Why isn’t your daily driver a stick shift?

[Dodge55Royal]

I got my first car in 1969 just before my senior year of high school. It was a '65 Impala with a 3 on the tree which we changed to a floor shifter. Five of my first six cars were sticks. I've owned about 50 cars over the years and more than half were sticks. When I was in the Army in the early '70s the '68 Chevy truck that I checked out of the motor pool every day was a 6 with a 3 on the tree. I drove big rigs for several years in the '90s and of course they were all sticks. Now that I'm in my 70s I don't mind that my '55 Dodge and late model F150 are both automatics. My left knee is telling me that I'm done with sticks and I don't have a problem with that....

 

 

 

 

[Lahti35]

I thought I struck gold when I found a plain Jane 2007 Ford Ranger w/manual and crank windows 1.5 miles from my house last year. Never driven in winter so no salt rot. I undercoat that sucker with lanolin and it should last me at least a decade. 

 

Seller said as soon as people found out it was a stick shift they didn't want it... 

[Swear57]

 

I learned to drive a tractor with a stick, then 3 on the tree, 5 with a 2 speed. No way to shift this 58 International B160 with out double clutching, 13 speed speed road ranger & many more. I know how to drive a clutch and I don't need anymore practice. That being said I only own 2 automatics my wife's Suburban and my go to town pickup. Can't get away from the stick.

[Frank DuVal]

Why?  Because large luxury 4 door sedans of the 1990 to 2010s do not come with sticks. If one popped up on the used car market I would consider one!👍 

[Tom99]

1985 Oldsmobile Calais- 5 Speed manual

1998 Mustang convertible (Wife's)- Automatic

2001 Mustang Bullitt GT- 5 Speed manual

2002 Chevrolet S 10- Automatic

2007 Mustang- 5 Speed manual

2013 Chevrolet Cruze (Wife's)- Automatic

2015 Corvette- 7 Speed manual

 

Four of my seven cars have manual transmissions.

[Paul Dobbin]

21 hours ago, TAKerry said:

My son is 30 and when he bought his GTO he searched for a manual. Being exposed to the car culture of 30yr olds I have found that group prefers stick shifts. So yes, young people do know how to drive them.

Myself, I spent more than my share of seat time rowing through the gears in a dump truck. I have no desire to have a manual as a daily driver. I prefer the set it and forget it method! My 77 trans am is automatic and I am perfectly happy with that. The 79 I am working is a 4 speed and ironically the only reason I took that project on was because it was a 4 speed. But only because a manual version is more valuable than the auto counterpart.

I will ad, like John I want my vehicle to be max on the comfort scale. For many years all I could afford was a stripped down vehicle. Today I am not ashamed at all to have power everything and a nice cold A/C. 

 

I can agree with all that, but I still miss my 57 Corvette, that was stick shift and my first 240Z that was also stick.   My antique cars are all stick shift and I enjoy the shifting, which is part if the fun of driving 90 year old cars.   Especially the early flathead Ford V8's.   A flathead V8 with automatic would sound like a sick blender.  (Mild glass pack mufflers are also an important part of the V8 affair)

A friend here, just sold his 5 speed on the floor 1999 Tahoe that he bought new 35 years ago, one of 5 built by Chevrolet.   A great SUV

that he replaced with a 710 HP Durango with the Hellcat V8.   Another fun ride!  (The Tahoe still looked and rode like new)

[54Coupe]

My daily is a stickshift.... a 93 Jeep Wrangler.

[gwells]

I just turned 70 in late July and have never owned a daily-driver that wasn't a manual! Wonder how many here can make the same claim?

 

My current sled is a six-speed VW Jetta GLI.

 

 

[Pfeil]

On 9/18/2024 at 7:05 AM, KURTRUK said:

Emissions are harder to control on a manual transmissions. FED doesn't like that.

Automatic transmissions now have so many "gears" to keep them in near-perfect speed-to-gear ratios resulting in better mileage. Topped by the unreliable CVTs.

Much more stop-and-go traffic during commutes.  Agree, it's a pain after a few miles.

Too hard to shift while holding a Starbucks and a phone. But I've seen it done. Even harder if you smoke.

Agree with most of what you said. Emission control has just about everything to do with the non-choice of a M/T. On my 2019 truck 5 speed auto with lock up in 4th and 5th when new, I had after about a month of improper shift timing before I took the pan down and removed the TCM (Yes, the TCM is inside the trans) to re-flash it for better timed shifts and 4th gear lock up elimination. I still have connections to the factory after being retired after 18 years. FYI the ratios are great, but they want you in top gear too soon for emissions and 4th gear doesn't need the converter to lock up, only 5th needs it at speeds above 65 mph.  

 My disagreement lies with CVT being reliable. 150,000 miles plus without trouble if you don't hot rod the car, make sure the early ones have proper oil coolers, use proper CVT fluid, 20,000-mile fluid changes (just the sump/never flush) 4 quarts in my cars case.

 Charlie Chayne (Buick chief engineer and champion of Dynaflow) would have loved these CVT transmissions because they accomplish everything he tried to do but couldn't with Dynaflow, Flight Pitch Dynaflow, Dual Path Dynaflow.     

Edited Thursday at 07:50 PM by Pfeil (see edit history)

[Dr B]

3 hours ago, gwells said:

have never owned a daily-driver that wasn't a manual! Wonder how many here can make the same claim?

I can also make that claim. So now 2!

 

Robert 

[Pfeil]

1 hour ago, Dr B said:

I can also make that claim. So now 2!

 

Robert 

I think some day you will not only not have a choice of a manual transmission, but you may never be able to buy a car with an internal combustion engine. Everything is basically set for this to happen in the future. The Titanic set sail more than twenty years ago. I've worked on some of them for over thirty years. Fortunately, I probably won't be around to see the IC's demise. We certainly we have moved away from market driven manufacturing to a you will build this or else. 

Edited Friday at 01:06 AM by Pfeil (see edit history)

[zepher]

I bet there isn't anyone that had to commute in LA traffic that used a manual trans for years.

I did commute in a Toyota Tercel for many years that was a manual.

At that time I was an equipment operator so I rarely used the clutch while in motion.

If I drove it properly, I could get 40mpg.

Still didn't make stop and go traffic any more enjoyable.

[joe_padavano]

19 minutes ago, zepher said:

I bet there isn't anyone that had to commute in LA traffic that used a manual trans for years.

I did commute in a Toyota Tercel for many years that was a manual.

At that time I was an equipment operator so I rarely used the clutch while in motion.

If I drove it properly, I could get 40mpg.

Still didn't make stop and go traffic any more enjoyable.

I rowed the four speed in my 1970 Olds W-30 up and down PCH in the South Bay for a couple of years when I lived in Torrance and worked in El Segundo. I think I only went through two clutches...

[CarNucopia]

I daily a manual car and bought it because I wanted to get one while I could. Genesis offered the G70 sedan with a 6 speed in 2019-2021. I believe it's the last RWD four-door to be offered in stick, other then the BMW M cars. Over the course of the three years, they sold less then 300. It's so rare, most of the people at the dealership I get it serviced at didn't know it existed. When I take it there, they need to be sure they have someone who car move it. For what it's worth, the few stick driving porters think it's really cool. 😁

Edited Friday at 03:29 AM by CarNucopia (see edit history)

[gwells]

1 hour ago, zepher said:

I bet there isn't anyone that had to commute in LA traffic that used a manual trans for years.

I promise you, driving a stick in Atlanta traffic is just as hard as doing it in LA!

 

But having lived in the Atlanta area for more than 52 years and being essentially retired, I'm usually am able to avoid the worst of the traffic problems.

The upside is that so few younger people can drive a manual trans car nowadays, having one actually serves as a theft deterrent!

A small downside is that now many valet parking lots won't accept manual cars, but I can't remember the last time I used valet parking anywhere, so not a big problem for me.

[gwells]

1 hour ago, joe_padavano said:

I think I only went through two clutches...

As far as I can recall, I have never replaced a clutch due to it wearing out. And I drove a number of my manual vehicles between 150,000 and 200,000 miles.

A good friend suggests that clutches only wear out when multiple drivers use the same manual trans car and he may have a point.

[ply33]

I have never worn out a clutch. But I did have one fail due to being oil soaked from a leaky rear main seal. And the hydraulic slave cylinder in my 1991 Jeep needed replacement multiple times.

 

But for the last twenty years my daily drivers have been cars without a manual transmission simply because they get better mileage. The 2004 Prius averaged nearly 50 mpg. My current car fuel cost per mile is around the equivalent of 100 mpg.

[Frank DuVal]

Atlanta!  I am usually in the middle of traffic there around Labor Day. Only place I have been where the Interstate traffic is doing 90 MPH through downtown at 11 PM! I guess that makes up for the stop and go at 5 PM.🤣

 

When I was using my 70 Buick Estate Wagon with the 455 10:1 and three on the tree, if someone borrowed it, it was clutch time! That 455 and highway gearing would smoke a clutch in city traffic easy.  "It's OK, I know how to drive a clutch" they say....NOPE!  😬 The original owner averaged a clutch a year in Charlottesville. 😁

[zepher]

2 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

I rowed the four speed in my 1970 Olds W-30 up and down PCH in the South Bay for a couple of years when I lived in Torrance and worked in El Segundo. I think I only went through two clutches...

I never wore out the clutch on that Toyota.

It had the original clutch when I passed it on with 150k miles on it.

[Buffalowed Bill]

At 80yrs of age I'm older then most of you. Just wait until you are ancient and and you may understand the reason some of us drive a car with AT. 

[joe_padavano]

7 hours ago, gwells said:

As far as I can recall, I have never replaced a clutch due to it wearing out. And I drove a number of my manual vehicles between 150,000 and 200,000 miles.

A good friend suggests that clutches only wear out when multiple drivers use the same manual trans car and he may have a point.

Go back and read the part about commuting with it in L.A. rush hour traffic.

[Hillwilliam]

For 60 years I made my living chiefly on repairing Automatics, yet all 4 cars I have are Standards. I have just found them more economical, even though I had a C6 Ford, my only automatic, last 240,000 miles. But after cancer, I sold all my pre-war cars and now imminent shoulder surgery should make me think twice. But where is the fun in stop lights without a cuss or two? 😊

[mrcvs]

13 hours ago, Pfeil said:

I think some day you will not only not have a choice of a manual transmission, but you may never be able to buy a car with an internal combustion engine. Everything is basically set for this to happen in the future. 

Apparently there will be a benefit being dead.  😀

[Pfeil]

14 hours ago, zepher said:

I bet there isn't anyone that had to commute in LA traffic that used a manual trans for years.

I did commute in a Toyota Tercel for many years that was a manual.

At that time I was an equipment operator so I rarely used the clutch while in motion.

If I drove it properly, I could get 40mpg.

Still didn't make stop and go traffic any more enjoyable.

I have

[Bloo]

I commuted in metro Seattle for years mostly with sticks, and can't really imagine wanting an automatic. So you use the clutch a lot. So what? It becomes second nature. I don't recall having any repeated clutch failures because of it. Logically I must have had more clutch wear than someone who wasn't driving in the city regularly. I never noticed.

[Frank DuVal]

It's not the clutch failure from stop and go traffic, it is the knee failure! If you are in stop and go traffic with a clutch and your knee/legs don't hurt, then that is just a little heavy traffic with no real stops for short periods of time (not long enough to put it in neutral and take your foot off the clutch). If you are in agony, then you have real stop and go traffic, and for an hour at least! If your commute through stop and go traffic is 20, 30 minutes, then again, not stop and go traffic, just a little slow down. Anyone can handle that. Think of it as leg exercise!

 

Come here to I-95 when it snows! I'll show you hours on end in stop and go traffic. People with clutches are screaming in agony!😧

[zepher]

57 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

It's not the clutch failure from stop and go traffic, it is the knee failure! If you are in stop and go traffic with a clutch and your knee/legs don't hurt, then that is just a little heavy traffic with no real stops for short periods of time (not long enough to put it in neutral and take your foot off the clutch). If you are in agony, then you have real stop and go traffic, and for an hour at least! If your commute through stop and go traffic is 20, 30 minutes, then again, not stop and go traffic, just a little slow down. Anyone can handle that. Think of it as leg exercise!

 

Come here to I-95 when it snows! I'll show you hours on end in stop and go traffic. People with clutches are screaming in agony!😧

Exactly.

When I commuted from Orange County to Riverside County the drive was 26 miles.

It often took me 2 hours to travel those 26 miles.

Nothing but stopping then moving up a few feet, stopping then moving up a few feet.

With a hydraulic clutch setup it wasn't too bad, but with the mechanical clutch, Z bar, setup in my Malibu it was horrible.

My left leg was shaking by the time I got home.

[DDTJRAC]

It is. I got a Subi WRX. It was a weekend car. Got rid of my Honda Civic lease and it has been a stick every day since late 2019. It is fine as long as I'm not caught in traffic. Then it is a pain.  

 

 

Internet photo...but this is it.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Because syncro was nots available in the 1992 Roadmaster!!

 

  Ben

Edited 14 hours ago by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history)

[mrcvs]

I have always driven a stick shift as my daily driver.  I did it for 9 years in the DC area on the beltway, Ford Escort with eventually almost 222,000 miles on it and the original clutch.

[TAKerry]

17 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

It's not the clutch failure from stop and go traffic, it is the knee failure! If you are in stop and go traffic with a clutch and your knee/legs don't hurt, then that is just a little heavy traffic with no real stops for short periods of time (not long enough to put it in neutral and take your foot off the clutch). If you are in agony, then you have real stop and go traffic, and for an hour at least! If your commute through stop and go traffic is 20, 30 minutes, then again, not stop and go traffic, just a little slow down. Anyone can handle that. Think of it as leg exercise!

 

Come here to I-95 when it snows! I'll show you hours on end in stop and go traffic. People with clutches are screaming in agony!😧

I was returning from Daytona Bike week riding my Harley. It was late Feb. The weather was ok. We got just south of Fredericksburg and it started raining. No big deal I have rode in the rain often. About the time we hit Fredericksburg it turned to snow. Traffic literally stopped. I was able to creep along in a tire path, but a fuse burnt out and my electric gloves stopped working. My hands froze. I could not squeeze the clutch in with my fingers but had to pull it with my arm. This went on for about 10 miles of pure misery!! The snowed turned back to rain, then it cleared and the sun was out. What a relief. Got to the (old) Wilson bridge and things were luckily congested as a tractor trailer had jackknife on the south bound side. Not thinking why as soon as I hit the metal grate which had about 2 inches of ice I went down sliding for the next several hundred feet. Not a fun time. I suppose this does have a little to do with a clutch, LOL

 

We call the area of I95 from the Wilson bridge to below Fredericksburg as the Fredericksburg Triangle, not unlike the Bermuda Triangle. Lots of places I would rather spend my time than caught up in the traffic there. Def. the worst thing about traveling south.

[1935Packard]

My daily driver is a 6-speed manual. Bought it used, and had to look extra long to find one that wasn’t an automatic.

[Frank DuVal]

I have not seen a big car with a stick since the mid 70s. Sure, lots of mid sized and below, and what they call luxury sedans, but are still small (to me!). I like to stretch out my legs. 😁 I thought the Buick LaCrose and Lucerne was too small after driving Park Avenues.😉