Curious Why it Seems so Many People Want a Manual Trans?

[mdk100]

When you want to feel the car or enjoy the driving experience.
Put it in M, shift by using + and -

When you want to relax or just ride along.
Put it in D.

I just like driving a manual. I can control the revs and the shift points. Though I’m mostly driving a 911. For the Bronco, I also get the anti-theft features of the manual.

As far as these hybrid paddle shifters…I’ve been doing this too long to change. I was driving my wife’s BMW one day with her and another couple, paddle shifting away, and while distracted in conversation, I proceeded to downshift. My left leg did what it’d been trained to do, which is push the clutch to the floor, but unfortunately in a paddle shifter/auto setup, that’s just the wide brake pedal. As you’d expect, the car slammed to a stop, s*#t flying everywhere, tires squealing, and women screaming. Fun time.

Fortunately, nobody rear ended us. But I never drove in that semi manual mode again!

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[Broncotrax]

I enjoy a manual - my daily driver is a 5 speed manual. For an offraod vehicle it 100% auto for me. I get the argument for either...

EDIT: When I got my first early bronco 30 years ago, a popular modification was to drop in a NP435 manual with a granny low. I was planning to do the same until a few of us went to Moab and I saw how much more imprecision and trouble the guys with the manuals had on hard obstacles. Not what I wanted while off camber staring at a 1000ft drop. When we got home, I sold the np435 that I had planned to swap in...

I am one that installed the NP435. it's cool and all but hind sight tells me I should have went auto. It's a fun Bronco but not my main go-to. As I've aged I realize a/c on the way home on a hot day along with cruise control are more for me. The Bronco heads to the mountains in the fall.
The new one is an automatic.

 

[BR0NCO]

Driving a super slow vehicle (bronco) with a manual transmission can be more fun than a fast car with an automatic.

I agree 100%. I had a 63 hp Samurai and it was a blast to drive

 

[BR0NCO]

I wonder how many people who preferred manual never tried Automatic manual mode.

I've had a few cars. Most of them have paddle shifters next to the steering wheel, two had only the shifter lever itself. I find Automatic transmission is the best option for most of us.

When you want to feel the car or enjoy the driving experience.
Put it in M, shift by using + and -

When you want to relax or just ride along.
Put it in D.

For example, in my Camaro...
Tap - to downshift.
Tap it twice it blips the throttle to downshift quicker.
Hold it to shift directly to the lowest possible gear.
If I don't do anything while accelerating, it bounce at the rev limiter.
If I come to a stop light and feel lazy, it downshifts to keep the engine from stalling.

Honestly I haven't find a good motivation to buy a manual.
And no, I don't mind my wife driving my cars and not worrying my cars being stolen lol

Paddle shifters are nothing like driving a manual. I’ve had 2 cars with them and they are worse then just driving an automatic. With that said, it was tough giving up the V6 and other features for a manual, especially with sasquash since they are making you pay for the automatic anyways

 

[Rahkmalla]

I wonder how many people who preferred manual never tried Automatic manual mode.

Everyone has tried manual mode on an automatic. It's a pale imitation. I hate it.

Part of the enjoyment of driving stick comes from the enjoyment of doing it well. Nothing in an automatic feels anywhere near engaging as a nice heel toe rev match downshift. What's the equivalent in an automatic? Pressing a button while hitting the brakes? No comparison

I wonder how many people who prefer manual mode on automatics never got good at driving a manual.

 

[pakrat]

Cavemen that's why!

 

[MaverickMan]

Plain and simple in a manual you only have one friction/pressure element in your drivetrain to keep you moving. Its a big one and when it fails it is simple, although a pain to replace. Often times it will fail slowly enough to get you home or to civilization. However in an auto there are many friction/pressure elements connecting you driveshaft to the crank. Some big some small, some weak some strong. But when one fails often times they all will and you are done bleeding out on the trail with only 1 bar on your phones battery at 11pm in the rain. Also an automatic can bee killed by a shrub. Just a quick yank of a cooling line or a stab between skid plates of the pan. Then you are done. At best needing a tow and some replacement parts. At worst $5000 in the hole. If you cant control a manual offroad safely, you probably need to work on your skills or step up to the challenge. But if you are in an auto the minute you step off pavement you are risking killing your trans

 

[Sparkherd]

Well, I'm thinking it's because there are lots of AMERICANS on here!!!
But (slightly more) seriously; I don't own an auto; I don't like them.
There are vehicles which autos are perfect for, but I don't own one.
I ordered my 85 F250 with a four speed stick because I couldn't find a Bronco with a stick.
I later found out I could have ordered an 85 Bronco with a stick, but the dealer had never ordered a Bronco.
I currently own a 14 Fiesta ST (6 speed manual) because Ford came out and said the new Bronco was not going to be produced in 2015. Now, six years later, Ford is *allegedly* producing the new Bronco.
So, since I was a kid, I wanted a Bronco, with a stick.
In 85 I tried to get one.
In 2015 I wanted to get one.
This year I ordered one; with a stick.
Hopefully I will get one before I die.

 

[Drex]

sigh...why do some folks want a manual transmission? Because it is more fun.

 

[PDiddy]

I have an auto but I would agree that driving a manual is more fun. Personally there is no other benefit, just more fun to throw that stick shift around.

 

[Lakelife36]

Everyone has tried manual mode on an automatic. It's a pale imitation. I hate it.

Part of the enjoyment of driving stick comes from the enjoyment of doing it well. Nothing in an automatic feels anywhere near engaging as a nice heel toe rev match downshift. What's the equivalent in an automatic? Pressing a button while hitting the brakes? No comparison

I wonder how many people who prefer manual mode on automatics never got good at driving a manual.

They're not all perfect, so when I hit a great one it makes my day. I 100% concur it's about the engagement.

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