Manual Cars

[Bossxr8]

Once EV's take over, the manual won't even exist any more in new vehicles.

[jstanovic]

My mate bought a RAV4 for the missus, got it a bit cheaper as it was manual. Fast forward 4years and he had a bugger of a time trying to sell it, not even the Toyota badge helped his resale value.

Performance/classic car/enthusiast, manual = cool

99.99% of drivers, manual = poo poo

[Franco Cozzo]

If I had a company car, in particular a Thailand special I'd probably go for an auto variation because it would be a little more friendly on the drivetrain with heavy crapola on the back.

Then again I'd be tempted to go a manual one, that way everyone would be hesitant to drive it at work

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Everyone,
T3Minator reminded me of a story i read in the newspaper where a bloke tried to car jack a car on Parramatta Rd at a set of traffic lights.

He pulled this person out of the car and jumped in only to find out that the car was manual.
He couldn't drive a manual car so got out and took off running away.

[danzvtil]

I wonder what OHS liability stands on employers of these young apprentices who cant drive manual utes. You cant really put someone on a forklift without a license and some competency. Auto would just become the default as you exclude nobody.
Now im full time in my manual express van, theres a day per week where im going across town in bumper to bumper and to be honest, its a PIA. My next van will be an auto.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I wonder what OHS liability stands on employers of these young apprentices who cant drive manual utes. You cant really put someone on a forklift without a license and some competency. Auto would just become the default as you exclude nobody.
.

in N.S.W. If you took your driving test in an Automatic vehicle you can only Drive an Auto whilst on your Red Ps.

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/lic.../p1/index.html

Only drive automatic transmission vehicles, or clutchless manual vehicles, if you took your driving test in this type of vehicle. Your licence card will show the A034 condition on the front.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by hayseed

in N.S.W. If you took your driving test in an Automatic vehicle you can only Drive an Auto whilst on your Red Ps.

https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/lic.../p1/index.html

To follow on from that (unless the rules have changed) If you get your truck license in a Euro Truck with a synchro box you can't drive one with a Roadranger/Spicer.

[Citroënbender]

Last I checked (about December) it was still that way, proficiency was required in a crash box.

[bb_zetec]

our fleet of three cars is all manual:

Wifes Suzuki GV
FGII XR6 UTE
VE SSV Wagon

I find it much more enjoyable driving a manual and find you have better control of the engine and braking of the vehicle using the manual box. You also feel you are actually driving the car and not just steering it.

The only times i hate it is severe bumper to bumper traffic.

Towing also seems to be limited with the manuals...only 1200Kg braked on the XR6 ute...i guess that is due to the pressure on the clutch.

There arent too many manual XR/Falcon/Commodores around anymore for sale. I guess they were not made in big numbers either.

The sportier variants will probably always have a market in manual transmissions...but a base model XT or Omega for example i think you'd have a hard time selling..similar to the RAV4 in the previous post.

The fact we have a VE Wagon is due to it being the only V8 manual wagon available...the VF the Wagons were all automatic only.

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by bb_zetec

our fleet of three cars is all manual:

Wifes Suzuki GV
FGII XR6 UTE
VE SSV Wagon

I find it much more enjoyable driving a manual and find you have better control of the engine and braking of the vehicle using the manual box. You also feel you are actually driving the car and not just steering it.

The only times i hate it is severe bumper to bumper traffic.

Towing also seems to be limited with the manuals...only 1200Kg braked on the XR6 ute...i guess that is due to the pressure on the clutch.

There arent too many manual XR/Falcon/Commodores around anymore for sale. I guess they were not made in big numbers either.

The sportier variants will probably always have a market in manual transmissions...but a base model XT or Omega for example i think you'd have a hard time selling..similar to the RAV4 in the previous post.

The fact we have a VE Wagon is due to it being the only V8 manual wagon available...the VF the Wagons were all automatic only.

On car sales there is a 1997 VT commodore executive wagon v8 manual for sale. Back in the days of being able to customise your commodore from factory. 200,000kms, just under $10k. Rare beast.

[T3rminator]

Whats funny is that in the UK, and some parts of Europe, a majority of their taxis are manuals. Fascinating when you consider the amount of traffic they need to duck and weave through cities like London.

[xb74_black]

3 of my 5 cars are manuals, i much prefer them. Autos are ok, but not as much fun to drive.

[whynot]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

To follow on from that (unless the rules have changed) If you get your truck license in a Euro Truck with a synchro box you can't drive one with a Roadranger/Spicer.

Great little video on good technique with the Roadranger. Good tip on pre-loading the stick to help it pop out of gear. They do respond to a firm (but not ham fisted) hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qisr...sDrivingSchool


When I got my HR licence back in the 80's the synchro had been removed off first gear so that I could get a non-synchro licence. It has been so long since I have driven a non-synchro box that I would need a very quiet road to practice before feeling confident again.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by whynot

Great little video on good technique with the Roadranger. Good tip on pre-loading the stick to help it pop out of gear. They do respond to a firm (but not ham fisted) hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qisr...sDrivingSchool


When I got my HR licence back in the 80's the synchro had been removed off first gear so that I could get a non-synchro licence. It has been so long since I have driven a non-synchro box that I would need a very quiet road to practice before feeling confident again.

"Double the Clutch" Clutch? he uses a clutch?

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

"Double the Clutch" Clutch? he uses a clutch?

He's a bit heavy footed on the clutch, he would engage the clutch brake on mine doing that.

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Guy's
When i got my MR Truck Licence in 1980 ( i got My HR Licence at a later date).
I went for the test in a V8 Dodge Truck that had a crash gearbox. I went to the Department of Motor Transport as it was known then at Rosebery in Sydney.
The instructor took me all around Rosebery, then we got to a very steep hill and he told me "to pretend i have lost my brakes and go thru the gears".

I wasn't allowed to touch the brakes on my way down the hill and had to get into first gear at the bottom of the hill.
I started my decent down the hill, the instructor making sure i wasn't touching the brake pedal and going thru the gears till i got to the bottom.

Yes I did Pass and i got my Licence.

[MITCHAY]

I have only owned manual cars and for the most part drive and prefer them considering I can't afford two cars. I only ever did any significant auto driving when I was on my Ls but that was more about driving experience and my mum is an auto driver. I still got my licence in a manual using the log book system.

There are times I have wanted an auto in the moment and reckon my view might be different if I lived somewhere the traffic was insane like Sydney or Melbs.

But that is not where I am at. Most of my journey is free flowing so I can deal with it most of the time.

Seriously though **** me dead sometimes I think if some auto drivers had to change gears and use a clutch they might be able to keep gaps better and appreciate what a pain in the **** it can be with the constant stop/go is but obviously that is my problem not theirs

[T3rminator]

https://www.caradvice.com.au/950070/...-in-melbourne/

[LG17]

Got a licence (manwell of course) in the mid 60s and have had a mixture of manwells and magics ever since. It's usually depended on the type of car as to what box I got. XA GT hardtop was a manwell just because; Charger was a manwell for the same reason. XP hardtop was a magic because it was just a cruising car. Today I have 2 magics and 1 manwell. It's always a great feeling to go through the gears.

[UTXR8]

ive got a FG XR8 manual ute and a VW R32 6 speed auto Golf with paddle shift.....the Golf is, to me, easily the most fun drive with the paddle shift....

[FTE217]

Meh, I got paddle shift daily, my manual Sprint is way way more fun and engaging every single second I’m driving.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Meh, I got paddle shift daily, my manual Sprint is way way more fun and engaging every single second I’m driving.

I find paddle shifts way overrated. Dad had one in his MX5, I found it very clumsy to use when doing the twisty stuff. Just didn't feel natural the way you had to keep both hands in the same location on the steering wheel when doing lots of corners.

Straight line I can understand it would be advantageous.

[hayseed]

https://www.drive.com.au/news/armed-...medium=partner

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Once EV's take over, the manual won't even exist any more in new vehicles.

Nor will Automatics...

I love my Manuals and yes, the modern Autos are better, but as others have said, there is a fun factor in the manuals that you miss out in Autos. I'll keep my Manuals well into the future when they are relegated to the pages of history.

[au2000]

Manual's are for me more fun to drive and i think makes you a better driver.
When my son was on his L's we insisted he had to learn manual hence his first car was.
The ute & the xr6 bring us smiles to drive even though both are slow compared to the fpv's but we still love em..

[Polyal]

+1 to preferring manuals but for a daily then auto just makes sense. cant imagine the annoyance of driving a manual 4x4 around. In theory no difference to a smaller car but just not worth the effort.

I will have a manual as a fun car soon enough, for me really but also for the kids to learn in.

[MercuryT]

Manuals are better to drive than any auto imo.

However as a daily they are a massive pain in the ****.

To me it's a simple answer - auto for daily commute and manual when you want a good spin in your ride.

The best paddle shifts (hold out to red line etc) are a great compromise like mine but I'd still pick a manual as the best driving experience and most rewarding.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

I find paddle shifts way overrated. Dad had one in his MX5, I found it very clumsy to use when doing the twisty stuff. Just didn't feel natural the way you had to keep both hands in the same location on the steering wheel when doing lots of corners.

Straight line I can understand it would be advantageous.

Damn I can't believe we have a post in common pleasant change.
Yep I hear you about the whole feel around twisties or when having to paddle shift through a sweeper or corner.
Its not easy at all when under the pump having to hold your hands at 9 and 3 oclock positions to flip gears.
Slow/cruising suburban driving its fine but its no where near as comfortable going through normal stick shifting.
The in traffic comments re manual, the clutch pedal in the Sprint is like pressing through butter. What is so hard about that in traffic to me, not much.
IF for eg some of you knew what a clutch pedal felt like back in the '70's then I get it about being in stop start traffic but these modern cars its a piece of cake. Softies

[Sabantien]

Originally Posted by Polyal

+1 to preferring manuals but for a daily then auto just makes sense. cant imagine the annoyance of driving a manual 4x4 around. In theory no difference to a smaller car but just not worth the effort.

I will have a manual as a fun car soon enough, for me really but also for the kids to learn in.

We recently sold the wife's auto hatchback and bought a manual prado. It is a bit of a pain driving the 4x4 around town. There's no spirited driving in this thing, just constantly changing gears, which I also hated back when I spent my commute stuck in traffic.

It's funny. My wife and I both only had manuals until I got my G6E and she got her A1. Now we definitely prefer auto.

Maybe we're just getting old.

I was honestly surprised to see how few manuals there were when we were shopping for a 4wd. As much as I prefer autos, I have a thing against 4 speed autos, so was looking at manual instead.

[Franco Cozzo]

I regularly drive my car through some heavy traffic, modern manuals are easy to drive, I take it through the city fairly often and inner suburbia.

Plus I haven't done a set of brake pads and rotors in 213,000km and counting.

Traffic doesn't move fast enough to need brakes

In a commercial vehicle though I'd rather not - it's a bit Пиздец