I met a guy operting Turo with high end cars. One of his methods to lower business risk is to provide the cars with stick shift only, because the customers knowing how to drive manual tend to be more careful and appreciate the good car, not doing hot boxing in a luxury car.
When I taught my sons to drive manuals, the argument I used was that their freeloading friends wouldn’t be able to drive their cars. Worked like a charm.
Meanwhile my parents insisted I learn auto as they felt it was too big & unsafe a jump for me to learn manual from the start. Also as less manual cars are sold in my country, it'd likely be a long time from getting my driver's license before I encounter a manual vehicle, by which time they believe I would've already forgotten how to drive manual, & thus would still be unsafe for me to do so even if my license allows
@@lzh4950 In life if you make the training hard the actual act of driving becomes easy. I am in the UK I learn't to drive a manual. I learned in a 1.0 litre petrol when I passed my test I got my Mums car a 1.9 Diesel, she thought oh the cars old it won't be forgiving expect to stall more, nah it was jokes the car was almost unstallable and would set off in 3rd gear. if you learn to drive manual you will find driving an automatic easy almost too easy.
Gonna be driving manuals for as long as I possibly can. Rowing through the gears just puts the biggest smile on my face, and isn't that what life is all about?
I'm European and I have mixed feelings about manual shifting. When the road flows well it's fun to drive with a manual, and it kinda turns driving into a minigame where you try to perfect shifting, rev matching etc, it's really satisfying to just drop 2-3 gears when you arrive to a roundabout and just letting the clutch go with no jankiness at all. On the other end driving in city traffic with a clutch can be really frustrating.
You rev match? What country are you from? I am from Czechia and I first heard about revmatching from youtube about a year ago. Nobody here does rev match
@@kaladivo Italy, but I think most of people don't rev match here either. I learned the technique from the sim and I ended up applying it to the real car :P
If you don't rev match when downshiftig, there is going to be a jerk, like you are hitting the brakes (unless maybe your car does the rev matching for you, or you are at a very low speed). It does not need to be perfect; basically any short burst of the accelerator, while the clutch pedal is pushed, to bring the engine RPM higher than idle, is helping and much better than just letting the clutch bring the engine RPM up.
Thank you for sacrificing your dignity running about like a looney goggling into people's cars. I passed just over a week ago and you were the first channel I found on my journey, very helpful! Keep it up Richard 😂
The only time in my life I've ever driven an automatic (I'm 34), is when I was on vacation to the US a few years ago and I got a rental. I hated how the gearbox shifted up too late for my liking sometimes. As a manual driver, you gain an instinct for when to shift, you hear it, feel it. And the automatic was just awkwardly staying in gears much too long, especially first gear when starting at red lights going green. I wanted my control back.
I feel you man. I was testdriving BMW at a factory/development site around year +2000s. It shifted too late and my workaround has been to go back from gas and immendiately pressed the gas fully. That way it shifted slightly earlier but then, this was just like shifting manuel. So what‘s the point? It always felt like stepping on butter and suddenly (way too late) power was coming up the cellar. I dont know if gearboxes developed substantially since back then however.
@@DoritoBot9000 Modern automatics (like within the last 5 yrs) completely outclass manuals now. These newer cars are a bit pricey though and usually don't fit into the EU's regulations. Definitely when I went to Germany and Poland, I didn't see many newer non-German cars around so it might be a bit for Europe to catch up.
@@GodHandFemto Depends on the car. I live in a European capital city and use a car sharing service. Many of their vehicles are either electric or automatic. I drive around 5 different models regularly. The experience with the automatics is exactly like @mentalParadox and @bliblablubb0712 describe. These are modern models but small cars, like Kia Picanto and Volkswagen Up. Definitely not better than manuals for my personal taste. "Like stepping on butter and suddenly power comes up, late", could not have said it better. Maybe high-end models are better, this I don't know but probably. On the other hand, the experience with the electric ones is way better than these automatic. Especially, that car sharing company had new Hyundai Kona electric models that were great to drive.
I’m Canadian, live in Canada, and I’ve had my license since I was 16. For 28 years I’ve driven automatic. Just over a year ago, at 44, I decided to trade in my automatic for a manual Hyundai Veloster N. No regrets but what a learning experience, good thing I live in an area with low population density. Your channel has helped me immensely as I’ve had no other teacher than TH-cam. This channel is the best resource I’ve found, thank you.
Sexy car. Congrats. When I rent a car through work, they are usually automatic. I always try to press the imaginary clutch. The same has probably happened to you as your comment is a year old.
Dang, my first manual experience was being thrown into the deep end of Vancouver bridge-commuter traffic when my car died and I had to drive my dad's project Sport Jetta (with the mushy VW gearbox) to work. What an awful experience. I would have loved to learn in a more spacious environment. But I ended up buying my own manual car shortly thereafter for some reason, so it didn't put me off _that_ badly
After years of driving automatics here in the U.S. I recently bought a Fiat 500 Abarth with a manual transmission. I drove a manual when I was stationed in Italy many years ago, and I enjoyed it then, but found that when I returned to the U.S. manual transmissions were hard to find. I am really in love with my little Fiat. It's a lot of fun to drive, and I have a sense that I'm actually engaged in an activity (driving) as opposed to just sitting there with my foot on the gas. I'm really sold on manuals!
I also own a Fiat 500 with standard transmission. A young guy was at the stoplight in a Mustang with a bad exhaust kit, and revved his engine. I put my Fiat in power mode, popped the clutch and left him in the dust, hahaha.
are you actually get noticed? I mean, these giants of cars won't even notice a bump with your car. I mean, cars that are that tall that an average pedestrian (1.6-1.7 m) can't look over them shouldn't be allowed (except vans like a Volkswagen Caddy or Ford Transit).
I don't think one has to be keen on 'speedy' driving to enjoy a manual. I enjoy the act of driving even if that is picking my way along a narrow country lane or through town or even sitting in a stop/start queue on the motorway. I simply enjoy being at the wheel of a car. For me, an automatic is just de-skilling the experience, like an artist being forced to only use painting-by-numbers. Autonomous cars would be like doing a dot-to-dot!
I feel the same, I drive a 350z and although it is a sports car I do prefer driving any car manual. My brothers miata is slow and if it was automatic it wouldn't be nearly as good, but there's something about slamming gears that just makes it so rewarding. It's like a video game on expert mode. Car people want to feel closer to their car and I just think it's a good time no matter the car.
I think that for most people the preference for manual is about speedy driving and racing (other than cost). I don't have the habit of doing either so in 20 years of driving, the last half with automatic, I would never go back to manual. I enjoy the convenience, the noticeable calmer driving experience you get, the absence of left leg muscular problems from the clutch pedal (it's a problem for many people), and I get the bonus of enjoying at traffic lights seeing all the other cars staying behind me as they shift gears.
@@pbs36 you're saying you think manual driving is a speed thing but then go on to say that manual cars take longer at green lights to get going. I understand its a preference. But from what I've seen, car people who enjoy driving almost always love manuals. I still like a good automatic car but it takes more horsepower and speed to keep me entertained and enjoy my experience behind the wheel.
@@pbs36 You may be correct. Not the case for me and to be honest I change gear so automatically that I don't even think about it or notice it. That's part of the problem I suppose; when driving an automatic I have to actively concentrate on NOT trying to change gear. Being forced into driving an automatic feels a bit like being forced to use a stick or frame for walking. I don't want my car steering for me or braking for me or changing gear for me. But times will change!
@@richardgreenwood3355 I understand, I was scared too at the beginning of pressing the brake pedal thinking it was the clutch and cause an accident. At the stand where I bought my car, back in 2008, someone actually did that on the highway and came back saying the car braked automatically and it caused the accident. Of course no problem was found with the car You get used, and you have a place on the side specifically to rest your foot. With automatic I enjoy too the safety of gears behind out of the equation when a quick reaction is needed.
I'm American, and the thing I like about manuals is that, in snow and ice, when braking is one of the worst things you can do, you can control your speed simply by NOT shifting. Living in a mountainous rural area and working in town, I remember, in freezing rain, getting to work in a front wheel drive KIA, and laughing at a coworker who couldn't drive down the street in a 4wd pickup.
So true. The only accident I ever had was when my automatic thought it would be a good idea to just randomly downshift in a corner in the rain. The rear wheels were just overwhelmed by the extra torque being put down and I just ended up drifting into an upcoming car. Luckily no one got hurt and I just had to spend 400 euros to get a new door and a a fender. 😅
Not only not shifting but also driving in higher gear, with revs ready to counter some sliding or breaking the car with engine, especialy handy on an icy downhill. Always drove manual and thinking about it, I would be unsecure driving an autimatic on ice. Maybe you can get used to it, but I feel you get bigger sense of control in manual. 😅
I grew up in the UK and had manuals for 25 years. I spent plenty of time on track too. Now I live in the USA with heavy traffic, endless traffic lights and misery on the road. I’d never have a manual here but I wish people had them when they started out. They make you a better driver because you have to maintain far more control approaching junctions etc
@@jackgunn8112 not anymore. Speaking as a 20 year old from the UK, the countrys economy fell apart after those dinosaurs voted to leave the european union. I dont blame anyone for leaving this joke of a country whilst they still can
I am from Kazakhstan. AT is so popular here that the driving school near my home does not provide lessons on manual. Only automatic. I had to search for other teachers to get some extra lessons to learn how to do some exercises (especially driving to a hill). Got my driving license as manual, bought a manual car and started driving with almost no practical experience (most of hours I spent in American/Euro Truck Simulator). So far so good, thanks to channels like this.
@@Tankwipernah, it's just that the biggest share of car buyers are from urban areas with high population density and high traffic jam levels, so it makes more sense and more comfortable to drive auto, instead of manual when you stuck in traffic most of the time and not driving through highways like americans for instance do to travel from their suburbs.
I passed my driving test in Automatic. Here in Australia, after you pass your driving test you are on a provisional licence for around three years (i.e. restrictions in speed, curfew, blood alcohol level etc.) If you are on your provisionals you can only drive the transmission that you did the test in, for me that was Auto. After I went on to my full unrestricted licence, I learnt manual, bought a manual car (gorgeous mx-5 like the one in your video); never looked back. Best thing ever. Smiles per gallon is priceless !
I passed my Aussie test in a manual, one day I will come to grips with the complex beast that is the automatic but for now I will live driving simple manual cars
@@jsantiago.b yes you are right. what he means is if you take manual test, you can drive manual and auto immediately. If you take auto test, you can only drive auto until you get full license, usually takes 3 years to get full license, and 4 years if you take drive test before 21 yo. I took manual test in Australia too🙌
@@neelparmar6690🙂 don't be afraid to try driving an automatic. They are a bit intimidating and complicated to start with. But after a few days off practice you can get the hang of them.
@@briepiemel2796 You're only in control of the gear change. There's actually no difference in 'control' between and automatic and a manual. An automatic IMO just means you can spend more of your attention on driving rather than having to be concerned with changing gears.
@@Scottx125Productions That is nonsense, in The Netherlands we drive manual while learning, at the moment I drive manual and automatic cars and for me it makes no difference in paying more attention to driving. It’s not like you have to look at the gear stick while changing gears.
I'm from the Philippines and here, if you passed with an AT, you can't drive MT. But if you passed with a MT, you are allowed to drive both MT and AT. I of course got my license by passing with a MT 😊
I've lived in the Philippines for the last 10 years. Nobody here knows how to drive lol. They just pay someone and they get their licenses automatically.
@@MetalGearDavid57 Quite the contrary. There's a saying here that if you're able to survive driving in the small and populated streets of the Philippines, then you're pretty much able to drive anywhere. It's always a miracle getting home without a scratch or dent on your car 😂
@jessicadee2301 Nah. My mom's filipino friends brought a lot of their bad driving habits with them when they came to SF. The main ones were merging into oncoming traffic before making a left turn, blocking intersections, and cutting off pedestrians on a crosswalk. If you consider that skillful driving, then I guess our standards are different. I've driven here 5 years and I've never seen such clueless drivers. They're not necessarily harmful to me because I've got over 20 years of experience driving but it's just funny how two wrongs make a right here, just bad drivers canceling out other bad drivers.
I do it too, sometimes try to guess what it will be before I look. I've noticed that autos are way more popular on new cars. About 70% are auto I'd say.
glance through car windows as I'm out walking , do that down my street , and the residents will be chasing you before you get to the end of the street :)
Honestly totally depends on where and how you drive. I love a manual for shorter drives (less than 2 hours) through more open areas, but it's an absolute pain in the ass when stuck in the city, or if you're doing a 5-6 hour stretch up and down mountains.
@Massimo M Too much of it can be exhausting, but it's still fun. 😃 _Though it becomes a nightmare if you get stuck behind some truck with no way to overtake_ 😵
Driving is a chore to me. Although I passed my driving test in a manual car I'd never buy a manual one for myself. However I appreciate the fact that I learnt driving in a manual car. It gave me a greater understanding to the inner workings of a car.
I'm of the same opinion and one of my mates constantly gives me shit for it as I'm looking at an auto for my next car. Always saying things like "oh so you won't actually be driving your next car" ect. It's proper annoying
Agreed. I live in a city with a lot of traffic jams so I Just hate the constant clutch pressing and letting go. I drive a motorcycle too and its manual but somehow it doesnt annoy me. There is Just something about manual cars that doesnt click for me.
Learning manual can give you the entire range of car selection while out for hunting instead of being limited which imo is a huge plus for a new driver where having a reliable cheaper car to gain more experience is usually the go to for most. It also gives you more control over your car in rain / snow if its an older model without a lot of computer aid. Later switching to Automatic is really easy, however doing it the other way around is pretty difficult especially in most EU countries. If you learn on Automatic your license doesn't give you permission to also driver Manual but getting your license on manual does permit you to drive both. It just makes sense in most cases to not limit yourself over something that will happen in a long time especially if you plan on keeping your first car for 5 years or so if nothing goes wrong before upgrading.
The feeling of driving a manual is just astonishing. Its like you can connect with the heart of the car and be in control every moment. If there's an option, i would choose to drive manual forever.
i wonder what's that feeling is like but i like my automatic because im in a country with a lot of traffic and having to shift every 5 seconds is annoying to me.
Well done and well said! I live in the US and I LOVE driving manual. I actually first learned to drive a manual in my dad's old 2 door British sports car. I LOVED that car. It was like driving a go kart on the street. Now I drive a Honda Civic Type R and Honda knows how to make a proper manual. I am never selling that car. Another great feature of a manual is that it is the ultimate safety device. When you are engaged in the driving experience of the car and shifting gears in a manual, you are less likely to be messing with your phone while driving.
Are there inproper manuals ? And no, your brain allows you to do other things aside, otherwise Europe had less phone related accidents. It's one of the few things the brain goes on multitasking mode, like you are able to walk and talk at the same time.
@@holger_p Yes there are improper manuals. Drive a Type R and a Mazda Miata and then drive anything else and you will see the difference. You are right about our brain's ability to adapt. If we want to be an idiot and do other things to take our focus off of driving while we drive our brain will let us do it.
@@StandingUpForBetter So you are unable to put it in words. I should go and rent a Jaguar ? Little to much asked just to get an idea what you are talking about. Each car is little different, and you get used to it. It's not being an idiot, to watch the traffic light, to talk with passenger, to listen to the navigation system, or whatever. Cause our brain is free. It's not needed for the gear shift. As well as you don't need your brain to balance a bicycle or to stand upright. It's done by the muscles, not by the brain. It's called the autonmous nerve system.
Driving a manual transmission is a joy especially when doing long drives. I got to experience to drive what we called in the Philippines the "Luzon Loop"
Here in the Philippines manual cars are still pretty much everywhere. I passed my driving test 5 months ago and I'm driving a manual car for the first time. It's frustrating when you don't get the gear change correctly or when you're struggling up on a hill and end up stalling. But when you do get it right, there's definitely a sense of pride there. So yeah, maybe I prefer to drive manual than automatic (for now, but who knows). Love your channel, Richard! It's been really helpful for me!
@@Vagren exactly. I passed my Manual driving examination two weeks ago and got my driving certificate. Requirement kasi iyan para makapagmaneho na ako ng Mitsubishi L300 Van. Delivery driver ang inaplayan ko. Hehehe 😊
I can’t control the weight of my car, that’s why I love my manual. I hate the automatics, I’m like “ I would’ve dropped a gear by now” and like 2 seconds later the automatic does it. It’s like driving a car with lag
Try a modern auto like my jaguar xfr, it will upshift and down shift faster and smoother than a manual. If you cruising at 70 mph and push throttle it will go down the required number of gears and the response is instant, it will also engine brake when slowing. You can also use flappy paddles and have full control of gearbox with engine braking and instant response to your up or down shifts. You also dont have to deal with a heavy clutch to accomodate 600hp. Finally why would you want to wave your arm and leg about when you can achieve better results by simply pulling on a paddle?
@@12345678930379 Yes, but most drivers aren't that good either. I got 27mpg out of a 1990s pickup in town, and 29mpg freeway with it, because of how I drove it. Even with an automatic, the typical driver would brag if they could get 25mpg out of it. My current car can't downshift worth a damn. It always responds too slow and too late, and that car is a decade newer than the truck (and I've owned it since it had 25k miles on it in perfect condition). When a person like me knows how cars work, and basics of gearing, fuel efficiency and such, you absolutely can get better mileage with a manual because you can do things no automatic I know of has been programmed to do. Doesn't mean a computer Can't beat a human, especially when you combine in other aspects of engine and fuel control to the mix. But among your average run of the mill daily driver budget cars, I've always been better than the automatic transmission. I also do a better than average job of getting really good fuel efficiency out of airplanes too. Many are still manually controlled for fuel mixture, prop, etc. Whether fuel injected or carbureted. The prop is like a transmission, and you control fuel mixture as well, and many people are surprised at how much better I do. On a typical plane they might get 8-10gal per hour fuel burn, a few pilots will do 7gph, I've gotten as low as 5.7gph in that same plane. And I've gotten comparably good results in many different airplanes with many different fuel systems. They are always shocked. But I learned fuel management of planes by studying the likes of Charles Lindbergh and the tricks he developed, as well as looking into other sources on engine management, including talking to engineers from the engine manufacturers themselves. Now, more and more airplanes are starting to get electronic ignition, electronic fuel control, electronic prop control, etc. But many planes will never have such features.
Can I just say that this is one of the most well-informed and interesting videos I’ve seen on this platform in a very, very long time. Thanks to you sir for recording and publishing this - definitely worth a sub!
I'm from Germany, most cars are manual here. We've got a relatively new system, where you start learning in an automatic, then do lessons in a manual and get tested in the automatic. So you learn both ways. Seems to be a reasonable middle ground.
My colleague had driven manuals for 40 years until the day we went on a trip with an automatic car. He had some trouble remembering that you do not press the brake as if it were the clutch.
I don’t know what you are talking about, the only thing that was introduced recently is that if you attend to a driving school and learning on an automatic car, you’re now allowed to drive a manual once you passed the driving test. Before that you had to take extra lessons on a manual car to be allowed to drive a manual transmission car.
@@heindaddel2531 That's not true. When you learn automatic you need to get your licence for that first. Then you can take a few extra lessons on manual, a test drive with the instructor and you're allowed to drive manual.
@@citroniron8861 I quote: “From the 1st April 2021, the driver's license test on an automatic passenger car also applies to cars with manual transmission.”
@@heindaddel2531 I also quote: "From April 1st 2021, automatic-only driver's licenses obtained before this date can be converted to ones without this limitation *if the holder registers at a driving school and does the required 10x45min lessons* which can also be done as double lessons." If you do it later you will have to do the B197, which lets you do your exam on an automatic *if you do at least 10x45min on a manual along with a 15 minute test*
1. Generally, Europe's road and traffic planning also makes it possible for manual transmission to retain its popularity in the region. But with increased traffic congestion in many major urban centres and boomtowns, automatics are peaking in popularity these days. 2. Speaking about 4-speed torque converter autos, drivers in Southeast Asia love them so much because it's very durable. It doesn't matter if it's heavy and inefficient, as long as it doesn't jerk excessively like a DSG/dual-clutch transmission or lag excessively like a CVT.
@@sigh9032 AMT is popular in India as it's basically putting a transmission control unit & mechatronic sensor to upshift or downshift a manual transmission. Two-pedal manual transmission (or IMT in Hyundai's terminology) is a niche technology using sensors embedded in the gearstick and also TCU to replace the clutch pedal controls.
@@sigh9032 Hyundai is putting its niche transmission technology (IMT) to the test its marketability in India. If it becomes wildly successful in India, then there could be chances that two-pedal manual transmission technology can be introduced in other markets as well.
VW did bought DCT in india, but they were so bad in indian roads, they shifted to TC later on And Hyundai is very popular as a car brand here, and most of the customers are less enthusiast and more relaxed while driving, so they chose iMT or TC more
Europe’s road and traffic planning? Lol.. lots of roads over there were literally used by German tanks on the way to Kursk, French knights on their way to Constantinople, and wooly mammoths escaping the advancing ice.
I don't particularly care about "fun" driving on the road, I just like being in control of the clutch and the gears. Takes away the guessing from how the car is going to behave, better control in city traffic and sketchy conditions and situations. Though dual clutch transmissions are pretty nice as well, just for different reasons.
Biggest reasons I prefer manuals right there. Having control over gear selection, clutch and engine braking is just so much better. Objectively better.
@@thatangrygerman2076 Most of the robotized gear boxes like DSG are so fast in changeing gears up or down that you wont even touch the + or - buttons for manual change and if you put them in sport mode you have enging braking very near manual gear box car. Once you try it there's no going back on stick. But I'll admit to you, one in a while I'd like to try my old army truck without servo or even sinchronized gearbox (so you need to double clouch for up and add the gas inbetween for down)
@@milkotablet I'll admit, DCT's are nice, they are sporty and you kinda feel lika an F1 driver when you want to. and it will shift more nicer than i ever will when just cruising. But driving on a nice road with my 1.2L manual Clio is also very fun, the gearing is short and i can row 1-3 without breaking the speed limit. My old Peugeot 206 with the 1.1L 60PS engine was a blast to drive as well. Straight piped and bumped up fuel pressure and no cat meant more bangs from the straight piped exhaust on deceleration and gear shifts. You could beat the crap out of it and the police would just laugh at you since other quieter cars went faster then i did xD But man was it fun!
@@Zesserie You touched upon a great point here. Any car with a manual can be fun but for an automatic to be fun it has to be very fast atleast 300hp. I can enjoy any car with 100hp+ that is at least the size of a VW Golf as long it has a manual if it has an automatic I will hate it.
@Chaska owning one can be considered cheaper yes. If you just think about fuel costs. But the money you save on fuel with a ev will still take years even decades to make up from the cost to buy a ev currently. Also ev costs more to insure as it stands right now. Ev costs WAY more to repair And news Flash. Majority of the population does not have the money to buy cars that expensive.
One of the most important and often forgotten aspect of driving manual is engine braking. Very few driver with automatic transmission knows about low gears and using the engine compression instead of the brakes. My last car had 100 000 miles on its original brake pads.
There's something mechanically satisfying while operating a manual transmission. Its like typing on a mechanical keyboard and playing a tactile fidget toys. Which is why I would also prefer a button cluttered dashboard rather than a big screen controlling everything.
It feels like operating a machine, instead of using a device designed by someone. In the world of programs and screens, it's something else to have something so direct and mechanical. Learning how clutch works when you learn how to drive, and using it to understand how your actions affect the car is one of the most satisfying things I experienced as a new driver.
I've driven a Tesla model 3, and X an I8, and some electric hyundais, They are best for commuter only imo. Are they fast? Yes, but the kind of fast that for me, like being spoonfed for you, akin to eating a really fancy cup noodle. Its nice, maybe more expensive, but still, its a cup noodle, kind of lifeless compared even to the ramen offered by a roadside ramen house.Being growing up around cars, I love the thrill of revving engines, the clicks and clacks of a well built transmission, when you can choose to lose your grip and have your car slide a bit, and to actually know my self build car's character. While I do have an electric, an ioniq, for me its nothing more than a city traffic jam cruiser as I found not much joy in driving one, and more of a lazy status symbol.
I was afraid back then when I started to drive. I struggled with changing gears, hill starts, etc.. But with time, I gained the experience and now I can't imagine not to drive a manual because it's a lot of fun. You feel the car, you have absolute control over what you do and it does give you the sensation that you are actually driving a car and not just pushing two pedals to accelerate or to brake.
@@foty8679 oh no, driving is so much fun in a manual car, especially on back roads where you actually have to use the box to help control the car, when you can have complete control you can actually help steer the car with the gears, by that I mean keeping the power in the correct range going into and out of corners!
I also enjoy the additional control, downshifting for the extra acceleration or holding high gear low revs for steady traffic without the engine deciding high revs would be preferable
Love that you embody the fun you can have with a manual with a car that makes driving manual a dream. I'm biased though, I also drive a MX5 ND, but I couldn't imagine a more fitting car for your story...
My mum's driving instructor tried to teach her to heel and toe before she passed her test. I had the same one, he didn't teach me that but did take me on a "I know you're going to speed after you've passed, I'd like to teach you to speed properly" lesson. Racing line where possible etc. He was an ex police driver. This was before the covered the country with cameras.
Because they're fun. It's the emotional difference between being a "Driver" and an "Operator". It's not a right or wrong thing, it's something you enjoy or you don't. I grew up with minis around the time of the original "Italian Job" and driving makes me smile.
I live in America and in 2022 I wanted an new vehicle in hatchback "&" in a manual transmission. I had to settle for an Impreza sport hatchback in manual. Weak on the engine power, but I added an performance chip and it is now peppy to drive. I also changed my shifter knob for an illuminated shifter ball. Now I love driving it....😃👍
I learned "transmission" gear changes when I was 14, in a railway maintenance trolley. It had a Ford Anglia engine and gearbox but the seat would slide forwards or backwards and you turned around. There was a reverser box to reverse the overall output shaft. It was also left hand drive so this meant that going in one direction, using RIGHT hand you had the normal H pattern with 1st top left but then slide the seat the other way and now you use LEFT hand and 1st would be bottom right, 2nd directly away and so on. It didn't cause any issue at all, no different from swapping left or right hand drive to be honest, manual transmissions are no big deal at all :)
I just learned to drive in a manual and bought an automatic. We also have a manual. I think it's nice to know how to drive both. But a manual has much more control, which you definitely need in India. 👍🏼
I’ve been driving manuals for nearly 40 years but now I have a automatic which is so much easier than a manual no more up and down on the clutch in traffic and a lot more relaxing on longer journeys.
Longer jurneys and traffic are where automatics shine, i will probably never buy an automatic unless im pretty much forced to. Not because i don't like them; just because i enjoy the more sporty cars out there, and when you're driving a sporty car all the extra feel and connection that a manual gear box offers is a must for me.
@@francescobattistoni20 i am the same as Gordon S, drove manuals most of my life but last 3 cars have been auto,manuals in town traffic are not fun….prefer a torque converter auto as dsg’s and cvt’s are not as reliable….i have had all 3 types…..dsg was the worst with horrible judder
In the mid '90s my family had a Opel/Vauxhaul Astra with an 1.6 l 75 HP gasoline engine. Despite the low HP number that engine was pretty fun to drive with a manual gearbox decent accelaration and a topspeed around 190 km/h. You could overtake on country roads as the car had decent accelerating from 80 - 120 km/h. A friends mother had the same car with an automatic gearbox ... a box of valium had more temperament.
opel astra and vectra were used as police cars in the 90s here in the Netherlands they were however 2 liter engine models (perhaps the odd 2.2 even) and yeah, driving manual is still huge here too, still the norm
I had thought about getting an automatic instead of a manual after passing my test. I wasn't enjoying the manual, but after passing and having my own car I have no issues at all.
I got tendonitis in my left elbow recently. Every time I changed gear it was painful, especially doing stop starts in heavy traffic. When my lease finishes next year I'm changing to automatic
I prefer both whenever it's convenient. I like manuals for the overall thrill of the drive when I'm switching gears and I enjoy autos for their convenience of not switching through the gears in stop and go city traffic.
I haven’t heard of having to get your license in a manual to drive one in North America. Although if they were more common I’d definitely want something like that. I just got my first manual car and wow was it a hand full in traffic for my first day, promptly called it a day and waited till late in the evening to practice. It was like starting all over! Thank you for your videos, they have been extremely helpful especially when I didn’t have many people I know to help me learn.
Same here in Australia (mind you, I got my license over fifty years ago - might have changed) - If you did your test driving a manual, you could drive an auto, but if you did it in an auto, you could ONLY drive an auto. I have one of both, but I have to admit, I kinda like my auto, probably because I do a lot of driving in urban / suburban traffic.
@@ChristopherJones-qm2nw no shame in liking autos. Some of the nicest cars on the road are auto only and if you’re spending time in the city then having a stick is just unnecessary work for little reward.
I do it almost all the time. Of course it's not that I stand still and peep through the window but rather I take a quick look while walking. Why? I just love the interior in cars so I'm always curious how it is in different cars. So far Lexus, BMW and Audi seem to have the nicest interior but I guess it's not a big surprise 😁
That part about having fun without speeding is so true. Sold my 330i automatic for a MX5. Didnt regret it one bit. Even when I had the chance to drive a M4 for a while, it just didnt really feel as amazing as I expected. There is just no way you can push the car to its limit on public roads (at least if you dont have the money at hand to just pay off the car).
@@xperformxperformance8039 Well, going just fast at the Autobahn isnt exactly "pushing the car to its limits" . You cant even drive a MX5 at the open road to its real limits- but atleast close to it. And thats where the fun lays
Great comment, totally agree. I sold my Alfa Giulia after three years as I found it was too fast for the public road. To me a manual transmission car with 350-400 bhp hits the sweet spot. I’ve always been interested in understanding how a Tesla/EV driver found coming from a normal family car to something that can go from 0-60 in around 3 seconds (the change must have been amazing but terrifying at the same time).
After 27 years of driving, and always owning a manual car, you don’t even think about the gear change. I used to deliver parcels in a manual, in peak hour traffic, and I never felt it was a hassle. Nothing beats synchronising the shift through a set of bends. You can keep your auto or DSG;)
Yeah I don't get the American argument of but its a pain in the city. You literally don't give it a thought you just do it. I don't even have 1/4 of your experience and I have the basic muscle memory for it.
I'm a Canadian living in a rural area. I have two pick up trucks, one is a manual, one is an automatic (manuals are hard to find now a days). My every day driver is the manual, especially in bad weather. When the roads are icy and snow covered, you don't want to use the brakes too much, which can put you into a spin. Shifting down is the safer option. However, when I have to go into the big city, with the stop and go traffic, the automatic is much more convenient option. Also, driving a manual is more fun.
People who love driving manual do it for the experience, like myself. For as long as there are enthusiasts, manufacturers will have manual options for their speciality cars.
I live in the U.S. and I discovered your channel which has helped immensely in learning to properly drive my first manual car. After years and years in an automatic I understand what the “driver experience” actually means now. Unfortunate to see the manual dwindling in numbers.
Same! This channel was critical to my path toward stick shift learning and ownership. Bought my first stick a month ago, and it's like falling in love with driving all over again. What's more, it's hard to believe I didn't know before what a satisfying experience driving could be. There's part of me that wants to go evangelize about it, even though I know no one around me wants to hear it. Most folks see driving as a necessary function to get from point A to point B and the very idea that and could or should be engaging, fun, or remotely enjoyable just never occurs to them. I had several friends lecture me, saying I was mad for wanting to buy a stick. How I would regret it, what a hassle it would be. These people, never having owned a stick shift themselves, or anything with over 140 horsepower. Not to get too pretentious, but I honestly feel bad for them. It's like a Matrix or a They Live thing, or whatever movie comparison you please, where I've suddenly become aware of the world around me, and all the potential and joy I've been missing in driving, and I want to share it with everyone before it's too late and we're all driving electric cars...and nobody cares, haha.
@@MrTomfooligans Nice to hear this mate, just enjoy it some people will never understand, until they see that massive grin on your face when your downshifting on windy roads
You absolutely hit the nail on the head for me when you were driving the mx5. I'm not fussed about breaking speed limits, but I like to enjoy driving and a not particularly powerful, small, manual car allows that. Unfortunately, my partner hates manuals so we have a small cvt auto. At least I have a motorcycle and manual old Vespa to feel involved in riding. I'll have to own an mx5 one day though, drove an NA mx5 once and it's still the most enjoyable car I've driven.
A shift is also being made in France where there's a very good reason to have automatic cars: the driving license for an automatic is cheaper than manual, since your need less mandatory hours of driving to get your license. People would get an automatic driving license then could spend a couple hours much later to upgrade their license to allow driving manual. And considering the insane delays there are in certain places to get a license, you really want to take the least amount of time possible to get it.
If you have passed a test in an auto, why not go ahead and book a manual test straight away? Book a couple of hours instruction on the day or day before the test. After all, you're not starting out again and the "manual" parts of the test are not demanding.
Also, don't forget servicing a manual is less costly less moving parts less chance of something going wrong. I seen loads of people having to fork out good money to service the gearbox or paying big money fixing it
Unlikely. With a manual, you will HAVE to replace a clutch. Likely a pressure plate and a throw out bearing as well. Your synchros and shift linkages will also start to wear and have a lot of moving parts and require a lot of labour to fix. The gears will also grind due to missed shifts. A slush box may have a lot more moving parts, but the basic operation is much smoother and simpler.. with a torque converter that has no wear parts other than bearings, planetary gear sets that never become unmeshed.. and overrunning clutches and clutch packs that are engaged smoothly and don’t wear nearly as much as a regular clutch… electronic valve bodies which can be repaired easily and have little to go wrong with them.. and basic linkages which aren’t used nearly as much. This is why most automatic transmissions will easily last the life of the vehicle with nothing more than fluid and filter changes.
In my experience in Italy I saw that a lot of car have manual. When the car hits about 10-15 years of age it needs a new clutch. It cost about 500 € done by a mechanic and the car is good to go for another 10-15 years. My beater is 21 and with original clutch and obviously gears. NEVER heard of a manual with broken gears that is less than 40 eyers old. Instead I heard a lot of cars with automatic (especially expensive one) that need big works in the automatic transmission after a few years, and the kind of jobs that are very expensive. So when it comes to cheapness of maintenance manual usually win.
Since I got my driving license in 2000, I've been driving mostly automatic cars except for a few months. In my experience, gear box issues in automatic cars are not as common as you might think. This idea of difficult maintenance might have been true decades ago but the technology has come a long way.
@@praveengoonathilake2866 They are difficult to maintain sometimes impossible and you need very skilled mechanics to work on them, and they destroy themselves in time you, especially if you buy badly made ones (most non japanese cars) and then youll need to fork over 4-5 thousand euros for a new automatic transmission.
I think a big thing contributing to this is that manufacturers are also just not producing manuals much at all. When i looked at getting a new Merc. A class a couple years ago, they were literally only shipping automatics until a few months after the launch (they recently remodelled the A Class). I know most mercedes drivers arent exactly hardcore driving enthusiasts but it was pretty telling.
Well, in the United States, you can only get automatics in Mercedes A class cars. I bought one anyway. The dual-clutch transmission in my Mercedes is far faster and smoother than I have ever been, and I've been driving manual transmissions for 60 years. The automatic has won.
Automatic historically had much higher fuel consumption that manual, it was much more expensive and not as reliable. Technology advances quickly and things change, but it take much longer for people's preferences to change
@@gravemind6536 depends on which manual you use. Pretty difficult to mess up making a manual in comparison to an automatic, but some companies like zf and toyota make amazing autos, lasting as long as manuals.
@@TheSuperBoyProject And also how good you are with a manual. If you stall, or hold the clutch too many times (start stop traffic) then an automatic will last far longer.
That is absolute bull^&$& !! In the 1970's it had been proven that automatics were over 92% as efficient as manuals. This was before locking torque converters, before overdrive automatics became prevelant. If you go back to the really older cars 2 speed autos were common and some even had just 1 speed.
As a person who had both types I personally think it depends on the car and its purpose. For heavy traffic in the city - auto, for fun in the weekends - manual.
you can just leave it in second gear in city if it bothers you to go to third-second all the time. You can even stop and start on the intersection in the second gear, slower than in first but you are not racing are you? Just saying.
@@Ludak021depends on the car. I used to have a 2007 530d and it's hard to explain but it struggled in that sort of no man's land. I've not the car for years. I've got an E220d and a Raptor now so they're both automatic, so I can't remember exactly what it was like driving the BM but I do drive manual vans now and again and they're ok but I do recall the BM needed to be in 3rd fairly quickly before it started revving but my girlfriend used to have moody little hatchbacks and as awful a drive as they were were actually fine staying in second. Same with her Audi now. No idea what kind it is because I don't like Audi's or hatchbacks in general but hers seems to be fine driving around Liverpool and Manchester
I had two cars: a truck and a big size sedan both in manual. Sedan is my daily driver and I could never imagine how fun is it to get a big sedan specifically in manual. The thing is engaging and powerful in all instances of driving. I don't mind a manual in traffic either. Never understood why people are afraid of manual in traffic jam.
You have no idea, here and in the rest of Europe people are stopping to use that old ass outdated technology, sure in petrolhead bubbles like this you'll think there are many people who care about manuals but the stats show something different and most manufacturers will stop selling them in the near future
@@CartmanVlaams yeah maybe. But that's the future and what the market wants, enthusiasts are just the loudest minority that exists who heavily exaggerate how many people want what they want
I drive for a living and I spent quite some time in congested traffic each day, so for work I'm happy to drive an automatic. My private car has a manual though :-)
Thank you Richard for all the videos you post in this channel, one extra thing that makes manual better than automatic in my opinion is the engine braking. Sometimes when there’s a traffic jam in the highway and surprisingly i see car who is almost not moving in manual i can brake and also downshift if the brakes are not sufficient. Whereas in the automatic you have to fully rely on the brakes not to mention ABS sometimes make you feel that brakes are not braking! Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong!
@@bambinosto "poorer Eastern European countries" I am pretty sure it's all across Europe. When we are not driving hours and hours on deserted roads then a manual just makes sense.
Nova Scotian here: every year it gets harder to find manual-transmission cars. I settled for a dual clutch VW on my last (used) purchase. It's OK, but I prefer shifting real gears. There is manual mode, which I use for downshifting on hills, but that's it. I cannot imagine what it is like shifting gears with the left hand and driving on the other side of the road. When I go to England, I take the bus. Here in NS, a driver's licence earned on an automatic counts equally well for manuals.
@@Alan_Clark easy for right handed people, changing gear with left hand easy, what I find hard is driving in Europe a lhd car cannot proper steer with it
Never thought on that, I just went to UK with my left steired car and this worked quiet well, same as UK cars work in continental Europe. Just your drivers view is little obstructed if you are bumper to bumper.
I learned and passed my driver's test on automatics, but after I drove for a while to learn the road, I switched to manual. Learning curve isn't too bad once you know to drive in the first place.
I have a manual hot hatch. My wife drives an auto hybrid and actually, hers is kind of nice. Relaxing. But when I want to drive rather than just travel, I take my manual.
Thank you for insightful video! I don't enjoy driving too much, it's mostly a matter of getting from A to B. However, changing gears is one thing I like about driving. With automatic, driving would be absolutely boring to me. I will remain with manual as long as manual will be availible
I like manuals, rowing through the gears, and rev matching etc. It's fun. But I also live in one of the world's megacities, so doing that in start-stop traffic gets very old very quickly. There are ways to gamify driving an auto too. If you get to know how your autobox works you can get good at timing for overtaking, or pay extra attention to your cornering, and so on.
I never understood the congestion argument. I drove 10 and 18 speed trucks in most populated region of my country. I find it made me drive at consistent speed to make many greens as possible. With some experience I never had to think about shifting either. I feel more attentive driving a stick. In automatic I do not speed to stop seconds earlier, but still stop more often than with manual.
I'll be starting learning soon, but I also think an advantage to manual cars is that, whilst lesson prices vary depending on who hosts them, especially if you want to purchase your own first car. That extra you pay for the automatic version can be the deal breaker in your choice as that kind of money at 17 is uncommon. And in the end it may come down to getting a newer car with more quality of life and up to scratch features, or sacrificing it all for the slight ease of an automatic that you may not even enjoy.
Would definitely rather drive a manual, I've got a jeep (auto) and a miata (manual) and I'm trying to sell my jeep off soon go buy a wrx. Really enjoy driving manuals more. Much more fun and I enjoy having much more control over my vehicle.
I think the only thing he missed about the 90s and 2000s automatics being able to displace the manual isn't the double-clutch gearbox; (which he described), but rather locking torque converters and more compact planetary sets so an automatic transmission could have more stacked in them. Many Toyotas in the 2000s started moving to 5 speed automatics which now matched up to the same number of gears as the manual. And today my Genesis G70 has a 7 gear planetary automatic, but the manual version is only a 6 speed making the automatic more fuel efficient. This has become common place.
Thanks. I have a strong, strong gut reaction for manual, just feels right, having and feeling control. About to buy my first car after a non-driving existence for 31 years, and just undergone refresher course, and the wife wants automatic...
With my job requiring me to drive 2-5 hours a day with some heavy stop and go traffic at times, I view driving as a chore and prefer automatic. I’d say most of the people I’ve encountered that prefer manual don’t do a lot of driving for a living and are pretty much point A to B drivers. When you’re driving from point A to L every day, it can be kind of meh.
My job required me to begin driving as part of my routine right around the time I bought my first manual about a month ago, and so I've been putting to the test the popular understanding that in-city, stop-and-go traffic is a real drag in a stick-shift. While I see the point, and I definitely feel it sometimes, I have to say that, all-in-all, I'd still rather drive the stick during my work day than the auto I chose to keep rather than replace. All the drudgery and stop-and-go I see as opportunities to practice my clutch control, etc. But the car I bought takes 93 octane and I don't want to put all those work miles on it, so the official plan is to drive the 87 octane auto for work, save the money in gas and put the miles on a car that's no longer young. Although some days I can't help myself and I take the new car to work anyway.
I disagree ]. I'm a driving instructor driving all day long. I much prefer the enjoyment and engagement that comes with driving a manual. I recently taught my stepbrother... now he wants to buy a cheap car to practice more. It is so much more engaging... all 4 limbs are involved. I think they are even more fuel-efficient.
@@MrTomfooligans Something that took me 25 years to learn: when at a red light, shift to neutral and put the hand brake. It's good to give both feet a rest every once in a while.
I agree most who enjoy manuals are either in open country roads or heavily into cars, autos are for people who want to get from A to B which is a big chunk of people also helpful for disabled people which gives them independence which for them is important. There isnt a right or wrong answer
You have more control over manual cars than you do over automatics if you know how to use the gearbox and engine braking to your advantage when driving defensively. The ONLY downside of manual over automatic is how much workout your clutch pedal leg gets to do during heavy, prolonged traffic.
One advantage that I have found is that in some cases the driver doesn't need the engine to be connected to the wheels and its preferable to coast while not losing speed. Also having a direct way to disconnect the engine from the wheels feels safer for me(although it probably isn't necessarily)
Coasting in neutral means the car is not using gas, so it's much more efficient and less poluting but it is also way more dangerous because you have no engine break and have to rely solely on manual breaking
@@robertosvath7208 Allow me to correct you: coasting does burn fuel, because the engine still needs to keep spinning at idle. However, engine braking (or simply leaving the car in gear while not accelerating) does not burn fuel in cars that have an electronic fuel injection system (aka basically any car sold in the last 20 years). What you say only applies to older car that used carburetors.
In Japan there is a two kind of driver license, one for regular/manual other for automatic only. For me, of course manual. Stack in traffic jam is one thing but It’s more satisfying, fun to rowing shifter and watch friends face when I shift w/o pushing clutch, feel of snap into the gear by just flipping of my wrist is priceless.
@@carultch As a tourist… I’ve never seen manual rental cars so… don’t know what to say. If you’ll be driving your friends car you should be ok, I guess.
Agree that driving a convertible sports car on mountain roads in Manual is very nice to do and makes you feel like James Bond. But in boring daily traffic manual is a burden. Going from 0 to 100 km/h takes 5 to 6 shifts. I am happy with my automatic, regards from The Netherlands.
@@El-Gato-42 you don't usually want it to be that loud everytime you go on a highway unless you want to impress your friends tho :D so yeah for me it usually takes 5 and 6 If I wanted to be economic
I’m on my first automatic, featuring the highly respected ZF 8 speed. With most of my journeys being just getting from A to B in traffic, the very minimal drawbacks are outweighed by the very good performance. It’s not even that inefficient compared to a pure manual. Would go back to manual for fun driving though.
From Southeast Asia here. Manuals were always the norm here as well since they are cheaper. We still have an old Manual Honda Civic 1996 and a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder that me and my dad uses as a daily drive. Even our newer Toyota Vios 2012 is a manual.
Automatic Cars are the best to go for. However, I passed my driving test in a manual transmission and drove it for a while before giving Automatic a try, I'm finding it hard to go back to manual transmission. Automatic is expensive to acquire and the repairs are costly too. The same applies to manual transmission, if you can't change the gears and control the clutch properly, be sure to make the garage your home as you'll be taking your car for repairs every month. For the convenience of driving in these times when everyone wants to get from point A to B in the shortest possible time, I'll stick to Automatic transmission.
Actually manual transmissions needs very little maintenance. To be honest, you don't really have to do anything other than maybe changing a clutch every few years. I did not hear that someone actually have to do repairs on manual every month, you would have to constatly burn the clutch or miss the gears, manuals don't just break down.
@@piotr346 I know quite a few students that passed their driving tests recently that are literally having breakdown on a regular basis. Automatic does everything for you which means a lot of it malfunction do not come from the driver. I'm glad I can drive a manual car for the fun of it, but ideally my advice to anyone who wants to enjoy driving with a total peace of mind should go for an Automatic transmission. Imagine other drivers reaction when you stall especially being a new driver. There is so much to think about while driving a manual transmission compared to Automatics. 70 percent of accidents on the road are caused by manual drivers as a lot of them are unable to operate it properly.
@@almonprosperitykamara8652 In which country are you writing from? To say that 70 percent of accidents on the road are caused by manual drivers is unrealistic. I do not think you are familiar with Manual transmission at all. Driving manual transmission is not rocket science. It does not take long for one to get use to driving manual and once you get use to driving a manual or stick shift, as the Americans call it, one generally operates it without much thought to it at all. I would say that where I am living, more accidents are caused by drinking and driving. Most accidents happen in week ends at night.
@@almonprosperitykamara8652 'a lot of it malfunction do not come from the driver' ... so yeah, there's no problem with manuals, just all these students you know can't drive
I live in a block of flats with a private car park in Manchester UK. When I came 8 years ago only 2 cars out of 19 were automatic. Now, 2023 only 3 older cars are manual.
Autos need an oil change at 90,000 and then go on for another 90,000. They will last the cars life. I would say you are controlling the car in an auto, just with two pedals instead of three pedals and a shifter. But I like a big comfortable car. I do agree for small fast cars.
@@ChieUbaldo Sorry yes not clear enough. My car transmission oil is due for change at 90,000 miles. My car (merc c class diesel) has done 95,000 miles and aside from service items like filters pads and oil, it has only needed one part, a ball joint at last test. It was only £60. Still drives and feels like new. Back 50 years clutches, engines and rust were common at this sort of miles and age.
The way I see it, good traffic management = more manual cars. Growing up near the capital of the Philippines pretty much made me hate manual transmissions because going home tired from work then having to slog through Manila traffic in a manual was hell on my legs and arms. I know, I know, I should stop being a wuss blah blah, but an automatic really makes life (relatively) easier.
Heavy traffic or long drives is where automatics thrive (imagine going on a 10 hour road trip where you have to deal with road construction and open highways then small towns)
@@fallout0624 Exactly. I imagine most Europeans don't have extremely long commutes. For example, mine is two hours/90 miles (one-way) if traffic is not too bad.
@@dandman9373 yeah but imagine doing that for two hours in hill county. It really depends where you live. And traffic here does not stop for 3 minutes. It stops for 10-30 seconds before picking back up and immediately slowing back down. Let’s just say you stop and go two times per minute which is VERY generous. That’s pushing the clutch in over 240 times.
In British Columbia, Canada, it was possible to pass your driving test on an automatic and still legally drive manual back in 1968 when I first obtained my licence, even though there were a lot more manual transmission vehicles then.
I think the reason people in the UK prefer the manual gearbox is that it gives you greater control of the vehicle and acts as another form of braking. Likewise when you are wanting to accelerate. Also I have an uncle who had an automatic Rover and he had problems with it and because it was an automatic it had to go to a specialist garage and it was weeks before he got his car back. Very costly and very time-consuming when something goes wrong with an automatic.
@@pinkiepie1656 why bother with it then? Just use manual shifter in the first place. For all intense and purposes you can shift from first into second and drive around the city without ever changing the gear except on the red light. Second gear will get you to your lawful max speed quickly. Of course, you should should shift into third for lower fuel consumption but you don't have to. Open road - you shift up and then leave it in 5th or 6th. It's really not that much work unless you are min-maxing.
Good thing about driving manual in America is if someone breaks into your car they still cant steal it :P
Aha extra security feature 😂
Everyone acting all calm until the car guy driving a manual civic wants a free upgrade 😏
i remember reading somewhere that a thief stole a car but got arrested prety quickly cuz the car was a manual and he couldn't drive manual
I met a guy operting Turo with high end cars.
One of his methods to lower business risk is to provide the cars with stick shift only, because the customers knowing how to drive manual tend to be more careful and appreciate the good car, not doing hot boxing in a luxury car.
@@bernhardprziwara2392 yeah, there’s a video on this happening
When I taught my sons to drive manuals, the argument I used was that their freeloading friends wouldn’t be able to drive their cars. Worked like a charm.
Hat off to you sir.
Meanwhile my parents insisted I learn auto as they felt it was too big & unsafe a jump for me to learn manual from the start. Also as less manual cars are sold in my country, it'd likely be a long time from getting my driver's license before I encounter a manual vehicle, by which time they believe I would've already forgotten how to drive manual, & thus would still be unsafe for me to do so even if my license allows
@@lzh4950 In life if you make the training hard the actual act of driving becomes easy. I am in the UK I learn't to drive a manual. I learned in a 1.0 litre petrol when I passed my test I got my Mums car a 1.9 Diesel, she thought oh the cars old it won't be forgiving expect to stall more, nah it was jokes the car was almost unstallable and would set off in 3rd gear. if you learn to drive manual you will find driving an automatic easy almost too easy.
Theft prevention in the US too. Only ~15% of the driving population even knows how to drive a manual. While 3-4% drive manual as a daily driver
@@TOXICPUCK that's not true. I've stolen many manual cars
Gonna be driving manuals for as long as I possibly can. Rowing through the gears just puts the biggest smile on my face, and isn't that what life is all about?
But you're paralysed from the waist down...
same
@@rayhib lol
@@rayhib I hate you💀💀💀
*YOU NEED SUM MILK*
I LOVE Richard living his Top Gear moment, blipping on the downshift and heel-toeing like nobody's business, really cool!
I'm European and I have mixed feelings about manual shifting.
When the road flows well it's fun to drive with a manual, and it kinda turns driving into a minigame where you try to perfect shifting, rev matching etc, it's really satisfying to just drop 2-3 gears when you arrive to a roundabout and just letting the clutch go with no jankiness at all.
On the other end driving in city traffic with a clutch can be really frustrating.
You rev match? What country are you from? I am from Czechia and I first heard about revmatching from youtube about a year ago. Nobody here does rev match
@@kaladivo Italy, but I think most of people don't rev match here either.
I learned the technique from the sim and I ended up applying it to the real car :P
@@kaladivo When you shift from higher gear to lower the rev needs to be higher
If you don't rev match when downshiftig, there is going to be a jerk, like you are hitting the brakes (unless maybe your car does the rev matching for you, or you are at a very low speed). It does not need to be perfect; basically any short burst of the accelerator, while the clutch pedal is pushed, to bring the engine RPM higher than idle, is helping and much better than just letting the clutch bring the engine RPM up.
City driving is hard?
*A wild reverse-parallel-parking-on-a-downward-incline has appeared!*
Programmer in me: AUTOMATE EVERYTHING
Control freak in me: NO! MAINTAIN CONTROL
Me being Dutch: Ok, cheaper option it is.
This is very relatable
Same
Zeker waar
Lol yess
Automate everything but with with settings allowing you to change EVERY LITTLE PARAMETER
Thank you for sacrificing your dignity running about like a looney goggling into people's cars. I passed just over a week ago and you were the first channel I found on my journey, very helpful! Keep it up Richard 😂
Haha, I did get the attention of some people. I'm happy to hear that, congratulations on passing!
Sorry about you passing away :(
@@toyotaavensis2754 Thanks for the laugh!
@@TristanBuckley :D
Aka how to get stopped and searched by the police.
The only time in my life I've ever driven an automatic (I'm 34), is when I was on vacation to the US a few years ago and I got a rental. I hated how the gearbox shifted up too late for my liking sometimes. As a manual driver, you gain an instinct for when to shift, you hear it, feel it. And the automatic was just awkwardly staying in gears much too long, especially first gear when starting at red lights going green. I wanted my control back.
My understanding is that Automatic cars are much more fuel inefficient. Not sure if because of situations like the one you described.
@@DoritoBot9000typically it was actually the opposite, especially if you know how to drive economically with a manual.
I feel you man. I was testdriving BMW at a factory/development site around year +2000s. It shifted too late and my workaround has been to go back from gas and immendiately pressed the gas fully. That way it shifted slightly earlier but then, this was just like shifting manuel. So what‘s the point? It always felt like stepping on butter and suddenly (way too late) power was coming up the cellar. I dont know if gearboxes developed substantially since back then however.
@@DoritoBot9000 Modern automatics (like within the last 5 yrs) completely outclass manuals now. These newer cars are a bit pricey though and usually don't fit into the EU's regulations. Definitely when I went to Germany and Poland, I didn't see many newer non-German cars around so it might be a bit for Europe to catch up.
@@GodHandFemto Depends on the car. I live in a European capital city and use a car sharing service. Many of their vehicles are either electric or automatic. I drive around 5 different models regularly. The experience with the automatics is exactly like @mentalParadox and @bliblablubb0712 describe. These are modern models but small cars, like Kia Picanto and Volkswagen Up. Definitely not better than manuals for my personal taste. "Like stepping on butter and suddenly power comes up, late", could not have said it better. Maybe high-end models are better, this I don't know but probably. On the other hand, the experience with the electric ones is way better than these automatic. Especially, that car sharing company had new Hyundai Kona electric models that were great to drive.
I've always preferred manuals, I feel more in control. Autos make me feel like I'm piloting a boat.
@@albertocarrilho5839 Almost everyone wants that, but there are some people that don't. I don't.
@@davidc4396 i do, i like comfort, hey, auto has semi automatic mode with faster gear shifting, i don't hate on gear shifting, but the clutch
@@zackk6415 what about the clutch?
@@rockingttalent3666 dislike it
Pilot a sail boat if you really want to enjoy the journey.
I’m Canadian, live in Canada, and I’ve had my license since I was 16. For 28 years I’ve driven automatic. Just over a year ago, at 44, I decided to trade in my automatic for a manual Hyundai Veloster N. No regrets but what a learning experience, good thing I live in an area with low population density. Your channel has helped me immensely as I’ve had no other teacher than TH-cam. This channel is the best resource I’ve found, thank you.
A nice choice, that Veloster N 👍😎
Hell of a first manual
Sexy car. Congrats. When I rent a car through work, they are usually automatic. I always try to press the imaginary clutch. The same has probably happened to you as your comment is a year old.
Good for you. Most of the Canadians won't even consider driving a stick shift due to laziness.
Dang, my first manual experience was being thrown into the deep end of Vancouver bridge-commuter traffic when my car died and I had to drive my dad's project Sport Jetta (with the mushy VW gearbox) to work. What an awful experience. I would have loved to learn in a more spacious environment. But I ended up buying my own manual car shortly thereafter for some reason, so it didn't put me off _that_ badly
After years of driving automatics here in the U.S. I recently bought a Fiat 500 Abarth with a manual transmission. I drove a manual when I was stationed in Italy many years ago, and I enjoyed it then, but found that when I returned to the U.S. manual transmissions were hard to find. I am really in love with my little Fiat. It's a lot of fun to drive, and I have a sense that I'm actually engaged in an activity (driving) as opposed to just sitting there with my foot on the gas. I'm really sold on manuals!
I bet that little car is fun!
I also own a Fiat 500 with standard transmission. A young guy was at the stoplight in a Mustang with a bad exhaust kit, and revved his engine. I put my Fiat in power mode, popped the clutch and left him in the dust, hahaha.
Poor choice of "car", great choice of transmission...
are you actually get noticed? I mean, these giants of cars won't even notice a bump with your car. I mean, cars that are that tall that an average pedestrian (1.6-1.7 m) can't look over them shouldn't be allowed (except vans like a Volkswagen Caddy or Ford Transit).
@@hugosequeira2997 Why is it a poor choice of car? I think the choice of car is a personal one; not necessarily a good or bad one.
This was glorious...
The passion and personality of this presenter is amazing to watch.
Keep it up
I don't think one has to be keen on 'speedy' driving to enjoy a manual. I enjoy the act of driving even if that is picking my way along a narrow country lane or through town or even sitting in a stop/start queue on the motorway. I simply enjoy being at the wheel of a car. For me, an automatic is just de-skilling the experience, like an artist being forced to only use painting-by-numbers. Autonomous cars would be like doing a dot-to-dot!
I feel the same, I drive a 350z and although it is a sports car I do prefer driving any car manual. My brothers miata is slow and if it was automatic it wouldn't be nearly as good, but there's something about slamming gears that just makes it so rewarding. It's like a video game on expert mode. Car people want to feel closer to their car and I just think it's a good time no matter the car.
I think that for most people the preference for manual is about speedy driving and racing (other than cost). I don't have the habit of doing either so in 20 years of driving, the last half with automatic, I would never go back to manual. I enjoy the convenience, the noticeable calmer driving experience you get, the absence of left leg muscular problems from the clutch pedal (it's a problem for many people), and I get the bonus of enjoying at traffic lights seeing all the other cars staying behind me as they shift gears.
@@pbs36 you're saying you think manual driving is a speed thing but then go on to say that manual cars take longer at green lights to get going. I understand its a preference. But from what I've seen, car people who enjoy driving almost always love manuals. I still like a good automatic car but it takes more horsepower and speed to keep me entertained and enjoy my experience behind the wheel.
@@pbs36 You may be correct. Not the case for me and to be honest I change gear so automatically that I don't even think about it or notice it. That's part of the problem I suppose; when driving an automatic I have to actively concentrate on NOT trying to change gear. Being forced into driving an automatic feels a bit like being forced to use a stick or frame for walking. I don't want my car steering for me or braking for me or changing gear for me. But times will change!
@@richardgreenwood3355 I understand, I was scared too at the beginning of pressing the brake pedal thinking it was the clutch and cause an accident. At the stand where I bought my car, back in 2008, someone actually did that on the highway and came back saying the car braked automatically and it caused the accident. Of course no problem was found with the car
You get used, and you have a place on the side specifically to rest your foot.
With automatic I enjoy too the safety of gears behind out of the equation when a quick reaction is needed.
I'm American, and the thing I like about manuals is that, in snow and ice, when braking is one of the worst things you can do, you can control your speed simply by NOT shifting. Living in a mountainous rural area and working in town, I remember, in freezing rain, getting to work in a front wheel drive KIA, and laughing at a coworker who couldn't drive down the street in a 4wd pickup.
So true. The only accident I ever had was when my automatic thought it would be a good idea to just randomly downshift in a corner in the rain. The rear wheels were just overwhelmed by the extra torque being put down and I just ended up drifting into an upcoming car. Luckily no one got hurt and I just had to spend 400 euros to get a new door and a a fender. 😅
Also if for whatever reason the gas pedal gets stuck down you can just clutch in with a manual.
Not only not shifting but also driving in higher gear, with revs ready to counter some sliding or breaking the car with engine, especialy handy on an icy downhill. Always drove manual and thinking about it, I would be unsecure driving an autimatic on ice. Maybe you can get used to it, but I feel you get bigger sense of control in manual. 😅
@@TheMcFlek but with more modern automatic gearboxes you can switch gears yourself using the pads next to the steering wheel
@@Veroxzes I love le manuals, but don't most automatics have a neutral setting...?
I grew up in the UK and had manuals for 25 years. I spent plenty of time on track too. Now I live in the USA with heavy traffic, endless traffic lights and misery on the road. I’d never have a manual here but I wish people had them when they started out. They make you a better driver because you have to maintain far more control approaching junctions etc
Why would you move from such a good country to the USA?
@@lovrito2008 Much more higher-paid jobs. Massive country with lots to see.
@@ecnalms851 Yeah but your month to month expenses are probably significantly higher than those in Europe or the UK.
Myth, the expenses might be marginally higher but the huge bumper salaries make up for it
@@jackgunn8112 not anymore. Speaking as a 20 year old from the UK, the countrys economy fell apart after those dinosaurs voted to leave the european union. I dont blame anyone for leaving this joke of a country whilst they still can
I am from Kazakhstan. AT is so popular here that the driving school near my home does not provide lessons on manual. Only automatic. I had to search for other teachers to get some extra lessons to learn how to do some exercises (especially driving to a hill). Got my driving license as manual, bought a manual car and started driving with almost no practical experience (most of hours I spent in American/Euro Truck Simulator). So far so good, thanks to channels like this.
I suppose your country has many hills/mountains and thus automatic is easier to drive.
@@Tankwiper 90% of Kazakhstan is a flat steppe so it must be something else.
How did he pass then? :D
@@Tankwipernah, it's just that the biggest share of car buyers are from urban areas with high population density and high traffic jam levels, so it makes more sense and more comfortable to drive auto, instead of manual when you stuck in traffic most of the time and not driving through highways like americans for instance do to travel from their suburbs.
I passed my driving test in Automatic. Here in Australia, after you pass your driving test you are on a provisional licence for around three years (i.e. restrictions in speed, curfew, blood alcohol level etc.) If you are on your provisionals you can only drive the transmission that you did the test in, for me that was Auto.
After I went on to my full unrestricted licence, I learnt manual, bought a manual car (gorgeous mx-5 like the one in your video); never looked back. Best thing ever. Smiles per gallon is priceless !
I passed my Aussie test in a manual, one day I will come to grips with the complex beast that is the automatic but for now I will live driving simple manual cars
@@neelparmar6690 If you drive manual transmissions you drive automatics, why do you need another test? it doesn't make any sense
@@jsantiago.b yes you are right. what he means is if you take manual test, you can drive manual and auto immediately. If you take auto test, you can only drive auto until you get full license, usually takes 3 years to get full license, and 4 years if you take drive test before 21 yo.
I took manual test in Australia too🙌
@@neelparmar6690🙂 don't be afraid to try driving an automatic. They are a bit intimidating and complicated to start with. But after a few days off practice you can get the hang of them.
@@MrHoundDoug thanks for the encouragement, compared to the manual it’s a big step up for me!
you described perfectly the feeling and why people love a manual over a auto, the feeling of being able to enjoy the drive and not the speeding :)
Not for me, I just want to be in control, I drive very calmly.
@@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 You are more ‘in control’ when driving a manual
@@briepiemel2796 Yes.
@@briepiemel2796 You're only in control of the gear change. There's actually no difference in 'control' between and automatic and a manual. An automatic IMO just means you can spend more of your attention on driving rather than having to be concerned with changing gears.
@@Scottx125Productions That is nonsense, in The Netherlands we drive manual while learning, at the moment I drive manual and automatic cars and for me it makes no difference in paying more attention to driving. It’s not like you have to look at the gear stick while changing gears.
Am a learner from Kenya and your videos have helped me in clutch control.
I'm from the Philippines and here, if you passed with an AT, you can't drive MT. But if you passed with a MT, you are allowed to drive both MT and AT. I of course got my license by passing with a MT 😊
I'm Japanese and completely the same here😂
Singapore is the same too.
I've lived in the Philippines for the last 10 years. Nobody here knows how to drive lol. They just pay someone and they get their licenses automatically.
@@MetalGearDavid57 Quite the contrary. There's a saying here that if you're able to survive driving in the small and populated streets of the Philippines, then you're pretty much able to drive anywhere. It's always a miracle getting home without a scratch or dent on your car 😂
@jessicadee2301 Nah. My mom's filipino friends brought a lot of their bad driving habits with them when they came to SF. The main ones were merging into oncoming traffic before making a left turn, blocking intersections, and cutting off pedestrians on a crosswalk. If you consider that skillful driving, then I guess our standards are different. I've driven here 5 years and I've never seen such clueless drivers. They're not necessarily harmful to me because I've got over 20 years of experience driving but it's just funny how two wrongs make a right here, just bad drivers canceling out other bad drivers.
Thanks for normalising that it isn't strange to glance through car windows as I'm out walking to see whether a car has a manual or automatic gearbox 😀
I often do that myself if I'm bored and walking passed cars. But also out of interest on what the interior is like.
I do it too, sometimes try to guess what it will be before I look. I've noticed that autos are way more popular on new cars. About 70% are auto I'd say.
glance through car windows as I'm out walking , do that down my street , and the residents will be chasing you before you get to the end of the street :)
@@ConquerDriving I do it too, it’s fun lol, but have to make sure no one sees
Honestly totally depends on where and how you drive.
I love a manual for shorter drives (less than 2 hours) through more open areas, but it's an absolute pain in the ass when stuck in the city, or if you're doing a 5-6 hour stretch up and down mountains.
Did you spill the tofu?
@Massimo M Too much of it can be exhausting, but it's still fun. 😃
_Though it becomes a nightmare if you get stuck behind some truck with no way to overtake_ 😵
Cruise control is still good for long journeys
I would be scary to drive automatic in mountains. The car chooses to downshift by turning while it's raining or snowing and you start drifting
@@heavy_ang_patay If he's taking 5 or 6 hours to deliver the tofu, he's definitely not in an AE86 Trueno :-)
Driving is a chore to me. Although I passed my driving test in a manual car I'd never buy a manual one for myself. However I appreciate the fact that I learnt driving in a manual car. It gave me a greater understanding to the inner workings of a car.
I'm of the same opinion and one of my mates constantly gives me shit for it as I'm looking at an auto for my next car. Always saying things like "oh so you won't actually be driving your next car" ect. It's proper annoying
@@juawei1940 I mean I prefer manual but he sounds boring as shit.
@@juawei1940 figure out ways to shit on manual cars lol that's what friends are for😂
Agreed. I live in a city with a lot of traffic jams so I Just hate the constant clutch pressing and letting go. I drive a motorcycle too and its manual but somehow it doesnt annoy me. There is Just something about manual cars that doesnt click for me.
Driving is one of the only things left that gives me please in life.
Learning manual can give you the entire range of car selection while out for hunting instead of being limited which imo is a huge plus for a new driver where having a reliable cheaper car to gain more experience is usually the go to for most. It also gives you more control over your car in rain / snow if its an older model without a lot of computer aid.
Later switching to Automatic is really easy, however doing it the other way around is pretty difficult especially in most EU countries. If you learn on Automatic your license doesn't give you permission to also driver Manual but getting your license on manual does permit you to drive both. It just makes sense in most cases to not limit yourself over something that will happen in a long time especially if you plan on keeping your first car for 5 years or so if nothing goes wrong before upgrading.
The feeling of driving a manual is just astonishing. Its like you can connect with the heart of the car and be in control every moment. If there's an option, i would choose to drive manual forever.
Astonishing.. I understand that people prefer manual but astonishing? Everyone his own fetish I guess 😄
i wonder what's that feeling is like but i like my automatic because im in a country with a lot of traffic and having to shift every 5 seconds is annoying to me.
@@Dani-it5sy it seems to me you don't know how to drive a manual?
@@brandon97652 How do you come to that conclusion? Sure you are reacting on the right comment?
Like Yugi who connected with the heart of the cards!
"Big, heavy, inefficient" talking about American cars or just Americans in general? 😝
what country are you from
@@estevanperezz I'm from my country
@@GoHomeAndGetYourShinebox alot of info thanks so much
@@GoHomeAndGetYourShinebox hahahaha
@@estevanperezz He wants to talk shit but not get hit 🗿
Well done and well said! I live in the US and I LOVE driving manual. I actually first learned to drive a manual in my dad's old 2 door British sports car. I LOVED that car. It was like driving a go kart on the street. Now I drive a Honda Civic Type R and Honda knows how to make a proper manual. I am never selling that car. Another great feature of a manual is that it is the ultimate safety device. When you are engaged in the driving experience of the car and shifting gears in a manual, you are less likely to be messing with your phone while driving.
Type R nice 👍 a real drivers car! V-tec engine is one of the best
@@toomuch9762 Agreed! Thanks.
Are there inproper manuals ? And no, your brain allows you to do other things aside, otherwise Europe had less phone related accidents. It's one of the few things the brain goes on multitasking mode, like you are able to walk and talk at the same time.
@@holger_p Yes there are improper manuals. Drive a Type R and a Mazda Miata and then drive anything else and you will see the difference. You are right about our brain's ability to adapt. If we want to be an idiot and do other things to take our focus off of driving while we drive our brain will let us do it.
@@StandingUpForBetter So you are unable to put it in words. I should go and rent a Jaguar ? Little to much asked just to get an idea what you are talking about.
Each car is little different, and you get used to it.
It's not being an idiot, to watch the traffic light, to talk with passenger, to listen to the navigation system, or whatever. Cause our brain is free. It's not needed for the gear shift. As well as you don't need your brain to balance a bicycle or to stand upright. It's done by the muscles, not by the brain.
It's called the autonmous nerve system.
Driving a manual transmission is a joy especially when doing long drives. I got to experience to drive what we called in the Philippines the "Luzon Loop"
Here in the Philippines manual cars are still pretty much everywhere. I passed my driving test 5 months ago and I'm driving a manual car for the first time. It's frustrating when you don't get the gear change correctly or when you're struggling up on a hill and end up stalling. But when you do get it right, there's definitely a sense of pride there. So yeah, maybe I prefer to drive manual than automatic (for now, but who knows). Love your channel, Richard! It's been really helpful for me!
Here people fear to drive automatic as they may fall asleep while driving since there is no gear shifting 😅😅
@@prithvi6078 that's true though 🤣
@@Vagren exactly. I passed my Manual driving examination two weeks ago and got my driving certificate. Requirement kasi iyan para makapagmaneho na ako ng Mitsubishi L300 Van. Delivery driver ang inaplayan ko. Hehehe 😊
@@stingcobra8538 that's great news! Ingat kayo sa pagmaneho. 😊
@@prithvi6078 so it's boring! lol
I can’t control the weight of my car, that’s why I love my manual. I hate the automatics, I’m like “ I would’ve dropped a gear by now” and like 2 seconds later the automatic does it. It’s like driving a car with lag
Try a modern auto like my jaguar xfr, it will upshift and down shift faster and smoother than a manual. If you cruising at 70 mph and push throttle it will go down the required number of gears and the response is instant, it will also engine brake when slowing. You can also use flappy paddles and have full control of gearbox with engine braking and instant response to your up or down shifts. You also dont have to deal with a heavy clutch to accomodate 600hp. Finally why would you want to wave your arm and leg about when you can achieve better results by simply pulling on a paddle?
Get a better automatic then?
@@FLAMEalan yes, the human brain
@@SoloRenegade Strage cuz the manual loses almost everytime against automatic if you compare modern cars.
@@12345678930379 Yes, but most drivers aren't that good either. I got 27mpg out of a 1990s pickup in town, and 29mpg freeway with it, because of how I drove it. Even with an automatic, the typical driver would brag if they could get 25mpg out of it.
My current car can't downshift worth a damn. It always responds too slow and too late, and that car is a decade newer than the truck (and I've owned it since it had 25k miles on it in perfect condition).
When a person like me knows how cars work, and basics of gearing, fuel efficiency and such, you absolutely can get better mileage with a manual because you can do things no automatic I know of has been programmed to do. Doesn't mean a computer Can't beat a human, especially when you combine in other aspects of engine and fuel control to the mix. But among your average run of the mill daily driver budget cars, I've always been better than the automatic transmission.
I also do a better than average job of getting really good fuel efficiency out of airplanes too. Many are still manually controlled for fuel mixture, prop, etc. Whether fuel injected or carbureted. The prop is like a transmission, and you control fuel mixture as well, and many people are surprised at how much better I do. On a typical plane they might get 8-10gal per hour fuel burn, a few pilots will do 7gph, I've gotten as low as 5.7gph in that same plane. And I've gotten comparably good results in many different airplanes with many different fuel systems. They are always shocked. But I learned fuel management of planes by studying the likes of Charles Lindbergh and the tricks he developed, as well as looking into other sources on engine management, including talking to engineers from the engine manufacturers themselves. Now, more and more airplanes are starting to get electronic ignition, electronic fuel control, electronic prop control, etc. But many planes will never have such features.
Can I just say that this is one of the most well-informed and interesting videos I’ve seen on this platform in a very, very long time. Thanks to you sir for recording and publishing this - definitely worth a sub!
I'm from Germany, most cars are manual here. We've got a relatively new system, where you start learning in an automatic, then do lessons in a manual and get tested in the automatic. So you learn both ways. Seems to be a reasonable middle ground.
My colleague had driven manuals for 40 years until the day we went on a trip with an automatic car. He had some trouble remembering that you do not press the brake as if it were the clutch.
I don’t know what you are talking about, the only thing that was introduced recently is that if you attend to a driving school and learning on an automatic car, you’re now allowed to drive a manual once you passed the driving test. Before that you had to take extra lessons on a manual car to be allowed to drive a manual transmission car.
@@heindaddel2531 That's not true. When you learn automatic you need to get your licence for that first. Then you can take a few extra lessons on manual, a test drive with the instructor and you're allowed to drive manual.
@@citroniron8861 I quote: “From the 1st April 2021, the driver's license test on an automatic passenger car also applies to cars with manual transmission.”
@@heindaddel2531 I also quote: "From April 1st 2021, automatic-only driver's licenses obtained before this date can be converted to ones without this limitation *if the holder registers at a driving school and does the required 10x45min lessons* which can also be done as double lessons." If you do it later you will have to do the B197, which lets you do your exam on an automatic *if you do at least 10x45min on a manual along with a 15 minute test*
1. Generally, Europe's road and traffic planning also makes it possible for manual transmission to retain its popularity in the region. But with increased traffic congestion in many major urban centres and boomtowns, automatics are peaking in popularity these days.
2. Speaking about 4-speed torque converter autos, drivers in Southeast Asia love them so much because it's very durable. It doesn't matter if it's heavy and inefficient, as long as it doesn't jerk excessively like a DSG/dual-clutch transmission or lag excessively like a CVT.
An AMT or iMT is a very popular option in India too
@@sigh9032 AMT is popular in India as it's basically putting a transmission control unit & mechatronic sensor to upshift or downshift a manual transmission. Two-pedal manual transmission (or IMT in Hyundai's terminology) is a niche technology using sensors embedded in the gearstick and also TCU to replace the clutch pedal controls.
@@sigh9032 Hyundai is putting its niche transmission technology (IMT) to the test its marketability in India. If it becomes wildly successful in India, then there could be chances that two-pedal manual transmission technology can be introduced in other markets as well.
VW did bought DCT in india, but they were so bad in indian roads, they shifted to TC later on
And Hyundai is very popular as a car brand here, and most of the customers are less enthusiast and more relaxed while driving, so they chose iMT or TC more
Europe’s road and traffic planning?
Lol.. lots of roads over there were literally used by German tanks on the way to Kursk, French knights on their way to Constantinople, and wooly mammoths escaping the advancing ice.
I don't particularly care about "fun" driving on the road, I just like being in control of the clutch and the gears. Takes away the guessing from how the car is going to behave, better control in city traffic and sketchy conditions and situations. Though dual clutch transmissions are pretty nice as well, just for different reasons.
Biggest reasons I prefer manuals right there. Having control over gear selection, clutch and engine braking is just so much better. Objectively better.
@@thatangrygerman2076 Most of the robotized gear boxes like DSG are so fast in changeing gears up or down that you wont even touch the + or - buttons for manual change and if you put them in sport mode you have enging braking very near manual gear box car. Once you try it there's no going back on stick. But I'll admit to you, one in a while I'd like to try my old army truck without servo or even sinchronized gearbox (so you need to double clouch for up and add the gas inbetween for down)
@@milkotablet I'll admit, DCT's are nice, they are sporty and you kinda feel lika an F1 driver when you want to. and it will shift more nicer than i ever will when just cruising.
But driving on a nice road with my 1.2L manual Clio is also very fun, the gearing is short and i can row 1-3 without breaking the speed limit. My old Peugeot 206 with the 1.1L 60PS engine was a blast to drive as well. Straight piped and bumped up fuel pressure and no cat meant more bangs from the straight piped exhaust on deceleration and gear shifts.
You could beat the crap out of it and the police would just laugh at you since other quieter cars went faster then i did xD
But man was it fun!
@@Zesserie You touched upon a great point here. Any car with a manual can be fun but for an automatic to be fun it has to be very fast atleast 300hp. I can enjoy any car with 100hp+ that is at least the size of a VW Golf as long it has a manual if it has an automatic I will hate it.
"Why are manual cars popular in the UK and Europe?"
Because they know how to drive.
And yet, they all drive on the wrong side of the road! :)
@@theadvocate4698 nope, only the UK
@Chaska Whats with you and "ElEcTrIc cArS" in the comments?
@Chaska that's not gonna happen unless they can make ev cheaper and efficient.
The ban will probably be delayed till 2050 or later.
@Chaska owning one can be considered cheaper yes.
If you just think about fuel costs.
But the money you save on fuel with a ev will still take years even decades to make up from the cost to buy a ev currently.
Also ev costs more to insure as it stands right now.
Ev costs WAY more to repair
And news Flash. Majority of the population does not have the money to buy cars that expensive.
One of the most important and often forgotten aspect of driving manual is engine braking. Very few driver with automatic transmission knows about low gears and using the engine compression instead of the brakes. My last car had 100 000 miles on its original brake pads.
There's something mechanically satisfying while operating a manual transmission. Its like typing on a mechanical keyboard and playing a tactile fidget toys. Which is why I would also prefer a button cluttered dashboard rather than a big screen controlling everything.
It feels like operating a machine, instead of using a device designed by someone. In the world of programs and screens, it's something else to have something so direct and mechanical. Learning how clutch works when you learn how to drive, and using it to understand how your actions affect the car is one of the most satisfying things I experienced as a new driver.
meh, driving electric is way better.
I've driven a Tesla model 3, and X an I8, and some electric hyundais, They are best for commuter only imo. Are they fast? Yes, but the kind of fast that for me, like being spoonfed for you, akin to eating a really fancy cup noodle. Its nice, maybe more expensive, but still, its a cup noodle, kind of lifeless compared even to the ramen offered by a roadside ramen house.Being growing up around cars, I love the thrill of revving engines, the clicks and clacks of a well built transmission, when you can choose to lose your grip and have your car slide a bit, and to actually know my self build car's character. While I do have an electric, an ioniq, for me its nothing more than a city traffic jam cruiser as I found not much joy in driving one, and more of a lazy status symbol.
@@EffendiChungPerfectly described, there are cars you drive because you need to, and there are cars you drive because you want to.
@@EffendiChung Yeah try driving a manual for 6+ hours in mostly city driving as an Uber driver, then tell me it's better than electric.
I was afraid back then when I started to drive. I struggled with changing gears, hill starts, etc.. But with time, I gained the experience and now I can't imagine not to drive a manual because it's a lot of fun. You feel the car, you have absolute control over what you do and it does give you the sensation that you are actually driving a car and not just pushing two pedals to accelerate or to brake.
Driving for me isnt having fun, its just getting from point a to point b. So automatic for me.
@@foty8679 oh no, driving is so much fun in a manual car, especially on back roads where you actually have to use the box to help control the car, when you can have complete control you can actually help steer the car with the gears, by that I mean keeping the power in the correct range going into and out of corners!
you , sir , need to learn how to drive an automatic correctly .
I also enjoy the additional control, downshifting for the extra acceleration or holding high gear low revs for steady traffic without the engine deciding high revs would be preferable
Can do all that with a DSG.
Love that you embody the fun you can have with a manual with a car that makes driving manual a dream. I'm biased though, I also drive a MX5 ND, but I couldn't imagine a more fitting car for your story...
Not going lie there is something so weird about seeing a driving instructor not just driving fast, but using heel and toe as well. 😂 Great video 💪💪
I learned to drive just as "in car race cam" became a thing... I didn't know there was another way. (This was before mandatory driver education)
@@doithimaceabhard7457 nice, it's something everyone should be taught, although it's easy enough to teach yourself tbh
@@acarguy3773 at the 40 second mark with Australians greatest driver (not his favorite track)
th-cam.com/video/ljBf1v7f04o/w-d-xo.html
@@doithimaceabhard7457 nice
My mum's driving instructor tried to teach her to heel and toe before she passed her test. I had the same one, he didn't teach me that but did take me on a "I know you're going to speed after you've passed, I'd like to teach you to speed properly" lesson. Racing line where possible etc. He was an ex police driver.
This was before the covered the country with cameras.
Thanks for reminding me what CVT actually stood for, Constant Vehicle Trouble is what I've come to know them as.
Because they're fun. It's the emotional difference between being a "Driver" and an "Operator". It's not a right or wrong thing, it's something you enjoy or you don't. I grew up with minis around the time of the original "Italian Job" and driving makes me smile.
I live in America and in 2022 I wanted an new vehicle in hatchback "&" in a manual transmission. I had to settle for an Impreza sport hatchback in manual. Weak on the engine power, but I added an performance chip and it is now peppy to drive. I also changed my shifter knob for an illuminated shifter ball. Now I love driving it....😃👍
I learned "transmission" gear changes when I was 14, in a railway maintenance trolley. It had a Ford Anglia engine and gearbox but the seat would slide forwards or backwards and you turned around. There was a reverser box to reverse the overall output shaft. It was also left hand drive so this meant that going in one direction, using RIGHT hand you had the normal H pattern with 1st top left but then slide the seat the other way and now you use LEFT hand and 1st would be bottom right, 2nd directly away and so on.
It didn't cause any issue at all, no different from swapping left or right hand drive to be honest, manual transmissions are no big deal at all :)
I just learned to drive in a manual and bought an automatic. We also have a manual. I think it's nice to know how to drive both. But a manual has much more control, which you definitely need in India. 👍🏼
Honesly.
Why not bouth? Sequential gearbox will be the anser.
Its bouth automaric and manual at the same time
@@carkid266 yeah! My automatic has paddle shifters so that I can switch it to manual/sports mode ☺️
Most people buy manual or imt here because they are cheap and also gives you more mileage and control and also it's service is cheaper than automatic
Lol india..
@@KyojuroRengoku98Why is India funny?
I’ve been driving manuals for nearly 40 years but now I have a automatic which is so much easier than a manual no more up and down on the clutch in traffic and a lot more relaxing on longer journeys.
Longer jurneys and traffic are where automatics shine, i will probably never buy an automatic unless im pretty much forced to. Not because i don't like them; just because i enjoy the more sporty cars out there, and when you're driving a sporty car all the extra feel and connection that a manual gear box offers is a must for me.
@@francescobattistoni20 i am the same as Gordon S, drove manuals most of my life but last 3 cars have been auto,manuals in town traffic are not fun….prefer a torque converter auto as dsg’s and cvt’s are not as reliable….i have had all 3 types…..dsg was the worst with horrible judder
You seriously needed 40 freaking years to notice that automatic transmission cars are easier and better to handle?😂😂
@@francescobattistoni20 most newer sports cars have automatic where you can switch to a sporty manual mode
35 years for me. I think I will prefer an automatic at this stage of life, less hassle.
i have only watched 2 videos from him, and i already like this guy so much
I'm italian, we are european and we love manual cars, I got my driver's license 2 weeks ago and i love driving manual cars
Same here haha
Greetings from Germany
In the mid '90s my family had a Opel/Vauxhaul Astra with an 1.6 l 75 HP gasoline engine. Despite the low HP number that engine was pretty fun to drive with a manual gearbox decent accelaration and a topspeed around 190 km/h. You could overtake on country roads as the car had decent accelerating from 80 - 120 km/h. A friends mother had the same car with an automatic gearbox ... a box of valium had more temperament.
the thing is though that Astra probably weighed not much more than HALF of what the current models do
@@petelattimer6808 Probably around 1.2t.
opel astra and vectra were used as police cars in the 90s here in the Netherlands
they were however 2 liter engine models (perhaps the odd 2.2 even)
and yeah, driving manual is still huge here too, still the norm
Just don’t crash 💥
I had thought about getting an automatic instead of a manual after passing my test. I wasn't enjoying the manual, but after passing and having my own car I have no issues at all.
I got tendonitis in my left elbow recently. Every time I changed gear it was painful, especially doing stop starts in heavy traffic. When my lease finishes next year I'm changing to automatic
I prefer both whenever it's convenient. I like manuals for the overall thrill of the drive when I'm switching gears and I enjoy autos for their convenience of not switching through the gears in stop and go city traffic.
I am still a little biased towards manuals in a way because my first car had stick and I adored it.
I haven’t heard of having to get your license in a manual to drive one in North America. Although if they were more common I’d definitely want something like that. I just got my first manual car and wow was it a hand full in traffic for my first day, promptly called it a day and waited till late in the evening to practice. It was like starting all over!
Thank you for your videos, they have been extremely helpful especially when I didn’t have many people I know to help me learn.
Same here in Australia (mind you, I got my license over fifty years ago - might have changed) - If you did your test driving a manual, you could drive an auto, but if you did it in an auto, you could ONLY drive an auto. I have one of both, but I have to admit, I kinda like my auto, probably because I do a lot of driving in urban / suburban traffic.
@@ChristopherJones-qm2nw no shame in liking autos. Some of the nicest cars on the road are auto only and if you’re spending time in the city then having a stick is just unnecessary work for little reward.
This guy is randomly peeping into all the cars. I'm surprised nobody mobbed or called the cops on him 😂
I do it almost all the time. Of course it's not that I stand still and peep through the window but rather I take a quick look while walking. Why? I just love the interior in cars so I'm always curious how it is in different cars. So far Lexus, BMW and Audi seem to have the nicest interior but I guess it's not a big surprise 😁
Probably a really peaceful neighbourhood.
He's not in america, that's why
We don't do that in Europe😁
Well... He's not black so... 🙃
That part about having fun without speeding is so true. Sold my 330i automatic for a MX5. Didnt regret it one bit. Even when I had the chance to drive a M4 for a while, it just didnt really feel as amazing as I expected. There is just no way you can push the car to its limit on public roads (at least if you dont have the money at hand to just pay off the car).
Totally agree, I prefer to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
As somebody who lives in Germany i dont understand what you mean
@@xperformxperformance8039 well you won’t because you’re roads are completely different to the uk roads
@@xperformxperformance8039 Well, going just fast at the Autobahn isnt exactly "pushing the car to its limits" .
You cant even drive a MX5 at the open road to its real limits- but atleast close to it. And thats where the fun lays
Great comment, totally agree. I sold my Alfa Giulia after three years as I found it was too fast for the public road. To me a manual transmission car with 350-400 bhp hits the sweet spot.
I’ve always been interested in understanding how a Tesla/EV driver found coming from a normal family car to something that can go from 0-60 in around 3 seconds (the change must have been amazing but terrifying at the same time).
After 27 years of driving, and always owning a manual car, you don’t even think about the gear change. I used to deliver parcels in a manual, in peak hour traffic, and I never felt it was a hassle. Nothing beats synchronising the shift through a set of bends. You can keep your auto or DSG;)
Muscle memory
Yeah I don't get the American argument of but its a pain in the city. You literally don't give it a thought you just do it. I don't even have 1/4 of your experience and I have the basic muscle memory for it.
I'm a Canadian living in a rural area. I have two pick up trucks, one is a manual, one is an automatic (manuals are hard to find now a days). My every day driver is the manual, especially in bad weather. When the roads are icy and snow covered, you don't want to use the brakes too much, which can put you into a spin. Shifting down is the safer option. However, when I have to go into the big city, with the stop and go traffic, the automatic is much more convenient option. Also, driving a manual is more fun.
People who love driving manual do it for the experience, like myself. For as long as there are enthusiasts, manufacturers will have manual options for their speciality cars.
I live in the U.S. and I discovered your channel which has helped immensely in learning to properly drive my first manual car. After years and years in an automatic I understand what the “driver experience” actually means now. Unfortunate to see the manual dwindling in numbers.
Same! This channel was critical to my path toward stick shift learning and ownership. Bought my first stick a month ago, and it's like falling in love with driving all over again. What's more, it's hard to believe I didn't know before what a satisfying experience driving could be. There's part of me that wants to go evangelize about it, even though I know no one around me wants to hear it. Most folks see driving as a necessary function to get from point A to point B and the very idea that and could or should be engaging, fun, or remotely enjoyable just never occurs to them. I had several friends lecture me, saying I was mad for wanting to buy a stick. How I would regret it, what a hassle it would be. These people, never having owned a stick shift themselves, or anything with over 140 horsepower. Not to get too pretentious, but I honestly feel bad for them. It's like a Matrix or a They Live thing, or whatever movie comparison you please, where I've suddenly become aware of the world around me, and all the potential and joy I've been missing in driving, and I want to share it with everyone before it's too late and we're all driving electric cars...and nobody cares, haha.
@@MrTomfooligans I love my manual Opel Corsa Sport 2021 🤩🤙🏼
@@MrTomfooligans Nice to hear this mate, just enjoy it some people will never understand, until they see that massive grin on your face when your downshifting on windy roads
Even the Corvette is auto now. Funny because the last zr1 had 755 hp and still offered a manual.
You absolutely hit the nail on the head for me when you were driving the mx5. I'm not fussed about breaking speed limits, but I like to enjoy driving and a not particularly powerful, small, manual car allows that.
Unfortunately, my partner hates manuals so we have a small cvt auto. At least I have a motorcycle and manual old Vespa to feel involved in riding. I'll have to own an mx5 one day though, drove an NA mx5 once and it's still the most enjoyable car I've driven.
A shift is also being made in France where there's a very good reason to have automatic cars: the driving license for an automatic is cheaper than manual, since your need less mandatory hours of driving to get your license. People would get an automatic driving license then could spend a couple hours much later to upgrade their license to allow driving manual. And considering the insane delays there are in certain places to get a license, you really want to take the least amount of time possible to get it.
If you have passed a test in an auto, why not go ahead and book a manual test straight away? Book a couple of hours instruction on the day or day before the test. After all, you're not starting out again and the "manual" parts of the test are not demanding.
Also, don't forget servicing a manual is less costly less moving parts less chance of something going wrong. I seen loads of people having to fork out good money to service the gearbox or paying big money fixing it
Unlikely.
With a manual, you will HAVE to replace a clutch. Likely a pressure plate and a throw out bearing as well.
Your synchros and shift linkages will also start to wear and have a lot of moving parts and require a lot of labour to fix.
The gears will also grind due to missed shifts.
A slush box may have a lot more moving parts, but the basic operation is much smoother and simpler.. with a torque converter that has no wear parts other than bearings, planetary gear sets that never become unmeshed.. and overrunning clutches and clutch packs that are engaged smoothly and don’t wear nearly as much as a regular clutch… electronic valve bodies which can be repaired easily and have little to go wrong with them.. and basic linkages which aren’t used nearly as much.
This is why most automatic transmissions will easily last the life of the vehicle with nothing more than fluid and filter changes.
In my experience in Italy I saw that a lot of car have manual. When the car hits about 10-15 years of age it needs a new clutch. It cost about 500 € done by a mechanic and the car is good to go for another 10-15 years. My beater is 21 and with original clutch and obviously gears. NEVER heard of a manual with broken gears that is less than 40 eyers old. Instead I heard a lot of cars with automatic (especially expensive one) that need big works in the automatic transmission after a few years, and the kind of jobs that are very expensive.
So when it comes to cheapness of maintenance manual usually win.
Since I got my driving license in 2000, I've been driving mostly automatic cars except for a few months. In my experience, gear box issues in automatic cars are not as common as you might think. This idea of difficult maintenance might have been true decades ago but the technology has come a long way.
Not sure about that. I just had the AC compressor replaced in my Honda Fit manual. It was not cheap! But Honda makes a great transmission.
@@praveengoonathilake2866 They are difficult to maintain sometimes impossible and you need very skilled mechanics to work on them, and they destroy themselves in time you, especially if you buy badly made ones (most non japanese cars) and then youll need to fork over 4-5 thousand euros for a new automatic transmission.
I think a big thing contributing to this is that manufacturers are also just not producing manuals much at all. When i looked at getting a new Merc. A class a couple years ago, they were literally only shipping automatics until a few months after the launch (they recently remodelled the A Class). I know most mercedes drivers arent exactly hardcore driving enthusiasts but it was pretty telling.
I don't think that's accurate. Manuals cars will always be cheaper and the EU is making a U-turn on the petrol/diesel ban.
Well, in the United States, you can only get automatics in Mercedes A class cars. I bought one anyway. The dual-clutch transmission in my Mercedes is far faster and smoother than I have ever been, and I've been driving manual transmissions for 60 years. The automatic has won.
Automatic historically had much higher fuel consumption that manual, it was much more expensive and not as reliable.
Technology advances quickly and things change, but it take much longer for people's preferences to change
Manuals are still far more reliable.
@@gravemind6536 depends on which manual you use. Pretty difficult to mess up making a manual in comparison to an automatic, but some companies like zf and toyota make amazing autos, lasting as long as manuals.
@@TheSuperBoyProject And also how good you are with a manual. If you stall, or hold the clutch too many times (start stop traffic) then an automatic will last far longer.
That is absolute bull^&$& !! In the 1970's it had been proven that automatics were over 92% as efficient as manuals. This was before locking torque converters, before overdrive automatics became prevelant. If you go back to the really older cars 2 speed autos were common and some even had just 1 speed.
@@terminallygray How many automatics do better than 22 km/l?
As a person who had both types I personally think it depends on the car and its purpose. For heavy traffic in the city - auto, for fun in the weekends - manual.
you can just leave it in second gear in city if it bothers you to go to third-second all the time. You can even stop and start on the intersection in the second gear, slower than in first but you are not racing are you? Just saying.
@@Ludak021depends on the car. I used to have a 2007 530d and it's hard to explain but it struggled in that sort of no man's land. I've not the car for years. I've got an E220d and a Raptor now so they're both automatic, so I can't remember exactly what it was like driving the BM but I do drive manual vans now and again and they're ok but I do recall the BM needed to be in 3rd fairly quickly before it started revving but my girlfriend used to have moody little hatchbacks and as awful a drive as they were were actually fine staying in second. Same with her Audi now. No idea what kind it is because I don't like Audi's or hatchbacks in general but hers seems to be fine driving around Liverpool and Manchester
Just wanna say thank you, I passed my test first time last tuesday and your videos were very helpful. :)
That's great news, congratulations!
Here in Ontario, Canada, 99% of all cars are sold with automatic transmissions.
cool
I guess I am the 1%. Yay me.
Americas are lazy bums
Serbia, Europe, 99% are with manual transmissions.
Are manual cars in Canada cheaper than automatics, just as they are cheaper in Europe?
We all love manuals because of the reasons u do love them too ❤️ keep the good work.
I had two cars: a truck and a big size sedan both in manual. Sedan is my daily driver and I could never imagine how fun is it to get a big sedan specifically in manual. The thing is engaging and powerful in all instances of driving. I don't mind a manual in traffic either. Never understood why people are afraid of manual in traffic jam.
As an American I'm petitioning for the uk to fight against the automatic takeover
You have no idea, here and in the rest of Europe people are stopping to use that old ass outdated technology, sure in petrolhead bubbles like this you'll think there are many people who care about manuals but the stats show something different and most manufacturers will stop selling them in the near future
@@DerEchteBabo My guess is that's about the same people buying SUV and all that crap...👌
Hybrid and electric cars are all automatic, so you are fighting a losing battle
@@CartmanVlaams yeah maybe. But that's the future and what the market wants, enthusiasts are just the loudest minority that exists who heavily exaggerate how many people want what they want
@@DerEchteBabo The loudest minority that have what's called common sense thanks to our brain
I've driven both. I love the control and it is just more fun to drive a manual.
I’m a disabled veteran so I’m not able to drive a manual transmission.
I drive for a living and I spent quite some time in congested traffic each day, so for work I'm happy to drive an automatic.
My private car has a manual though :-)
Thank you Richard for all the videos you post in this channel, one extra thing that makes manual better than automatic in my opinion is the engine braking. Sometimes when there’s a traffic jam in the highway and surprisingly i see car who is almost not moving in manual i can brake and also downshift if the brakes are not sufficient. Whereas in the automatic you have to fully rely on the brakes not to mention ABS sometimes make you feel that brakes are not braking! Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong!
I asked my self this question yesterday and I’m so happy it’s been finally answered!
It's wasn't though. It's popular in the uk and the poorer eastern european countries
@@bambinosto "poorer Eastern European countries" I am pretty sure it's all across Europe. When we are not driving hours and hours on deserted roads then a manual just makes sense.
Nova Scotian here: every year it gets harder to find manual-transmission cars. I settled for a dual clutch VW on my last (used) purchase. It's OK, but I prefer shifting real gears. There is manual mode, which I use for downshifting on hills, but that's it. I cannot imagine what it is like shifting gears with the left hand and driving on the other side of the road. When I go to England, I take the bus. Here in NS, a driver's licence earned on an automatic counts equally well for manuals.
Very different driving in NS to London, if I lived in NS, I'd still drive a manual...
I am in England and I am left-handed so no problem for me, but I often wonder if right-handers have much more difficulty with left-hand gear levers.
@@Alan_Clark easy for right handed people, changing gear with left hand easy, what I find hard is driving in Europe a lhd car cannot proper steer with it
Never thought on that, I just went to UK with my left steired car and this worked quiet well, same as UK cars work in continental Europe. Just your drivers view is little obstructed if you are bumper to bumper.
I will continue buying manuals, buying older vehicles with it. They’re slowly getting phased out :(
I learned and passed my driver's test on automatics, but after I drove for a while to learn the road, I switched to manual. Learning curve isn't too bad once you know to drive in the first place.
Did you resit your test? If you take it in auto you’re only allowed to drive autos right?
@@yeknommonkeyNope, it's not required here in the U.S OF A. BABYY 🏈🦅🦅🦅
@@kyleroberts6472usa is goated for that💯
United States of Automatics
I have a manual hot hatch. My wife drives an auto hybrid and actually, hers is kind of nice. Relaxing.
But when I want to drive rather than just travel, I take my manual.
Thank you for insightful video! I don't enjoy driving too much, it's mostly a matter of getting from A to B. However, changing gears is one thing I like about driving. With automatic, driving would be absolutely boring to me. I will remain with manual as long as manual will be availible
I am driving a manual car and I love driving a manual car because it is more fun. Thanks for the sharing Sir!
I like manuals, rowing through the gears, and rev matching etc. It's fun. But I also live in one of the world's megacities, so doing that in start-stop traffic gets very old very quickly.
There are ways to gamify driving an auto too. If you get to know how your autobox works you can get good at timing for overtaking, or pay extra attention to your cornering, and so on.
I never understood the congestion argument. I drove 10 and 18 speed trucks in most populated region of my country. I find it made me drive at consistent speed to make many greens as possible. With some experience I never had to think about shifting either. I feel more attentive driving a stick. In automatic I do not speed to stop seconds earlier, but still stop more often than with manual.
I'll be starting learning soon, but I also think an advantage to manual cars is that, whilst lesson prices vary depending on who hosts them, especially if you want to purchase your own first car. That extra you pay for the automatic version can be the deal breaker in your choice as that kind of money at 17 is uncommon. And in the end it may come down to getting a newer car with more quality of life and up to scratch features, or sacrificing it all for the slight ease of an automatic that you may not even enjoy.
haha this is true my first car i was able to snag at 2k when they were going for 4000 there was less people looking for manuals.
Would definitely rather drive a manual, I've got a jeep (auto) and a miata (manual) and I'm trying to sell my jeep off soon go buy a wrx. Really enjoy driving manuals more. Much more fun and I enjoy having much more control over my vehicle.
I think the only thing he missed about the 90s and 2000s automatics being able to displace the manual isn't the double-clutch gearbox; (which he described), but rather locking torque converters and more compact planetary sets so an automatic transmission could have more stacked in them. Many Toyotas in the 2000s started moving to 5 speed automatics which now matched up to the same number of gears as the manual. And today my Genesis G70 has a 7 gear planetary automatic, but the manual version is only a 6 speed making the automatic more fuel efficient. This has become common place.
Magnificently dull. Good job
Thanks. I have a strong, strong gut reaction for manual, just feels right, having and feeling control. About to buy my first car after a non-driving existence for 31 years, and just undergone refresher course, and the wife wants automatic...
With my job requiring me to drive 2-5 hours a day with some heavy stop and go traffic at times, I view driving as a chore and prefer automatic. I’d say most of the people I’ve encountered that prefer manual don’t do a lot of driving for a living and are pretty much point A to B drivers. When you’re driving from point A to L every day, it can be kind of meh.
My job required me to begin driving as part of my routine right around the time I bought my first manual about a month ago, and so I've been putting to the test the popular understanding that in-city, stop-and-go traffic is a real drag in a stick-shift. While I see the point, and I definitely feel it sometimes, I have to say that, all-in-all, I'd still rather drive the stick during my work day than the auto I chose to keep rather than replace. All the drudgery and stop-and-go I see as opportunities to practice my clutch control, etc. But the car I bought takes 93 octane and I don't want to put all those work miles on it, so the official plan is to drive the 87 octane auto for work, save the money in gas and put the miles on a car that's no longer young. Although some days I can't help myself and I take the new car to work anyway.
I disagree ]. I'm a driving instructor driving all day long. I much prefer the enjoyment and engagement that comes with driving a manual. I recently taught my stepbrother... now he wants to buy a cheap car to practice more. It is so much more engaging... all 4 limbs are involved. I think they are even more fuel-efficient.
@@MrTomfooligans Something that took me 25 years to learn: when at a red light, shift to neutral and put the hand brake. It's good to give both feet a rest every once in a while.
I agree most who enjoy manuals are either in open country roads or heavily into cars, autos are for people who want to get from A to B which is a big chunk of people also helpful for disabled people which gives them independence which for them is important. There isnt a right or wrong answer
I do driving for a living and i really like manual cars/van it keeps my attention on the road at its peak.
You have more control over manual cars than you do over automatics if you know how to use the gearbox and engine braking to your advantage when driving defensively.
The ONLY downside of manual over automatic is how much workout your clutch pedal leg gets to do during heavy, prolonged traffic.
Workout? Unless your car is over 30 years old the clutch will be light as a feather.
One advantage that I have found is that in some cases the driver doesn't need the engine to be connected to the wheels and its preferable to coast while not losing speed. Also having a direct way to disconnect the engine from the wheels feels safer for me(although it probably isn't necessarily)
Coasting in neutral means the car is not using gas, so it's much more efficient and less poluting but it is also way more dangerous because you have no engine break and have to rely solely on manual breaking
@@robertosvath7208 Allow me to correct you: coasting does burn fuel, because the engine still needs to keep spinning at idle. However, engine braking (or simply leaving the car in gear while not accelerating) does not burn fuel in cars that have an electronic fuel injection system (aka basically any car sold in the last 20 years).
What you say only applies to older car that used carburetors.
In Japan there is a two kind of driver license, one for regular/manual other for automatic only.
For me, of course manual. Stack in traffic jam is one thing but It’s more satisfying, fun to rowing shifter and watch friends face when I shift w/o pushing clutch, feel of snap into the gear by just flipping of my wrist is priceless.
Can foreign tourists legally drive a manual vehicle in Japan?
@@carultch As a tourist… I’ve never seen manual rental cars so… don’t know what to say.
If you’ll be driving your friends car you should be ok, I guess.
Agree that driving a convertible sports car on mountain roads in Manual is very nice to do and makes you feel like James Bond. But in boring daily traffic manual is a burden. Going from 0 to 100 km/h takes 5 to 6 shifts. I am happy with my automatic, regards from The Netherlands.
0 to 100 takes 6 shifts? Even my medium sized 100 ps manual car can easily get 100 km/h on 3rd gear. It’s loud though.
@@El-Gato-42 you don't usually want it to be that loud everytime you go on a highway unless you want to impress your friends tho :D so yeah for me it usually takes 5 and 6 If I wanted to be economic
Yes yes manuals for ever, at least for me. I have 2019 Vette 7-Speed.
Wow you look about 20 but your forehead telling yourself you’re 40 bruh
I have a 5-Speed but I often change up two gears at a time, so seven gears sounds a bit excessive!
Cool story
7 gears manual is too much
@@Alan_Clark
7th is overdrive
I’m on my first automatic, featuring the highly respected ZF 8 speed. With most of my journeys being just getting from A to B in traffic, the very minimal drawbacks are outweighed by the very good performance. It’s not even that inefficient compared to a pure manual. Would go back to manual for fun driving though.
I’m the exact same first auto and it being the good ol zf8 too never looking back
From Southeast Asia here. Manuals were always the norm here as well since they are cheaper. We still have an old Manual Honda Civic 1996 and a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder that me and my dad uses as a daily drive. Even our newer Toyota Vios 2012 is a manual.
Automatic Cars are the best to go for.
However, I passed my driving test in a manual transmission and drove it for a while before giving Automatic a try, I'm finding it hard to go back to manual transmission.
Automatic is expensive to acquire and the repairs are costly too.
The same applies to manual transmission, if you can't change the gears and control the clutch properly, be sure to make the garage your home as you'll be taking your car for repairs every month.
For the convenience of driving in these times when everyone wants to get from point A to B in the shortest possible time, I'll stick to Automatic transmission.
Actually manual transmissions needs very little maintenance. To be honest, you don't really have to do anything other than maybe changing a clutch every few years. I did not hear that someone actually have to do repairs on manual every month, you would have to constatly burn the clutch or miss the gears, manuals don't just break down.
@@piotr346 I know quite a few students that passed their driving tests recently that are literally having breakdown on a regular basis. Automatic does everything for you which means a lot of it malfunction do not come from the driver.
I'm glad I can drive a manual car for the fun of it, but ideally my advice to anyone who wants to enjoy driving with a total peace of mind should go for an Automatic transmission.
Imagine other drivers reaction when you stall especially being a new driver.
There is so much to think about while driving a manual transmission compared to Automatics. 70 percent of accidents on the road are caused by manual drivers as a lot of them are unable to operate it properly.
@@almonprosperitykamara8652 In which country are you writing from? To say that 70 percent of accidents on the road are caused by manual drivers is unrealistic. I do not think you are familiar with Manual transmission at all. Driving manual transmission is not rocket science. It does not take long for one to get use to driving manual and once you get use to driving a manual or stick shift, as the Americans call it, one generally operates it without much thought to it at all. I would say that where I am living, more accidents are caused by drinking and driving. Most accidents happen in week ends at night.
@@almonprosperitykamara8652 'a lot of it malfunction do not come from the driver' ... so yeah, there's no problem with manuals, just all these students you know can't drive
A CVT sounds like a drone under the hood.
I'll always drive a manual as long as i'm able to. There is just something about it that gives me feeling of connection and pleasure.
For example controlling the car
I live in a block of flats with a private car park in Manchester UK. When I came 8 years ago only 2 cars out of 19 were automatic. Now, 2023 only 3 older cars are manual.
i love manual cars because you're controlling the car and it feel's so so good,also maintenance is cheaper than automatic cars
Autos need an oil change at 90,000 and then go on for another 90,000. They will last the cars life.
I would say you are controlling the car in an auto, just with two pedals instead of three pedals and a shifter. But I like a big comfortable car. I do agree for small fast cars.
@@grolfe3210 90,000? Are you for real? 😂
@@grolfe3210 in the UK we have small comfortable cars too ;)
@@ChieUbaldo he's talking about transmission oil
@@ChieUbaldo Sorry yes not clear enough. My car transmission oil is due for change at 90,000 miles.
My car (merc c class diesel) has done 95,000 miles and aside from service items like filters pads and oil, it has only needed one part, a ball joint at last test. It was only £60. Still drives and feels like new.
Back 50 years clutches, engines and rust were common at this sort of miles and age.
The way I see it, good traffic management = more manual cars. Growing up near the capital of the Philippines pretty much made me hate manual transmissions because going home tired from work then having to slog through Manila traffic in a manual was hell on my legs and arms. I know, I know, I should stop being a wuss blah blah, but an automatic really makes life (relatively) easier.
Heavy traffic or long drives is where automatics thrive (imagine going on a 10 hour road trip where you have to deal with road construction and open highways then small towns)
@@fallout0624 Exactly. I imagine most Europeans don't have extremely long commutes. For example, mine is two hours/90 miles (one-way) if traffic is not too bad.
imagine having to switch gears every 10 seconds only to switch back to Neutral again and wait for traffic to move for 3 minutes
@@dandman9373 yeah but imagine doing that for two hours in hill county. It really depends where you live. And traffic here does not stop for 3 minutes. It stops for 10-30 seconds before picking back up and immediately slowing back down. Let’s just say you stop and go two times per minute which is VERY generous. That’s pushing the clutch in over 240 times.
You have imt for that which has gearbox but doesn't have clutch it is manual but without clutch
In British Columbia, Canada, it was possible to pass your driving test on an automatic and still legally drive manual back in 1968 when I first obtained my licence, even though there were a lot more manual transmission vehicles then.
still is
I think the reason people in the UK prefer the manual gearbox is that it gives you greater control of the vehicle and acts as another form of braking.
Likewise when you are wanting to accelerate.
Also I have an uncle who had an automatic Rover and he had problems with it and because it was an automatic it had to go to a specialist garage and it was weeks before he got his car back.
Very costly and very time-consuming when something goes wrong with an automatic.
You can downshift in an automatic for braking. And many of them can be operated by 'rowing' through the gears semi-manually.
@@pinkiepie1656 why bother with it then? Just use manual shifter in the first place. For all intense and purposes you can shift from first into second and drive around the city without ever changing the gear except on the red light. Second gear will get you to your lawful max speed quickly. Of course, you should should shift into third for lower fuel consumption but you don't have to. Open road - you shift up and then leave it in 5th or 6th. It's really not that much work unless you are min-maxing.