Roll Call! Who drives a MANUAL transmission?

[BrutalNoodle]

Half of my Blipshift shirts have something to do with the 3 pedal shuffle ============

[Desertnate]

Half of my Blipshift shirts have something to do with the 3 pedal shuffle ============

Yes!!!

I only have three of their shirts, and two of them are manual transmission related. I love their products.

[TTQ B4U]

Been there done that but honestly I have no more desire to own a manual. Today's auto's are quicker and can be driven in manual mode. PDK's and DSG units are awesome loads of fun too. There too the newer ZF transmissions are as fast if not faster.

For now though in my mid 40's I have no desire to have a daily that's a manual. I can pop my S4 into manual mode and click off gears like video game fast so I'm good

Funny story though as I sold a sports car that was manual and one day after driving it I took the minivan out with my son in the back. It has a 5spd auto and I hate that first gear is so dang short that I can't even complete the turn out of our street without it jumping to 2nd and blowing my love for torque.

Anyway, I'm in manual mode and 1st gear turning left. The guy coming from my right is not right up on us, but I will pull out with authority and be fine. The van does scoot quite well. So I go and lay into it and with the my sense of having just come from my other car, I nail clutch and shift to second.............only the clutch is the Brake and I thus just brake checked the dude like it was my job

oooops.....

[TTQ B4U]

I've owned two BMW M3's, one with SMG II (E46), and the other with M-DCT (E90). Prior to these two cars, every other car of mine (15+) were ALL manual. Other than a couple very minor gripes on the dual clutch, i can say, unequivocally beyond any doubt it's superior to the old manual by every measurable statistic. After going back to manual on my 911 Turbo i noticed its 1) slower off the line. A DCT with launch control is far quicker. Compare my 997.1 Turbo manual versus a 997.2 Turbo PDK and it's drastic. 2) It's quicker in every other way too, 3) immaculate downshifts everytime, even to redline, and it's intoxicating (yes i know very well how to heal toe but it's more precise than even some of the most experienced race car drivers), 4) if i'm out for drinks, my girl can drive it with no problem, and the icing on the cake is 5) it get better gas mileage.

However, i do get the point that a manual is more *engaging* to drive. That's why i say "measurable statistic" in the third sentence.

It boils down to personal preference. But what i'm just trying to say is, if you don't have significant experience with a dual clutch, don't knock it or automatically disapprove without a full day of track time or several weeks of driving.

Good post. Audi's S-Tronic and Porsche's PDK are among the very best performers. Audi is slowly doing away with their DSG/S-tronic dual clutches though for some good reasons. The newer ZF auto's are as fast / faster, cheaper to build and maintain, offer more gears, 8 now vs 7 in the DSG, for better mileage and in a package that's not much heavier if at all. Also, in stock form, the S-tronic isn't what Americans are used to and they want the super sillky smooth drive of a slushbox vs the occasional notchy feeling a DSG could bring in certain circumstance. They are so good people forget the car is actually clutching for them and thus that's what they are feeling. Especially in traffic or on hills. That all goes away when they are tuned though. Ask me how I know

[cay7man]

Me! 14 Cayman base, black/black. This is my daily driver. I live in suburbs and around 12 miles to work. I take back roads to work to avoid hwy traffic.

[OCDetails]

I've got no problems with a manual. My last three or four cars were manuals. I drive an automatic now because that is the way Toyota makes the Rav4 I guess. I don't mind it so much. I'm in a lot of stop and go traffic on my 45 minute commute to and from work, so the auto is actually a better choice for me. If I had a weekend ride then it would definitely have three pedals, though.

[Brad Bruggeman]

So sad that it is getting so hard to get a manual tranny in a new vehicle.I started driving a stick when I was 11 years old.I had to sit on the front of the seat of my dad's 69 gmc just to reach the clutch.For some it comes down to what they prefer.It's not about an outo or manual being better than the other.I just prefer to drive a stick.The only way now days to get a stick is a stripped down model with a small engine or a totally loaded expensive sports car.Forget about a full size pickup with a clutch.How times have changed,I remember when you COULD NOT get a truck with an outo!How Sad!!

[Desertnate]

The only way now days to get a stick is a stripped down model with a small engine or a totally loaded expensive sports car.Forget about a full size pickup with a clutch.How times have changed,I remember when you COULD NOT get a truck with an outo!How Sad!!

What's even more sad is the loaded expensive sports cars don't have manuals either. Dual clutch transmissions and the new fast shifting ZF automatics seem to rule the day. Only the Vette, Lotus, select few Porsches, Golf R, BMW 3/4 series, Camaro, and the Ford performance cars even offer the option any more.

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

Drove a 5 speed TJ Wrangler from 06-09, bought an 09 Frontier 6cyl 6 speed 4x4 in 09 and drove it daily until a couple months ago.
Upgraded to a Sierra SLT
so now, no more manual.

I have been thinking about a T56 swap in my 98 Camaro ( should have done this rather than starting a 77 Camaro project ).
only cool thing about the 77 was a 350 / Muncie 4 speed swap

[FlyinLow]

Old thread, I know, but fun thread! Heck yeah I drive a manual. I was the only kid at driver's ed who didn't know how to drive an automatic. My 16 yo is currently learning on the Z, and Ipray that my clutch withstands it.
However, I had a very good discussion with the tech at the Maserati/Ferrari workshop, and understand that the engineering of the latest hi tech automatic transmissions is superior in many aspects. It's too bad. Actually driving the car is what brings such joy.