Why All Petrol heads should drive a manual
So it is nearing the end of 2016, and it looks like the manual has reached a trend, many more manufacturers are pulling the plug on the beloved 3 pedal stick for the more “friendly” choice of automatic, in other words, the choice for your average grocery getter, visits to the tanning salons and t
So it is nearing the end of 2016, and it looks like the manual has reached a trend, many more manufacturers are pulling the plug on the beloved 3 pedal stick for the more “friendly” choice of automatic, in other words, the choice for your average grocery getter, visits to the tanning salons and the choice for rolling up to your local vegan joint. But that’s not what this article is about, it is here to celebrate the 3 pedal stick, the holy grail of the petrol head, The manual transmission
Okay, so for us petrol heads, the only thing more satisfying than a nice, clean, upshift is a nice clean downshift whether it is just a rev match or a heel toe, there is just a satisfaction when you go into the next gear whether it is higher or lower and have it go in like a hot knife through butter, but it is quite satisfying, literally the equivalent of every satisfying thing put together into one.
With more and more manufacturers pulling the plug on the beloved manual and going with the auto, or the performance equivalent, the dual clutch. The manual is still there raising it’s flag like the true champ that it is, many performance cars only come in with the manual option, including the Doge Viper
….I mean the Dodge Viper ACR, which currently holds 13 Major track records for production cars, beating the P1 and the 918, Manual win much?
Driving a manual provides a satisfaction like no other, especially when all the techniques are done right and in a fashionable manner. Simply rowing through the gears like a dummy chump won’t do you any good unless you have some finesse and not be like this guy
If done right you would look like this
But feel quite like this….
Truth is, if your face doesn’t look like this while you’re driving, it is most likely that you are driving the wrong car, by that i mean you are driving an automatic.
And not to mention, it is the safest way to make sure that your car won’t get stolen, if you live in the states, where only the highest class of car thieves know how to drive it, and not to mention, if you get car jacked, there’s a high chance they’ll stall the car, giving you a chance to save your pride and joy from being driven like a race car by someone other than you.
Not to mention that you won’t have a bae, but that’s okay because you’ll be too busy rowing through the gears to remember anyone anyways.
Bottom line, drive a manual, as soon as you can, because if you have any interest, any real interest in cars, you would fall in love with it like all of us have.
Comments
As much as I love manuals, automatics do have their benefits too.
Yeah, But this is just for the manual. Just one side of the argument, and in any professional argument there are 2 sides.
but also if you can drive a manual you can also drive an auto. I think it’s a good idea for everyone to know how to drive a manual, then they can pick and choose whether or not they wanna drive an auto.
I agree with all of those things and I’d also like to add manual is also cheaper to buy and repair. Plus, if you know what you are doing you can probably get better fuel economy out of it
Fuel economy?
Currently driving an 66kw manual daily. Sitting in traffic jams and etc. Not seeing a point in having a manual gearbox if you live in the city, outside the city? No purpose either. If you go to racing track and want to perform all kind of sorts techniques with downshifting and similar than yes go for manual. But other than that if you have a daily car and driving manual transmission makes you feel more superior than other automatic peasants I feel sorry for you.
P.S. In you point view Im surely not a petrolhead for opinion like this but Im qualified mechanic with diploma and experience working in VW dealership.
P.S.S. sorry for english, not my native.
Vw ruined you
get downvoted because of truth, nice job Car Throttle for keeping an open community with open opinions!
Well, it’s just a matter of personal preference. I love sliding through gears myself, but on some cars like an S-Class or a 7er or an A8, I just don’t see the point of a stick. While I don’t quite feel the need to get an expensive gearbox into a cheap car. Like an automatic in a Golf diesel.
Very well said, Ahmed!
#V6Phil.
I have to disagree. There are alot of cars that are much better with an automatic transmission. A classic Mercedes S-Class or a Rolls-Royce for example. It’s a comfort you wouldn’t want to miss in a car like that. Automatics fit to alot of GT cars very well too.
This post is actually only a big whine for not going with the time. Automatics and CVTs are much more efiicient than a manual transmission. Just because you don’t want things to be changed doesn’tm mean everybody agrees with you
I think having the option to change gears using paddles (mostly on double-clutch gearboxes) is enough for supercars. Trying to deal with 1479hp with a manual is probably not a good idea. But in 200-300hp cars, a manual is probably best.
Nicely said. I am 16 years old, I’ve been “driving” a manual since 13 years old. 3 years later, I’ve got the hang of it, by that I mean I can drive it like an adult. Always manual. There are minor exceptions of driving an automatic but that doesn’t count.
Where’s the “Drive a manual because it’s slower” bullet point?
trollololol.
My first five vehicles were all manuals, now I’ve got floppy paddles in the M5. There are times I miss rowing my own gears, but at the same time, it’s awfully nice keeping both hands on the wheel when you’re out abusing a 500 horse rear driver.
Why trololol when it’s true? Older automatic transmissions were slow, yes. But Nowadays the gears go in faster than you can ever shift a manual
Good post. I’ve driven a diesel Astra in 1st gear for 30 meters and a tractor because my drunk grandpa let me… Anyway, I just cant understand why people see it as a chore. It is so easy, the pedal on the Astra was really light and even I could get it going on the first try. I cant see why anyone would ever want an auto.
Compared to a auto It’s only a chore in traffic especially with performance cars my scooby isn’t the nicest car to drive in traffic and it doesn’t even have a racing clutch yet however I would never have a auto.
I’ve only driven my dad’s 1.6 Astra manual once, and to be honest, it’s anything but hard. By the way the only auto I’ve driven is a Volvo FH12 460, so I kind of have little experience on both sides. And to be honest, again, it was more fun in the Volvo for the tall sitting position, but not as much fun as sliding through the gears yourself… …instead of using buttons on the lever.
Double Gearbox cars are the optional extra future manual and automatic :P