Do you remember when you first learned how to drive stick shift? We sure do! It was a magical time, coupled with a moment of triumph when you realized that you could hop in and take off. Do you remember practicing at every stop, priding yourself on a flawless, smooth start? Do you remember how it felt while accelerating hard to throw it into 3rd and feel the speed gather around you? The fact is, if you ever learned how to drive stick, you have experienced these sublime memories




20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars

1) So You Know How to Do It When Abroad

If you’re reading this and you’re in North America, driving a manual is weird. But in most countries, it’s commonplace. If your own car is a manual, driving abroad is the same. Even if the car is right-hand drive, the gearbox and pedal setup are the exact same. Plus, if you ever run The Amazing Race, you’ll be prepared. No losing the million bucks just because you can’t get into first gear.

2) Better Fuel Economy
You get better MPG’s simply by driving a stick. The transmission weighs less (weight savings = fuel savings), you go into neutral between shifts (little fuel used), and you can coast to stops.

3) The Self-Starting Car!

Have a weak battery and don’t want to replace it?? No problem! Just park atop a hill and give the car a rolling start. Then pop it into gear and kablamo, your car runs! Just remember to always park on top of a hill. P.S. this will get old quickly so buy a new battery. I hear Costco batteries are fantastic.

4) Keeps You from Dying

You’re feet move and your arms move so you don’t get cramped up and develop blood clots and die. Okay, that’s a little extreme. But honestly, it’s good to keep your limbs from going limp.

5) Cheaper to Buy

We all know most people looooovvvveee paying for convenience. So people will pay out the nose for an automatic. Luckily for us, that makes manuals cheaper. Thousands cheaper if you’re buying a new vehicle. Don’t do that though. But on the secondhand market, there’s still a difference in price.

6) Cheaper to Maintain

Oh, how I enjoy saving money. A manual transmission not only takes less fluid, it doesn’t require an expensive gasket and filter kit. It’s also easier to replace the fluid in a stick. So, this is a big win-win as tranny fluid can be freaking expensive. The fluid for my car was $12/quart (after price shopping, of course). The car needed 6 of them! It was stupid because the car takes 5.1 quarts. Dang you, Mitsubishi!

7) Repairs are Cheaper

A manual transmission is cheaper to build, thus cheaper to fix. I can pull the manual transmission out of my car in an afternoon. Can’t say that about an auto. Less time = less money. Also, a replacement transmission if needed will be way less.

Car is Faster

With an automatic, there’s a huge loss in power when converting the energy to an auto tranny. So while the engine is the same between a manual and auto, a manual will give you more power. By driving a manual, the ‘15% rule’ is usually used. A manual will net you 15% more horsepower than an auto.

9) Thieves Get Confused

Because manuals aren’t commonplace anymore, young thieves don’t know how to drive them. Heck, most people in America don’t know how. They’ll either pass or try to drive your car, fail, and run away.

10) Sticks are Cool!

Driving a stick shift is cool! It’s an acquired skill. Some people use techniques such as ‘heel toeing‘ and really make shifting into an art. Anyone can drive an auto. Which, funny enough, I guess in Britain the only people who drive auto’s are the disabled and the elderly. Makes sense.

11) For Fun!

Drifting your car is so much easier. By increasing power, reducing weight, you selecting the gear instead of a computer… it is a lot more fun to drive.

12) No One Wants to Borrow Your Car

Remember when I said thieves don’t know how to drive a manual? Well if some bum wants to borrow your car, you don’t have to say no, just tell them it’s a manual. I used this trick just a few weeks ago. I didn’t have to tell this guy ‘no’, I just had to say, “It’s a manual… so…”

13) Engine Braking

If you need to stop quickly, downshift while hitting the brakes. This will slow you down much faster than just hitting the brakes like in an auto. Safety, first! I mean… 13th.

14) Develop a Skill

Some people take great pride in driving a manual. After all, it is a skill. Anytime I can add a skill to my portfolio, it’s a good day.

15) Longer Transmission Life

Generally speaking, the life of a manual transmission is greater than that of an auto. Most autos seem to go out before 200k.

16) Safer, Easier Mountain Driving

When you drive an auto through the mountains, it has a hard time understanding what gear is appropriate.

How my mountain driving goes in an auto: “You’re failing at life, auto transmission. You don’t know when to shift! You don’t have eyes! You just shifted and there’s a big mountain ahead. What now, gearbox! You’re torturing yourself! Time to downshift, once again!”

Yeah, I get bored sometimes when I drive…

Even with the ‘overdrive off’ button most auto’s have, your auto still goes through hell trying to guess the appropriate gear. In a manual car, you can see what’s down the road and shift appropriately. When an auto shifts up and down over and over, it’s decreasing its life. It’s committing slowly killing itself. No fun.

Plus, engine braking is really helpful when descending a mountain. Overheating your brakes in an auto is dangerous and expensive.

17) No Computer Telling You It Knows Better (Forget you, HAL!)

I used to drive my parents’ old Oldsmobile 98 as my beater car. It was so annoying because a lot of speed limits in Nebraska are 45 mph. The car was an auto. It shifted into top gear at 46mph. So either I could speed or I could force a downshift by driving 45 mph and burn a lot of fuel being on the top of the rev limit. Not cool, auto.

18) Respect

When you do take the car to the shop, the employees will know you probably sought out a manual. It shows you care about what you drive. They will probably have more respect for you and the car.

19) No Sleepy

After you drive a stick for awhile, it’s just as easy as an auto. But it still requires movement. Therefore, it’s harder to fall asleep while driving. But this of course doesn’t apply to highway driving since you’ll just remain in top gear.

20) Patience, Young Grasshopper

You may consider this a negative but I assure you it’s a positive! Driving a stick teaches you patience! Since they are more rare, you have to spend more time looking for one. I looked at dozens of Eclipses online before I found my manual. So of course I knew the market up-down-left-right! But keep in mind, I used the ‘use patience, not time‘ strategy so it’s not like I wasted countless hours searching for my princess. Her name is Izzy, btw. I’ll write a post about my ninja-like negotiating tactics in the future. Actually, they’re more grandma-like… I’ll explain later.

In all fairness, I thought I would compile a list of why automatic transmissions are better. But that was hard. All I could think of is an auto is the ‘easier’ alternative. But then again, who wants to go through life doing things just because they are easy?


http://firstquarterfinance.com/manual-cars/

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Haa too long a list. I still love manual, sha

I reject this IJN AMEN

OP....I need a car of 30 or 40k

Maybe...starlet or corolla

ayogabriel:
Haa too long a list. I still love manual, sha

Do you remember when you first learned how to drive stick shift? We sure do! It was a magical time, coupled with a moment of triumph when you realized that you could hop in and take off. Do you remember practicing at every stop, priding yourself on a flawless, smooth start? Do you remember how it felt while accelerating hard to throw it into 3rd and feel the speed gather around you? The fact is, if you ever learned how to drive stick, you have experienced these sublime memories

marshalcarter:
OP....I need a car of 30 or 40k


Maybe...starlet or corolla

BUY VW BETTLE

I agree with your points except that of number 8 @op.

Some automatic cars these days runs faster than their counter-parts.

Nice Thread

Op at least u put source this time around

uboma:
I agree with your points except that of number 8 @op.


Some automatic cars these days runs faster than their counter-parts.

He is saying that the manual of the same car is faster than the auto and I agree with it.

tonychristopher:




Do you remember when you first learned how to drive stick shift? We sure do! It was a magical time, coupled with a moment of triumph when you realized that you could hop in and take off. Do you remember practicing at every stop, priding yourself on a flawless, smooth start? Do you remember how it felt while accelerating hard to throw it into 3rd and feel the speed gather around you? The fact is, if you ever learned how to drive stick, you have experienced these sublime memories

Bro your head is there, people that learnt with manual are better drivers. Fighting with clush, to moving and manipulating the trottle to have a smooth takeoff was hell but after mastering it, it became an art, it wasn't for boys, manual is like keeping beards, patience, persistent, caution, not also forgetting the side mirrors to worry about. I didn't taste automatic for 4 yrs I started driving, Manual is still the best.

tonychristopher:

BUY VW BETTLE

Na so you hate me reach

chibabe3:
He is saying that the manual of the same car is faster than the auto and I agree with it.

That statement is partially true

ogawisdom:
Op at least u put source this time around

at least I am learning well lol

where is Siena my man ..I hope he will agree with me here ..I admire his submission though

uboma:


That statement is partially true

tell us your view on the partiality

Aside from a stick shift car being cheaper to buy and maintain, its the real driver's car. It engages you in every way. More fun, if you have plenty of power under the hood to play with.

Car-Doctor

Just learnt something new today

I'm really missing my manual shit....

agoadiv:
I reject this IJN AMEN

For what nahh ??

When you drive a manual gear car, you know wht it means to be in ABSULUTE control!

Siena:
A manual gearbox will always be my choice. More fun, more engaging, more challenging. I feel more "connected" to the car, and the road.

Of course, in some models, manuals don't exist. My 2006 Audi A8 4.2 V8 TDI Quattro is a 6-speed Tiptronic, it can be driven in manual mode, but without a clutch pedal to make your feet dance to, it's not the same.

It is worth noting though, that some of today's automatics, especially the twin-clutch variety ARE quicker than the manual in the SAME car, and better on fuel too. These are not enough to move me from the MANUAL camp, where I shall remain. Both my project Audi's will be running purpose-built 6-speed manual gearboxes.

I drive a Benz lately and its automatic and to be honest the taking off is a bit sluggish but if it's picks its faster and I notice that Benz auto gear selection is faster than that of automatic in jap


I think if I had that c class compressor in stick drive a whole lot would be achieved ...but I give it to Benz in handling


this is more reason speedsters and race cars come in manual transmission
I love this submission

Exqwizit:
When you drive a manual gear car, you know wht it means to be in ABSULUTE control!

in automatic the car drives you
in manual you drive the car


that's just the way it is

tonychristopher:


I drive a Benz lately and its automatic and to be honest the taking off is a bit sluggish but if it's picks its faster and I notice that Benz auto gear selection is faster than that of automatic in jap


I think if I had that c class compressor in stick drive a whole lot would be achieved ...but I give it to Benz in handling


this is more reason speedsters and race cars come in manual transmission
I love this submission

Did you read Sienas bit on dual clutch trans being faster and more economical than manuals? Do you think a jap equipped with a dual clutch auto setup will not dust that your benz? Do you know that auto makers employ certain gear ratios to achieve certain objectives. Some gears are geared for fuel economy while some are geared for performance while others are geared for towing. In drag racing, where the driver has no time to change gears, automatics win all the time. Automatics have come a long way. They are no longer the slush boxes my father warned me against.

9icetoo:

Did you read Sienas bit on dual clutch trans being faster and more economical than manuals? Do you think a jap equipped with a dual clutch auto setup will not dust that your benz? Do you know that auto makers employ certain gear ratios to achieve certain objectives. Some gears are geared for fuel economy while some are geared for performance while others are geared for towing. In drag racing, where the driver has no time to change gears, automatics win all the time. Automatics have come a long way. They are no longer the slush boxes my father warned me against.

I did and I own a manual and auto so I try to a bit of comparison and I think your apt but personally speaking stick is it

@OP it seems u don't stay in Lagos, PH or area with a lot of traffic jam

Siena:


Lily, Lagos and Port Harcourt are not the only cities in the world, with dense traffic.

I Knw that sir, the reason I wrote "......or area with a lot of traffic jam"

DuchessLily:


I Knw that sir, the reason I wrote "......or area with a lot of traffic jam"

driving manual in traffic isn't stressful all you have to do is learn how to engage your gear 1 and use clutch ...if your car is in the right gear it moves without the engine been revved and that is talent my darling ..it takes years if expertise

I am even teaching my 10yr old how to drive auto ....but manual is sweet only if you understand it

it's like making love to a lady ..you have to understand how and where to touch her

so is manual ..you have to know how to engage and disengage the gears

The edge my Honda Bullet 1.8 litre engine has over other 2.0 automatic brand is the ability to rev the manual gear Up to 75kmph on 2nd gear. You need to feel The power. It's unexplainable.! I've taken out corollas, camrys, especially the legendary pencil light ,easily, easily in traffics and drag races. Some peeps back out cause they can't risk burning their auto gear box which cost an arm and a testicle
#teamstickforlife

eherbal:
The edge my Honda Bullet 1.8 litre engine has over other 2.0 automatic brand is the ability to rev the manual gear Up to 75kmph on 2nd gear. You need to feel The power. It's unexplainable.! I've taken out corollas, camrys, especially the legendary pencil light ,easily, easily in traffics and drag races. Some peeps back out cause they can't risk burning their auto gear box which cost an arm and a testicle
#teamstickforlife

when I specify that manual is my thing ... people will feel I am odd but u proved me that I am not

what of engine breaking