Manual Tranmissions

[Steve Demuth]

As nearly as I can tell, the only option left for a pickup truck with a manual transmission is a V6 Toyota Tacoma.

This makes me feel like a real anachronism. I strongly favor manuals in my trucks. I'm looking at replacing a 2008 Tacoma potentially, and if I'm reading the cards right, I'd better do it this year, or there may be no choices at all.

Anybody else feel this way? Did everybody but me actually decide trucks need automatic transmissions, so the market completely disappeared?

[Mike Henderson]

I used to favor a manual transmission but I came to realize that the automatic transmissions are pretty good. A lot better than they were when I was starting out.

Mike

[mike stenson]

Outside the US manual transmissions are still common. Inside the US, a very small percentage of people can actually drive one. For instance, if I rent a car in Germany it's significantly more expensive if it's an auto. When was the last time you saw a manual available for rent in the US? It's a market issue solely.

I'm unhappy with this, because I prefer a manual as well.

[Stan Calow]

I won't buy another manual truck or car anymore, because the people who pull up inches behind me at a stop on a hill don't seem to understand why that's a problem.

[Matt Day]

It’s too hard to text and shift with a manual. 🙄

[Mike Henderson]

I won't buy another manual truck or car anymore, because the people who pull up inches behind me at a stop on a hill don't seem to understand why that's a problem.

When I had a car with the emergency brake as a pull up handle between the seats, I could handle that situation. Pull up the brake, let go of the foot brake (move that foot to the accelerator) and as you let out the clutch, drop the emergency brake handle. But for vehicles where the emergency brake is a foot push, that won't work.

Mike

[Erik Loza]

It’s too hard to text and shift with a manual. 

:D:D:D

We're in the same boat as Steve. Both my wife and I are 4Runner die-hards but that option disappeared a long time ago. Whenever we travel to Europe, we always book a vehicle with a standard transmission. When we get to the rental counter, the clerk always asks us if we really wanted that, since we're American. LOL

Erik

[mike stenson]

When I had a car with the emergency brake as a pull up handle between the seats, I could handle that situation. Pull up the brake, let go of the foot brake (move that foot to the accelerator) and as you let out the clutch, drop the emergency brake handle. But for vehicles where the emergency brake is a foot push, that won't work.

Mike

I haven't seen one of those on a manual transmission. Thankfully, because that'd just be stupid for the exact reason you mentioned

[Brian Elfert]

I drove some 1946 "buses" for the Minnesota State Fair in 1999. They were essentially a truck chassis with a three or four speed non-synchro transmission. They had a great big parking brake lever you could grab with your right hand. I would set the brake at every stop. If the stop was uphill I would release the clutch at the same time as releasing the hand brake. You had to double clutch going from first to second. I had had been working on that bus operation for a decade in 1999 and the mechanic didn't realize I had never driven the 1946 "buses" yet and had to teach me. I had only driven the newer automatics or acted as conductor instead of driver.

They were really easy to drive once you spent an hour or two taking practice laps. They were easier then a car with a manual transmission. A lot of people refused to drive them.

[Kev Williams]

According to 'MotorBiscuit' only 3 trucks (available in the US I'm assuming) are available with a stick:
Jeep Gladiator
Nissan Frontier
Toyota Tacoma
--none of which are 'big' trucks...

[Mike Henderson]

I haven't seen one of those on a manual transmission. Thankfully, because that'd just be stupid for the exact reason you mentioned

Not a truck but the VW Bug worked that way. I had a Chevy car that was set up the same way with the emergency brake between the two front seats (long time ago but that's what I remember).

Mike

[mike stenson]

Not a truck but the VW Bug worked that way. I had a Chevy car that was set up the same way with the emergency brake between the two front seats (long time ago but that's what I remember).

Mike

Weird, then again the last bug I drove was air-cooled, and was post 1960. So really old Type1... never driven one, just later ones and Type2's

Literally every automatic I've owned, has been my wife's. I'm not looking forward go being forced to drive one due to unavailability of manuals.

[Erik Loza]

...Literally every automatic I've owned, has been my wife's. I'm not looking forward go being forced to drive one due to unavailability of manuals.

My wife's 2014 Mini Cooper is manual (we both steadfastly refused to get automatic in that platform) but apparently, even Mini is phasing the standard transmission out.

Erik

[Jamie Buxton]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.

[roger wiegand]

I gladly switched to automatics in my trucks years ago, the American manual transmissions were just unpleasant to use, I think my current F350 has like an 8 or 10 speed automatic. It shifts smoothly and adjusts well to load and road conditions. My car is still a manual (a Mini Cooper at this point). The Mini and BMW I had before it had a nice feature that if it senses the car will roll backwards it applies the brakes for the second or two between taking your foot off the brake and engaging the clutch. Unless you dawdle there is no roll back on a hill. (Worked fine driving in San Francisco).

[Mike Kreinhop]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.

My retirement present to me was a new truck to replace my 2003 Ford Ranger Edge with the 5-speed manual transmission. I didn't want a four-door truck because I wanted as much bed as possible for hauling stuff. Of all the trucks available in Germany (or maybe even Europe), only the Ford Ranger was available in two-door, super cab, or four-door version. All other manufacturers offered only the four-door version. My next challenge was finding a dealer who had what I wanted in stock so I didn't have to order it and wait six to nine months for delivery.

I found a Ford dealer north of Frankfurt that had over 150 Rangers on it's lot. Over a dozen were two-door, a couple dozen were super cabs, and the rest were four doors. I bought the 2019 model year Ford Ranger Wildtrak super cab with a 3.2L 5-cylinder turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission (it has the parking brake handle between the seats).

[Stan Calow]

When I had a car with the emergency brake as a pull up handle between the seats, I could handle that situation. Pull up the brake, let go of the foot brake (move that foot to the accelerator) and as you let out the clutch, drop the emergency brake handle.But for vehicles where the
Mike
Yes, of course. But its still annoying.

[Jim Becker]

There are a lot of folks who enjoy manual transmissions, but the demand is pretty low in the overall marketplace these days. Even "supercars" are using automatics. Further, many of the current generation safety features in vehicle don't function with manual transmissions and even "base" level vehicles are getting those features. So yea...if you really, really want one, don't wait much longer...

[Tom M King]

The Alison automatic in my truck, and the software that runs is, has been a quite impressive piece of equipment.

[Mike Cutler]

Steve

I drove Toyota Trucks as the daily driver from 1985-2015. I loved their trucks. All of them manual.
I also had the same feelings you do toward automatics, but eventually I resigned myself to the fact that my Tacoma was a very marginal tow vehicle fr a 2horse trailer, and moved up to a GMC Sierra Denali with an automatic. I don't think I know how to use 1/2 the features that are incorporated into that transmission
Automatics have come a long way in the last decade or two, and you really should look into them.
My other cars are Mini Coopers and no way I'll put an automatic in one of those. ;)

[Bruce Wrenn]

The Alison automatic in my truck, and the software that runs is, has been a quite impressive piece of equipment.


Tom, remember where Alison transmissions were originally used. Hint, they were painted a puke green.

[Kev Williams]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.
Back in 1995 my dad and I leased our first truck for our business, an F-150, 2 doors, long bed. Before the lease was up half the state's auto dealers had an all-truck sale at the state fairgrounds, hundreds and hundreds of new trucks. Our parameters were: Ford, 2 wheel drive, V8, auto trans, air, long bed, 2 doors. It took over an hour to find out there was only ONE such truck there. We bought it.

The shortage of regular cabs has been going on awhile. Almost as impossible to find is full-size truck with 2-wheel drive..

[Doug Dawson]

As nearly as I can tell, the only option left for a pickup truck with a manual transmission is a V6 Toyota Tacoma.

This makes me feel like a real anachronism. I strongly favor manuals in my trucks. I'm looking at replacing a 2008 Tacoma potentially, and if I'm reading the cards right, I'd better do it this year, or there may be no choices at all.

Anybody else feel this way? Did everybody but me actually decide trucks need automatic transmissions, so the market completely disappeared?

Automatics have gotten so good that there’s no need for a stick any more. Anyway, that’s the official line. (Not your father’s slush box etc.) But the real story is, that computer control of shifting is more efficient at achieving the required fuel economy than you are. :^) FWIW, I wouldn’t disagree. If you want that degree of control, go for a vehicle with paddle shifting. Even in the case of a truck, you can still lock an auto trans into low or mid gear when you need it.

[Brian Elfert]

Automatics have gotten so good that there’s no need for a stick any more. Anyway, that’s the official line. (Not your father’s slush box etc.) But the real story is, that computer control of shifting is more efficient at achieving the required fuel economy than you are. :^) FWIW, I wouldn’t disagree. If you want that degree of control, go for a vehicle with paddle shifting. Even in the case of a truck, you can still lock an auto trans into low or mid gear when you need it.

The Allison transmission in my converted bus will shift up to a higher gear automatically if RPMs get too high even if I have manually selected a lower gear. This causes me issues when I want to use third gear because the Jake brake is most effective in third gear. If I don't select third gear before starting downhill the RPMs will often get too high and the transmission will go to 4th even though I have selected 3rd.

I bet other modern automatics will do the same thing.

[Curt Harms]

Outside the US manual transmissions are still common. Inside the US, a very small percentage of people can actually drive one. For instance, if I rent a car in Germany it's significantly more expensive if it's an auto. When was the last time you saw a manual available for rent in the US? It's a market issue solely.

I'm unhappy with this, because I prefer a manual as well.

You may not if you had to drive in a big city. I had to drive a car with a manual transmission in New York City one time. My left leg was tired by the time I was done.

[mike stenson]

You may not if you had to drive in a big city. I had to drive a car with a manual transmission in New York City one time. My left leg was tired by the time I was done.

I've driven in London, DC, Munich, Paris, San Francisco, LA, Berlin and NY with a manual ;)

[Tom M King]

The Allison transmission in my converted bus will shift up to a higher gear automatically if RPMs get too high even if I have manually selected a lower gear. This causes me issues when I want to use third gear because the Jake brake is most effective in third gear. If I don't select third gear before starting downhill the RPMs will often get too high and the transmission will go to 4th even though I have selected 3rd.

I bet other modern automatics will do the same thing.

The grade braking in mine works great. If going downhill, with foot off throttle, if the truck picks up speed, it will downshift on it's own, and adjust rpms automatically so the shift is not so severe. Maybe with a Jake brake, the software disables grade braking. Does it have a Tow/Haul mode?

[Bill Dufour]

My retirement present to me was a new truck to replace my 2003 Ford Ranger Edge with the 5-speed manual transmission. I didn't want a four-door truck because I wanted as much bed as possible for hauling stuff. Of all the trucks available in Germany (or maybe even Europe), only the Ford Ranger was available in two-door, super cab, or four-door version. All other manufacturers offered only the four-door version. My next challenge was finding a dealer who had what I wanted in stock so I didn't have to order it and wait six to nine months for delivery.

I found a Ford dealer north of Frankfurt that had over 150 Rangers on it's lot. Over a dozen were two-door, a couple dozen were super cabs, and the rest were four doors. I bought the 2019 model year Ford Ranger Wildtrak super cab with a 3.2L 5-cylinder turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission (it has the parking brake handle between the seats).


Where was you new Ranger made? I was surprised my 2000 ranger automatic used a private party, French made, transmission and had been for years. Being the number one selling Ford I would expect ford to make the trnasmisson.
I hear the mustang is the only ford car sold in the use anymore. The engine and transmission are made in China.
Bil lD.

[Steve Demuth]

I haven't seen one of those on a manual transmission. Thankfully, because that'd just be stupid for the exact reason you mentioned

I drove both a Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla for years with that configuration.

[Steve Demuth]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.

I would have said "has already disappeared." 100% of the trucks in the regional used listing are Super Cab or Extended Cab trucks. Useless to me - I would much rather have the bed space.

[Thomas L Carpenter]

I grew up with manual transmissions. The first automatic I ever used was on my first business trip to New York City. Rented a car at the airport, drove it to the hotel - no problem just use the D and the R and Bobs your Uncle. Got up in the morning to go to my meeting and the car wouldn't start. After jumping through all kinds of hoops to get help I learned that you can't start the car when it is in D. Who knew? Do i need to mention I was a small town dope in the big city? Anyway, I really like manual as a kid and young adult but as i got older and experienced heavy traffic every day on the way to work I learned to appreciate an automatic.

[Michael Weber]

I would have said "has already disappeared." 100% of the trucks in the regional used listing are Super Cab or Extended Cab trucks. Useless to me - I would much rather have the bed space.
Agree totally. Currently have a 2003 I purchased new, 4 cylinder standard Tacoma (Taco Truck). Looked into something new and there is no way I would buy a PU with more cab area than bed. Honestly what’s the use of a 4 foot bed? Fortunately the 98 to 03 Tacoma’s are close to being immortal if you change the oil occasionally. And maybe if you don’t.

[Doug Dawson]

I've driven in London, DC, Munich, Paris, San Francisco, LA, Berlin and NY with a manual ;)

New York London Paris Munich. A manual would indeed be helpful. It’s rare to have The Knowledge for _all_ of those places.

[Doug Dawson]

I would have said "has already disappeared." 100% of the trucks in the regional used listing are Super Cab or Extended Cab trucks. Useless to me - I would much rather have the bed space.

It’s called a Work Truck. It’s harder to find them used In good condition, because by that time they’re all used up. :^)

[Brian Elfert]

The grade braking in mine works great. If going downhill, with foot off throttle, if the truck picks up speed, it will downshift on it's own, and adjust rpms automatically so the shift is not so severe. Maybe with a Jake brake, the software disables grade braking. Does it have a Tow/Haul mode?

I suspect you're confusing the Allison transmission in GM pickups with real Allison transmissions in coach buses, RV, and other heavy vehicles. Mine is a 4000 series Allison World transmission in a coach bus. They don't have a tow/haul mode because these types of vehicles are almost always towing or hauling. My Allison transmission doesn't have a grade mode, but mine is a 1995. I don't know that anything newer has grade mode either.

[Tom M King]

Yes, mine is a 1000, in a GM pickup. It's a great transmission, for a pickup.

[Kev Williams]

I would have said "has already disappeared." 100% of the trucks in the regional used listing are Super Cab or Extended Cab trucks. Useless to me - I would much rather have the bed space.

Agree totally. Currently have a 2003 I purchased new, 4 cylinder standard Tacoma (Taco Truck). Looked into something new and there is no way I would buy a PU with more cab area than bed. Honestly what’s the use of a 4 foot bed? Fortunately the 98 to 03 Tacoma’s are close to being immortal if you change the oil occasionally. And maybe if you don’t.

One of the reasons I've never replaced my trusty 2002 F-250 is it's a long bed supercab...
437538
-would you believe me if I told it's never been garaged or under cover, and it's never had a wax job-? True story :)
(Automatic trans too, sorry ;) )
...

[Brian Elfert]

One of the reasons I've never replaced my trusty 2002 F-250 is it's a long bed supercab...


Ford is still offering those for sale per their website. Now, if you want used that might be an issue.

[Brian Elfert]

On the topic of pickup truck offerings people have to remember that every used pickup truck started as a new one. If certain styles of pickup trucks aren't selling many as new then there won't be many used ones available either.

[Mike Kreinhop]

Where was you new Ranger made? I was surprised my 2000 ranger automatic used a private party, French made, transmission and had been for years. Being the number one selling Ford I would expect ford to make the trnasmisson.
I hear the mustang is the only ford car sold in the use anymore. The engine and transmission are made in China.
Bil lD.

Ford stopped making the Ranger for U.S. customers in 2011, but production continued for the rest of the world in overseas factories. My Ranger was made in South Africa. I don't know the origin of the components, but it was assembled at the Silverton factory near Pretoria . Rangers destined for the Pacific are made in Thailand. The only engine choices are the 2.2L and 3.2L Diesel, with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic.

Ford introduced the Raptor Ranger for the U.S. in 2019, but I don't know where it is made. However, I think the only engine and transmission available for the U.S. market is the 4-cylinder 2.3L EcoBoost bi-turbo gas engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. This is the same engine and transmission in my wife's 2019 Mustang, and at 310 HP it is good enough for the Autobahns. The GT version, with the 5L V8, would cost a fortune for insurance and she wouldn't drive it any harder than the 2.3L. My truck cruises comfortably with a nearly full load at 160-170 KPH, while her Mustang effortlessly cruises at 200-220 KPH, road conditions permitting.

We both drove vehicles with manual transmissions, but love the automatics and won't go back to a manual for our primary vehicles.

[Bill Dufour]

I forgot the Ranger was still being built. Ford stopped selling them in the USA around 2012. About the same time they stopped making the Crown Victoria loved by police departments.
Ford started making the Ranger in the USA this year based on the world version so it is a 10 year old design. It is about 90% the size of a f150 so kind of a pointless difference. I belive it was to be replaced for 2021 but I have a feeling the corona virus has upset model year release dates.

[Mike Kreinhop]

Other than the name, there is little in common between my 2003 Edge and 2019 Wildtrak Rangers. When parked side by side, the Edge was noticeably smaller in every dimension and the difference in comfort is night and day. I can spend all day in my new Wildtrak, but the Edge was brutal with a stiff suspension and heavy clutch. The Edge had the 3L V6 gas engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The best it could manage on the Autobahn was about 85MPH with no load, and the fuel consumption was a thirsty 12MPG. With ten full sheets of 19mm plywood, the best (safest) speed for the Edge was about 60MPH and the fuel consumption was horrible. The Wildtrak manages about 25MPG at over 100MPH with a respectable load. Last year, my friend and I made two trips to Verona on bulk wine purchases from several wineries, and brought back about 65 cases of wine each time. The Wildtrak's fuel consumption empty and full was about the same, which surprised me considering there was just under a ton of wine in the bed for the return trips.

I considered buying a bare bones F150 from the Military Auto Sales (MAS) before I retired and having it shipped to Germany. Even though I was planning about a year out, the MAS salesman couldn't guarantee delivery in time for me to register it in the military system for at least six months so I would be exempt from the taxes and import duties when I transferred it to the German system. This worked out well, since the F150 wouldn't fit in my garage and would block part of the public walkway in front of my house, which would not endear me much with my neighbors.

The F150 is making a limited appearance in Germany, as are the Dodge Ram 1500 trucks, but all are imported from the U.S. by dealers and converted to the German specifications. I don't know everything involved in the conversion, but the conversion cost for a full-sized truck starts at about $5,000 depending on the number of items that must be changed. At a minimum, the exhaust and emission system, glass, brakes, tires, and lights are replaced. For example, the turn signal bulbs must be separate from any other running or brake light and the emissions must meet the stringent Euro 6d standard.

The out the door price for a converted 2020 F150 in the Frankfurt area varies from €67K (about $74K) for the Platinum SuperCrew to €141K (about $156K) for the Shelby Offroad SuperCrew. Because each truck is imported by the dealer, the choice is limited, but some will entertain custom orders. For now, the F150 appears to be a novelty boy's toy for show since it won't fit in most parking garages, or many residential garages, and aren't likely to be used as a work truck. As a utility truck, there better options available, such as the Mercedes Sprinter line of trucks (a Pritsche in German). For the cost of one Platinum SuperCrew, you can buy three Sprinter Pritches.

[glenn bradley]

I didn't want a four-door truck because I wanted as much bed as possible for hauling stuff.

I had to laugh. My wife came with a 4-door truck. I call the little bed that is left over the truck's "purse". When did we decide that a truck bed was an aesthetic accessory? With 4 doors and a bed of reasonable length the whole vehicle becomes too large to park anywhere but off the street :D. I get so tired of not being able to get into parking spaces taken up by people who own more vehicle than they are able to park. What was that song . . . "90 pound suburban housewife driving in her SUV"?

[Mike Cutler]

Interesting.

I wouldn't buy a truck that didn't have an Xtra cab of some type or the other. There are dozens of ways to overcome a short bed for hauling materials. My Toyota's all had 6' beds, and so does my Denali.
My trucks were always filled with thousands of dollars worth of bicycles, and hunting gear, through the years. Inside the cab offered much more protection. It also made it more functional as a daily driver. I also don't really like the dog in a kennel in the bed of a truck. I'd much rather have them in a smaller kennel, in the cab, if possible.
I also want the extra cab space, because it generally equated to a longer overall wheel base, and for towing a horse trailer, the longer the wheel base, the more stability.
Everybody has different needs, which is why they make all types of trucks.
I would never be without some type of truck. ;)

[Jason Roehl]

Years ago, when I was a self-employed contractor, I thought any full-size truck without an 8' bed was ridiculous. Now that I have a "regular" job, I don't want a full-size bed that will attract everyone around me who thinks it's now a moving van. I have an '07 F150 Super Crew (4 full-size doors) with the 5.5' bed, with a hard, folding tonneau cover, and it suits my needs just fine. Other than the lower volume in the bed, it is far more truck than the '90 F150 I once had, and even more capable than the '93 F250 I had. And, at 143k miles, it is in far better shape than either of those vehicles were at that mileage, with far less mechanical intervention, and it gets better mileage with 40-60% more horsepower (300HP from the 5.4L V-8 vs. 210HP from the 5.8L V-8 and 185HP from the 5.0L V-8)

I've owned several manuals over the years (smaller pickup and a couple small cars), and I don't miss rowing my own gears. It's fun once in a while, but I think technology has moved on--newer automatics are quite reliable, and, in conjunction with the tuning on modern engines, keep the engine running in its sweet spot of efficiency via 6-10 gears. I will concede that manual transmissions do make it much harder to do other things in the vehicle that may be distracting to the driver, such as using one's cellphone or eating.

[George Bokros]

I have an '11 Ranger with six foot bed and I would not want less then that. Hauls 4x8 sheets of plywood without excess hanging beyond the open tailgate. A 5 1/2 foot bed would likely work as well but a 4 ft bed would be problematic.

[Bill Dufour]

I have read that in the USA a vehicle with a manual transmission may get stolen but it gets ditched as soon as they need to up shift. They may break in but with no transmission indicator they do not know how to shift it into reverse and get out of the driveway.
Bill D

[George Bokros]

I have read that in the USA a vehicle with a manual transmission may get stolen but it gets ditched as soon as they need to up shift. They may break in but with no transmission indicator they do not know how to shift it into reverse and get out of the driveway.
Bill D

Must of the shift knobs have the shift pattern on them.

[Larry Edgerton]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.

I hope they don't disappear because I hate double cabs and I want a long box always. Tried one long box double but it was too long to get around my jobs sites in.

[Jim Becker]

Larry, it will likely come down to what sells vs what sits. Many folks who would have purchased the "traditional" regular cab with a bench and zero room behind the seat have readily adopted to the slightly larger configuration with or without the "unusable" seat behind because it allows them to stash valuable tools, etc., in the cab while allowing for a "full size" 8' bed without being a mile long. If there's not enough interest and sales for the "regular" cab, it's going to disappear, especially since the largest part of the pick-em-up truck market is the higher end stuff. The majority of pickups never see a "jobsite" or even "off road". It's the same with Jeeps, BTW. The majority are on-pavement, daily drivers. :)

[Ron Selzer]

Must of the shift knobs have the shift pattern on them.

Unless you buy used vehicles like I have for the last two, that have the pattern worn off. One is over and down the other one is to you and down.
Or someone has changed the knob out for a custom one like I used to when I was younger.
Three on on the tree, never saw one with a shift pattern. One of the foreign models had a four on the tree back in the 60's
Most trucks I drove did have the pattern on the visor along with directions on how to split the trans or rear end.
Ron

[Brian Elfert]

Larry, it will likely come down to what sells vs what sits. Many folks who would have purchased the "traditional" regular cab with a bench and zero room behind the seat have readily adopted to the slightly larger configuration with or without the "unusable" seat behind because it allows them to stash valuable tools, etc., in the cab while allowing for a "full size" 8' bed without being a mile long. If there's not enough interest and sales for the "regular" cab, it's going to disappear, especially since the largest part of the pick-em-up truck market is the higher end stuff. The majority of pickups never see a "jobsite" or even "off road". It's the same with Jeeps, BTW. The majority are on-pavement, daily drivers. :)

There is a Ford dealer locally that sells only pickups, trucks, and vans for mostly commercial use. I just paged through their inventory and the majority is regular cab with some supercabs. Crew cabs were only about 15% of inventory. I was surprised to see they had several F-550 crew cabs with a flat bed on the back. Those trucks are probably something like 22 feet long.

[glenn bradley]

Now that I have a "regular" job, I don't want a full-size bed that will attract everyone around me who thinks it's now a moving van.

:D You touch on the only downside to having a truck; learning to say no. I started to vent a little on one of my peeves but, like any tool, the value of the format and size of a truck will vary with what you use it for. In truth I am glad we have the variety to choose from.

[Bill Dufour]

There is a Ford dealer locally that sells only pickups, trucks, and vans for mostly commercial use. I just paged through their inventory and the majority is regular cab with some supercabs. Crew cabs were only about 15% of inventory. I was surprised to see they had several F-550 crew cabs with a flat bed on the back. Those trucks are probably something like 22 feet long.

The only Ford car sold in the USA is now the mustang. All the rest is trucks or suv's. the mustang transmission is made in China. Not sure where the engine is made.
Bill D

[Brian Elfert]

The only Ford car sold in the USA is now the mustang. All the rest is trucks or suv's. the mustang transmission is made in China. Not sure where the engine is made.


This dealer has sold only pickups, trucks, and vans since the 1960s. They started in 1927. They have been very successful as they now have nine locations. They also sell a few other brands of medium duty trucks besides Ford vehicles.

[Jim Becker]

I was surprised to see they had several F-550 crew cabs with a flat bed on the back. Those trucks are probably something like 22 feet long.
Yes, I see a lot of vehicles like that in this area, especially with landscapers and other trades. They can fit as many as 6 workers in the cab while hauling a lot of stuff behind them. But I sure wouldn't be enamored with the turning radius of those long suckers! LOL

[Kev Williams]

According to Ford:

you can get an F-150 with:
regular cab with 6-1/2 or 8' bed, no 5-1/2'
super cab with any bed,
crew cab with 5-1/2' or 6-1/2' bed, no 8'...

F250 thru 450, no 5-1/2' beds, and-
regular cab in 8' only
super cab AND crew cab in 6-1/2 AND 8'...

sticker shock on the F-450 limited crew cab 8' bed: $90,800 to start... yow

not sure about the other brands :)

edit- just checked the length: 266" / 22.17'

[Brian Elfert]

F250 thru 450, no 5-1/2' beds, and-
regular cab in 8' only
super cab AND crew cab in 6-1/2 AND 8'...


You had posted earlier that you can't replace your F-250 because Super cab and 8' bed is not available. Your own research shows that Ford still makes that combo.

[Kev Williams]

With all due respect, no I didn't ;) What I said: "One of the reasons I've never replaced my trusty 2002 F-250 is it's a long bed supercab..."

Someone else may have said they're not available-? I'll rephrase: Because my present F-250 IS a long bed supercab, which I prefer over other bed/interior combos, I've felt no need to replace it... There's other reasons I don't replace it, like, it's only at 62k miles, and in 18 years I've replaced the battery once (honest, the OE went 11 years), the brake pads once, tires twice (second set only went 5000 miles before I put the bigger tires/wheels on it, and that was in Oct. 2009), and I had to replace the fuel pump about 5 years ago. A mechanic has never laid hands on it. Still drives and acts like a new truck.

Not a 'can't' thing, it's simply a 'don't want or need to' thing :D

[John Leech]

I was a diehard supporter of a manual transmission (once I was able to learn how to drive one as a 16 year old) due to the fact that they lasted longer, almost always gave you an extra 2-3 MPG, and were often cheaper. When I bought my Tacoma in 2000, it had to be ordered as a manual. Same with our 2005 CRV, which we traded in with 300,000 miles on it and the original clutch. My decision back then was validated as I watched several friends have their transmissions rebuilt at around 100,000 miles. That truck, while long in the tooth, is still going strong. Times have changed. As has already been pointed out, automatic transmissions have gotten better and better. Our last two vehicles were automatics.

[Brian Elfert]

With all due respect, no I didn't ;) What I said: "One of the reasons I've never replaced my trusty 2002 F-250 is it's a long bed supercab..."

Someone else may have said they're not available-? I'll rephrase: Because my present F-250 IS a long bed supercab, which I prefer over other bed/interior combos, I've felt no need to replace it... There's other reasons I don't replace it, like, it's only at 62k miles, and in 18 years I've replaced the battery once (honest, the OE went 11 years), the brake pads once, tires twice (second set only went 5000 miles before I put the bigger tires/wheels on it, and that was in Oct. 2009), and I had to replace the fuel pump about 5 years ago. A mechanic has never laid hands on it. Still drives and acts like a new truck.

Not a 'can't' thing, it's simply a 'don't want or need to' thing :D

Nothing wrong with keeping a vehicle that you like. In Minnesota a 2002 F-250 would most likely be in a scrap yard due to rust. Not a lot of 2002 vehicles still on the road here. My parents kept a 2000 Caravan running until 2015, but it was really unsafe to drive due to rust before then.

Your original post implied that Ford no longer makes a F-250 with Super Cab and long bed. I had a 2005 F-350 crew cab with long bed and that was one long pickup! In fact, I got a VW Golf diesel as a daily drive because the F-350 was terrible as a daily driver.

[Rob Luter]

I learned to drive using a manual transmission, driving a hay truck. Most of my vehicles have had a stick. After driving a stick for almost four years I got my current ride, equipped with an 8 speed auto. Consider me a convert. This ain't your daddy's Powerglide or Turbo Hydramatic. Smooth, quiet, and keeps the motor firmly in the power curve.

[William Chain]

A manual transmission is a fantastic anti-theft device.

Aside from that, if someone follows too close on hills at the lights, my solution is this. Roll back until you're just resting on their bumper. Then go ahead and start off. They won't get close again.

I had a Mini Cooper S bought new in 2005. Best car ever, I still regret selling that and still dream about driving it. I was very excited to see the new generation Mini Cooper S Works GP edition, though the old supercharged ones sounded so much better. I thought maybe it was time to get a Mini again, it was fun and surprisingly practical. I'm 6'4" and believe it or not the Mini was more comfortable than anything I've driven since. Even with people in the back seats. Sadly, one cannot purchase the new GP with a stick. Dealbreaker for me.

[Jim Becker]

A manual transmission is a fantastic anti-theft device..

That's certainly true these days, but simply because there are so few of them on the road anymore and very limited (and waining) choices to buy them new. Back in the day when many of us were growing up and learned to drive, manuals were still pretty common, especially in more budget models and many that were built outside of North America. So we got to learn how to drive them. If I wanted to teach my daughter how to drive a stick when she turned 16 a number of years ago, coming up with a vehicle to do that would have been difficult...nobody I knew owned one and I wasn't about to go buy something when we already had a great and safe Subaru Outback to put her in already in the driveway. So yea...the majority of "today's crooks" have never driven a manual transmission and are likely loath to push a vehicle down the road by hand. :)

I personally enjoyed driving a manual...but the last one I owned was a powder blue 1979 VW Rabbit 4 door with a five speed...to the best of my knowledge, it was the first four door five speed out the door of the then new Westmorland PA manufacturing plant. At least that's what the dealer told me and we know how, um...accurate..they are sometime. :)

[John Stankus]

The other thing that’s disappearing from pick-ups is the regular cab - one with only two doors and one row of seating.

Do we need to quit calling it a Regular cab? If it is not common, is it really regular? I guess the same argument for "Standard Cab" or "Standard transmission". They aren't standard or regular any more. :) (at least in the states)

John

[John Stankus]

There is a Ford dealer locally that sells only pickups, trucks, and vans for mostly commercial use. I just paged through their inventory and the majority is regular cab with some supercabs. Crew cabs were only about 15% of inventory. I was surprised to see they had several F-550 crew cabs with a flat bed on the back. Those trucks are probably something like 22 feet long.

First vehicle I drove regularly was my Dad's '73 F-350 Crew Cab long bed, which if I recall correctly was around 21 foot long. My record was parking where I had at least part of the truck in 11 different parking spaces. (the things that amused me in high school :p )

I did drive in reverse all the way home from the high school one day, since one of my friends made the comment that this must be hard to backup. :eek: They were not impressed.:confused: That would have been probably 82-83 when crewcabs were still not very common.

Current daily driver is a 2011 Ram 3/4 ton. Switching to it from at 2005 screwed me up since the cab was about 8 or 9 inches longer. My calibration for lining up for parking spaces was all off for several months. (At the University where I work, I back into a parking space so I can get out at the end of the day. I would originally nose into perpendicular spaces, but folks coming for the evening classes would want my spot and not give me enough room to pull out of it :confused: Most people don't realize the room needed to turn some of these trucks.)

John

[Jim Becker]

Parking lots are not generally optimized for long vehicles, too. That can be the length of the spaces, but more importantly, many parking lots have almost the minimum width for the traffic aisles that are not friendly to trucks that have really big turning radiuses. Even the very popular F150/RAM1500/Silverado/Tundra luxury rides can struggle in parking lots because of this.

[Jerome Stanek]

Parking lots are not generally optimized for long vehicles, too. That can be the length of the spaces, but more importantly, many parking lots have almost the minimum width for the traffic aisles that are not friendly to trucks that have really big turning radiuses. Even the very popular F150/RAM1500/Silverado/Tundra luxury rides can struggle in parking lots because of this.

Hate to say this but my F350 crewcab with 8 foot bed was easier to get into parking space then my 2013 F250 standaed cab with 8 foot bed

[Bob Turkovich]

I personally enjoyed driving a manual...but the last one I owned was a powder blue 1979 VW Rabbit 4 door with a five speed...to the best of my knowledge, it was the first four door five speed out the door of the then new Westmorland PA manufacturing plant. At least that's what the dealer told me and we know how, um...accurate..they are sometime. :)


VW sold that tranny for use behind the 1.7L engine in the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon when it was launched in 1978. It was easily susceptible to failures due to driver error. DAMHIK :o

[George Bokros]

The only Ford car sold in the USA is now the mustang.Bill D

Not true. Ford still makes and sells the Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and Lincoln Continental, all four door sedans.

[Bill Dufour]

Not true. Ford still makes and sells the Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, and Lincoln Continental, all four door sedans.

Gee a car company lied. About a year ago they said that 2019 was it for cars better buy one now if you ever want a new ford car. Continenetal poduction will now end at end of 2020, MKZ ended in July 2020, Fusion production ended july21. I suppose these may have stayed in production a bit longer then expected due to the virus slowing down factory changeovers.
Bill D
Bill D.

[Jim Becker]

VW sold that tranny for use behind the 1.7L engine in the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon when it was launched in 1978. It was easily susceptible to failures due to driver error. DAMHIK :o
I thankfully never had any transmission issues with that car, nor did my brother after he bought it from me. I did have some engine things happen, however. It was a "spirited" drive, regardless!

[Mike Soaper]

We had a 5 passenger 1986? first generation Plymouth voyager (aka caravan) with a 4cyl and a 5 spd manual trans that sometimes you reallllly had to rev and shift quick when merging on to a highway from a short merge lane.

No fake woodgrain on the side though. :)

[Ronald Blue]

I learned to drive the ultimate manual transmissions as a kid. Tractors with 4, 6, 8, and 12 speeds. You know you can shift a tractor with an unsynchronized transmission on the go? Run them through the gears so to speak. Not the ones with the hand clutch though. To many moving parts there. Also the 730 John Deere had very defined "gates" the gear shift was guided through. So you picked your gear and went with. That progressed to vehicles with 3 on the tree and 4 on the floor. Gravel roads and drifting the corners went hand in hand. Many people these days don't have any idea what to do if the rear of the vehicle were to slide. With almost everything but pickups being front wheel drive not many know what sliding around a corner feels like.

[David Powell]

One of the trucks that my dad had in his business was a 1950 Dodge power wagon that you could not shift gears unless you double clutched. He also had a 1939 Dodge panel truck that shifted with ease. It was until the early 60's that he got a Chevy truck with an automatic.

[Jerome Stanek]

I learned how to drive a stick shift when I was 12 we had an old Chevy dump truck that we had to push start as the battery was dead and we only used it about 4 times a year. I could put it in gear and push start it with the tractor then jump off the tractor and jump in the truck and put it in gear and start it then take it out of gear and stop the tractor.

[Steve Demuth]

Parking lots are not generally optimized for long vehicles, too. That can be the length of the spaces, but more importantly, many parking lots have almost the minimum width for the traffic aisles that are not friendly to trucks that have really big turning radiuses. Even the very popular F150/RAM1500/Silverado/Tundra luxury rides can struggle in parking lots because of this.

And heaven help you if you have to park in a parking garage and a few of your fellow tenants think a crew cab F-350 is the ideal vehicle for commuting.

[Steve Demuth]

I learned to drive the ultimate manual transmissions as a kid. Tractors with 4, 6, 8, and 12 speeds. You know you can shift a tractor with an unsynchronized transmission on the go? Run them through the gears so to speak. Not the ones with the hand clutch though. To many moving parts there. Also the 730 John Deere had very defined "gates" the gear shift was guided through. So you picked your gear and went with. That progressed to vehicles with 3 on the tree and 4 on the floor. Gravel roads and drifting the corners went hand in hand. Many people these days don't have any idea what to do if the rear of the vehicle were to slide. With almost everything but pickups being front wheel drive not many know what sliding around a corner feels like.

You're making my age show here. I could shift our Farmall Super M from 3rd to 4th to 5th on the go. When we replaced that with an IH 656, with a very similar 5 speed transmission (plus a planetary "Torque amplifier" for high/low shift on the go) that was no longer possible. The tranny was just too tight. But the John Deere A - you had to bring that to an absolute dead stop, and even then you might not be able to get to the gear you wanted short of getting out of your seat to exert more force on the (short) shift lever in the odd-ball pattern box. Miserable shift mechanisms on those old 2 cylinder Deeres.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Q~4AAOSwGIVePcs~/s-l640.jpg

[Mike Soaper]

I learned how to drive a stick shift when I was 12 we had an old Chevy dump truck that we had to push start as the battery was dead and we only used it about 4 times a year. I could put it in gear and push start it with the tractor then jump off the tractor and jump in the truck and put it in gear and start it then take it out of gear and stop the tractor.

yikes! sounds like fun.

My uncle had an Avery tractor, I still remember the whine of the gear box in high gear.

[Brian Elfert]

Parking lots are not generally optimized for long vehicles, too. That can be the length of the spaces, but more importantly, many parking lots have almost the minimum width for the traffic aisles that are not friendly to trucks that have really big turning radiuses. Even the very popular F150/RAM1500/Silverado/Tundra luxury rides can struggle in parking lots because of this.

I have noticed that some home improvement stores have parking lots with wider and longer spaces to cater to the larger vehicles a lot of their customers drive. It seems like a home improvement store that isn't part of a shopping center is more more likely to have large parking spots. I didn't really notice if the aisles seemed wider or not not.

[Brian Elfert]

You're making my age show here. I could shift our Farmall Super M from 3rd to 4th to 5th on the go. When we replaced that with an IH 656, with a very similar 5 speed transmission (plus a planetary "Torque amplifier" for high/low shift on the go) that was no longer possible. The tranny was just too tight. But the John Deere A - you had to bring that to an absolute dead stop, and even then you might not be able to get to the gear you wanted short of getting out of your seat to exert more force on the (short) shift lever in the odd-ball pattern box. Miserable shift mechanisms on those old 2 cylinder Deeres.


My parents had a cheap riding mower with a manual transmission when I was a kid. I hated that thing. The "clutch" was really just an idler pulley that pushed against the drive belt to keep it tight. The transmission was more of a speed selector than a typical manual transmission. You couldn't actually change speeds without stopping if I recall correctly. The throttle basically stayed at full bore if cutting grass.

[Bill Dufour]

I did learn in high school, before I needed to really know, that it is easiest to sit on the rear bumper to push start a car. Get it moving then turn around and add speed. A good thing to know now at my gae. Sitting to start the push puts no strain on the back or arms.
Bil lD

[Kev Williams]

You haven't lived until you've driven a semi with a 5 over 4 split stick transmissions :D
437827

-- not sure what the 3rd stick is for, some sort of 2-speed splitter I guess.
Not sure about the shift pattern shown, considering there's no "R" on it ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZBa6lKEg38

[Erik Loza]

So, is that basically five forward gears, times four? In other words, twenty forward gears? Always wondered about big rigs.

Erik


You haven't lived until you've driven a semi with a 5 over 4 split stick transmissions :D
437827

[Bill Dufour]

My rototiller has two speeds with a two speed transaxle so they call it 8 speeds since it has reverse.
Bil lD

[Jerome Stanek]

And heaven help you if you have to park in a parking garage and a few of your fellow tenants think a crew cab F-350 is the ideal vehicle for commuting. I drove a crew cab dually into a parking garage in Chicago that I thought the company said they used all the time. It was the wrong one and I had to get it out just had to really be careful as I only had about 1 to 2 inches to play with the 2 guys that were with me couldn't believe that I got out and did not hit anything.

[Jerome Stanek]

yikes! sounds like fun.

My uncle had an Avery tractor, I still remember the whine of the gear box in high gear.




I guess when your young and dumb you do stupid stuff.

[Michael Weber]

I can NEVER find my 03 Tacoma in a parking lot because of all the other huge trucks, SUV’s and even large cars sticking out past and above it. Same for my Prius. Life is tough for some of us :)

[mike stenson]

I can NEVER find my 03 Tacoma in a parking lot because of all the other huge trucks, SUV’s and even large cars sticking out past and above it. Same for my Prius. Life is tough for some of us :)

Both your cars would seriously hide my mx5.

[Steve Demuth]

I can NEVER find my 03 Tacoma in a parking lot because of all the other huge trucks, SUV’s and even large cars sticking out past and above it. Same for my Prius. Life is tough for some of us :)

Yup. Despite my having started this thread ranting about my inability to find a manual transmission pickup, my commute car, back in the days when I commuted, was a Prius. Getting it in and out of the garage where many of my colleagues, being Minnesota farm boys at heart, thought they needed a full size pickup to commute, could be a challenge. Fortunately my employer reserved specific slots for compacts, so there was some design support for the smaller vehicles.

[mike stenson]

Fortunately my employer reserved specific slots for compacts, so there was some design support for the smaller vehicles.

There's a Dodge 2500 that's frequently parked in one of those slots at my office. Kind of glad I don't have to go anymore. Since cars are disappearing from the marketplace in the US, a 1/4ton pickup is pretty much a compact now.

btw, if you want a parking challenge.. for years I needed to tow. So I had a 1 ton diesel dodge dually, with a full bed and dual cab. I once made my sister drive it through a drive through.. and laughed.

[Michael J Evans]

I started driving 10 years ago. I wanted to learn how to drive a stick but couldn't because not a person I knew had one... So for my first pickup truck I bought a 01 5.9 Cummins with the 6spd manual. I literally learned how to drive it on the test drive lol. I told the owner ,"I don't know how to drive a manual , but I've ridden quads so I should be okay". He said well I can drive it for you, but I told him no I wouldn't buy a vehicle without driving it myself. Reluctantly he agreed. Luckily those diesels are damn near impossible to kill (you can start in fourth without Killing it) Took my test drive handed him 9k and then drove myself 100 miles home.
But TBH I really wish I would've got a auto. It gets real real old shifting that 6 speed in stop and go traffic. And my wife can't drive it, which means she can never pick anything up without me.

[Ronald Blue]

You haven't lived until you've driven a semi with a 5 over 4 split stick transmissions :D
437827

-- not sure what the 3rd stick is for, some sort of 2-speed splitter I guess.
Not sure about the shift pattern shown, considering there's no "R" on it ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZBa6lKEg38

Weren't they referred to as "double axe handles"? The newer ones went to air shift for the range selector I believe.

[Alex Zeller]

Simply put you can't hold your phone in one hand and your coffee in the other and shift a manual vehicle. Hence their demise.

[mike stenson]

Simply put you can't hold your phone in one hand and your coffee in the other and shift a manual vehicle. Hence their demise.

I encountered relatively few people who grew up in the US who knew how to drive manuals in the early-mid 90s. There were no phones then.

[Patrick Kane]

I first learned to drive on a 2000 beetle, 5 speed. Then, my first car i purchased out of college was a focus hatchback, also 5 speed. I now have an x3 m40i, and i can say i dont really miss a manual. The ZF eight speed transmission is far faster than i could manage in a manual, and driving a manual for long stretches becomes a little exhausting. I remember several instances of 12+ hours behind the wheel and 400-500 miles scouting sites and my left knee would ache. I always thought the paddle shifters were lame, but now that i own one, i dont feel that way. Sure, you dont have the same sense of accomplishment nailing a downshift perfectly before a turn, but i dont mind the instant gratification of clicking a paddle a few times.

[Kev Williams]

I encountered relatively few people who grew up in the US who knew how to drive manuals in the early-mid 90s. There were no phones then.
No phones in the 90's? I had wireless phones in my house in the 80's, and had a Motorola digital cell in 1992, maybe '93-- still have the thing I think...

Back on topic, manuals I've driven:
'61 Ford 3 in the tree; '66 Chev Suburban; '64 Dodge cop car, 383 &a 4 on the floor; several Ford and Chev pickups; '82 Plymouth TC3, '84 Dodge Lebaron; '86 I think Lebaron (my cousins); '95 Nissan Pulsar, which is probably the last manual trans car I owned-- Motorcycles, many, currently have an '84 Aspencade and a '76 chopped Sporty... I've also TRIED driving my friend's old cabover with a pair of 5/4 sticks, I actually did okay but it was weird! His sticks weren't to the ceiling like in the video, his were only about 18" off the floor, perfect arms length while sitting. An Eaton 13 speed split-diff setup is MUCH easier ;)

[Jim Koepke]

I've driven in London, DC, Munich, Paris, San Francisco, LA, Berlin and NY with a manual ;)

My 1957 VW Bus had a broken clutch cable. That didn't stop me from driving in San Francisco. My younger years were a bit crazy at times.

For those who are not familiar with San Francisco, it is mostly hills to one degree or another.

jtk

[Brian Elfert]

No phones in the 90's? I had wireless phones in my house in the 80's, and had a Motorola digital cell in 1992, maybe '93-- still have the thing I think...


He probably should have said they were very rare back then. It wasn't anything like today where probably 95% have a cell phone.

I recall seeing a car phone for the first time around 1987. The service area was very limited back then.

[Jerome Stanek]

He probably should have said they were very rare back then. It wasn't anything like today where probably 95% have a cell phone.

I recall seeing a car phone for the first time around 1987. The service area was very limited back then.

My first cell phone was in 89 it was a bag phone and I still have the same phone number even after 5 different carriers

[John Stankus]

My 1957 VW Bus had a broken clutch cable. That didn't stop me from driving in San Francisco. My younger years were a bit crazy at times.

For those who are not familiar with San Francisco, it is mostly hills to one degree or another.

jtk

Isn't it more like San Francisco is mostly hills with 30 degree grade or greater, rather then one degree or another :)

[Bill Dufour]

On some of the hills the cable cars do not have good enough brakes to stop. They have cut flats spots in the road for the train to stop and load /unload. If a automobile gets in front of them on a hill the cable car has to just push it along ahead until the street is flat enough for the brakes to overcome gravity.
It happens several times a year that big rig trys to crest a hill and hangs up on their landing gear until a two truck can lifts them up and over.
Bill D.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombard_Street_(San_Francisco)

[Bob Turkovich]

Not sure if they still do it, but some of the big 3 used to supply the taxi fleets (gratis) in San Francisco with vehicles to get real life feedback on reliability. An urban area - with significant grades - and heavy usage (constant running under heavy load) - made it an ideal proving grounds.

[Anuj Prateek]

I haven't seen one of those on a manual transmission. Thankfully, because that'd just be stupid for the exact reason you mentioned

I learnt driving when I was 13-14 on a manual transmission (search HM Ambassador), in India. It did not have hand brake which was hand accessible. On hills you start with using same foot to slowly release the brake and press the accelerator. Other foot smooths out the transition using clutch. You won't roll back! Works in bumper to bumper traffic on steep grades. Well mostly!

First car I bought (a Skoda) was manual and had accessible handbrake. That makes life lot simpler. You can dedicated one limb to one control :)

After moving to US I drove a automatic for first time. It's fun and took some getting used to. Car had manual mode as well which was wiered in absence of clutch.

After driving automatic, I am not going to buy a manual here in Canada/US. Does not make sense for regular driving. When I go to India I still drive a manual. Automatic is not common there.

[Jim Koepke]

My first time driving an automatic was one with power brakes. Being used to a manual transmission caused a rude awakening the first time my foot went for the nonexistent clutch and hit the wide brake pedal instead.

jtk

[Scott T Smith]

Even the big trucks are being taken over by automatic transmissions. Some of the Class A / CDL licenses now require a separate endorsement for a manual transmission.

[Ronald Blue]

Even the big trucks are being taken over by automatic transmissions. Some of the Class A / CDL licenses now require a separate endorsement for a manual transmission.

That's true Scott. Because there are so many that don't know how to drive a manual. They first had auto shift manuals. They had a clutch but once you were rolling it shifted through the gears for you. I've never driven either and the last time I drove a class 8 truck many years ago it was an 8V71(318) Detroit Diesel and 13 speed Road Ranger. They ran best when you drove them hard. I'd much rather a manual transmission on slick roads. You can feel when you start to get wheel slip and feather the throttle. Automatics are difficult to accomplish the same feel.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I also learned to drive on a manual, back in '62. Today, in a 4 wheeled vehicle, I wouldn't have one. Traffic.
However, the day they make me drive an automatic Harley is when I hang up my gloves.

[Erik Loza]

My 1957 VW Bus had a broken clutch cable...

One of my college buddies had a Beetle with the same issue. He basically drove it around with no clutch for a few months. Just got it moving with the starter motor.

I had an '85 Jeep Cherokee with a 5-speed manual transmission. I learned later on that they were notorious for clutch slave cylinders leaking and failing. I remember more then one occasion where I was driving somewhere and pedal sunk to the floor. "Damn, no clutch". I recall plotting out routes and best times of day to minimize red lights and any uphill start, LOL.

Erik