Funny, we’ve had several fwd family cars go over 250K miles with autos and never had a failure. We’ve had so many problems heavy towing with manual clutches and multiple operators in trucks, we’ve gone to autos. We’ve even gone to auto like transmissions in our tractors because they are more efficient in work and give fewer problems with multiple operators as well. Even use them in dump, plow trucks and sanders with never a failure yet. But then, we don’t buy Chrysler products for personal transportation, stipulate HD in GMC and Chevys…and maintain them once in a while.
Whether or not reliability is an issue, cost of maintenance and repair definitely benefits a manual transmission.
Regarding maintenance, with a manual, changing the transmission oil is like doing a regular oil change, only there is no filter to change, and the oil capacity is usually only two or three quarts. With an automatic, changing the fluid properly means dropping the pan, cleaning the filter, and replacing the gasket properly, and even then you only change between 2/3 and 3/4 of the fluid.
Regarding repairs, replacing a clutch and/or manual transmission is a lot cheaper than replacing an automatic transmission.
Before you claim that the clutch is a wearable item, my original clutch is 12 years old and has almost 190,000 miles, and is still going strong.
Before the OP goes to her husband and claims automatics get better fuel economy than manuals, she should know that only applies to CVT transmissions. Regular automatics usually get slightly less than a comparable manual, but with today’s locking torque converters, the difference is usually insignificant.
The issue with manuals these days is that they’re generally marketed as the “sporty” version and so they’re geared lower than the automatic one. So while there still exists some very small fundamental advantage over an automatic, in many (most?) cars sold today the manual gets the same or even lower MPG’s than the automatic version just because of the gearing.
I personally buy manuals because I buy old jalopies and an old manual transmission isn’t quite the unknown variable an old automatic is, in terms of whether the previous owners have maintained it.
Whitey, I have to disagree that autos are more or less fuel efficient than manuals as a group. It often depends on the model; with the recently CR tested Mazda autos doing better highway than manuals by a significant margin. The potential is there for city mileage advantage by manuals, except when operated incorrectly, which ocurs less with an auto. This is consistent throughout the automotive world and is more inline with top gear ratio offered along with increased number of gears than other factors. My point favoring reliability of autos is in comparison to manuals driven “inappropriately” which in this day and age is more often the fact. In the business we I work in, autos have less down time than manuals in ALL applications. It took some time…but I’m a convert.
Regards
In the old days everyone had to learn stick. We all managed.
My parents bought a brand new 92 Corolla with 3 speed auto that was maintained religiously. The transmission committed seppuku before 110k miles. Stupid kids take autos on joy rides. Generally, I prefer a good manual to slippery auto in heavy traffic.
It is never too late to pick up a new skill. You never know when you’ll need it in a pinch. Stalling is like falling off a bike. I never thought I could get a bike to support me on 2 skinny tires. But it can be done. Before parting with a large amount of money, I would suggest borrowing a manual or take a motorcycle course and get a feel for it. Perhaps a compromise can be made on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with dual clutch transmission. It has the feel of a manual and the convenience of an auto.
I think a 5 speed(unless he’s going for the STI, then it’s a 6) should be ok to learn on. The problem I have would be trying to figure out if the trans was in first, or reverse, due to how close those are
Theoretically you could learn.
But my wife can’t, we’ve tried several times. She’s tone deaf so bad she can’t tell the engine rev differences so we tried it by the numbers ( speed , tach )…NOT !
I’m in the car biz and drive many differnt vehicles daily, I can drive them all and I just don’t see the point in a manual.
If it’s your car get what you wan’t.
If it’s his, do your best learning even if you burn a clutch or two, ( that’ll teach him ).
Agree with Ken; I’m sure you could learn to drive a stick shift, but what for?
My wife won an Austin Mini (the old version) once in a lucky draw, and promptly sold it since she could not be bothered learning to drive an underpowered car with a stick shift.
We vacationed in England last summer and I paid extra to have a rental car with automatic so we could enjoy the scenery more on those twisty British roads!
In the end, I think the question of manual vs. automatic ends up being purists vs. those who value an automobile mostly for its utility. I think of myself as a purist, and I believe we have made the act of driving a car so easy, any idiot can get a license. When you don’t give a driver enough to do, that driver is more likely do something stupid while driving, like text messaging or reaching for some kid’s toy to stop the kid from screaming. With automatics being so popular, driving has become a passive activity. I think that makes the roads more dangerous.
The closest I’d go to “asking” my wife to submit to a manual, is to rent, borrow or what ever a manual for a few sessions and let her decide if it’s something she can live with. Otherwise, I’ll stick with, it’s matter of safety to have an only car an auto or at least one in the family.
I doubt the husband will want a base Impreza when he’s intrested in the WRX. A Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart wil the twin clutch manumatic would be a good compromise though. You still get AWD, turbo power, and small size but you don’t have to shift the gears yourself.
I whole heartedly agree but, my feeling is that when John Q spends that much money, they want options. Newer autos give them the option of pretending they’re shifting. A manual gives you none. You need all four limbs working to safely get home in traffic.
Like John Q, I like my cruise control too when passive driving for 6 hours and my automatic in Boston traffic where traffic lights are just suggestions and Parnelli Jones couldn’t keep up w/o a good automatic. I’m a self professed “weener” as I age.
So my theory is that the % of manual transmissions in cars on the road is inversely proportional to the traffic in that area. An easily dis-proven one I’m sure…
Can anyone do this? Sure. It'll take a little practice, then you'll be able to do it automatically as it were. The only hard part until you get used to it is getting off the line without stalling (especially on a hill), one you are going changing from one gear to the next is easy. This is easier on some cars than others.
Is it really that much better than an automatic? Nope! If I want to control my gears I can just shift my car from "OD" to "D" "2" or "1", and on a lot of vehicles (where stick is still even an option) the auto and stick get the same gas mileage or within 1MPG. But, a lot of people like the direct feel of a stick, and at least on paper they are more efficient. You can see I can make good arguments both ways, this is a matter of opinion for sure.You need all four limbs working to safely get home in traffic.
This reminds me of a news story from the 1970s about a guy with no arms who taught himself how to drive. If memory serves, he drove a pick-up truck with a manual three-on-the-tree transmission, but I guess it might have been an automatic.
I drove through Boston with a manual to a Sox game and party following a foot operation and only one available leg. I only did that once…couldn’t take all the horns and verbal abuse…I never knew til then that “mother” was only half a word.
I am a female and I love standard shift- but only on a small sporty type vehicle. It is easy and once you are comfortable, it can be fun!
Is hubby willing to teach you how?
My 25 year old sister was in the market for a new Mini last year. At that point the extent of her experience with stick shift was driving a friend’s car home after a party (by her own confession she was glad it wasn’t HER clutch). She asked me if I could teach her how to drive stick, which I gladly accepted. We used my Jeep (173k and original clutch), and with some thorough instruction and practice she was off and going. Three days later she ordered her Mini…with a stick.
I visited her over the holidays, and one year later, she drives stick like she’s done it forever. She insists she doesn’t regret choosing stick…and she lives in Los Angeles!
I agree that a manual v automatic is a private and personal decision in general. As to which is the most advantageous to promoting good driving habits and being the most reliable and cost effective over the long haul, the jury is no longer out. All emergency vehicles including police, taxi and all other commercial applications including mail delivery, war time vehicles, you name it; they all prefer automatics when they are available. Talk to common people who have to to drive for a living and you’d be hard pressed to find to find one that didn’t feel an auto makes them more productive and safe.
BTW, how much would Vette sales suffer if they didn’t offer an automatic ?