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Try driving a non-sychronized 10 speed truck transmission in a traffic jam and you'll appreciate automatic transmissions.
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Originally posted by PackRat:
Try driving a non-sychronized 10 speed truck transmission in a traffic jam and you'll appreciate automatic transmissions.
i feel you
there aint nothing like going trrough 3 or 4 gears to get the 35 mph crazy
but any way i like the idea of the push button shifting
i don't know what its called but
i drove a car with it and it was awsome
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Quote:
The Mazda 6 still has a manual option, but I imagine that will be gone in a couple of years!
Whereas most automakers only supply ~8% of their US cars with Manuals, Mazda applies Manuals to anywhere between 22 and 33% of their US-bound cars, selling 3 to 4 times as many manuals as other companies. They're not about to drop them anytime soon. They just designed a new 6-Speed that should last them at least another 7 years.
The market for manuals has, overall, been holding steady in the US. However, with the number of baby-boomers and the next generation (whatever they'd be called) growing too old to use Manuals anymore, the number is beginning to decline rather rapidly. The advent of CVTs and SMGs isn't helping matters any. And Europe, which used to be the bastion of Manual Transmissions, is rapidly converting to ATX as well. As the number of buyers goes down it becomes prohibitively expensive to offer them.
Sticks will almost definitely be going away in the future as alternatives provide even better performance with less clutch problems, but I doubt it's as near as just "a couple years".
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
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Originally posted by todras:
Not sure I agree with you view. Manuals only account for 12% of all cars made. Don't see it declining that much. Lots of cars available with manuals still and more on the horizon.
Last I read it had declined to 10%. Automatics are very good these days with sloppy shifts and breakdowns a thing of the past.
If you hadn't noticed the majority of Americans live in big cities and commuting sucks in stop & go traffic with a heavy clutch.
The majority of that 12% are from sub-compacts in the $10-$15K range with the remaining coming from sports cars. Throw in a few sedans and you've got your 10-12%.
With a 5spd Auto standard in most cars now-a-days you get the same fuel economy as a manual trans as well.
And anyonje who has driven a great Automatic like that in the Lightning or 92-95 SHO understand autos can kick down and hold to redline just fine............. Just imagine how good the auto-trans are in high end luxury sports cars. BMW's SMG comes in mind.
Money doesn't always bring happiness. People with ten million dollars are no happier than people with nine million dollars ~ Hobart Brown
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I have no life
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I have no life
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Originally posted by Fmr12B:
Just imagine how good the auto-trans are in high end luxury sports cars. BMW's SMG comes in mind.
Still didn't shift fast enough for my tasted. Wasn't impressed.
-'96 SE MTX 3L
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-Need a 96-00 manual on CD? PM or email me
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Originally posted by sigma:
with the number of baby-boomers and the next generation (whatever they'd be called) growing too old to use Manuals anymore,
Huh? I'm one of those "oldies" and am still able to move my left leg, however feebly....
Neither my wife nor I have ever owned a vehicle with an automatic. And it is in fact quite hard to find "normal," non-exotic cars with manuals these days (at least ones anyone with any common sense would buy). But the majority is always right, and focus groups rule in car design, so the inevitable will happen and manuals will disappear. BTW, today's boosted clutches are an awful lot easier to deal with in traffic (like a seven-mile backup on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge) than the "old" days of dealing with a seven mile backup on that bridge in my '66 Chevy.
Sorry, have to go drink my Ensure and change my Depends.
'00 SE...that's all
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Originally posted by katabatic:
Sorry, have to go drink my Ensure and change my Depends.
lol  
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Exactly. Previously, I had my 90 SHO down here and drove my buddy's 02 GT in DC traffic where your lucky to hit 25 mph and its continously stop and go. Made commuting a nightmare. Now that I have my L, its so much nicer in my 17 mile commute that takes 45-60 minutes out of the day....and the shifting in my truck is well violent when needed :-) Originally posted by Fmr12B:
If you hadn't noticed the majority of Americans live in big cities and commuting sucks in stop & go traffic with a heavy clutch.
And anyonje who has driven a great Automatic like that in the Lightning or 92-95 SHO understand autos can kick down and hold to redline just fine............. Just imagine how good the auto-trans are in high end luxury sports cars. BMW's SMG comes in mind.
Ryan
Trollin!
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Must admit I never really had much of a problem with traffic ... either in the UK (London & other cities) or here in Canada (Ottawa). I guess it's one of those things you live with and it improves with experience. I personally have a tendency to stick in 2nd most of the time, and usually only occaisionally shift to 3rd. I know it's bad, but being lazy I skip 1st often on
1998.5 T-Red on Midnight Blue SVT
Build Number 5320 of 6535
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Originally posted by katabatic:
Originally posted by sigma:
with the number of baby-boomers and the next generation (whatever they'd be called) growing too old to use Manuals anymore,
Huh? I'm one of those "oldies" and am still able to move my left leg, however feebly....
....
Sorry, have to go drink my Ensure and change my Depends.
I said growing too old, not are too old. Let's face it, eventually it will become more and more difficult for you, and any of us, to comfortably drive a stick. And while a small number may continue to buy them despite the discomfort, most people will simply go the easier route as they get older and buy Automatics.
2003 Mazda6s 3.0L MTX
Webpage
2004 Mazda3s 2.3L ATX
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