This makes me sad.. Nothing we didn't already know, but it's still sad to hear. I'm currently looking for cars for both of my 19 year old twins, and neither will drive an automatic...And we can barely find anything with a manual.
This makes me sad.. Nothing we didn't already know, but it's still sad to hear. I'm currently looking for cars for both of my 19 year old twins, and neither will drive an automatic...And we can barely find anything with a manual.
My 21 year old son and 17 year old daughter are pretty much manual only. Car guys need to breed more.
Which should be a good excuse for another of our fav. activities. Tell the wife you need to get it on....so we can save the Manuals!
Ya not good news. Every year there are less manuals available what with the high end cars going to paddle shifters and the lower going to automatics.
Looks like I'll be keeping the 87 4Runner with 450,000 miles. Manual, you know. 
Neither do old people which is why there are automatic Corvettes. 
I asked my boys what they thought, and they said that there are two reasons kids don't know how to drive manuals. One is that most of them don't have access to a car with a manual, so they can't learn. The other is a severe lack of cars with manuals, which of course is related to the first reason. They tell me that most of their friends would like to drive manual,and are jealous of them because they can. Kind of makes you wonder about the chicken and the egg...
All I know is that I've been searching dealers for new cars under $20k with manuals, and nobody stocks any.
The other issue is that auto trajics are easier to get into epa compliance, so car makers really do not want to keep on selling manuals. Plus it is another whole car they have to certify.
P.S. to Fiat - That doesn't matter, because neither do young people buy new cars.
1966stang wrote: The other issue is that auto trajics are easier to get into epa compliance..
That's the first time I've heard that. How do you know that?
My sister tried to learn to drive stick at first, I think she gave up after the 2nd lesson.
Bravenrace - the Fiat dealer near me had at least 2 or 3 leftover 2013 Fiat 500 turbos under 20K, all manual, and I think reasonably loaded with options. My 500 Abarth came in darn close to 20K.
I don't mind this at all, and this is speaking as someone with a manual daily driver. It increases the likelihood of more performance variants of cars being made, since the development cost can be spread out over a larger number of sales.
And, as mentioned by several people in the TTAC article, the thinning of the manual tranmsission herd began decades ago, it has nothing to do with "young people today"
bravenrace wrote:1966stang wrote: The other issue is that auto trajics are easier to get into epa compliance..That's the first time I've heard that. How do you know that?
Because when you have almost complete control over the engine AND transmission, it's easier to program their behaviour to minimize emissions and maximize fuel economy.
In reply to GameboyRMH:
Mine too! She tried twice. Once way back when she was a teen and her boyfriend had a VW Beetle, one of the easiest stick vehicles to learn on. Then later she tried again in a Subie. She just didn't have the ability.
I taught my wife when we were in college. It was in a '80 Dodge D-50, and she learned almost immediately. She then went out and bought her first new car, a 88 Civic with 5 speed. She drove stick for years until she got a TL-S that wasn't offered with stick. It spoiled her, and now she complains any time she has to drive one of our stick cars. I put a stick in my '65 Mustang just to keep her out of it!
In reply to eastsidemav:
It may have started decades ago (I agree), but it's continued demise has everything to do with today's young people.
Heh. My little girl drives a manual, and frowns upon those of her generation who cannot. My son, of course, is following in dad's footsteps and can rev-match pretty easily, though he's working on heel and toe.
Younger generation indeed....
When I was younger and shopping for my first muscle car I couldn't find a four speed to save my life. The cars I was shopping for were in the 1965 - 1973 range. If manuals were so prevalent then, where were they when I was looking?
I have to agree with eastsidemav. Manuals started disappearing long before this generation was born. I blame the boomers.
What blows my mind are the kids out there over 16 who have no desire to even get a driver's license. A buddy of mine has a 17 year old that has no intention of getting his. He doesn't care, he'd rather sit at home and play video games with his buddies online--- rather than getting out and exploring life. It's sad, but not all that rare anymore.
If we want to save the stick......we're gonna have to make some enthusiast babies!
bravenrace wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: It may have started decades ago (I agree), but it's continued demise has everything to do with today's young people.
Except that today's young people rarely buy new cars(if they can afford a car at all), so they have to shop from the pool of available used cars, which are predominately automatic.
I'm only in my late 30's, so 16 is not too far in my rearview mirror. I had a hand-me-down car, that I covered the insurance, gas, and some of the maintenence on with a part-time after school job. There seem to be a lot less after school jobs nowadays, and it seems like driving is getting proportionately more expensive for kids, too. The way things are is discouraging them from driving at all, much less seeking out manual transmissions en masse.
In reply to eastsidemav:
You're assuming that "young" means really young. I think the Fiat 500 is directed at a young demographic, but "young" meaning an age where a person would buy their first new car. I didn't look up what Fiat considers that age to be, but since it's a relatively cheap car, I would think it's intended to be entry level in general. I agree not too many teens can buy a new car, but there's plenty of college grads buying new cars, and from this 53 year old's perspective, that's still very young.
Joe Gearin wrote: What blows my mind are the kids out there over 16 who have no desire to even get a driver's license.
You're right about that. My kids both have friends, guys, that don't have a driver's license. They don't see a need for it. I can hardly believe that.
What's worse is that it's not just that. Try to get them to ride a bike, or throw a ball or a frisbee, or any other real world activity. They just want to sit there with their vid games and computer set to FB so they can "talk" to their friends while playing games. We are moving towards the Matrix...
eastsidemav wrote: Except that today's young people rarely buy new cars(if they can afford a car at all), so they have to shop from the pool of available used cars, which are predominately automatic.
True. Of everyone I know my age, only 3 have bought a new car. I know about maybe 5-10 who bought newish (say, under 7yo) used cars. And apart from car enthusiasts very few drive a manual. Even one of my best friends who knows how to drive a manual has mostly owned autotragics.
Taught my Fiance how to drive 2 years ago, this summer she learns stick in the meotter. (waiting till I get the snow tires off)
In reply to GameboyRMH:
I think you'd also have to agree that an Abarth is a car geared towards enthusiasts. For example, you couldn't buy a CRX-si with an automatic. If you didn't want to shift, you probably didn't want the other features that car had that went along with a manual trans, so you bought the regular CRX. But this is not the regular Fiat 500. I see that as just another step towards no manuals at all.
I fondly remember that Ford SVT didnt sell automatics unless they were trucks!
Problem is, if they dont offer the automatic, they miss out on the poseur sales. Unfortunately, without the poseur market, there might not be enough demand to bring vehicles we would want to market.
Hell, you can't buy a Lambo with a manual anymore, thats the pinnacle of the poseur market for you. (they dont really race them, they just use them as a status symbol)
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