Cars in US

[macf13nd]

hey all,

i don't wanna be flamed so let me get one thing straight; i realise that most people posting in this forum are probably car enthusiasts and therefore would probably prefer to sleep on a bed of cockroaches than drive an automatic car.

that said,

in so many films, i see people start the moving off process by pulling a lever behind the steering wheel. i'm assuming this is putting the car into drive etc. I mentioned this to my friend and he said that 70% of the cars over there are AT, as opposed to the same proportion being MT in the UK.

Whats the score?

[DreAming in DigITal]

Well most people that I know drive Manual Transmission cars...but I would think it may be about half and half? Most luxury cars here are AT (that might be why you see alot of them in the movies). I would be interested in seeing the actual statistics on this too though.

[KXH]

More than 70% of the cars are Automatic Trans here in the States. Most cars are not manual trans and have to be ordered that way. When i ordered my mustang GT i had to wait to get it becaue all the cars on the lot were only AT. The only people who really have MT are enthusiests domestic or foreign car. Out of my whole group of male friends i would say that only 2 of us can drive a MT, and i am the only one who can drive it well. Out of my Fraternity brothers which is 60 guys, probably 9 or 10 can drive MT because they like or have american muscle cars, or had a suped up japanese car. Although my experiences are mostly around the bigger metro area's. I am not sure if its the same in the more rural area's but would venture a guess that it is in fact the same because more people would have work trucks like pickups and they are mostly AT as well.

The lever your talking about is the classic American AT PRNDL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low gears) on the steering column. That is something that as far as i know is only on American Domestic Vehicles. Other people who have an AT put it on the floor where the MT Shifter goes.

For instance, i drive a Mustang GT, its a V8 4.6 liters. I doubt that most people have that much car in the UK or could even afford the tax on something like that and i complain when i pay $1.70 for a gallon of gas. We are so spoiled. And i am looking to buy a new one becaue its more fuel efficient and gets more hP and torque even though there is nothing wrong with my car.

Also I see that a Subrau Sti is something like $50000 USD over in the UK but is $31000 USD here. something about some sort of taxes. We are so spoiled i almost feel guilty about it.

Edited March 4, 2005 by KXH

[Ironman273]

Actually, DiD, your friends must be the exception. I don't have exact figures but the 70% sounds about right, if maybe a little low. The sad fact is that it's very hard to find a car that still offers manual transmission, unless it's a sports car or completely stripped base econobox.

EDIT: After doing a little searching online I see the figure 80% for automatics coming up, but I can't verify it (like from a government site).

[jerzdawg]

I live in NJ... there is no way I'd buy a car with manual trans just because of the traffic alone... just to much of a problem here... id get so frustrated shifting all the time in stop and go traffic... if i had the money i would want a "sunday drive" car with manual trans just to take it out on the open road(no traffic)... but ill 2nd ironmans statement...youll really only find MT on sports cars and the base model... years ago it was much cheaper to get the MT over the AT... now.. AT is standard... and not much of a price difference...

[ThunderRiver]

I don't really see the reason to have a car with MT, but I know like 9 out of 10 people on campus drive with MT. They all say that MT is more fun and it lasts longer as well (I don't know if that's true).

One thing for sure.. if you have a Ford van and it is AT, yes, it is a crap.. So far, I haven't had any problems with AT on Japanese cars.

For a luxurious car, I don't think it is necessary to have MT. The car should be the one taking care of you, not the other way around. It is just too much work with MT, especially for people that like to eat food, use cellphone, put on makeups while driving. I just had one dumb blonde woman almost slaming her car into my car fender the other day at 60 MPH.. Don't know what she was doing before that, but I think she was distracted..

The only thing I agree with MT is that everyone should at least learn how to drive MT. It is a necessary skill as MT is here to stay.

[DreAming in DigITal]

Wow...80%? Thats much higher than I would have thought...maybe since my friend all drive sports cars then that why they have MT. I personally drive an Automatic since I have an SUV with around 350hp, I think the AT is fine for what I got.

[KXH]

I live in NJ with an MT, it is kind of hard on the knee's

[kombolcha]

if i had the money.. i would send you a plane ticket to come here and drive a Manual on Los Angeles streets and freeways. you will go insane.

i would love to have a stick, but i drive a lot.

also, having a stick will lower the value of your car by over $2,000 here. and more as it ages.

EDIT:

there are still a grip load of people that do drive stick.. i konw about 10 of them personally, but they don't commute as much as i do, which is why they drive stick.

[KXH]

I commute 40 miles or so round trip everyday, but i am thinking about either a new Mustang GT MT or amybe just maybe a new Acura TL instead. Depends which law school i get into. due to the traffic situation etc.

[Zip]

you seem to think we dont have traffic. i've been in LA quite a bit, the UK is much worse. especially around london ;) trust me.

we're just not that lazy :p

AT also consumes more fuel than MT

[darksoul]

AT also consumes more fuel than MT

585568123[/snapback]

That is not as true as it used to be, new AT's have virtually the same MPG as MT. Luxury cars with the new 6 speed ATs have little power loss compared to their MT counterparts.

[QuarterSwede]

I don't really see the reason to have a car with MT, but I know like 9 out of 10 people on campus drive with MT. They all say that MT is more fun and it lasts longer as well (I don't know if that's true).

585567882[/snapback]

Manual Transmission offers the driver a lot more control which is why people want it in sports cars. Also, the transmission does last longer because there is fewer moving parts to go bad. AT is a nighmare if it goes out on you.

[gdodson]

It's different from the UK because of the manufacturers in the US. Most new cars now are AT, unless it's some less expensive car, or a sports car. So, most middle range cars are AT.

[Joey992]

I live in an area of VA that has one of the fastest growing populations in the US. Our roads cannot support the number of people on them during peak hours so we have stop-and-go traffic almost as bad as the big cities. Therefore, I feel bad for anyone driving an MT around here in that kind of condition. I have an AT Xterra (X-Trail in the UK and everywhere else), and it does the job well. If I had a Subaru WRX, however, it would be MT.

I also believe that number is inflated because of all the soccer moms driving around in their SUVs and minivans. I know very few women who can drive a manual car.

[WigglesTheFish]

i drive a manual trans right now, i kind of like it... but if i do get annoyed having to shift a lot when in traffic... most of my friends, i think all of them actually, drive autos...

[QuarterSwede]

I live in an area of VA that has one of the fastest growing populations in the US.  Our roads cannot support the number of people on them during peak hours so we have stop-and-go traffic almost as bad as the big cities.  Therefore, I feel bad for anyone driving an MT around here in that kind of condition.

585568452[/snapback]

Almost as bad as the big cities!? It's worse than most! D.C. (northern VA) has the third worse traffic in the U.S. mostly because of the blasted beltway.

Sadly, I have a MT car ... it's fun when I'm cruising West of here where the traffic is more sparse.

[MR_Candyman]

It's unfortunately true, most vehicles nowadays don't even have an OPTION for manual transmission (especially trucks for some odd reason). The lever behind the steering wheel's actually a column shifter. I don't know of any autos being built today that use them.

I hate driving automatics, but my car's an auto, and one of the cars I want to get (1970 Super Bee) I will make damn sure is an auto (727 tranny, yum).

[MR_Candyman]

Manual Transmission offers the driver a lot more control which is why people want it in sports cars.  Also, the transmission does last longer because there is fewer moving parts to go bad.  AT is a nighmare if it goes out on you.

585568425[/snapback]

Also just want to add it costs more to get an automatic transmission fixed, heck it even costs more to BUY the automatic transmission in a vehicle

[threetonesun]

It's unfortunately true, most vehicles nowadays don't even have an OPTION for manual transmission (especially trucks for some odd reason). The lever behind the steering wheel's actually a column shifter. I don't know of any autos being built today that use them.

585568614[/snapback]

Most trucks still have them behind the wheel. And manual shifting in a truck with a bench seat and 2 passengers means someone is getting used as a punching bag.

I don't understand why people say stick is worse in traffic, I find it easier. You have so much more control over your speed than in an auto. And once you finally do get out of traffic, you're stuck with a slushbox :happy:

[darksoul]

Manual Transmission offers the driver a lot more control which is why people want it in sports cars.  Also, the transmission does last longer because there is fewer moving parts to go bad.  AT is a nighmare if it goes out on you.

585568425[/snapback]

I have heard that, but i have only known one person who had to replace their AT where as virtually everyone i know with a MT has replaced the clutch atleast once. Granted that is not quite equal to replacing an entire transmition.

[MR_Candyman]

I have heard that, but i have only known one person who had to replace their AT where as virtually everyone i know with a MT has replaced the clutch atleast once.  Granted that is not quite equal to replacing an entire transmition.

585569085[/snapback]

That would be from them riding the clutch. Ity's always best to shift to neutral at a light, than to hold down the clutch, but very few people realise that and end up wearing out their clutch. Also instead of pushing in their clutch to go around slow corners, they should just downshift and drive it through properly.

Here's a guide to learning to shift properly: http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp

Edited March 4, 2005 by MR_Candyman

[macf13nd]

well i'm glad i started an interesting debate!

the only reason it came to mind is that I got a car recently (an old ford sierra 1.8 LX) and it was an automatic! i spent half the time trying to change gear, and the other half moving my left foot out of the way so my right could use the brake!!! It died the other day, and last night i uh, 'borrowed' my parents car which is a manual and i think its the only way to drive...

here in UK, if you learn in an automatic then (for obvious reasons) you're only allowed to drive an automatic. But hardly anyone does that cause automatics are for GRANNIES!!! :laugh:

[AnakinSolo2002]

Ahh yes, the horridness of automatics, I have finally gotten my Manual car.... it's soooo awesome, though it being so old, it has a manual choke, so if the choke pops out too early and i'm on a steep hill it'll stall like a super pised off girlfriend, but it's a great car none the less, I have been wating my entire life for this car, and it's here, and I'm driving it.

(1984 Mazda RX-7..... incase you wanted to know) :rofl:

[IK47]

More than 70% of the cars are Automatic Trans here in the States.  Most cars are not manual trans and have to be ordered that way.  When i ordered my mustang GT i had to wait to get it becaue all the cars on the lot were only AT.  The only people who really have MT are enthusiests domestic or foreign car.  Out of my whole group of male friends i would say that only 2 of us can drive a MT, and i am the only one who can drive it well.  Out of my Fraternity brothers which is 60 guys, probably 9 or 10 can drive MT because they like or have american muscle cars, or had a suped up japanese car.  Although my experiences are mostly around the bigger metro area's.  I am not sure if its the same in the more rural area's but would venture a guess that it is in fact the same because more people would have work trucks like pickups and they are mostly AT as well.

The lever your talking about is the classic American AT PRNDL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low gears) on the steering column.  That is something that as far as i know is only on American Domestic Vehicles.  Other people who have an AT put it on the floor where the MT Shifter goes.

For instance, i drive a Mustang GT, its a V8 4.6 liters.  I doubt that most people have that much car in the UK or could even afford the tax on something like that and i complain when i pay $1.70 for a gallon of gas.  We are so spoiled.  And i am looking to buy a new one becaue its more fuel efficient and gets more hP and torque even though there is nothing wrong with my car.

Also I see that a Subrau Sti is something like $50000 USD over in the UK but is $31000 USD here.  something about some sort of taxes.  We are so spoiled i almost feel guilty about it.

585567852[/snapback]

Im getting my G2 license next year. Is manual hard to drive?, or do you get used to it?

Maybe Ill get a car that has both.