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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,694 posts, read 58,004,579 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LKJ1988
Who would want one? Never would want it with my traffic.
No stoplights or traffic in my county that's full of mtns and Twisties.
For trucks, creeper slow while towing very heavy ( bulldozer, logs, hay), and using compression brake
Bump starting and hill holding on frequent occasions. Stuff automatics can't do.
Agreed, it's been multiple decades of decline in demand for manual-equipped vehicles - it's only a sliver of the customer base that want them, so manufacturers have phased out one after another - it doesn't make sense to build them if people won't buy them.
I've looked at several articles that list every single 2024 manual available for sale in the U.S., and the list is somewhat depressing in how limited it is. I wanted a simple, small, European sports car, and I can't find anything other than premium cars with stickers at least $75K, and probably with clutches too heavy for everyday city traffic (my current manual is a wicked little lowered Abarth 500 -- they look way cooler lowered -- and that little pocket rocket only has around a ten pound clutch because the car is so tiny). So, perhaps I'll keep driving her, as well as my auto Mercedes, until I can get just a regular BMW 2 series or something else with a sticker under $50K and that doesn't have a clutch too heavy for city driving, if that will be possible in the next few years due to a greater desire for manuals due to younger generation's interest. Hmmm...
You can still buy a Mazda Miata or a Subaru BRZ, which are very much in the mold of classic British and Italian sports cars, only they don't break down all the time ;-)
Your best bet is a used car that was owned by a perfectionist enthusiast.
I owned one of the first Mazda RX-7s way back in 1979. I kept it the garage and mostly drove it on weekends and I wish I could have kept it but family responsibilities forced me to sell it.
They guy who bought it from me was astounded that it still smelled like new.
Luckily, I actually made money on that car. I sold it at 4 years old and got more than I had initially paid for it.
I've looked at several articles that list every single 2024 manual available for sale in the U.S., and the list is somewhat depressing in how limited it is. I wanted a simple, small, European sports car, and I can't find anything other than premium cars with stickers at least $75K, and probably with clutches too heavy for everyday city traffic (my current manual is a wicked little lowered Abarth 500 -- they look way cooler lowered -- and that little pocket rocket only has around a ten pound clutch because the car is so tiny). So, perhaps I'll keep driving her, as well as my auto Mercedes, until I can get just a regular BMW 2 series or something else with a sticker under $50K and that doesn't have a clutch too heavy for city driving, if that will be possible in the next few years due to a greater desire for manuals due to younger generation's interest. Hmmm...
Get a VW GTI with the manual, fun and practical car. You could also get a Mustang GT with a manual for $45K, not European but it's been upgraded in 2024 to a very fine machine.
No stoplights or traffic in my county that's full of mtns and Twisties.
For trucks, creeper slow while towing very heavy ( bulldozer, logs, hay), and using compression brake
Bump starting and hill holding on frequent occasions. Stuff automatics can't do.
Engine braking is also possible with an automatic. Especially when manually downshifting.
Well you can have it. I never drove one and like my modded C7 Vette with a Auto.
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