Hooniverse Asks- What Car Should Never Come with a Manual Transmission?

Robert Emslie

/comment

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1950s-gear-shift-f

What’s the first rule of being a car nut? Well, sure, it’s liking cars. I mean, duh. But the first rule of car guydom (or ladydom if that’s how you zip your slacks) is that when it comes to transmissions, you love the stick shift and hate the automatic. It’s just that easy.

You can tell who’s going to be a car enthusiast from a very early age. Babies who fidget in their cribs primarily with their right arm and left leg are going to be the car lovers. Those who hold their bottle in one hand while resting the other arm on the edge of the crib dangling their hands outside? Those will never know the joys of an oil change and will probably eventually drive a Camry and think they’re all that.

But here’s a question for you. Not all cars come with manual transmissions, and some of those are still pretty cool cars despite their lack of manual manipulation for gear selection. This presents a conundrum. Further, there are some cars that a car nut should either respect or even like, that never, ever, ever should come with a stick shift. Those are the ones that we are interested in today. What I want to know is, in your opinion, what car should only ever be automatic?  

Image source: classiccarstodayonline

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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152 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What Car Should Never Come with a Manual Transmission?”

  1. Vavon Avatar
    Vavon

    This one…
    <img src="http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3435/dscf4410al2.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. MJMCG Avatar
      MJMCG

      ???? One of the best cars of the 80's? One of the best small cars ever built? Spawned the wonderful 1.9GTi and the subversively fantastic XRAD Van? And it's French. Why not give it cup holders too?
      Never come with a slushbox is the correct answer.
      Please say you are being sarcastic…

      Reply
      1. Vavon Avatar
        Vavon

        The joke is: a 205 AUTOMATIC should never come with a manual transmission… Get it?
        As a sidenote, I've had 9 of these great little machines and exactly 0 had a slushbox!

        Reply
        1. MJMCG Avatar
          MJMCG

          Ok, my bad for doubting you…

          Reply
  2. Josh_Howard Avatar
    Josh_Howard

    My daily driver… a 2013 Altima. Why? 1.) I drive a ton in traffic. Driving a manual trans would really not do much for me. 2.) MPGs. The CVT can and will determine the right ratio better than I every will be able to. 3.) Having a manual trans doesn't mean that it is any more fun or engaging. Want engaging? Buy a sports car… or buy a car from 20 years ago with no tech. 4.) Bread and butter sedans don't really need anything other than a mass market transmission. No one buys a manual in a new Altima. AND… if you own one… good luck trying to sell the thing. Having worked at a dealer, I prided myself on selling one of two that were on the lot. No one was ever interested in them. 5.) Transmissions of today are smarter and better at everything. Saying you want to shift yourself is just a personal preference than very few people care about. I still don't understand why having a stick suddenly makes a car have more soul. IT DOESN'T. Driving it and creating a bond with it is what makes it have one. I can drive faster and have just as much fun as you in my rental spec, vanilla white Nissan Altima. In the end, that's all that matters… having fun, staying safe, and keeping costs low in a daily driver.

    Reply
    1. Josh_Howard Avatar
      Josh_Howard

      People that think all cars should be manuals do not live in reality. If you're one of those people… I pity you.

      Reply
      1. Number_Six Avatar
        Number_Six

        What an incredibly negative message. Perhaps you should take your talents to the NY Times auto section. In the meantime I'll continue to struggle with the unbelievably odious chore of rowing through my close-ratio six speed antiquity.

        Reply
        1. Josh_Howard Avatar
          Josh_Howard

          I'm sorry that the truth hurts. 😉 Not everyone wants to deal with a stick shift after a long work day. If I want to deal with it… I'll go drive my Z car. For every other time… there's my daily with a CVT that people like to rag on. It's a car that me AND my wife can enjoy. Oh darn… it's such a pity that 95% of other midsize drivers out there feel the same way. (NYTimes here I come!)

          Reply
          1. Lysenko Avatar
            Lysenko

            Even your wife can enjoy it! Because as we all know those ovaries get in the way of the clutch pedal.

          2. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            My wife just doesn't like driving a manual transmission car.

          3. Alff Avatar
            Alff

            Only after A LOT of childbearing.

      2. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
        ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

        That's not a very nice tone to take here, I'm not that extreme in my manual preference (like a '50s Dodge with the selectomatic or whatever they called it is pretty danged sweet car regardless and in teasy part because of…) but I don't want your pity.
        Driving a stick in traffic is well just second nature really. There is not much to it at all. I routinely eat and drink or deal with maps and papers while doing it, and I don't even have any cup holders or center console. Now if the temperature or altitude changes drastically and I have to fiddle with the choke also to keep from stalling in gridlock, that's another thing, and it is in fact annoying.
        But just shifting, for me it is like I am part of the process or machine itself more. Someone better at writing than me once expressed that very well, I've forgotten who, but that's my take. It's like I'm in the loop making things optimal. See the distinction for me? Those carbs on the other hand, gah, I wish they would just do it themselves, it's just me using a band aid and wasting fuel until I can crawl to the next exit and get off to adjust two screws and two nuts, no matter how reflexively good I've gotten at pulling that choke out from one to three thumb widths as needed it gnaws at me that it's not right.
        Again though, please leave your attitude at the door when at this site.

        Reply
        1. Josh_Howard Avatar
          Josh_Howard

          Attitude is what makes it fun. 😉 I've driven a car with a manual trans to work as a daily. It was fun… I'm not saying it isn't. I'm simply saying that to say the market is wrong is to show ignorance for consumers. If a manual is your preference, that's fine… it's just as silly to start an auto vs manual war as it is to start a 4cyl vs 8cyl war.

          Reply
          1. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
            ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

            No that attitude does not make it fun, if there were ten of you here commenting with that fun attitude you like, then how many regulars would stop commenting here? There is sort of an unwritten code of how to behave yourself at hooniverse and that's part of the reason to why it's the place it is.

          2. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Why? Because I say that I pity the people that believe cars should only come in one form… give me a break. Perhaps next time I'll use a sarcasm font so that people who comment and will take it less seriously. My beef isn't with you… in fact it's not really with anyone here. I could care less what someone else drives and that's the point. The spirit of the Hooniverse does not stop at if a car or car owner drives a manual transmission vehicle. This has been one of the best topics in a while because most people rarely think about what car is great with an automatic.

          3. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
            ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

            Yes. Also in all politeness, I disagree, strongly, but I'll get back to that. #6's last sentence was sarcastic, it is very hard for me to accept your claim that you were being sarcastic. Against my better judgement I am commenting in this thread one final time. Again I disagree very strongly that this has been one of the best topics in a long time. This discussion has become mostly not about the topic.
            I am just a commentator, but personally I would much rather there be ten comments with one occasional great one rather than a hundred with three good ones in any post. You're tone was not funny to me and many others it seems. I give you the benefit of the doubt now that you were just venting, but there is a hooniverse forum for that as well as last call posts every evening. But disregarding that, it would have helped immensely had you stated clearly that you were simply venting about something.
            It honestly hurt my feelings very much to read someone with similar interest in cars felt I was to be pitied. An open secret is that some of us car folk (like me) are thin skinned because of all the crazy looks we get most of the time because of our interests that many in the world consider anything ranging from quaint to insane or even dangerous or harmful. Hooniverse should be a place online were we forget about differences, discuss them, and not condemn those among us with different views – the good comes from open discussion where even those like me can let our guard down.
            Anyway, can you see the other side, how your comment came across negative and accusatory? Cause it did. I would recommend you take that in stride and refrain from commenting like that in the future, just to be polite. You can see we are all incredibly inclusive and forgiving here below.
            Also I don't think I thumbs downed you, I reserve that for very rare cases, maybe one comment in anger though. And 'could care less' may not be what you meant.

          4. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            I didn't think you thumbed it down. Everything's fine and I understand why people took it far too seriously after chatting with others. It's no big deal. I think this topic is great because of all the interesting things people brought up. Almost none of them have been stereotypical answers. Love it!

          5. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
            ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

            Yup, by scrolling my mouse over all the thumbs ups/downs, I can see I restrained myself all the way back up.

          6. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Ha! It's fine dude.

    2. Devin Avatar
      Devin

      1: Driving a manual in traffic isn't hard, I prefer it to an auto myself.
      2: I don't care if a computer is "smarter" than me – though my car has friendly suggestions for the most "eco friendly" gear – I prefer shifting myself because…
      3: It is more fun and engaging. I don't care what you're trying to tell yourself to justify jettisoning the joy of shifting, but when I drive something auto I am slightly bored on my commute, when I drive a manual I'm connected and engaged. Even if it's the exact same car. Back when I had a Matrix, I was driven into by an old lady, and the rental while it was getting repaired was the exact same Matrix, but with an auto. It was okay, but I could not wait until I got back into my own car, with its more interesting gearbox. My friends have been moving into manuals as well, all saying they're way more fun than the automatics they're replacing. Is it a statistically significant sample? Possibly not, but they're having more fun.
      5: Are they? I've driven so many autos that hunt for gears, that engage slowly, that are just slightly worse at shifting than I am. Maybe it's all perception, and the feel of it, but that's important too, I feel better in a manual.
      It's interesting you pity me, and my friends, as we travel happily in our manuals and have fun even when we're in the midst of our commute. We pity you, you've abandoned a bit of fun and are trying really hard to justify it.

      Reply
      1. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        I pity you if you're one of those mindless people that believe every car should be a manual. If you want one… that's fine. I'll stick to my CVT for my daily and drive a stick in a sportscar. I'm always amazed by people who automatically consider themselves "car people" because they have a stick and those without as "not car people". Who cares what gearbox it has? A fun car is more determined by overall feel of the car rather than the transmission that's in it. The same thing could be said for electric steering. I enjoy getting 36-39mpg out of my daily commuter in a huge car. As I've said before. Every car has a purpose for individuals. If you're fine with letting people buy autos… then I have no problem with you. If you believe everyone should drive manuals and get militant… well, you're not very realistic. You've limited your vehicle choice due to transmission and that means you're missing out on some GREAT cars.

        Reply
        1. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
          Scandinavian Flick ★

          I pity you for thinking that anyone with an opinion that differs from yours is deserving of your pity.

          Reply
          1. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Let me clarify, my pity is not for those with a different opinion, it's for those who have militant opinions of what they think people should be driving. It's the myth that everyone should be doing X… sorry but that just isn't the reality. I think that you're joking and poking fun a bit… at least I hope so because that's why I come here. I know my answer would be controversial but it's true. Not ever car does indeed need a manual trans. Some people do not prefer one and that should be okay.

          2. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
            Scandinavian Flick ★

            Nobody here is attacking you for your opinion. It's the tone, and the immediate assumption that we're all going to be those with militant opinions. That's why the Hooniverse Asks feature is here; to discuss and debate among people who specifically are not that way. Sure, your opinion is contrary to the general flow, but that's what facilitates discussion in the first place. That's why I'm glad you're still here to defend your opinion, but am disappointed in the overly defensive nature. The question simply is; what car shouldn't be available with a manual? I think the minivan and land yacht cruisers are great answers to this. I can understand your opinion on daily commuters, even though I personally prefer a manual even in that situation. It's less boring to me that way, but that's just me.
            TL;DR: Relax, friend. We're all the same, and we all just want to chat. 🙂 Hug it out.

          3. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            That's what I'm trying to say.. it's all good. 🙂 I think people are taking this way more seriously than I ever was. My comment, as stated, wasn't for one person but in general for a few friends that I know who are pretty extremist in their mindset.

          4. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
            Scandinavian Flick ★

            As you even stated in another reply above, that's not anyone here though. So why bring it here? That aggression is a big part of why many of us are here in the first place, rather than a certain other site…

          5. pj134 Avatar
            pj134

            4L60E OR NOTHING, MAN.

          6. Plecostomus Avatar
            Plecostomus

            I hate that trans

          7. pj134 Avatar
            pj134

            700R4 FOR LIFE.

          8. hwyengr Avatar
            hwyengr

            I pity anyone who took the 4L60E over the ZF 6-sp in the Corvette. Pity, I said!

          9. pj134 Avatar
            pj134

            I'M OUT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS TO YELL!

          10. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
            Scandinavian Flick ★

            AW71 FOR LIFE!

          11. pj134 Avatar
            pj134

            AW-4 BROTHER!

          12. jeepjeff Avatar
            jeepjeff

            42RLE!

          13. ptschett Avatar
            ptschett

            545RFE!!!1

          14. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Just venting a little.. that's all. The extremist manual people will always be the first ones I think of on this topic. It has always annoyed me when people dealt in absolutes for any auto or auto type.

          15. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Also, I mean… the majority of people's daily drivers are autos. It should be okay for someone to own an automatic trans daily… just as it should be okay to have a manual trans daily. I've driven a Corvette with an auto, a Z-car with an auto, and I've driven trucks and vans with an auto. They were all fun. You're answer wasn't too long, I did read, and I'm always happy to do so.

        2. Dean Bigglesworth Avatar
          Dean Bigglesworth

          Finally a good reason to post this 😉
          [youtube _mDFwJL2Xus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mDFwJL2Xus youtube]

          Reply
          1. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            I love this so much.

        3. humblejanitor Avatar
          humblejanitor

          I hate that attitude too.
          A car is a car, period.
          If you get off on shifting it yourself, then go buy a manual. But, don't deride someone else for driving a slushbox and visa-versa.

          Reply
          1. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            I can't believe it has taken so long for someone to get what I was trying to say. Those who have the attitude that someone who doesn't always choose a manual is somehow lesser is just silly. You know what, it isn't just silly… I'd say it's pitiful. I am no less a car guy because I drive an auto. I can see others agree with me because, they too, can show cars that don't need autos to be just fine. YOU GET IT… Let's be friends.

          2. ptschett Avatar
            ptschett

            This x1000000

    3. Lotte Avatar
      Lotte

      I generally agree with you; despite the family Accord's 4cyl/Automatic, I still find that I enjoy driving, especially when I find myself along a tree-lined road on a sunny afternoon.
      But there's no need to be condescending. Nobody here SAID "everyone should have a manual". Yeah, there's "every car should be available in a manual", but that's different. That's a choice.
      Plus, no amount of pity is going to change them. And it's not like there's any real meaning or any social good in changing their preference/point of view. And as you said the market's going to determine that anyways, it's not like any additional persuasion is needed. The more choices the better, live and let live and all that, right?
      And geez, it's a freakin' transmission. If someone dug this up 50 years on and reads it, they'd think we're ALL nutjobs. (Well…)

      Reply
      1. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        Exactly.. you can have fun with any car. If you can't, the car is most likely just a terrible car. It's funny to ready how much my use of the word "pity" has really been like throwing gas on a fire. Other choices include "feel sorry for"… Really… lighten up guys. The transmission doesn't make the car.

        Reply
        1. Lotte Avatar
          Lotte

          Yeah, that "pity" and "feel sorry for" really ruffled some feathers. Clearly, that's not needed here.
          However I do admit that it gets REALLY difficult to not pity Mr. Harrell when you see him rave about that green tin can of his. I mean, the transmission is literally a rock. An actual freakin' piece of stone! I almost feel sorry for him, but I see him smiling and think "NUTJOB!"
          You are all nutjobs. And I like it here.

          Reply
          1. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            "Here" is a good place to be. I thought I was among friends but clearly you guys don't know me well enough. I should comment more often. When I comment like that, it's not aimed at the entire community. Most people other places that I comment would just read it, see that it wasn't aimed at them and move on. I apologize if someone thought it was… unless you're…. (I'm just kidding btw. Everyone remain calm.)

          2. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
            Scandinavian Flick ★

            It's Monday. You gotta temper your posts a bit as the rest of us patiently wait for the coffee to kick in…

          3. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Ah… I can totally do that. I see the comment is getting lots of negative votes. I'd delete it but feel the discussion is so good. I mentioned my wife in part of the comments. She can totally drive a stick, but ultimately chooses not to. In buying my car, I decided I wanted her to enjoy it as well. Knowing she didn't enjoy to drive a car with a manual trans, we chose an auto. Maybe the car buying experience is still fresh in my brain. I love a good manual trans… I just understand that not everyone does. You get what I mean but I'm not sure others are or will.

          4. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
            Scandinavian Flick ★

            That's why I'm up-thumbing your clarification replies. I appreciate those who stick stick with it in the face of disagreement and contribute to the conversation. I'm not one of the ones who down-thumbed you, mostly because you are a regular, and I know where you are coming from. Just try to remember where we're all coming from as well. 🙂
            Now, back to the regularly scheduled over-opinionated rantitude!
            MANUAL FOR LIFE!!

          5. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            It's fine. Those who are worth their salt will read through. I LOVE the articles on here but I enjoy the commenting and reading comments more. They're really tops.
            Side Note: When I was looking for my Z32 slicktop 300ZX, I intentionally did not look at a single automatic car. Some cars are just more about the raw, pure experience. 😉

          6. hwyengr Avatar
            hwyengr

            It's a little buried down here, but the phrase "those who are worth their salt" is also pretty inflammatory. You should be aiming for everyone to read through. Seriously, this place is almost entirely without any conflict whatsoever. It's like the rest of the internet doesn't exist, here. Keep the flamebait over at [REDACTED].

          7. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            It isn't meant to be an inflammatory comment. The people who I care about are those who will read through and understand what I was trying to say rather than being offended quickly and voting down. I feel more or less like I'm having an active conversation with others rather than writing 1 comment on an article. There is no flamebait and there is no reason to think I'm trying to beat up on anyone. I don't like [REDACTED] car site either. I never quite realized so many people would be this sensitive and ms-interpret my comments around here. I've never had a problem before. In fact, if I'm to be offended, it would be with the comment about my wife or women in general from above. However, I realize it was in jest because I didn't elaborate that she simply doesn't like to drive a manual trans car. Stop being so sensitive guys.

          8. hwyengr Avatar
            hwyengr

            People here are not quick to downvote comments. And there's a crew who will upvote comments that are wrongly getting trashed.
            Nobody is a mind reader, and folks can only take your comments at face value. You're coming on stronger than the typical Hooniverse commentor, you specifically said you pitied commentors, and you said that having an attitude made everything fun. This seems to have left a bitter taste in some folks' mouths. Calling people out as being "too sensitive" might not be the best approach, either.

          9. jeepjeff Avatar
            jeepjeff

            I read through what you said, and after hours of you kind-of, sort-of, not-really walking this back, I'm still (mildly) offended by the 'pity' comment. I don't think I misinterpreted you at all, because, frankly, I'm with Skitter. I cannot think of a single car that wouldn't be better with a manual.
            My wife's car has a CVT. It's a sensible sedan with reasonably engaging steering and a modest, but lively suspension. It has excellent balance and is quite a fuel efficient machine (it's an '06 Honda Civic Hybrid). Mine has a big dumb truck transmission with a big dumb truck clutch backing a big dumb truck engine in a high-riding, big dumb truck frame. I've done your comparison side-by-side, and I'd much rather have my Jeep in any driving conditions than anything with a CVT or other automatic.
            You also failed to notice that you can have a practical car that is also fun to drive with a stick and that "fun to drive with a stick" is not limited to sports cars.
            So the fact is, your original points are all wrong for various people who aren't you (because I gave your way an honest go, and I hated it; ask my wife, she's much happier now that I hardly ever drive her car). Heaping scorn on a not-insignificant portion of the commenters around here isn't a great way to make friends. Take a minute to understand why your personal opinion might not be universal truth, because it sure isn't true for me. At the same time, I can see how your Altima could work better for you, given that you aren't allergic to automatics in the same way I am.

          10. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            Heaping pity on those who refuse to let others say that there are good cars that aren't manual trans cars was what I was doing. If that offends you.. sorry. I'm not forcing or asking you to drive a car with an auto. What is great about us is what makes us different. It's the manual-nazis so to speak that I really feel bad for. You don't sound like you're one of them. No need to be offended. I've went all different ways of not having a toy and just having a daily with an auto… to also having a daily with a stick. I can totally see your point of view. Just want to stress that the pity is NOT squarely aimed at you at all.

          11. jeepjeff Avatar
            jeepjeff

            I am simply as virulent as your going to get on this matter on this blog. Either you're tilting at me with all this or you're tilting at windmills here (maybe not on [redacted], but certainly here). So, maybe I'm not the "all cars for everyone for all time", but you're only going to find cars that I think would be better with an M/T or aren't worth bothering with. At the same time, I think it's fatuous to push that personal preference on everyone else. No one less than Jim Brennan has publicly declared his derision of manuals on this very forum, and I don't think any of us think less of him for that stance.
            That said, looking back and really putting a strict read on your pity comment, I can see how you would mean not me. I think what likely happened is that there is a crowd of us with similar personal tastes (no autos of any kind ever), that would have misconstrued you, because we all make jokes about being Manual Transmission Mafioso (or similar, even some comments on this post). I think we probably all thought you must have meant us, because we're it on this board.
            Also, as Flick pointed out, this is about as mean as we ever get. 🙂

          12. skitter Avatar
            skitter

            In the future, please aim for the entire community, because the comments section is the community.

          13. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            "…difficult to not pity Mr. Harrell when you see him rave about that green tin can of his. I mean, the transmission is literally a rock. An actual freakin' piece of stone! I almost feel sorry for him, but I see him smiling and think 'NUTJOB!'"
            Ahem. Dr. Harrell.

    4. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
      Irishzombieman☆

      <img src="http://i.qkme.me/3v6s00.jpg"&gt;
      <img src="http://i.qkme.me/3v6s2h.jpg"&gt;

      Reply
      1. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        OMG… CANT. STOP. LAUGHING. 🙂 Did you just make the CVT one? I totally want to re-use that.

        Reply
        1. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
          Irishzombieman☆

          /wink
          Feel free, amigo.
          http://www.quickmeme.com/Mr-T/popular/1/?upcoming

          Reply
          1. Josh_Howard Avatar
            Josh_Howard

            YES!

          2. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
            Irishzombieman☆

            Damn it! Should've been "CVT DRIVIN' SUCKAS".
            The best jokes always come too late. . . .

    5. Synchromesh Avatar
      Synchromesh

      I beg to differ. I actually did have a '12 Altima as a rental back in December of last year for a few days. Had the CVT and everything. A decent A-to-B ride but fun? Not on your life. My WRX with manual transmission is about 1000x times more fun in pretty much every way. I won't even mention cars that were designed specifically for fun such as Miata, S2000, BRZ, etc. Altima is not only in the same league but in fact is in a different game. And manual transmission in aforementioned vehicles a large portion of the fun. If I wanted a fun car, I wouldn't have it any other way.

      Reply
      1. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        Sure you can have fun… just depends on what you're doing. It's not the same kind of fun… like you say, it's a different kind of game. My wife and I are road trippers and we have tons of fun in the Altima. Also, the car has an okay chassis to keep things lively should you want to do so. No 3500lb sedan is going to be the same as a more purpose built car… that's just all there is to it.

        Reply
      2. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        Totally agree about sporty cars and a manual though. If sport is what you're after, you care less about numbers and more about visceral experience.

        Reply
    6. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      To be fair, there are still some things a human can do with a manual that a line of programming in a transmission can't quite yet. Humans can see ahead and anticipate situations, while an automatic transmission is only able to react to whatever information it's getting at that very moment. It might not sound like much, but Bentley's gone to the effort of using the GPS to let the transmission know what road conditions are coming up ahead, to plan for corners and whatnot.
      I'll also put this out there – if everyone was forced (most likely because I went evil genius, and in my despotic wrath, rewrote the highway code instead of changing anything else) to drive manual unless they had medical reason, we'd have slightly more attentive drivers (and hopefully weed out the absolute most incompetent).
      More realistically though, an available manual transmission is still an absolute bonus over something that's automatic only, and as long as I can, I will vote with what dollars I have, and reward the manufacturers who still offer them. It's utterly disappointing that only 5% of people buy stick, which dictates that it's harder for the rest of us to get it. Not quite as sad as the prevalence of crossovers, but you know, still sad.
      Lastly, I'll say this much – a manual would raise my old Hyundai Accent from absolute shitbox to mildly entertaining beater.

      Reply
  3. buzzboy7 Avatar
    buzzboy7

    "What car should never come with an automatic transmission"
    All of them
    /Thread

    Reply
    1. FreeMan Avatar
      FreeMan

      Right answer. Wrong question.

      Reply
  4. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Dodge La Femme

    Reply
  5. B72 Avatar
    B72

    <img src="http://pics.imcdb.org/0is410/dukeseps11cad014tw.1535.jpg&quot;, width=500>

    Reply
    1. salguod Avatar
      salguod

      I was going to say my T'bird, which is a car with a similar mission:
      <img src="http://www.salguod.net/gallery/1960_thunderbird_convertible/P1110646-photo.jpg"&gt;
      Ford actually offered a 3 on the tree in the Squarebirds but there weren't many takers. It doesn't seem to make much sense in this kind of car.

      Reply
  6. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    None.
    Manual, ALL THE CARS!!!!
    That said, I look forward to seeing how this thread shakes out.

    Reply
  7. erikgrad Avatar
    erikgrad

    When you are dealing with screaming kids throwing ice cream at each other (or whatever else minivan families' kids are prone to doing), you will want that free hand to grab their collars…
    <img src="http://images.autobytel.com/2008/Dodge/Grand_Caravan/400/08_Dodge_GrandCaravan_09.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Josh_Howard Avatar
      Josh_Howard

      Best answer so far. Some things are more important than "driving excitement".

      Reply
    2. Devin Avatar
      Devin

      Also, the most popular car for wheelchair conversions, and people with disabilities tend to have difficulty with three pedals.

      Reply
    3. salguod Avatar
      salguod

      Yep. My grandfather has a SWB Aerostar with a 5 speed. Shifter looked like it came out of a dump truck, 3 feet long poking up out of the floor. It was silly. He bought it because he could tow it behind his camper in the days before most automatics were flat towable.

      Reply
    4. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      We've had one in the family for years. I've always wondered what it would be like with a stick.

      Reply
      1. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
        ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

        Wonder no more! European Chrysler Grand Voyager (Thanks W!)
        https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OGJ3FJTj18o/UX…
        <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OGJ3FJTj18o/UXrJ16zrXvI/AAAAAAAAEEg/buvA9bYY6xA/s500/2013+-+1"&gt;

        Reply
      2. ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
        ˏ♂ˊ mzs zsm msz esq

        Oh and Ry saw this at Vineyard:
        https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eQrStRR4jfE/Ue…

        Reply
    5. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Actually, my oldest, a two year old girl, did use to do some clapping when I accelerated in second to 80km/h to catapult the car out of a roundabout or similar. After my wife once faked angst the little girl has decided to say "don't speed, papa" though…
      I know, you can force an automatic to not shift up by just pushing the throttle all the way down. Not much different from a manual, really. But I prefer full control, and I like to decide which gear to be in. That goes for almost all situations I can imagine.

      Reply
  8. pj134 Avatar
    pj134

    I recently got through this conundrum while listening to this song.
    [youtube Zip4QyJyD5g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zip4QyJyD5g youtube]
    Coincidentally, I'm now looking for a b body with a bench up front.
    <img src="http://photos.ecarlist.com/mr/xh/wf/14/1O/p7/eT/xP/pd/BM/sw_800.jpg&quot; width=500>
    Mmmm….

    Reply
  9. onrails Avatar
    onrails

    Anything with this on it's hood:
    <img src="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=spirit+of+ecstasy&sa=X&biw=1008&bih=625&tbm=isch&tbnid=km1hpn7LjCsAKM:&imgrefurl =http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/spirit%2520of%2520ecstasy&docid=Nft8T1JaGCgCxM&imgurl=http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwu398gsQz1r4yzgmo1_500.jpg&w=482&h=700&ei=_v3jUc7nJMvZyQGls4CYBA&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:66,s:0,i:296&iact=rc&page=5&tbnh=188&tbnw=133&start=64&ndsp=16&tx=22&ty=67" width="600">

    Reply
  10. Battles Avatar
    Battles

    A manual Rolls Royce would be a shambles.
    Your driver might not be able to pass the grey poupon if he had to change gears manually AND mix your drinks.

    Reply
    1. marmer01 Avatar
      marmer01

      Of course before the Hydra-matic, they were all manual. A lot of the pre-war RHD ones had little bitty shift levers down by the driver's right foot so the chauffeur could shift right-handed.

      Reply
  11. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    Anything with a diesel engine, they tend to have a narrow powerband and it's not like there's any point hanging onto RPM to the rev limiter like in a naturally aspirated gasoline car.

    Reply
    1. bhtooefr Avatar
      bhtooefr

      Eh… I'll beg to differ.
      The 98-2003 VW TDIs with automatics, engine code ALH, the automatic is horribly unreliable, and sucks down 5-10 mpg more than the manual.

      Reply
    2. buzzboy7 Avatar
      buzzboy7

      Nope, too dependent on which diesel is in question. Ever drive an MB diesel? Even some of the big trucks I've driven (8.3 Detroit) have plenty wide power bands.

      Reply
    3. MJMCG Avatar
      MJMCG

      Modern diesels. Had a 520D E60 manual. It was ruined by the stickshift. Same motor in a manual 3 series was great.

      Reply
  12. bhtooefr Avatar
    bhtooefr

    Any hybrid.
    Mind you, I'd rock an Insight with a manual, because their CVT is done the stupid way. (That is, a conventional CVT, with an electric motor between the engine and transmission.)
    But, I'd argue that half the point of a hybrid is because you can implement an electric CVT that has no friction elements (no clutches, no belts, no nothing), and is much more efficient. Regenerative braking doesn't get you that much, really. Nor does downsizing the engine and using the hybrid system to preserve acceleration (it certainly helps, but that's nothing a turbocharger can't do instead).

    Reply
  13. IronBallsMcG Avatar
    IronBallsMcG

    Chevy Volt.
    Obviously with electric drive that's another kettle of fish, but I drive one on occasion and the absolute smoothness and silence in electric mode is way more appealing than I ever would have imagined.

    Reply
  14. Pidgeonsplatz Avatar
    Pidgeonsplatz

    I was going to say a Hearse, but then the thought of my last ride being in a maual made me smile.
    I am thinking that any car should be available with a manual. It may not be the popular choice in the model line up, but it should be an option. And with todays and tomorrows technology, the line between manual & automatic transmissions is getting more & more blurry, and performance, both power & economy dont suffer like they once did, so it is becoming more of a personal preference.

    Reply
  15. Preludacris Avatar
    Preludacris

    My feeble mind cannot imagine a Lumina van with a manual transmission.
    <img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2011/11/01/13/38/1991_chevrolet_lumina_minivan_3_dr_cl_passenger_van-pic-502182802413875672.jpeg&quot; width="600">
    My parents had one in the mid-2000s, when they were starting to disappear off the roads. Somehow, I turned into a car guy despite learning to drive in it.

    Reply
    1. Hopman Avatar
      Hopman

      Same here. I had its lux brother: The Olds Shilouette. Belieive it or not, if you were crazy enough to put the hammer down, it would spin a tire in first gear.

      Reply
      1. Devin Avatar
        Devin

        The Cadillac of minivans!

        Reply
      2. Preludacris Avatar
        Preludacris

        I know. 😉

        Reply
    2. smokyburnout Avatar
      smokyburnout

      They made them for Europe!
      <img src="http://image.nettiauto.com/extra/carimg/5609501_5609600/pontiac-trans-sport-5609599_b_54747161.jpg'/&gt; http://www.nettiauto.com/en/pontiac/trans-sport/5…
      Second generation, too <a href="http://encarsglobe.com/opel-sintra.html” target=”_blank”>http://encarsglobe.com/opel-sintra.html

      Reply
      1. Preludacris Avatar
        Preludacris

        Woah, cool! A little jealous… but at least their interior wasn't any nicer. Acres of mouse fur and grey plastic.

        Reply
      2. HSA Avatar
        HSA

        Of course – how else could they have sold those cars here? Probably the majority of Finns have never driven a car with automatic transmission, even though automatics are today available for most (but not all) run-of-the-mill cars.

        Reply
      3. mallthus Avatar
        mallthus

        The U Platform was also sold in Europe, again with a manual, as the Opel Sintra.
        <img src="http://cdn1.flipacars.com/photos/e7/0b/opel-sintra-08-_f2557.jpg&quot; width=600>

        Reply
  16. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    Automatics make more sense on turbo cars intended for drag racing and stoplight antics. With an auto, you can build boost before launch/
    [youtube z4PBs6KkdMk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4PBs6KkdMk youtube]

    Reply
  17. marmer01 Avatar
    marmer01

    Back when I got my Audi in '99, there was a lot of chatter in the car guy world about how it was one of the only German all-wheel-drive cars in which you could get a manual. Subaru, of course, had them although they were phasing them out in the Legacy series, but apparently VW had a Euro-market Passat Syncro 5-speed that all the Yanks were drooling over.
    Anyway, about two years after I got mine I got to do a back-to-back with my same car in a 5-speed. I was a pretty experienced stick driver after thirteen years in a Japanese econobox. My take: meh. Tiptronic was good enough; the A4 Avant is too heavy and drives kinda big for a stick.

    Reply
  18. skitter Avatar
    skitter

    I… uh…
    I can't think of a car that wouldn't be better with a manual transmission.

    Reply
  19. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    <img src="http://www.visitrenotahoe.com/images/main_image/snowmobile.jpg&quot; width="520">
    Because half the fun of snowmobiles are their CVTs.

    Reply
  20. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    <img src="http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/P3274783-Medium1.jpg&quot; width="520">
    A 66 without Variomatic is like a day without Hoonshine.

    Reply
    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Approved.
      And I came here thinking: "Nobody will find a better answer than 'none'". So I have to give you this one:
      <img src="http://pimphop.com/wp-content/uploads/respect.jpg"&gt;

      Reply
  21. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    <img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V2sr5298_FE/UbRaRGHOvwI/AAAAAAAABNA/2r4fj7CY9hs/s400/2012-Toyota-Venza+%2823%29.jpg"&gt;
    Around here, it has become the official car of the slightly confused elderly, and frankly grandma has enough trouble not driving into me without having to worry about shifting.

    Reply
  22. Maxichamp Avatar
    Maxichamp

    A Phaeton.
    http://karakullake.blogspot.com/2012/10/vw-phaeto…

    Reply
    1. Buickboy92 Avatar
      Buickboy92

      Holy Cow! I've Never seen that before. Kinda makes you wonder what else came with a manual transmission that you normally won't think would have one?

      Reply
  23. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
    Irishzombieman☆

    Serious answer:
    Trophy trucks.
    Repeatedly landing something this big and heavy and powerful on a manual transmission would send gargantuan shock forces through the entire wheels-differential-driveline-transmission-engine linkage. Rally cars handle it because the races are shorter, I think, but a thousand miles of jumping and landing would make a hash of purely mechanical drive systems.
    <img src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02189/Baja_2189403b.jpg&quot; width="500/">
    Non-serious answer:
    Clown Cars
    *You* try and pull off a heal-and-toe while wearing these. Go on! Try it!
    <img src="http://exotic-footwear.com/big_jpg/clown_red.jpg&quot; width="400/">
    Oooh! Murilee! Idea for new LeMons penalty! Ten laps in clown shoes!

    Reply
    1. pj134 Avatar
      pj134

      I think one of the trucks running in whatever the CORR replacement is called this year is using a manual instead of the two speed. While he's not winning everything because of it, he definitely has an advantage in certain situations.

      Reply
      1. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
        Irishzombieman☆

        In short races, especially head-to-head type stuff on loop tracks, I'd absolutely want a standard.
        Not for Baja, though.

        Reply
    2. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      How would you explain to a technical moron how the automatic is better suited to cope with these shocks? I've got this FRIEND who is…you know…seriously…

      Reply
      1. skitter Avatar
        skitter

        A plate clutch locks the entire drivetrain together from crankshaft to wheel hubs. With a torque converter, one set of blades spins and makes fluid circulate, and the circulating fluid then makes another set of blades spin. So the engine can be on one side spinning at a slightly different speed than the transmission, differential, axles, and wheels on the other. The fluid dampens the shocks to the engine parts when landing with a different wheelspeed than groundspeed. There is only the smaller mass of the drivetrain to instantaneously spin up, and the engine can catch up over a longer period of time.

        Reply
        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          This is an amazing explanation, and I…my friend…understood it in an instant. Suddenly I also understand why automatic cars make that sound of inefficiency where movement and engine rpm seem completely out of touch.

          Reply
      2. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
        Irishzombieman☆

        HA!
        Linkage between the engine and transmission is by torque converter, so instead of a hard clutch/pressure plate connection, linkage is by fluid.
        You still need beefy componenty to handle the shocks and pressure spikes coming through the fluid–and the ability to keep that fluid cool since that energy gets turned into heat–but the torque converter sorta acts like a shock absorber does on the suspension.
        So instead of the prop shaft getting twisted or an axle breaking, fluid goes around the blades in the torque converter, turning what might be an mere instant of gear-stripping shock (for a solid linkage) into heat. Keep the heat gone, and you can take a lot more of those shocks, which keeps the truck in the race longer on a course like Baja.

        Reply
        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          Thanks a lot for your explanation, too! I feel like I learned something very elementary today and I consider this a good reason to celebrate with a beer later on.

          Reply
          1. Irishzombieman☆ Avatar
            Irishzombieman☆

            So many good reasons to have a celebratory beer. Glad this made the list. Enjoy, my friend!

  24. I_Borgward Avatar
    I_Borgward

    For my own purposes, I prefer small to medium-sized vehicles with a manual, and large ones with an automatic.
    Small cars with automatics are BORING. To be fair, I haven't had the pleasure of owning a modern automatic in a small car, but in older models, they eat up power and never seem to be in the gear I want them to be in. Nothing makes a small car feel more like an appliance to me than an automatic. My current herd has two Volvo 240s with stickshifts, and I wouldn't have them any other way, especially after driving my brother's old 240 with an auto… holy CRAP, what a dog!
    On the other hand, I find large vehicles with manuals are a handful, and the advantages are few. I couldn't imagine my old Wildcat or Riviera with a stick… how are you supposed to relax on your gangster lean if you have to flap a shifter around? No class. I've also had several Econolines over the years and the two with manual transmissions were no fun at all. Perhaps my worst memory of a manual ever was trying to tow a travel trailer cross-country in an E150 equipped with the dreaded 4-speed overdrive with the floor shifter. Backing uphill into a campsite was a nightmare, and for all the effort, it actually got worse gas mileage than the E150 with an E4OD auto I replaced it with.

    Reply
    1. Plecostomus Avatar
      Plecostomus

      I had an E150 with the 300CID I6 and it was awful – maybe it was the Cali carb it
      but it was auto and it got worse mileage than an E150 with the V8 that same year

      Reply
  25. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    You know, like, for when you're stuck in traffic…
    <img src="http://www.weetstraw.com/assets/images/collections/24/chaparral-sucker-2.jpg&quot; width=500>

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      I thought said 'suck in traffic'.

      Reply
      1. Number_Six Avatar
        Number_Six

        Ha!

        Reply
  26. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    Cadillac STS-V, which belongs high on the list of old-man sleeper greats.
    <img src="http://www.car.com/images/2006/Cadillac/STS_V_Staff/400/06_Cadillac_STSV_13.jpg&quot; />

    Reply
    1. buzzboy7 Avatar
      buzzboy7

      WHA!
      This is one of my ultimate, "WHY THE HELL CAN'T I GET A T56?" cars

      Reply
      1. Number_Six Avatar
        Number_Six

        I know but I like the idea of sipping a coffee and cracking a 13-second 1/4 mile with Brahms Concerto in A minor for Violin and Cello blasting on the hi-fi.

        Reply
        1. pj134 Avatar
          pj134

          If it had a bench I'd be with you.

          Reply
    2. Tomsk Avatar
      Tomsk

      Same can be said of the Buick Park Avenue Ultra.
      <img src="http://www.carforums.net/reviews/makes/pictures/Buick08.jpg&quot; />
      Yeah, it's front-drive, but the rest is supercharged living-room-on-wheels goodness. AND it was available with a front bench seat.

      Reply
      1. Plecostomus Avatar
        Plecostomus

        I once drove a Buick Riviera Supercharged coupe and it was like driving the world's fastest leather Lazy Boy recliner

        Reply
      2. Number_Six Avatar
        Number_Six

        And its sexy bar of soap coupe relative, the Riviera.

        Reply
  27. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    <img src="http://www.modelt.ca/images/pedalsAndTransmission.gif&quot; width="550">
    The hot-rodders may not agree (although a lot of them go with automatics…), but a Model T shouldn't have a stick shift.
    Having said that, I'll still make allowances for a shift lever running to a Ruckstell rear axle.

    Reply
  28. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    Also:
    <img src="http://www.andersonequipment.ca/ims/new_case_ih_magnum190.jpg"&gt;
    Tractors really need to be set it and forget it, mostly so you can focus on other tractor things instead of worrying about smooth shifting.

    Reply
    1. DonFehlio Avatar
      DonFehlio

      "Hey, whatcha thinkin' bout?"
      "I dunno, tractor stuff I guess"

      Reply
  29. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
    Scandinavian Flick ★

    There is absolutely no car that should not have the option of a manual transmission. However, the opposite is also true. When the consumer has options, we all win. Clearly there are some strong opinions on the matter, and I cannot stop myself from judging people with four functioning limbs who refuse to learn to drive manual. However, I understand that people have preferences, and we should always be able to choose whether we set it and forget it or row our own gears.
    That said, the only thing I'd pick an automatic in is something to drive low and slow. A true cruiser.
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/0DdOH9O.jpg&quot; width="550">

    Reply
  30. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    I will echo the sentiment that all the things should be available with a manual. At the same time, many cars with an automatic can be plenty cool, especially big, cruisery ones.
    I'll also throw out anything AMG. If I remember the excuse correctly, Benz has difficulty building a manual transmission that can stand up to the torque they put out. I'd rather they stick with automatics than cut back the torque.

    Reply
  31. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
    C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

    Any Cadillac Fleetwood. I also think a manual would ruin the 2005 V8 STS I have, now.
    Actually, any land yacht, in general. S-class Mercedes (especially the SELs), Lincoln Town Cars/Continentals, Imperials (either independent or Chrysler-badged) large GM barges, and the like.

    Reply
  32. badhatharry Avatar
    badhatharry

    Manual only:
    Subcompacts. You need a way to get as much power out of those 50 horses as possible.
    Any engine with 12 cylinders.
    Any REAL sports car. If you can't drive stick, you have no business buying a Ferrari.
    Automatic only:
    Minivans.
    Camaros and non-GT Mustangs. Because, come on, either get a real muscle car or just get a Mazda.

    Reply
  33. ptschett Avatar
    ptschett

    Not a car, but…
    Wheel loaders.
    <img src="http://www.aggman.com/files/2011/06/RO56-Case-1121F-Wheel-Loader.jpg&quot; width="500"/>
    The torque converter allows the engine to be somewhat disconnected from the drivetrain, so the operator can do things like pushing the bucket into a pile and still have enough engine RPM to run the hydraulics.

    Reply
  34. Tomsk Avatar
    Tomsk

    <img src="http://www.thetorquereport.com/2010_toyota_prius_official_5.jpg&quot; width="500" />
    "Driver…involvement? You mean letting him or her adjust the radio volume? Yeah, I'm down with that."

    Reply
    1. ezeolla Avatar
      ezeolla

      One guy I work with has a Prius and it won't let him adjust anything on the radio for the first couple of seconds the car is on and he is one of those guys who doesn't turn the volume down before he turns the car off, so we are always blasting music for the first 5 seconds the car is on with no control at all

      Reply
  35. ezeolla Avatar
    ezeolla

    <img src="http://snooksdreamcars.com/images/Evans%20Lincoln/1.jpg.JPG&quot; width="600">
    The exception to the rule

    Reply
  36. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Ten years ago I would have said that I would prefer a manual to any automatic, period.
    Now that some modern high end automatics offer as many as eight gears and shift times that are measured in milliseconds I am starting to feel differently, especially when they can be shifted manually with a pair of paddle shifters.
    That being said I still think smaller, lighter cars should really have a manual transmission. Everything else would be better with a modern automatic.

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      I got into a discussion with a pal about F1 tech and yes, the flappy paddle transmissions are faster shifting and the car will probably outperform (SLS Black vs Viper).
      But I like to toe-heel, engine brake, bang gears and in general, hoon. Makes me feel like I'm in control of something.
      To make my point, gratuitous images of Linda Vaughn and Hurst Girls!
      <img src="http://flameroad.com/pics/Chrysler/74/0d/5529_Chrysler-300-Hurst_1.jpg&quot; width="600">
      <img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2619/4094087625_b17e081ce0_b.jpg&quot; width="600">
      <img src="http://www.mantiquesresto.com/aboutus/nascarpics/NasPicsLg02/Movie01.jpg&quot; width="600">

      Reply
  37. quijoteMike Avatar
    quijoteMike

    <img src="http://www.classiccarphotography.org/images/Gearbox.jpg&quot; width="600">
    in this
    <img src="http://motoburg.com/images/auto-union-type-d-05.jpg&quot; width="600">
    Ok, pre-selector, but back when men wore moustaches and pipes it was considered auto enough

    Reply
    1. dead_elvis Avatar
      dead_elvis

      I don't suppose you've got a link to a HUGE version of that photo?
      /wipes drool off keyboard

      Reply
      1. quijoteMike Avatar
        quijoteMike

        Sorry, no, but have this instead
        http://www.crosthwaiteandgardiner.com/
        The people who made it
        You walk through their premises past a few T35 Bug wheels casually in a corner then past a V16 Auto U crank shaft, then a 917 rear rim. All in a day's work.

        Reply
        1. dead_elvis Avatar
          dead_elvis

          Fantastic! Thanks.

          Reply
  38. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    I love manual transmissions but I advise most of my friends to buy an automatic in a new front-wheel-drive car for 2 reasons. The first and most important is warranty repairs. If you read the fine print of most new car warranties the clutch plates and throwout bearing aren't covered by the warranty. On a fwd car the costs of repairing a clutch can at a dealership can cause a great sucking noise. A friend bought a Kia Soul and within a couple of years ruined the clutch. The actual parts needed to repair it was not that bad but the labor to remove all the major components to get to the clutch was priceless. The second reason is resale value.I remember as a kid in high school helping my buddies replace clutches in the driveways of their folks' houses and unless the car had a torque tube drive shaft (Nash?) it was easy and we could finish the job in an afternoon unless we had to get the flywheel resurfaced.

    Reply
  39. Tsuku Avatar
    Tsuku

    Any 7-series BMW. I had a E38 728i with a manual (it was a really weirdly specced one. manual trans, cloth interior, manual ac, no obc). The mileage was slightly better than on the autos, but it did just not suite the car at all. A 7 has even less sporting characteristics than a 5, so the manual just felt unnecessary in what should be a luxury barge. If anything, the manual accentuated the 7's innate unsportiness.
    <img src="http://pihled.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Autot/728i%2097/e38%20014.JPG/_small.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  40. C³-Cool Cadillac Cat Avatar
    C³-Cool Cadillac Cat

    Sure, not a 'car', but I've driven it like one.
    You don't want to feel what 40' of shift linkage feels like.
    <img src="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp29/mckellyb/f_17436844_1-1.jpg&quot; width="400">
    Plus, the MT-643 Allison does quite well. It's very much like a manual without a clutch, if you want it to behave that way.

    Reply
  41. mac350 Avatar
    mac350

    I don't think this even comes with a manual option.
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Abrams-transparent.png&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  42. Declankreitmayr Avatar
    Declankreitmayr

    People have shared some rare & amazing car models here, all are beautifully designed. I'm very much fond of automatic cars.

    Reply