Fan Boy > Turner950s 10/01/2013 at 17:28

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No doubt there will be...and I have no doubt I will partake in that used market fun. But what about the new cars? Keep in mind, when that time comes you'll never get that crisp, tingly feeling of buying a new car with a manual transmission. You've got to admit, it is sad.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:30

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For what it's worth, I'm only 24, and still love my 3-pedaled car. I plan on purchasing only cars of that nature for as long as I have the use of both legs.

Casper > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:36

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I already don't like buying new cars. This will just be one more reason not to. Although, I welcome completely autonomous cars. It would make my commute on my motorcycle much more predictable if all of traffic were following logical patterns.

Decay buys too many beaters > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 17:36

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I'll just keep buying older cars... forever. I think many enthusiasts will do the same. Look at the Toyobaru twins, I'm pretty sure most of the people who ended up buying them would have been in the market for something along the lines of an old 240sx had the GT86 not come along.

While the market for manuals is small, it's not really getting much smaller at this point. By phasing out the manual, car companies will end up losing out on quite a few potential customers

Or maybe they will just lose out on my business. I don't know how many others actually put something like driver involvement FIRST. For me it is more important than luxury, gadgets, safety, power, or even track times.

Z_Stig > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/01/2013 at 17:38

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Amen to that. I'm 23 and plan on never considering something without a third pedal.

Z_Stig > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/01/2013 at 17:39

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Amen to that. I'm 23 and plan on never considering something without a third pedal.

charski > VW Fan Boy 10/01/2013 at 23:11

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I don't know about what I'd do when the time comes where I can't buy a manual, but I just bought a new 2013 vehicle with a manual as a way of telling automakers they should make more of them.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/02/2013 at 13:50

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35 here, and have only owned cars with a manual transmission up to this point. Two decade into my driving life, I see no reason to change now.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > VW Fan Boy 10/02/2013 at 13:52

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So you're a podiatrist?

You said you heal toes, right?

VW Fan Boy > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 10/02/2013 at 13:57

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Good catch! I don't know if I'd say I wish I was a podiatrist, but would probably appreciate the bump in pay. lol

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > VW Fan Boy 10/02/2013 at 13:59

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Better than this guy:

Nibbles > VW Fan Boy 10/03/2013 at 09:35

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I wake up every morning, get in my 5MT 4x4 Dakota and begin my trek to work. 18 miles, 98% freeway, stop-and-go from North Denver to South. Morning takes 30 minutes, evening is 1.5 hours.

Yes my calves are heavily defined and you should be jealous of such.

Nibbles > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/03/2013 at 09:37

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I will row my own until my left leg blows out. Then I'll figure out a way to actuate the clutch without a right leg.

I drive my manuals religiously (it helps that it's all I own). I already need to get my right shoulder replaced (at 30 years) and I'd still rather row my own. It only hurts some of the times.

davidj210 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/03/2013 at 14:04

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24 here, bought my first new (not handed down from my family) car about a year ago. It's my first manual. I'd like to keep buying cars with manual transmissions in the future, but I expect it to become progressively more difficult as fewer and fewer cars are available with them.

chromaticrabbit > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 10/03/2013 at 14:10

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As long as I am physically able, I will only buy and drive cars with a clutch pedal and stick shift. If they sell, manufacturers will continue to offer them, it's that simple.

DavidHH > VW Fan Boy 10/03/2013 at 15:16

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Will that time ever come, as our four manual transmission cars have not broken yet ?

The reasons for owning a manual transmission:

1) Longevity: Even the new dual clutch auto will break much more often. If it has twice the parts, it has twice the opportunity to break. (I've never actually worn out a clutch, the only manual trans that every failed on me was Honda which was crap. Note: I've never owned an automatic.)

2) Fuel Economy: The EPA fuel economy testing is actually a bit of a joke. Knowing when to shift a car takes time living with the car, not just using the "recommended shift points" in the owners manual. Having heard criticism of this test, from someone who actually performed it, it's not exactly scientific. They are supposed to prefer auto.s since they are believed by some as to be better on emissions. (Yes Automatics can win on fuel economy in city, but on the freeway or mountains, it's a different story)

3) Brake Jobs: The problem with most automatics, is that they do not slow the car down like you can with an manual trans. I've watched the amount of braking required on a dual-clutch auto, and is does mean more brake jobs.

4) Safety: Brake failure on my E-150 means that all I have to do is turn off the engine and just leave it in gear. Remember all this madness with run away cars is with automatics. I've never heard anyone claim they could not stop their car with a manual trans.

5) When all the people who have been told automatics are better, find out that this is not true, there will be a trend back to cars with three petals. Farmers are already learning about the high costs of living with an Allison, which is about $1000/year, since it cost over $7k to replace.

DavidHH > Turner950s 10/03/2013 at 15:18

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They may never actually stop making manuals.

Michael H > charski 10/03/2013 at 17:49

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It's almost like a Jeep except with some extra doors added in the middle. Nice choice getting the stick though.

dmtactical > DavidHH 10/03/2013 at 20:27

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Wait, you have an E-150 with a manual? How old is it?

DavidHH > dmtactical 10/03/2013 at 20:35

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It's a 1978, which my state forced me to register as a 1989, after DMV told me that replacing the body that my neighbor drunk drove into would not be a problem.

The problem was they have only one officer doing VIN inspections and he decided I had a 89 with a 78 engine, which is actually impossible. He thought that if he declared it an 89, I would not be able to register it, which admittedly was a pain.

The full info is 1978 E-150 with: 351W 2barrel, three speed overdrive (4-speed) and 411 posi 9 inch.

Spasoje > VW Fan Boy 10/04/2013 at 19:18

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Building on your primal instinct point - taking away the manual transmission would be just like outlawing fluid transfers...and I don't wanna live in a world without fluid transfers:

VW Fan Boy > Spasoje 10/04/2013 at 21:38

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You know how I know we're from the same generation?

I didn't even have to watch the video and played the scene in my head lol