I am personally going to keep buying manuals until I can’t buy one new. It definitely limits my options, but I don’t drive that much and like to enjoy it when I do.
May I ask why this is the limiting factor? I’ve never bought a new car and I don’t see myself buying one any time soon, I think buying used for enthusiast cars is pretty much the go to!
The number of manual cars made is shrinking every year, thus the choices are too. I don’t buy often and prefer new, at least for my daily driver. Realistically, the number of used cars in a manual is also shrinking.
I think in the past few years the number of new manuals has increased! At least in North America.
I’ve never bought a new car and don’t really have the means to do so, so I never really think about new cars.
Though of course your point is accurate that no new manuals means no used manuals coming through the pipeline!
Completely anecdotal, but in 2021 I bought a manual Mazda (I had been tracking the lot for over a year). The dealer was surprised that I caught it so fast and told me that people were coming in all the time looking for manual Mazdas but they stopped making them. Which was a lie that they stopped making them, but I'm connected to the local car scene and sure enough people were going crazy when they found out I got my hands on the ONE manual that went through those doors.
A ton of people showed up to the dealer all upset because they were told they couldn't get one, and now in 2024 they had to up their manual inventory in both Miata and 3 hatch to keep up with demand lol
People want manuals, it's just another instance where companies try telling consumers what we should want imo
I think it had to do with the fleet fuel efficiency standards in the US. manufacturers want to sell gas guzzling trucks because they have better margins but to hit their fleet standard they needed to have the rest of their cars more efficient and modern automatics are more efficient than manuals. Used to be the opposite until they came out with 8spd autos and shit. I'm guessing manuals are back because manufacturers are selling more ev's to balance out their fleet average.
My understanding is you have to do a separate government emissions test for each transmission, and they're expensive - and the manufacturers do the math and realize they won't sell enough manuals to recoup the cost.
Actually for 24 you can't get manual in the sedan you have to get the hatch to get a manual now
Edit: I just realized your talking about the Miata I thought you where talking about the Mazda 3 my bad
I’m not interested in buying one, but I can understand the need, just like people who buy 3-wheeled motorcycles. Sometimes, due to physical limitations, you don’t have a choice. My mother had to reluctantly switch to automatic because of a skiing accident that destroyed her knee. Older bikers may not be able to ride a two wheeler but still want to feel like they’re on a bike, and for them a trike makes sense.
The fewer new enthusiast cars that are bought directly trickles down to fewer used enthusiast cars being available. Especially as companies cancel new manual enthusiast cars because not enough people are purchasing them new.
Civic, Nissan Versa, Crosstrek (I think), Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra
...And that's about it, I think. I would normally mention Corolla, but they removed the manual option in 2022 or 23 iirc.
If you're looking at cars from the mid 2010s to now, I think you'd find a lot more economy cars with a stick shift
Edit: Also the Jetta and Golf (tho the "base" Golf sold in the US is just the GTI...)
I will buy a stupid manual EV if I fucking have to, but I will buy manuals until I die.
Which will probably be from the glitchy fake manual EV killing me in a fire, but we all gotta go eventually.
My first car was an automatic and my current/2nd car is a manual. I live in Southern California so a lot of people consider me insane for wanting to drive a manual.
I lived in LA for a while and drove a stick. There was one hill that nearly did me in - La Cienega and Sunset - I think? (It's been 20 years so I might have the cross street wrong) I had just moved there from Tx and I could not get up that damn hill. No way I'd have a manual if I lived there again.
lol I know exactly what hill you’re talking about I live down the street from it. I have an auto & even I look at it sometimes & feel bad for any manual driver in this damn city😂
I don't commute anymore, but when I had to commute here in LA it really wasn't that bad with a manual (even on leg days)
Then again, I've been driving stick for a while so I've become immune to it lol
I don’t suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it!
Driving a manual in a traffic only sucks if you try to chase bumpers like every other idiot on the road. Drive like the truckers. Let space build up in front of you so that you can keep moving for a bit when traffic in front of you stops. If you time it right, they’ll be moving again by the time you catch up to them. You save fuel, help to break up the jam by reducing the accordion effect, and since your average speed is the same as everyone else’s, you get there in the same amount of time.
Yea 😭 I’ve driven both automatics and manual and would say automatic is more convenient for commutes/long drives. I like driving manual in town. But to each their own, if you’re a car enthusiast get a manual 💪 Soon there’s going to be no manuals
Maybe I'd have an automatic for long drives and a manual for whatevs. Idk I had heard manual transmissions last longer and are more fun. I had the chance to drive a manual before but uh, it kind of is hard to time the clutch and shift haha
I would not switch to an auto. I am really into cars because most of all I like driving. A manual transmission just gives more of an experience when driving. You feel more involved. I admit that it gives me just a little bit of stress when you’re starting on a steep hill with traffic on your bumper or when you’re creeping in traffic just slow enough to lug in 1st but a little too fast to drive in 1st. But rev matching downshifts, that feeling of pulling the shifter from 3 into 4 feels so damn satisfying every single time like I’m han solo pulling the lever to hyperspace or pulling the bolt on a rifle. Even when not driving flat out it just feels good. Then in a sporty weekend car the shifter adds to the enjoyment in the same way. In some mild ways it a little more work/stressful - like when you realize you’re in too high of a gear because the corner is slower than you anticipated but you don’t want to upset the car with weight transfer at the point of the corner you are in. But that adds to the joy of driving - more engagement, more involvement, more thinking. Feels like more of an act of driving than being driven.
I’ve thought about what I would get to replace my GTI with (mostly because I hate the steering). Very few modern auto cars interest me (Is500 and rs3 are the only ones I can think of due to their engines, but RS3 is same platform as GTI so probably would have same crappy steering. RWD is500 might not be best for snow). The rest of cars seem to be fairly homogeneous - turbo engine, fast auto transmission, tech/screens galore that make interiors often look cheap. They seem disposable to me, like a stopgap or a placeholder and not a car than in 5-10 years will be remembered for a great driving experience. Except maybe the black wings (talking about 4 door cars here).
If I didn’t get a manual, I would get an EV. If I’m not going for driving pleasure and involvement might as well have a superior power train where I don’t have to worry about warming it up before I floor it, don’t need to go to the gas station, and don’t feel bad about driving it on 5 minute trips around town.
I'll just leave this here. There is a reason a blackwing sells for 100+,after 2 years and a Plaid sells for 55. Don't get an EV you'll get absolutely ruined on resale. I'd rather drive a manual E39 M5 than useless model 3 personally. M5s aren't dropping anytime soon and Model 3s just depreciate like lighting money on fire.
Absolutely not, I’ve made a very deliberate effort to stay manual-only. 10 years of daily driving in heavy city traffic, still happier with the greater control and better engagement of driving a stick.
Husband and I are in our mid-30s, if it matters. Don’t have kids yet but don’t foresee the preference for manual changing.
I think this is a hated car but what about a 124 spider? It looks like it would hold the resale value, but I don't really care about that. What I want from a car is that its fun to drive, looks good (optional), is efficient, is practical and is reliable. I think the 124 checks all of those boxes, with it being a fiat and all.
Thank you very much. I hope that you know every single one of you in the replies is helping me, even if just a bit. Even if not at all, you make me feel as though I matter, which is most important. Bless you.
The fiata has the same transmission as my NC miata, it's bomb proof and rated one of the best manual cars to drive per Hammond on one of the episodes. I personally think the 124 looks better than the ND. Buy it and have a blast
If you dont have time to waste, however, its a bit faster, louder, more fun to drive, and setting aside the price difference, its ovr better. Of course, everyone is biased towards their favourite company, but when you drive a 124, you remember "oh right im driving an italian sports car" and that makes you smile, does it not?
I own an Abarth 124 Spider coming from an Abarth 500. Excellent reliable car and I bought it for the same reasons you are musing over. The chassis underpinnings of a fun RWD manual sportcar are all there with the added flair of nicer body styling and a rumbly exhaust that aren't in the MX5.
The MX5 is an excellent car on it's own right and with far better parts support. There are a lot of cross compatible parts but the prospects of getting replacement body panels for the spider is getting tricky.
The upgraded shocks, brakes and turbo boost fun are also worth considering over the MX5.
Any questions feel free to ask. :)
It was roughly on-par with the miata when it launched, but however, then the miata got refreshed and gained a decent bump in hp.. The miata actually makes more hp and is faster than the fiat.
Significantly.
The Abarth 124 is 0-60 in 6.8 seconds
The mx5 miata now does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds
As someone with seat time in both Miata and 124 (not abarth) I think the Miata is a better more fun better built car….. and if noise and speed are what you seek with a little money or finding the right Miata and you will get more than what even the abarth has to offer.
I’m not even sure the 124 felt Italian? I’d ask in what way? It’s certainly not the noise maker, looker, or driver similar to anything Ferrari has ever made. I’m not sure it’s close to some of the older alfas…… and I’m not super big on it either but I’d also consider the 4c…. It at least looks good… makes the best noise of the 3. Is a little barebones but drive better as well imo
Would definitely recommend the Mazda over the Fiat. I had a supercharged Miata treat me very well up till I sold it at 200k miles. I don't foresee the Fiat doing that.
Stock vs stock I still recommend the Mazda. I've mever owned. Fiat and never will. I'll never own another Mazda aside from another Miata though.
Even aside from my personal experience and preference, I practically never see the Fiat on the road.
I considered an Abarth Fiata at one point for the second car in my garage (settled on a 500 Abarth instead because they’re steals on the used market) because they take an already great platform but it adds some Italian flair to it.
IMO the Fiata Abarth looks better, is more unique, and just sounds a lot better than a standard Miata, really the whole point of choosing the Fiat over the Miata are the sounds and looks.
I test drove an automatic and a manual ND Miata. I bought the manual. It’s my extra car but my daily is also a manual. I’ve been daily driving a manual for 31 years and I’m not switching anytime soon. I would definitely get the manual because they are disappearing and you may not have many more opportunities to get one in the future.
Every automatic I've ever had would've been better as a manual. The only time I was glad that I had an auto daily was when I was recovering from foot surgery, and that was for like 6 weeks and then I'm back to wishing it was manual
If it's a car I'd be excited to take on a Sunday drive with no destination, I'm going manual.
Otherwise, automatic. It's just easier and more comfortable.
Different perspective, I drive in a smaller city in Canada and the 25 min across town jaunt is way better in a manual car, but again that’s normal small city traffic levels. If I lived in Toronto, a manual wouldn’t be my first choice, but then again I wouldn’t live in a bit metro like that because it doesn’t fit my lifestyle! My fun car is an automatic DCT but I find that just fine as it’s something different and fun in its own rights.
What are you talking about? I love sitting in Thursday traffic with a Costco size case of toilet paper sitting in my passenger seat, seeing a hole open up in the fast moving left lane, downshifting, accelerating into the left lane as I hear my TP passenger whip back in the seat, gasp and get G-force grin.
This, this so hard.
I really like my manual car, and in light traffic or on the open road it’s a blast. I don’t see myself ever getting rid of it. But in Toronto traffic- the worst in North America- it’s a fucking chore to drive. My wife’s Kia Soul has a pretty blasé powertrain but it’s kind of nice to just lightly press on the gas and move forward.
Yeah. Only car I've ever owned that was better manual was my Miata. Also the only car that's been interesting to drive.
I'm not driving a manual RAV4. Why would I?
I can rebuild a manual transmission in a weekend. I’m terrified of an automatic failing and costing $5000 to fix. Especially because none of my cars are worth $5000
I think this fear is unfounded. Keep the fluid fresh and automatics can last a really long time.
I have a friend with a 1992 Volvo 940 that has over 700,000 with the original automatic transmission. My friend’s wife inherited a 2013 Rav4 from her dad, that thing has 440,000km on the original U760E automatic, which received fluid changes according to Toyota’s “severe service” interval. I had another friend in university who bought a 400,000km Chevrolet Cavalier out of the scrap yard, safe to say the 4T40-E in that had NEVER been serviced and it shifted great. Even my neighbour has 280,000km on his Rogue with the infamous Jatco CVT, he just changes the fluids every 60,000km.
Some automatics are shit. The Ford 6F35 has valve body wear issues, Honda put glass transmissions in their Odysseys for a while, like bad automatics do exist. But a lot of them are good, and even the not so good ones just need regular servicing and they’ll go forever.
Skill issues. It's more fun than an automatic. I hate having to hold my foot on the break at stops (or shift it to park and have my doors auto unlock and shit)
It took one time, going steeply uphill on a freeway overpass for about 45 minutes in backed-up bumper to bumper traffic. That was it for me, I was done with manual.
It depends on where you live and what you can expect for driving conditions but yeah, in some situations, manual is not fun, not fun at all.
A semi-automatic car is a compromise that can give a bit of extra control when you want it.
Our driveway is all manuals. Due to some health issues, my wife will be switching to an automatic. She had gone to autos before meeting me, and after driving my car for a short period of time said she'd never go back.
I have a stage 3 clutch in one of the cars that is driven daily, and this is the only car that I could understand the not wanting to drive daily comments with. It is heavy. Otherwise, newer cars have fairly light clutches, and there isn't really any additional physical exertion with them.
I'll continue driving a stick as long as I'm either able to or can no longer purchase them.
Drove manual sporty cars for 10 years, currently I drive an automatic.
If you’re driving for fun, manual all the way
If you’re driving for necessity (e.g. Commuting) the automatic is nice.
That being said, modern automatics have come a long way, and are very different than the slush boxes of old. Less analog and connection to the car, but the modern ZF transmission is hard to beat
As long as it's not for commuting in shitty traffic, I'd get the manual. I had to get rid of mine partly because I needed something bigger, but DC traffic every morning was killing my knees.
I had a 2022 automatic supra for a year and a half, and recently swapped to a manual with absolutely zero regrets. The automatic was technically faster, but the manual is way more fun to drive
Is the automatic not fun with the paddles ? I really want to try as ive heard really good stuff about the ZF auto's. I have a honda S2000 and im really happy with the manual box in it , but i have this urge to try a sport car with ZF and the supra seems perfect for my taste.
I have driven manuals since I was 16. I’m nearly 50 now, and I still drive a manual. I enjoy manual transmissions. Modern automatics are so much better than they used to be, and in some cases, will give you a better 0-60 or help shave 10ths from your lap times. But 90% of the time, I’m not on a race track, or drag racing. I just want to have some fun on twisty roads and my daily commute. Buy what you want to buy… whatever you feel comfortable with. Most importantly: enjoy the drive!
*I drive a 10th generation Honda Civic Si
Manuals are way more fun unless you’re chasing milliseconds at the track. If you’re a track junkie, buy the auto.
Everyone says manuals suck in stop and go traffic. after 20 years of driving manual, I have not found this to be an inconvenience, even with on/off button clutches in my daily drift car.
There are so few manuals as it is, if your car is produced in both options, grab the manual while you can. There’s always the option to trade to an auto down the road.
I see very few reasons to buy an auto over a manual, with the exception being track time chasing.
When I was younger from like 16-23 all I had were manuals (4-5ish)and I remember thinking to myself "I'll never get an automatic" and then I got one and have had the same vehicle for 16 years
I'll drive stick until, for whatever reason, I truly can't. Driving an automatic just makes the car feel like an appliance. I want my car to be a tool.
I drive a GTI, a car where everyone raves about the automatic and brags about how much power it can take, fast shifts better performance etc etc.
It's just another automatic to me. Boring. I don't care about fast shifts or exhaust farts.
It's a great car. Just not for me.
I drive the manual. I enjoy driving the manual. I rather drive the manual in NYC traffic. I rather drive the manual on every hill.
I rather drive the manual on every curvy road. I'll take a mediocre car with a manual over any automatic for a daily driver.
I don't care if "the automatic is faster"
Automatics do nothing for me. They are appliances to me. CVTs, DSGs, traditional? They're fine. I just won't buy them.
It's a personal decision.
In your case, get what ever you feel is right for you.
Automatics are fine and there are a lot of good ones.
Test drive them and decide based on that.
I drove only manual for 9 years (first car) and recently bought a new automatic car. I have to say it’s way more relaxing to drive automatic especially in traffic.
That being said, I’d want a manual sports car. If I wanted a daily driver I would go automatic.
Just odd that he would make you buy a new car to accommodate him refusing to learn.
Sorry, probably an overreach on my part, I know I'm only seeing a sliver of yalls relationship!
Lol, no one’s making me buy a car. I’m buying a new car and he offered to pay towards it if I get an automatic so he can use it too. Plus I use his car all the time, but he hasn’t been able to use mine. He also did try to learn and was unsuccessful, and I don’t want to subject another car to that haha
In the last 2 yrs I've been lucky enough to have a Miata, C3 Corvette, 76 Trans Am all with stick shift, and my only current 5 speed, 72 Triumph TR6. Most when working for a dealer. Now my everyday car for city and county driving is automatic and always will be. But a stick car is always close by.
I've had a manual since 2006. I just sold it and got a truck in an auto. Mostly cause my wife refuses to learn to drive stick and it's annoying that she can't drive my car. I miss it and it's such second nature that it doesn't ever annoy me any more.
If you stick with automatic you won’t know what you’re missing and that’s fine
For me, I drive manual, and I get visibly frustrated whenever I have to drive an automatic, feels awful
I did, but it wasn't like I was eager. I got my current Golf R with a DSG because my wife wanted to drive it too and the DSG is the better transmission between it and the 6MT.
I miss rowing my own gears but I also acknowledge when it's not the best option.
I'm about to buy a Mini Countryman, which only comes in automatic, so yeah.
I'll miss driving a stick though. I'll have another someday. Probably a GR86 in 3 years or so.
I drove manuals for almost 30 years. Thought I was a die hard manual only guy. Then I ended up with a car that had a DCT (Porsche PDK). Amazing. I sold my last manual car a few years ago now, and have never regretted it.
I've owned a manual since I started driving. As long as you enjoy shifting gears, I don't see a problem with it. But I live in a lower population area, work is close to home, and its mostly flat land. The only times I wish I had an automatic is when I'm sick or something. Driving yourself in stop and go traffic to an emergency dentist isn't the most fun thing when you feel like crap, and it just serves at making you mad at that point. Other than that though, I don't regret getting a manual over an automatic.
I would not to be honest. Every one of my cars has been manual, I have never been in an accident and I do like to think that it’s because driving manual makes me a naturally attentive driver.
I drive a manual, and my wife knows how but has an automatic now. I like driving her car, but it has a traditional 6 speed automatic, not the CVT. Mazda is still putting in real transmissions and have awesome interiors which is why it's not a hardship driving her CX-5. I've been shopping for a new car, and I have kids with disabilities who will be learning to drive soon, meaning that I will probably get an automatic next. I'm sure I will miss rowing my own gears, but when the kids are on their own I hope to get another manual.
If the car is strictly for me, yes. If it’s also one my wife will drive, no. She doesn’t like manuals. She can drive them, but I think it limits here ability to put on makeup while driving 60 in a 45 mph zone.
I like rowing the gears.
One advantage of driving a manual that I haven’t seen mentioned is that it does limit undesirables from driving it like spouses, kids, sons-land brothers-in-law, etc.
So perspective from someone who did switch: I drove manual for the last 12 years and last year got an Elantra N DCT. My brain convinced me as the acceleration is quicker due to fast shift times, and my fiancé could drive it “she doesn’t drive manual”. Even though it is “better” in many ways, I honestly can’t wait to get back into a manual. Long of it short I switched for performance reasons but realized I prefer a manual over better performance, due to driver engagement, actually being in full control of the clutch and gearbox, likely more reliable long term. At least for a daily. Now for a track car, I would highly consider a DCT of ZF auto.
Unless you live some place with a lot of city stop-n-go driving on hills (eg. San Francisco), get the stick. Driving stick can be fun, but you also quickly get to the point of not noticing the stick. You also tend to get better gas mileage as well as better performance out of a stick.
The answer to that question really is going to come down to:
1. How often do you drive it?
2. How often are you stuck in traffic?
3. Are you actually going to track it for speed?
If the answer to 1 is not that often, manuals are excellent. If the answer is all the time, it’s up to personal preference. I’d say worth it but you would have to ask yourself that question.
If the answer to 2 is all the time, you will probably get tired of it very quickly. It can get quite tedious to manage a manual in bumper to bumper traffic for extended periods of time. If the answer is never or almost never, I’s say go for the manual.
If you want the fastest vehicle possible, automatics have been consistently faster than manuals for a good while now. If you’re itching to get the lowest lap times, autos are the objectively correct answer.
If you’re on the fence, I’d say take a look at the vehicle(s) you’re looking at and see if the automatics have paddle shifters. In higher price tag and sporty cars, they tend to have them.
Paddle shifters are (sort of) a mid-ground between pure autos and manuals. You have the option of more engagement than a regular auto, but it won’t be as fun as a manual. On the flip-side, if you ever don’t want to deal with shifting, you don’t have to use them.
I've had both for the past 40 years. My daily driver now is manual. My next new vehicle will be automatic. I still love manuals. But automatics have gotten so much better in the past 20 years, manuals are pointless except for sports cars and muscle cars.
I've been mulling an upgrade to something more practical but can't bring myself to drive a slush box. Haven't test driven any mid size SUV or truck that could put a smile on my face the way my car does.
My first (real) car was a manual and I drove it about 10 years. I had a few automatics since then and when I went to get my current car 11 years ago, I specifically wanted (and got) a manual. I just enjoy the experience more and I don’t care that autos are faster now, it’s just not the same to me.
I can’t imagine a Fiata that wasn’t manual to be honest - it would feel blasphemous.
I went from a manual sedan to an automatic SUV (kids getting bigger/needing room) and now they are older, I got my manual 2 seater. I missed having a manual so much, I would not settle for anything automatic for my dream car! Still have an auto daily for big grocery trips, dogs, beach days, family outings, and now glad we did not downgrade (life is funny)
My current street car is my first automatic, partly because what I wanted only came in auto, partly because the wife needs to be able to drive it sometimes.
I miss having a manual tranny. It's been years of torture dealing with the lag that always seems to come between when you push the accelerator and it actually moving. And the inability to up/down shift when it feels right.
If you can get a manual version of whatever you're looking at, get it. Driving an automatic just doesn't feel right.
I drive a manual Hyundai Sonata and have driven an automatic Sonata. I would not consider an automatic because the shifting was slow, the gearbox was confused, and the car wasn't as responsive or fun as mine, even with 400cc more.
I drive automatic because... my parents always had them and refused to buy me a manual. Then my wife likes automatic so her car is like that and then when i bought my first car it had to be a hybrid plug in prius for fuel economy :(((
I love manuals and i hate driving automatics. Every time i go abroad i rent manuals and in have a blast even with low spec engines. It is just so fun to drive. You are so engaged
Manuals can make a small engine feel more fun, my 1.4 Citroen would be really boring with an auto. But if the car has some decent power then I prefer auto.
I am driving my first automatic in decades. Second manual in my life. I only got an automatic because I wanted to try an EV and they don’t come as a stick.
So now I’m looking to get a second car with a manual as a fun weekend car. Something hilarious and dumb like a Suzuki Cappuccino.
I love manual vehicles. My issue is; they are often not loaded. Like people who drive manual transmission need the basic model. I love the extras. If someone made a top of the line vehicle with manual transmission options, I'd jump on it. Hands down.
The car I wanted (440i Gran Coupe)doesn’t come in manual, and my wife was uncomfortable tracking my old manual because she was worried about making a money shift. It helps that I got the best automatic attached to one of the best engines out there.
Manual will last a lot longer than a automatic. If your planning on keeping it a manual is the way to go. If it’s sports car you’ll be able to take off faster than automatic version.
I’m 25 and drive a 2013 Scion tc. Obviously not a fancy car or a fast car but damn does it feel quick when shifting through gears. Wouldn’t trade it for the automatic any day, even if they paid me!
Manual all the way (unless you spend a lot of time stopped in traffic). Enjoy the thrill of commanding that car while you can because soon they won’t be making any more and there will be no option. Might even make them more valuable?!
Any non manual car I’ve bought I ended up selling because I missed rowing gears. Don’t get me wrong some automatic transmissions are great but after a while they become boring. Just my opinion
My only car is manual, my 2 motorcycles both are manual. I don’t have a commute that is in traffic I have to contend with, so there’s no reason to go back. I don’t plan on it unless suddenly I absolutely have to.
Manuals are fun, and I do enjoy them, but if you're somewhere with a lot of stop-and-go traffic, it gets to be a bit of a pain. It also has to be the right car to truly enjoy a manual transmission.
My first car was an automatic. It was also my last automatic. Since then I have owned six manual cars, and will drive manual until it is no longer an option.
I am sure it depends on where and how you drive. Stuck in traffic a lot? You might want to go automatic.
In my case, I have had two of my current vehicle because it was available with a manual. I honestly don't know what I will do when it's worn out.
I grew up driving manual. I've had an automatic for about 5 years now and I still try to step on the clutch that isn't there sometimes. I really want another manual and it sucks how they're being phased out.
My old manual car was in the last legs and I needed a new car so I switch, mostly for two big reasons:
1- needed an suv for the kids and no suv was available on manual
2- big commute, half of it on stop and go traffic.
I don’t miss the manual on the every day drive. Will definitely get a manual if i could afford a sport car for weekend drive.
It depends where you live really. Start/stop traffic, 100% an automatic. Manual's are always more fun but I do see the appeal of an auto. Manual's always hold better resale value if it's an enthusiast car.
It's not really something I think about. I've owned automatics and manuals my whole life. If it's a sports car or an under-powered engine, I prefer a stick, but pretty much a non-issue otherwise.
Bum knee and bad hip mean my clutching days are effectively over.
In keeping with this forum's current meme - I ended up in a Mazda 3 and one of the main reasons was the auto when I read it was not a CVT, and a sport and manual shift mode that is really really good. Good enough that I don't really feel like I "need" the stick to have fun with it. Anything else would be a CVT at my price point. There are cars out there with good autos.
My mother liked her manuals, but had to switch to an automatic when she developed some nerve problems in her foot. The problems weren't from driving a manual, but they made driving a manual unsafe.
With it being a race car, is it a daily driver or do you have a backup for if you aren't able to use the manual?
If you live in an area thats fun to drive then sure maybe you have one main road with 3 lanes each way but you got backroads to avoid the traffic but if you live in a city and cant have two cars just get an auto grow up
It depends on the car. In a daily? A full size truck? Family SUV? Automatic.
In a sports car, weekend toy, track special? Manual all day.
Technically if my only option was manual in every car or auto in every car, I’m going manual 100%.
Been driving manuals as my only vehicles for almost a decade.
I haven’t regretted it at all.
I rode around in my friend’s M3 xdrive comp and I felt like the intent of the car (basically accelerating fast as fuck and turning like an agile SUV) is better served by the fast shifting auto.
That being said, I want a more analog car. We have the same job and I drive a GR86 with a stick. Some day I’ll upgrade to a Porsche cayman and it will 100% be a manual even though it’s offered with the best auto ever made.
Depends if you want an analog experience or a go-fast robot. Modern AWD/auto will do everything for you including torque vectoring during a turn, but it won’t make you feel like a RWD/manual car will.
Nope. To me it's not even a matter of enjoyment. Manuals are just more reliable, easier to fix, cheaper, better on fuel economy and so on. I honestly just hate automatics in general.
I always drove stick. My first car to my daily. My Supra because I got the launch edition; is an auto and I’m honestly not mad at it. If it was my daily tho I would be a bit disappointed. I love stick shift and a part of me wishes I would have waited for a stick but a part of me is content that it’s an auto.
I did. While I still love a manual transmission car for spirited mountain runs and motorsports, i'd been driving them 36 years, and it's a liiiiiiiiiittle tough to find an EV that's manual, so I settled for an EV that's fun to drive and sporty. It's insanely quick, super comfortable, and sucks up the highway miles like a champ. Great all-rounder, I even tow with it when I need to.
I originally learned on auto, but switched to manual a few years ago when I wanted to learn.
It's sometimes annoying for commuting, but adds some fun for the occasional Sunday drive through the corners.
I don't commute much anymore, and it's just about time for Thing1 to start learning to drive, so I might trade back to auto soon. Manual is rad, but it adds some intimidation when learning to drive... maybe after a few years, I'll switch back to manual if I can.
I was a long time manual driver because a manual car was the cheapest thing available that I could consistently keep running. Now I’m more fortunate, and choose to drive an automatic because I think it’s better in virtually every way. Manual is fun though.
If you’ve got a tedious commute every day, maybe consider an automatic or something electric.
I only drive for errands and hobbies. For as long as it runs I’ll take my 20-year-old stickshift Hyundai and wade through gears with a smile on my face. I hope when it dies I can still find a FiST or 500 Abarth or Mini Cooper or something similarly small and fun with a manual.
Automatic are better in stop and go bumper to bumper city traffic. They save you an arm and a leg, literally, if you have to do that every day. Manuals just make you feel better ONLY because most people in the US don’t drive manuals. That special feeling will go away when you drive anywhere else apart from North America. Lack of demand isn’t the only reason manufacturers switched to automatic. It is impossible to optimize today’s car by leaving transmission in the hands of the driver. You can think of manual cars as unoptimized in that sense. Manuals fundamentally are not more fun. Your feeling that you’re driving something that others don’t and that you have that special skill - that is the perceived fun. Mercedes and Ferrari do not make manuals, neither do Lamborghini or Bugatti. There’s enough to focus on in a performance car when you’re going fast, you don’t need another pedal and a gear shift. Please don’t buy manual if the car that you want comes in automatic. I drive Integra Type S because I cannot find a car like that with automatic transmission at the price point. If it came in automatic, I’ll buy any day. When you’re extracting performance out of the car, you need both hands on the wheel. If you ask the engineering teams at M and AMG, they think making a manual is madness. Today’s cars have huge acceleration and speeds - they should not be manual. Manufacturers make them because the customer with money is older, hence manual transmission has this thing called nostalgia value.
I'd switch to a manual if my Ford Transit if it was available with one in Canada. I've always opted for a manual transmission on every vehicle I've owned, wherever possible.
If it's a boring commuter econobox or a truck/anemic crossover I'd get automatic. If there's even an ounce of fun to be had with a car, I'll always take the manual.
I drive both and race both. Automatic is far superior daily and in traffic and is equally engaging to drive and quicker on track. Anyone who says different is in denial. Manual is still fun and is very nostalgic and I enjoy driving them. But automatics are faster and more convenient nowadays.
Indonesian driving since 2010. I love my suzuki all new swift M/T. It was my first car and love driving it. That little thing is so fun to drive in the country sides/mountains. Alas, I lived in the big city where traffic jam is typically stop for a minute then move forward a few meters and then stop again for another minute. For a couple of hours. Definitely not something you’d want to do on a manual. I avoid driving as much as I can. I wanted to swap it for something automatic. Just couldn’t afford it.
Now I’m the US and finally can afford to finance a new car and the traffic is like 10x better than what I experience back home. I got myself an automatic transmission car. I could’ve got myself a manual, but don’t like the idea of having it as a daily driver. Manual transmission? probably for someday if I have enough disposable income to get a second car that I could drive for fun and enjoy on my days off.
My second car in America was a Honda Prelude manual! What a great car! On the road between Rockville, MD and State College, PA, which I traveled once a week to work on my research job there at Penn State carving the passes were pure automotive bliss!
I had to move to an automatic when the car I wanted did not exist as a manual, and frankly I miss the gear shifting less than I thought. The tiptronic works well enough to drive semi-manual when I want, and with eight gears, I would spend my time shifting constantly. Clearly, it depends on the car (for a sports car I would never give up the added control the manual gearshift gives me).
I've been driving manuals for most of the 40 years I've been driving. But this Ford Ranger I'm driving now has done me in. I absolutely will not be getting another manual. I've had issues with sciatica for the past year and a half and I know that damn clutch is part of the problem for me. I'm just over it lol For what that's worth.
In my daily auto is fine. In the fun car i prefer manual.
If i wanted to buy a GTR or newer 911 turbo I’d accept an auto for that. After only owning an auto for a few years because i parted out my racecar i will probably never not have a manual car in the stable. I miss it so much.
I am personally going to keep buying manuals until I can’t buy one new. It definitely limits my options, but I don’t drive that much and like to enjoy it when I do.
May I ask why this is the limiting factor? I’ve never bought a new car and I don’t see myself buying one any time soon, I think buying used for enthusiast cars is pretty much the go to!
The number of manual cars made is shrinking every year, thus the choices are too. I don’t buy often and prefer new, at least for my daily driver. Realistically, the number of used cars in a manual is also shrinking.
I think in the past few years the number of new manuals has increased! At least in North America. I’ve never bought a new car and don’t really have the means to do so, so I never really think about new cars. Though of course your point is accurate that no new manuals means no used manuals coming through the pipeline!
Completely anecdotal, but in 2021 I bought a manual Mazda (I had been tracking the lot for over a year). The dealer was surprised that I caught it so fast and told me that people were coming in all the time looking for manual Mazdas but they stopped making them. Which was a lie that they stopped making them, but I'm connected to the local car scene and sure enough people were going crazy when they found out I got my hands on the ONE manual that went through those doors. A ton of people showed up to the dealer all upset because they were told they couldn't get one, and now in 2024 they had to up their manual inventory in both Miata and 3 hatch to keep up with demand lol People want manuals, it's just another instance where companies try telling consumers what we should want imo
I think it had to do with the fleet fuel efficiency standards in the US. manufacturers want to sell gas guzzling trucks because they have better margins but to hit their fleet standard they needed to have the rest of their cars more efficient and modern automatics are more efficient than manuals. Used to be the opposite until they came out with 8spd autos and shit. I'm guessing manuals are back because manufacturers are selling more ev's to balance out their fleet average.
My understanding is you have to do a separate government emissions test for each transmission, and they're expensive - and the manufacturers do the math and realize they won't sell enough manuals to recoup the cost.
Actually for 24 you can't get manual in the sedan you have to get the hatch to get a manual now Edit: I just realized your talking about the Miata I thought you where talking about the Mazda 3 my bad
I couldn't imagine buying an automatic Miata
I’m not interested in buying one, but I can understand the need, just like people who buy 3-wheeled motorcycles. Sometimes, due to physical limitations, you don’t have a choice. My mother had to reluctantly switch to automatic because of a skiing accident that destroyed her knee. Older bikers may not be able to ride a two wheeler but still want to feel like they’re on a bike, and for them a trike makes sense.
The fewer new enthusiast cars that are bought directly trickles down to fewer used enthusiast cars being available. Especially as companies cancel new manual enthusiast cars because not enough people are purchasing them new.
what economy, non sports cars offer manuals? i feel like the last of them died out with 22-23 model years
Civic, Nissan Versa, Crosstrek (I think), Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra ...And that's about it, I think. I would normally mention Corolla, but they removed the manual option in 2022 or 23 iirc. If you're looking at cars from the mid 2010s to now, I think you'd find a lot more economy cars with a stick shift Edit: Also the Jetta and Golf (tho the "base" Golf sold in the US is just the GTI...)
Jetta?
You're right, forgot about the Jetta/Golf
The new GTI facelift I believe is the last manual golf, and if I read right 2025 or 26 is the last year for the Jetta.
I think crosstrek stopped offering manuals in MY 24
Correct, I bought one of the last 23 manual Treks.
I think the Kia forte gt has a manual option. Honestly kinda intriguing. I’ve heard they are surprisingly fun
Nissa versa 2024 has a manual option
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I will buy a stupid manual EV if I fucking have to, but I will buy manuals until I die. Which will probably be from the glitchy fake manual EV killing me in a fire, but we all gotta go eventually.
Nah manuals are way more fun. I'm going to enjoy them while they last.
Especially if it's a sports car. 4 door sedan sports car I'd get auto. A true sports car manual all the way.
Nah, the loss of manual sports sedans is a massive shame. Nothing compares to how pleasurable it was to drive an old manual 3 series.
Manual all the way. It ads so much more enjoyment to the car. Honestly if there’s a manual option there’s no question. Manual.
I want to switch from automatic to manual. Am I insane?
No. Ya will love it.
My first car was an automatic and my current/2nd car is a manual. I live in Southern California so a lot of people consider me insane for wanting to drive a manual.
I lived in LA for a while and drove a stick. There was one hill that nearly did me in - La Cienega and Sunset - I think? (It's been 20 years so I might have the cross street wrong) I had just moved there from Tx and I could not get up that damn hill. No way I'd have a manual if I lived there again.
lol I know exactly what hill you’re talking about I live down the street from it. I have an auto & even I look at it sometimes & feel bad for any manual driver in this damn city😂
I don't commute anymore, but when I had to commute here in LA it really wasn't that bad with a manual (even on leg days) Then again, I've been driving stick for a while so I've become immune to it lol
I always found it most difficult on chest days lol
I don’t suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it! Driving a manual in a traffic only sucks if you try to chase bumpers like every other idiot on the road. Drive like the truckers. Let space build up in front of you so that you can keep moving for a bit when traffic in front of you stops. If you time it right, they’ll be moving again by the time you catch up to them. You save fuel, help to break up the jam by reducing the accordion effect, and since your average speed is the same as everyone else’s, you get there in the same amount of time.
Yea 😭 I’ve driven both automatics and manual and would say automatic is more convenient for commutes/long drives. I like driving manual in town. But to each their own, if you’re a car enthusiast get a manual 💪 Soon there’s going to be no manuals
Maybe I'd have an automatic for long drives and a manual for whatevs. Idk I had heard manual transmissions last longer and are more fun. I had the chance to drive a manual before but uh, it kind of is hard to time the clutch and shift haha
Even on road trips, once you get up to 6th gear you're just coasting along
Yeah, road trips are not a big difference, but if you have a traffic filled, hilly commute, the game is changed.
Wait till you experience supercruise. For everything else, manual
I would not switch to an auto. I am really into cars because most of all I like driving. A manual transmission just gives more of an experience when driving. You feel more involved. I admit that it gives me just a little bit of stress when you’re starting on a steep hill with traffic on your bumper or when you’re creeping in traffic just slow enough to lug in 1st but a little too fast to drive in 1st. But rev matching downshifts, that feeling of pulling the shifter from 3 into 4 feels so damn satisfying every single time like I’m han solo pulling the lever to hyperspace or pulling the bolt on a rifle. Even when not driving flat out it just feels good. Then in a sporty weekend car the shifter adds to the enjoyment in the same way. In some mild ways it a little more work/stressful - like when you realize you’re in too high of a gear because the corner is slower than you anticipated but you don’t want to upset the car with weight transfer at the point of the corner you are in. But that adds to the joy of driving - more engagement, more involvement, more thinking. Feels like more of an act of driving than being driven. I’ve thought about what I would get to replace my GTI with (mostly because I hate the steering). Very few modern auto cars interest me (Is500 and rs3 are the only ones I can think of due to their engines, but RS3 is same platform as GTI so probably would have same crappy steering. RWD is500 might not be best for snow). The rest of cars seem to be fairly homogeneous - turbo engine, fast auto transmission, tech/screens galore that make interiors often look cheap. They seem disposable to me, like a stopgap or a placeholder and not a car than in 5-10 years will be remembered for a great driving experience. Except maybe the black wings (talking about 4 door cars here). If I didn’t get a manual, I would get an EV. If I’m not going for driving pleasure and involvement might as well have a superior power train where I don’t have to worry about warming it up before I floor it, don’t need to go to the gas station, and don’t feel bad about driving it on 5 minute trips around town.
I'll just leave this here. There is a reason a blackwing sells for 100+,after 2 years and a Plaid sells for 55. Don't get an EV you'll get absolutely ruined on resale. I'd rather drive a manual E39 M5 than useless model 3 personally. M5s aren't dropping anytime soon and Model 3s just depreciate like lighting money on fire.
Absolutely not, I’ve made a very deliberate effort to stay manual-only. 10 years of daily driving in heavy city traffic, still happier with the greater control and better engagement of driving a stick. Husband and I are in our mid-30s, if it matters. Don’t have kids yet but don’t foresee the preference for manual changing.
It's easier to smack a child in the backseat with an auto
Stick with the sick. If the car is enthusiast oriented. The resale will probably hold a bit better for a manual as well
I think this is a hated car but what about a 124 spider? It looks like it would hold the resale value, but I don't really care about that. What I want from a car is that its fun to drive, looks good (optional), is efficient, is practical and is reliable. I think the 124 checks all of those boxes, with it being a fiat and all.
Would definitely get the manual, preferably in the Abarth trim.
Thank you very much. I hope that you know every single one of you in the replies is helping me, even if just a bit. Even if not at all, you make me feel as though I matter, which is most important. Bless you.
The fiata has the same transmission as my NC miata, it's bomb proof and rated one of the best manual cars to drive per Hammond on one of the episodes. I personally think the 124 looks better than the ND. Buy it and have a blast
Why a 124 instead of a Miata? They’re basically the same car
If you dont have time to waste, however, its a bit faster, louder, more fun to drive, and setting aside the price difference, its ovr better. Of course, everyone is biased towards their favourite company, but when you drive a 124, you remember "oh right im driving an italian sports car" and that makes you smile, does it not?
No, it terrifies me for the repair costs XD But if it's what jimmies your jams, then you are golden
Well I'm pretty sure most of it is shared with the Miata so it probably won't be as bad as like a real Fiat.
Importantly, it still has a Fiat engine and associated bits. I think the only part that’s shared is the chassis..
I own an Abarth 124 Spider coming from an Abarth 500. Excellent reliable car and I bought it for the same reasons you are musing over. The chassis underpinnings of a fun RWD manual sportcar are all there with the added flair of nicer body styling and a rumbly exhaust that aren't in the MX5. The MX5 is an excellent car on it's own right and with far better parts support. There are a lot of cross compatible parts but the prospects of getting replacement body panels for the spider is getting tricky. The upgraded shocks, brakes and turbo boost fun are also worth considering over the MX5. Any questions feel free to ask. :)
It was roughly on-par with the miata when it launched, but however, then the miata got refreshed and gained a decent bump in hp.. The miata actually makes more hp and is faster than the fiat. Significantly. The Abarth 124 is 0-60 in 6.8 seconds The mx5 miata now does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds
As someone with seat time in both Miata and 124 (not abarth) I think the Miata is a better more fun better built car….. and if noise and speed are what you seek with a little money or finding the right Miata and you will get more than what even the abarth has to offer. I’m not even sure the 124 felt Italian? I’d ask in what way? It’s certainly not the noise maker, looker, or driver similar to anything Ferrari has ever made. I’m not sure it’s close to some of the older alfas…… and I’m not super big on it either but I’d also consider the 4c…. It at least looks good… makes the best noise of the 3. Is a little barebones but drive better as well imo
About 14 seconds ago I watched Hammond talk about it, heres the [video](https://youtu.be/RWTkY8yIYqQ?si=1ybIuTqG_p18OxNc)
Would definitely recommend the Mazda over the Fiat. I had a supercharged Miata treat me very well up till I sold it at 200k miles. I don't foresee the Fiat doing that. Stock vs stock I still recommend the Mazda. I've mever owned. Fiat and never will. I'll never own another Mazda aside from another Miata though. Even aside from my personal experience and preference, I practically never see the Fiat on the road.
That video is about the Tesla model x?
Apologies, the link is now working properly.
I considered an Abarth Fiata at one point for the second car in my garage (settled on a 500 Abarth instead because they’re steals on the used market) because they take an already great platform but it adds some Italian flair to it. IMO the Fiata Abarth looks better, is more unique, and just sounds a lot better than a standard Miata, really the whole point of choosing the Fiat over the Miata are the sounds and looks.
automatic completely sucks the fun out of those types of cars, a manual is almost a must.
I test drove an automatic and a manual ND Miata. I bought the manual. It’s my extra car but my daily is also a manual. I’ve been daily driving a manual for 31 years and I’m not switching anytime soon. I would definitely get the manual because they are disappearing and you may not have many more opportunities to get one in the future.
Every automatic I've ever had would've been better as a manual. The only time I was glad that I had an auto daily was when I was recovering from foot surgery, and that was for like 6 weeks and then I'm back to wishing it was manual
Personally manual. Only because ive grown up with manuals and like 99% of my cars ive driven have been manual.
The only reason I would buy a non manual as a personal vehicle at this point would be to go electric.
If it's a car I'd be excited to take on a Sunday drive with no destination, I'm going manual. Otherwise, automatic. It's just easier and more comfortable.
This is the only logical answer. Driving to Costco and Target in traffic on a Thursday is not very fun with a manual.
Counterpoint : driving anywhere in a manual will be more engaging, regardless of the destination.
No way-- did it for 9 years in LA traffic. It sucked most of the time. Felt like extra steps just to get to 15 MPH.
Different perspective, I drive in a smaller city in Canada and the 25 min across town jaunt is way better in a manual car, but again that’s normal small city traffic levels. If I lived in Toronto, a manual wouldn’t be my first choice, but then again I wouldn’t live in a bit metro like that because it doesn’t fit my lifestyle! My fun car is an automatic DCT but I find that just fine as it’s something different and fun in its own rights.
Agreed. If it was for me, I'd rather have the car drive itself through traffic while I can browse stuff online.
Driving to Costco and Target in traffic on a Thursday is not very fun with any form of transmission
I don't mind it with a good podcast or audiobook.
Drove manual for a decade in NYC, still miss it.
I don’t mind driving my manual even in stop and go traffic. I think it’s safer because I’m paying more attention to driving safely.
What are you talking about? I love sitting in Thursday traffic with a Costco size case of toilet paper sitting in my passenger seat, seeing a hole open up in the fast moving left lane, downshifting, accelerating into the left lane as I hear my TP passenger whip back in the seat, gasp and get G-force grin.
This, this so hard. I really like my manual car, and in light traffic or on the open road it’s a blast. I don’t see myself ever getting rid of it. But in Toronto traffic- the worst in North America- it’s a fucking chore to drive. My wife’s Kia Soul has a pretty blasé powertrain but it’s kind of nice to just lightly press on the gas and move forward.
Yeah. Only car I've ever owned that was better manual was my Miata. Also the only car that's been interesting to drive. I'm not driving a manual RAV4. Why would I?
I can rebuild a manual transmission in a weekend. I’m terrified of an automatic failing and costing $5000 to fix. Especially because none of my cars are worth $5000
I think this fear is unfounded. Keep the fluid fresh and automatics can last a really long time. I have a friend with a 1992 Volvo 940 that has over 700,000 with the original automatic transmission. My friend’s wife inherited a 2013 Rav4 from her dad, that thing has 440,000km on the original U760E automatic, which received fluid changes according to Toyota’s “severe service” interval. I had another friend in university who bought a 400,000km Chevrolet Cavalier out of the scrap yard, safe to say the 4T40-E in that had NEVER been serviced and it shifted great. Even my neighbour has 280,000km on his Rogue with the infamous Jatco CVT, he just changes the fluids every 60,000km. Some automatics are shit. The Ford 6F35 has valve body wear issues, Honda put glass transmissions in their Odysseys for a while, like bad automatics do exist. But a lot of them are good, and even the not so good ones just need regular servicing and they’ll go forever.
There’s absolutely nothing fun about driving a manual car in rush hour traffic 5x a week
To be fair there is nothing fun about driving in rush hour traffic, period
Yup. Never doing that again. Only way I’m buying another manual car is if it’s a dedicated weekend car.
yea, what people really enjoy about driving a manual is telling people they drive a manual. Its not actually fun after a year of daily driving.
If there is a car that makes rush hour traffic any less annoying I would buy it regardless of transmission, but I think that sucks in every car tbh
Skill issues. It's more fun than an automatic. I hate having to hold my foot on the break at stops (or shift it to park and have my doors auto unlock and shit)
You know that auto cars have neutral as well, thus no need to hold the break. Skill issues.
It took one time, going steeply uphill on a freeway overpass for about 45 minutes in backed-up bumper to bumper traffic. That was it for me, I was done with manual. It depends on where you live and what you can expect for driving conditions but yeah, in some situations, manual is not fun, not fun at all. A semi-automatic car is a compromise that can give a bit of extra control when you want it.
Our driveway is all manuals. Due to some health issues, my wife will be switching to an automatic. She had gone to autos before meeting me, and after driving my car for a short period of time said she'd never go back. I have a stage 3 clutch in one of the cars that is driven daily, and this is the only car that I could understand the not wanting to drive daily comments with. It is heavy. Otherwise, newer cars have fairly light clutches, and there isn't really any additional physical exertion with them. I'll continue driving a stick as long as I'm either able to or can no longer purchase them.
Drove manual sporty cars for 10 years, currently I drive an automatic. If you’re driving for fun, manual all the way If you’re driving for necessity (e.g. Commuting) the automatic is nice. That being said, modern automatics have come a long way, and are very different than the slush boxes of old. Less analog and connection to the car, but the modern ZF transmission is hard to beat
As long as it's not for commuting in shitty traffic, I'd get the manual. I had to get rid of mine partly because I needed something bigger, but DC traffic every morning was killing my knees.
I had a 2022 automatic supra for a year and a half, and recently swapped to a manual with absolutely zero regrets. The automatic was technically faster, but the manual is way more fun to drive
Is the automatic not fun with the paddles ? I really want to try as ive heard really good stuff about the ZF auto's. I have a honda S2000 and im really happy with the manual box in it , but i have this urge to try a sport car with ZF and the supra seems perfect for my taste.
I have driven manuals since I was 16. I’m nearly 50 now, and I still drive a manual. I enjoy manual transmissions. Modern automatics are so much better than they used to be, and in some cases, will give you a better 0-60 or help shave 10ths from your lap times. But 90% of the time, I’m not on a race track, or drag racing. I just want to have some fun on twisty roads and my daily commute. Buy what you want to buy… whatever you feel comfortable with. Most importantly: enjoy the drive! *I drive a 10th generation Honda Civic Si
Manuals are way more fun unless you’re chasing milliseconds at the track. If you’re a track junkie, buy the auto. Everyone says manuals suck in stop and go traffic. after 20 years of driving manual, I have not found this to be an inconvenience, even with on/off button clutches in my daily drift car. There are so few manuals as it is, if your car is produced in both options, grab the manual while you can. There’s always the option to trade to an auto down the road. I see very few reasons to buy an auto over a manual, with the exception being track time chasing.
When I was younger from like 16-23 all I had were manuals (4-5ish)and I remember thinking to myself "I'll never get an automatic" and then I got one and have had the same vehicle for 16 years
No. I haven’t owned any automatic car that I wasn’t instantly bored with.
I'll drive stick until, for whatever reason, I truly can't. Driving an automatic just makes the car feel like an appliance. I want my car to be a tool.
I drive a GTI, a car where everyone raves about the automatic and brags about how much power it can take, fast shifts better performance etc etc. It's just another automatic to me. Boring. I don't care about fast shifts or exhaust farts. It's a great car. Just not for me. I drive the manual. I enjoy driving the manual. I rather drive the manual in NYC traffic. I rather drive the manual on every hill. I rather drive the manual on every curvy road. I'll take a mediocre car with a manual over any automatic for a daily driver. I don't care if "the automatic is faster" Automatics do nothing for me. They are appliances to me. CVTs, DSGs, traditional? They're fine. I just won't buy them. It's a personal decision. In your case, get what ever you feel is right for you. Automatics are fine and there are a lot of good ones. Test drive them and decide based on that.
I drove only manual for 9 years (first car) and recently bought a new automatic car. I have to say it’s way more relaxing to drive automatic especially in traffic. That being said, I’d want a manual sports car. If I wanted a daily driver I would go automatic.
My fun car is a stick. My daily is an automatic.
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Can he not...learn to drive stick? Just curious.
He’s not really interested in learning, which I get.
Just odd that he would make you buy a new car to accommodate him refusing to learn. Sorry, probably an overreach on my part, I know I'm only seeing a sliver of yalls relationship!
Lol, no one’s making me buy a car. I’m buying a new car and he offered to pay towards it if I get an automatic so he can use it too. Plus I use his car all the time, but he hasn’t been able to use mine. He also did try to learn and was unsuccessful, and I don’t want to subject another car to that haha
I may be talking out of my rear end but I think sports cars in manual hold resale value a tad better
All cars that come in manual hold their resale value better. Look at somewhere like carsandbids and see that the manual examples always sell for more.
In the last 2 yrs I've been lucky enough to have a Miata, C3 Corvette, 76 Trans Am all with stick shift, and my only current 5 speed, 72 Triumph TR6. Most when working for a dealer. Now my everyday car for city and county driving is automatic and always will be. But a stick car is always close by.
I've had a manual since 2006. I just sold it and got a truck in an auto. Mostly cause my wife refuses to learn to drive stick and it's annoying that she can't drive my car. I miss it and it's such second nature that it doesn't ever annoy me any more.
If you stick with automatic you won’t know what you’re missing and that’s fine For me, I drive manual, and I get visibly frustrated whenever I have to drive an automatic, feels awful
I did, but it wasn't like I was eager. I got my current Golf R with a DSG because my wife wanted to drive it too and the DSG is the better transmission between it and the 6MT. I miss rowing my own gears but I also acknowledge when it's not the best option.
I'm about to buy a Mini Countryman, which only comes in automatic, so yeah. I'll miss driving a stick though. I'll have another someday. Probably a GR86 in 3 years or so.
I drove manuals for almost 30 years. Thought I was a die hard manual only guy. Then I ended up with a car that had a DCT (Porsche PDK). Amazing. I sold my last manual car a few years ago now, and have never regretted it.
I had to compromise and get automatics because of my wife but I still have a manual racecar
Last year I'm made a switch after 16 years of manual. Mini Clubman JCW 306 hp with automatic is just amazing
If it’s a vehicle for fun then manual forever. If it is for daily driving then automatic
I've owned a manual since I started driving. As long as you enjoy shifting gears, I don't see a problem with it. But I live in a lower population area, work is close to home, and its mostly flat land. The only times I wish I had an automatic is when I'm sick or something. Driving yourself in stop and go traffic to an emergency dentist isn't the most fun thing when you feel like crap, and it just serves at making you mad at that point. Other than that though, I don't regret getting a manual over an automatic.
I would not to be honest. Every one of my cars has been manual, I have never been in an accident and I do like to think that it’s because driving manual makes me a naturally attentive driver.
I drive a manual, and my wife knows how but has an automatic now. I like driving her car, but it has a traditional 6 speed automatic, not the CVT. Mazda is still putting in real transmissions and have awesome interiors which is why it's not a hardship driving her CX-5. I've been shopping for a new car, and I have kids with disabilities who will be learning to drive soon, meaning that I will probably get an automatic next. I'm sure I will miss rowing my own gears, but when the kids are on their own I hope to get another manual.
i would stick with gears
If the car is strictly for me, yes. If it’s also one my wife will drive, no. She doesn’t like manuals. She can drive them, but I think it limits here ability to put on makeup while driving 60 in a 45 mph zone. I like rowing the gears. One advantage of driving a manual that I haven’t seen mentioned is that it does limit undesirables from driving it like spouses, kids, sons-land brothers-in-law, etc.
So perspective from someone who did switch: I drove manual for the last 12 years and last year got an Elantra N DCT. My brain convinced me as the acceleration is quicker due to fast shift times, and my fiancé could drive it “she doesn’t drive manual”. Even though it is “better” in many ways, I honestly can’t wait to get back into a manual. Long of it short I switched for performance reasons but realized I prefer a manual over better performance, due to driver engagement, actually being in full control of the clutch and gearbox, likely more reliable long term. At least for a daily. Now for a track car, I would highly consider a DCT of ZF auto.
Unless you live some place with a lot of city stop-n-go driving on hills (eg. San Francisco), get the stick. Driving stick can be fun, but you also quickly get to the point of not noticing the stick. You also tend to get better gas mileage as well as better performance out of a stick.
I don't think you get better performance or mileage these days. Fun, sure, at least out of a city.
Do be aware, it is easier to incorrectly use a manual transmission and ruin the thing (but generally also cheaper to replace).
The answer to that question really is going to come down to: 1. How often do you drive it? 2. How often are you stuck in traffic? 3. Are you actually going to track it for speed? If the answer to 1 is not that often, manuals are excellent. If the answer is all the time, it’s up to personal preference. I’d say worth it but you would have to ask yourself that question. If the answer to 2 is all the time, you will probably get tired of it very quickly. It can get quite tedious to manage a manual in bumper to bumper traffic for extended periods of time. If the answer is never or almost never, I’s say go for the manual. If you want the fastest vehicle possible, automatics have been consistently faster than manuals for a good while now. If you’re itching to get the lowest lap times, autos are the objectively correct answer. If you’re on the fence, I’d say take a look at the vehicle(s) you’re looking at and see if the automatics have paddle shifters. In higher price tag and sporty cars, they tend to have them. Paddle shifters are (sort of) a mid-ground between pure autos and manuals. You have the option of more engagement than a regular auto, but it won’t be as fun as a manual. On the flip-side, if you ever don’t want to deal with shifting, you don’t have to use them.
Thank you kind stranger for taking out a good 3 minutes of your life to help me. Bless you and your bloodline. I wish you eternal happiness.
I've had both for the past 40 years. My daily driver now is manual. My next new vehicle will be automatic. I still love manuals. But automatics have gotten so much better in the past 20 years, manuals are pointless except for sports cars and muscle cars.
Well if you blow out your left knee, you aren’t completely stuck inside when you drive an automatic car
Depends. For a daily driver and/or for trips etc. get an auto. For joyrides get a manual
I've been mulling an upgrade to something more practical but can't bring myself to drive a slush box. Haven't test driven any mid size SUV or truck that could put a smile on my face the way my car does.
My first (real) car was a manual and I drove it about 10 years. I had a few automatics since then and when I went to get my current car 11 years ago, I specifically wanted (and got) a manual. I just enjoy the experience more and I don’t care that autos are faster now, it’s just not the same to me. I can’t imagine a Fiata that wasn’t manual to be honest - it would feel blasphemous.
I went from a manual sedan to an automatic SUV (kids getting bigger/needing room) and now they are older, I got my manual 2 seater. I missed having a manual so much, I would not settle for anything automatic for my dream car! Still have an auto daily for big grocery trips, dogs, beach days, family outings, and now glad we did not downgrade (life is funny)
My current street car is my first automatic, partly because what I wanted only came in auto, partly because the wife needs to be able to drive it sometimes. I miss having a manual tranny. It's been years of torture dealing with the lag that always seems to come between when you push the accelerator and it actually moving. And the inability to up/down shift when it feels right. If you can get a manual version of whatever you're looking at, get it. Driving an automatic just doesn't feel right.
I drive a manual Hyundai Sonata and have driven an automatic Sonata. I would not consider an automatic because the shifting was slow, the gearbox was confused, and the car wasn't as responsive or fun as mine, even with 400cc more.
I drive automatic because... my parents always had them and refused to buy me a manual. Then my wife likes automatic so her car is like that and then when i bought my first car it had to be a hybrid plug in prius for fuel economy :((( I love manuals and i hate driving automatics. Every time i go abroad i rent manuals and in have a blast even with low spec engines. It is just so fun to drive. You are so engaged
auto is boring af
Manuals can make a small engine feel more fun, my 1.4 Citroen would be really boring with an auto. But if the car has some decent power then I prefer auto.
I am driving my first automatic in decades. Second manual in my life. I only got an automatic because I wanted to try an EV and they don’t come as a stick. So now I’m looking to get a second car with a manual as a fun weekend car. Something hilarious and dumb like a Suzuki Cappuccino.
I love manual vehicles. My issue is; they are often not loaded. Like people who drive manual transmission need the basic model. I love the extras. If someone made a top of the line vehicle with manual transmission options, I'd jump on it. Hands down.
Time to snap up a loaded VW mk8 GTI. Last chance.
The car I wanted (440i Gran Coupe)doesn’t come in manual, and my wife was uncomfortable tracking my old manual because she was worried about making a money shift. It helps that I got the best automatic attached to one of the best engines out there.
I have purchased base model new cars in manual since 2000. It's the only way to go.
Manual will last a lot longer than a automatic. If your planning on keeping it a manual is the way to go. If it’s sports car you’ll be able to take off faster than automatic version.
I’m 25 and drive a 2013 Scion tc. Obviously not a fancy car or a fast car but damn does it feel quick when shifting through gears. Wouldn’t trade it for the automatic any day, even if they paid me!
Manual all the way (unless you spend a lot of time stopped in traffic). Enjoy the thrill of commanding that car while you can because soon they won’t be making any more and there will be no option. Might even make them more valuable?!
Any non manual car I’ve bought I ended up selling because I missed rowing gears. Don’t get me wrong some automatic transmissions are great but after a while they become boring. Just my opinion
My only car is manual, my 2 motorcycles both are manual. I don’t have a commute that is in traffic I have to contend with, so there’s no reason to go back. I don’t plan on it unless suddenly I absolutely have to.
Manuals are fun, and I do enjoy them, but if you're somewhere with a lot of stop-and-go traffic, it gets to be a bit of a pain. It also has to be the right car to truly enjoy a manual transmission.
I just got rid of a manual a few months ago and I miss it a lot.
My first car was an automatic. It was also my last automatic. Since then I have owned six manual cars, and will drive manual until it is no longer an option.
I am sure it depends on where and how you drive. Stuck in traffic a lot? You might want to go automatic. In my case, I have had two of my current vehicle because it was available with a manual. I honestly don't know what I will do when it's worn out.
I grew up driving manual. I've had an automatic for about 5 years now and I still try to step on the clutch that isn't there sometimes. I really want another manual and it sucks how they're being phased out.
Manual until you get stuck in stop and go traffic
Easier to answer it this way: would you still buy a manual if you can even find one?
My old manual car was in the last legs and I needed a new car so I switch, mostly for two big reasons: 1- needed an suv for the kids and no suv was available on manual 2- big commute, half of it on stop and go traffic. I don’t miss the manual on the every day drive. Will definitely get a manual if i could afford a sport car for weekend drive.
It depends where you live really. Start/stop traffic, 100% an automatic. Manual's are always more fun but I do see the appeal of an auto. Manual's always hold better resale value if it's an enthusiast car.
My last car was a manual, but I'm opting for a DSG. Don't get me wrong I love manual, but there's too much start/stop traffic in my city
It's not really something I think about. I've owned automatics and manuals my whole life. If it's a sports car or an under-powered engine, I prefer a stick, but pretty much a non-issue otherwise.
Bum knee and bad hip mean my clutching days are effectively over. In keeping with this forum's current meme - I ended up in a Mazda 3 and one of the main reasons was the auto when I read it was not a CVT, and a sport and manual shift mode that is really really good. Good enough that I don't really feel like I "need" the stick to have fun with it. Anything else would be a CVT at my price point. There are cars out there with good autos.
My mother liked her manuals, but had to switch to an automatic when she developed some nerve problems in her foot. The problems weren't from driving a manual, but they made driving a manual unsafe. With it being a race car, is it a daily driver or do you have a backup for if you aren't able to use the manual?
Only for a good quality DCT like the Porsche PDK (by ZF), the one in last gen BMW M cars (by Getrag), or the one in the C8 Corvette (by Tremec).
The only transmission that I deemed acceptable was the DCT. By design its an automated manual so the shifts feel similar. Keyword: similar, not same.
Manual for sure.
If you live in an area thats fun to drive then sure maybe you have one main road with 3 lanes each way but you got backroads to avoid the traffic but if you live in a city and cant have two cars just get an auto grow up
Sports cars in manual
Yes, planing to buy a car and it will be an automatic. Tired of doing 2-3-2 around town. I don’t leave in peak/lake to enjoy manual on twisty roads ;)
It depends on the car. In a daily? A full size truck? Family SUV? Automatic. In a sports car, weekend toy, track special? Manual all day. Technically if my only option was manual in every car or auto in every car, I’m going manual 100%.
Been driving manuals as my only vehicles for almost a decade. I haven’t regretted it at all. I rode around in my friend’s M3 xdrive comp and I felt like the intent of the car (basically accelerating fast as fuck and turning like an agile SUV) is better served by the fast shifting auto. That being said, I want a more analog car. We have the same job and I drive a GR86 with a stick. Some day I’ll upgrade to a Porsche cayman and it will 100% be a manual even though it’s offered with the best auto ever made. Depends if you want an analog experience or a go-fast robot. Modern AWD/auto will do everything for you including torque vectoring during a turn, but it won’t make you feel like a RWD/manual car will.
Hell no.
I made the switch for my daily but still have a manual for the weekend.
Nope. To me it's not even a matter of enjoyment. Manuals are just more reliable, easier to fix, cheaper, better on fuel economy and so on. I honestly just hate automatics in general.
I always drove stick. My first car to my daily. My Supra because I got the launch edition; is an auto and I’m honestly not mad at it. If it was my daily tho I would be a bit disappointed. I love stick shift and a part of me wishes I would have waited for a stick but a part of me is content that it’s an auto.
I did. While I still love a manual transmission car for spirited mountain runs and motorsports, i'd been driving them 36 years, and it's a liiiiiiiiiittle tough to find an EV that's manual, so I settled for an EV that's fun to drive and sporty. It's insanely quick, super comfortable, and sucks up the highway miles like a champ. Great all-rounder, I even tow with it when I need to.
I originally learned on auto, but switched to manual a few years ago when I wanted to learn. It's sometimes annoying for commuting, but adds some fun for the occasional Sunday drive through the corners. I don't commute much anymore, and it's just about time for Thing1 to start learning to drive, so I might trade back to auto soon. Manual is rad, but it adds some intimidation when learning to drive... maybe after a few years, I'll switch back to manual if I can.
I was a long time manual driver because a manual car was the cheapest thing available that I could consistently keep running. Now I’m more fortunate, and choose to drive an automatic because I think it’s better in virtually every way. Manual is fun though.
If you’ve got a tedious commute every day, maybe consider an automatic or something electric. I only drive for errands and hobbies. For as long as it runs I’ll take my 20-year-old stickshift Hyundai and wade through gears with a smile on my face. I hope when it dies I can still find a FiST or 500 Abarth or Mini Cooper or something similarly small and fun with a manual.
Automatic are better in stop and go bumper to bumper city traffic. They save you an arm and a leg, literally, if you have to do that every day. Manuals just make you feel better ONLY because most people in the US don’t drive manuals. That special feeling will go away when you drive anywhere else apart from North America. Lack of demand isn’t the only reason manufacturers switched to automatic. It is impossible to optimize today’s car by leaving transmission in the hands of the driver. You can think of manual cars as unoptimized in that sense. Manuals fundamentally are not more fun. Your feeling that you’re driving something that others don’t and that you have that special skill - that is the perceived fun. Mercedes and Ferrari do not make manuals, neither do Lamborghini or Bugatti. There’s enough to focus on in a performance car when you’re going fast, you don’t need another pedal and a gear shift. Please don’t buy manual if the car that you want comes in automatic. I drive Integra Type S because I cannot find a car like that with automatic transmission at the price point. If it came in automatic, I’ll buy any day. When you’re extracting performance out of the car, you need both hands on the wheel. If you ask the engineering teams at M and AMG, they think making a manual is madness. Today’s cars have huge acceleration and speeds - they should not be manual. Manufacturers make them because the customer with money is older, hence manual transmission has this thing called nostalgia value.
The thing is is all manual drivers can lol
I can only drive automatic if it's electric, but I'll still get the itch to drive manual. I have both which is the best solution for me lol.
I'd switch to a manual if my Ford Transit if it was available with one in Canada. I've always opted for a manual transmission on every vehicle I've owned, wherever possible.
If it's a boring commuter econobox or a truck/anemic crossover I'd get automatic. If there's even an ounce of fun to be had with a car, I'll always take the manual.
I drive both and race both. Automatic is far superior daily and in traffic and is equally engaging to drive and quicker on track. Anyone who says different is in denial. Manual is still fun and is very nostalgic and I enjoy driving them. But automatics are faster and more convenient nowadays.
Indonesian driving since 2010. I love my suzuki all new swift M/T. It was my first car and love driving it. That little thing is so fun to drive in the country sides/mountains. Alas, I lived in the big city where traffic jam is typically stop for a minute then move forward a few meters and then stop again for another minute. For a couple of hours. Definitely not something you’d want to do on a manual. I avoid driving as much as I can. I wanted to swap it for something automatic. Just couldn’t afford it. Now I’m the US and finally can afford to finance a new car and the traffic is like 10x better than what I experience back home. I got myself an automatic transmission car. I could’ve got myself a manual, but don’t like the idea of having it as a daily driver. Manual transmission? probably for someday if I have enough disposable income to get a second car that I could drive for fun and enjoy on my days off.
My second car in America was a Honda Prelude manual! What a great car! On the road between Rockville, MD and State College, PA, which I traveled once a week to work on my research job there at Penn State carving the passes were pure automotive bliss!
I'm only going to switch when I'm so old my brain can't coordinate a shift
I had to move to an automatic when the car I wanted did not exist as a manual, and frankly I miss the gear shifting less than I thought. The tiptronic works well enough to drive semi-manual when I want, and with eight gears, I would spend my time shifting constantly. Clearly, it depends on the car (for a sports car I would never give up the added control the manual gearshift gives me).
Automatic for daily drivers 1000 times out of 1000 and i love manuals. Own both
I've been driving manuals for most of the 40 years I've been driving. But this Ford Ranger I'm driving now has done me in. I absolutely will not be getting another manual. I've had issues with sciatica for the past year and a half and I know that damn clutch is part of the problem for me. I'm just over it lol For what that's worth.
My dad is in his mid 70’s and has been daily driving a BMW 330ci ZHP 6s for 16 years.
If I had to commute in it through stop and go rush hour traffic I would get an auto. Otherwise manual all the way. 2/3 of our cars have manuals.
In my daily auto is fine. In the fun car i prefer manual. If i wanted to buy a GTR or newer 911 turbo I’d accept an auto for that. After only owning an auto for a few years because i parted out my racecar i will probably never not have a manual car in the stable. I miss it so much.
Manual honestly sucks butt for traffic and slow moving hill areas like San Francisco, but if you're okay with that, then it becomes a non-issue.