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.

[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

[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

[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.

[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.

[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