[edom31]

My favorite feature in my vehicle:

[Racer X 69]

My favorite feature in my vehicle:

Manual gearbox?

[edom31]

Manual gearbox?

Indeed!

[Racer X 69]

Indeed!

Awesome.

I haven’t owned a vehicle with an automatic transmission for over 22 years.

The Camaro, and both Datsun 240Z’s have 4 speed gearboxes, the Legacy wagon has a 5 speed, the Dodge Ram has a 6 speed (behind a Cummins 5.9 liter Diesel engine), the Ford 8N and Kubota tractors are 4 speeds with over/under boxes (12 forward and 3 backward), and Mrs. Racer has a 2013 Corolla with a 5 speed.

Oh yeah.

[edom31]

The Camaro, and both Datsun 240Z’s have 4 speed gearboxes, the Legacy wagon has a 5 speed, the Dodge Ram has a 6 speed (behind a Cummins 5.9 liter Diesel engine), the Ford 8N and Kubota tractors are 4 speeds with over/under boxes (12 forward and 3 backward), and Mrs. Racer has a 2013 Corolla with a 5 speed.

Quite diversity! I had a 15 year gap between vehicles; but prior to this one (Mazda 3 HB) I enjoyed a 1985 300ZX that was 5-speed... I wish I'd have that car still

[ThorSanchez]

My favorite feature in my vehicle:

My daily drivers have always been manuals. But I'm almost resigned to the current car being the last. Manuals are disappearing fast from all reasonably practical cars (i.e. with a functional back seat for the kids), at least in the US. My Audi S4 is no longer available with a manual. The new BMW 3-series, same thing. Merc hasn't made a manual for US consumption in years. Ford and Chevy are going all SUV, which I cannot countenance. I am not going to daily drive a Dodge Challenger. Volvo makes excellent wagons, but no manuals. Same with Jag. I think you can still get a VW GTI/Golf R/Sportwagon with a manual, that's nice.

Here's a list of manuals still offered in the US. Quite a few, but it seems to go down 10-20% a year, and the sporty sedan/wagon (i.e. cool Dad cars) with manuals are already almost extinct.

[ChrisPlatt]

I was young once and truly believed one must have a manual transmission with stick shift,
despite hours spent driving in stop and go New York City traffic daily on my commute for work.

Then one year I got a severe case of sunburn; it was especially bad on my legs.
The pain from shifting in said traffic was absolutely excruciating.

I have owned vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions ever since.
Fortunately this occured around the time automatics began to improve dramatically.

Chris

[edom31]

Here's a list of manuals still offered in the US. Quite a few, but it seems to go down 10-20% a year, and the sporty sedan/wagon (i.e. cool Dad cars) with manuals are already almost extinct.

Cool list - I've seen wagons disappear completely in the US... Hatchbacks are taking over the wagons, but these are different vehicles. Also, I'm not a fan of the SUV.

---------- Post added 02-11-19 at 10:52 AM ----------

I was young once and truly believed one must have a manual transmission with stick shift,
despite hours spent driving in stop and go New York City traffic daily on my commute for work.

I'm not that young anymore, but do commute the NYC streets daily to and from work (Queens to Bronx - 59th St Bridge morning / Triboro afternoons). Yeah, it is a lot, but it actually makes my drive a bit more tolerable and exciting.

[niblue]

2 of our cars are manuals (a Maza CX-7 and a Ford Fiesta) and 2 are automatics (both Mercedes - an SLK and an A-Class). In the UK most cars are still manuals however there are a few brands where a manual gearbox can effect the resale negatively and Mercedes is one of those. The auto's in the latest Mercedes are very good though.

Personally I much prefer an automatic for city driving but prefer a manual out on the open road sometimes.

[ThorSanchez]

Cool list - I've seen wagons disappear completely in the US... Hatchbacks are taking over the wagons, but these are different vehicles. Also, I'm not a fan of the SUV.

I recently read that wagons are having a mini-resurgence, up like 30% from 2017 to 2018. I guess that means they sold 30 in 2017 and 40 in 2018.

There are some left, but it's pretty limited. Rumors are Audi may bring them back, the US chairman is apparently a fan. I'd sell a kidney for an RS6 Avant, which I might have to do since they're probably almost $100k.

[Racer X 69]

I want a shooting brake.

[Ratmagiclady]

I want a shooting brake.

Manufacturers should shooting-brake all the things. Or at least credibly-hatchback them. Even an all out wagon could have coupe doors, maybe a small half-suicide door if I really need to lean in there.

Housemate totally thinks four passenger doors are more practical. I'm like, "I want at least my driver's door to be coupe style. Then I don't have to do the door-dance every time I put a handbag or cameras or tools behind my seat, just open one door, baddabing."

Also, I drive a Volvo wagon, as many know, cause RWD and wagon. They seem to be making new like V or XC60 'crossovers' that could be closer to what I think the idea should be. "Instead of trying to make a tolerable SUV (but too small for most SUV bigness purposes, as opposed to where small SUVs are good by being really offroadey,) that can be *lowered* to be more tolerable, why not just make a *wagon* that can *raise* itself once in a while?

Also, I'm with the stick-preference crowd, but self-fulfillingly so many companies have just said "Americans don't buy standard transmissions," and then prove it by making them *unavailable in the US.* Even my Ratmobile wasn't available with a stick in the US in the early-nineties year she is, but they were still made overseas and you could have them in the near-identical other model ranges from not long before. Anyway, I didn't have much to pick from used, though, cause despite the South's self-image... not so much big on the shifting for themselves in the first place, most folks here.

[lesmore49]

Two of our interesting vehicles in the past were two vehicles we ordered from the factory. One was a wagon, the other a rear wheel drive mid sized van.

Both were ordered and used when we our kids were young and we needed extra space, access to loads, etc. The wagon was an '89 Chevy Cavalier. I took a regular Cavalier wagon out, flaccid suspension, no power (4 banger)...similar to many cars back then both domestic and import. I knew a salesman who knew his way around the order catalogue and picked out the heavy duty/performance suspension, De Carbon gas shocks, over size wheels, BF Goodrich T/A tires, HD anti roll bars front and rear, the Z-24 2.8 liter V6, etc. Great handler, had lots of punch...in fact I recall a C&D magazine test of the time calling it a 'sleepermobile' .

Around here there were very few Cavalier wagons equipped as mine...except for the Canadian Military Police who had a few of them when they were posted to Bosnia by the UN ..as they found the European streets in Kosovo, etc...too narrow for their usually police package Caprices and Crown Victorias...as told to me by a MP Sgt. He said the narrow and small Cavalier with the HD/performance suspension, BF Goodrich T/A tires and 2.8 V6...had been proven to be an excellent handling, quick, smaller police vehicle in Europe.

We really liked our HD wagon...my wife loved the passing performance, compared to the typical 4 banger of the day.

Next one was a '97 Chevy Astro van. Rear wheel drive and we ordered 3.42 gear ratio, G-80 Eaton Locker axle, 4 core radiator, 4.3 liter Vortec heads V6 (3/4ers of the Chevy small block V8, heavy duty suspension, uprated wheels/tires, uprated cloth seats which were similar to medium duty GM truck seats. Think this was an option, as Astro's were used in commercial use a lot...and economy of scale...when it comes to production. I used to drive commercial trucks and believe me, when your getting a lot of seat time, a good seat makes a heck of a difference for avoiding exhaustion during a long day. The HD suspension was not commonly ordered as some in GM marketing felt that it made the ride choppy. I didn;t notice a choppy ride, but I did appreciate the advantages of a HD suspension.

The tires I put on the Astro, shortly after getting it were Michelin LTX (light truck ) M & S.... as they had stiffer sidewalls than the tires that came with it. We pulled our trailer with it...all over western North America. It worked beautifully in our heavy winter climate...periods of -30 to -35, lots of snow...5 1/2 months of winter, etc. The locking axle was handy to have...btw, I emphasize a locker, not a limited slip...which is more of a car thing.

You used to be able to order specific heavy duty options that would improve the vehicle significantly in my view. Hard to do anymore. But that was over 2 decades ago.

[ThorSanchez]

I want a shooting brake.

You mean a real one, like a two-door wagon? Jaguar has the XF Shooting Brake, but it's just a wagon with four doors that they don't want to call a wagon for fear of stirring up memories of the Caprice Classic.

---------- Post added 02-11-19 at 01:35 PM ----------

Even my Ratmobile wasn't available with a stick in the US in the early-nineties year she is, but they were still made overseas and you could have them in the near-identical other model ranges from not long before.

Here's the root of the problem: Having to homologate every car model and sub-model for the US market and our particular and fussy regulations. They're not any more safe or clean, they're just a little different. With all of the calls for deregulation, here's something I can get behind: just say we'll accept any car that was approved in its home market, probably excepting countries like India that still allow cars that would have been considered terrifying in 1948.

Is the world really going to come to an end if I'm driving a Euro-spec Audi S4 Avant with a manual transmission in Maryland? No, and the net joy in the world goes up just a bit.

[Racer X 69]

You mean a real one, like a two-door wagon?

Yes!