The death of the stick shift is almost here.

[HalfmuleFarmer]

As someone pointed out in another thread, even the Rubicon V8 392 only is available in an automatic now. And that’s certainly an enthusiast’s vehicle. Not a good sign for the 7MT Bronco’s longevity.

The vast majority of stick drivers are either a) performance enthusiasts or b) nostalgic because they grew up driving a manual. The first category is a minuscule single-digit market, but Porsche and Mustang and Ferrari will keep making the stick for them. For a while. The second group? It is getting smaller by the day. In ten years? Invisible.

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[userdude]

Yup.
When I ordered my Bronco, my salesman said I would have to meet with the sales manager before we could place the order. That manage argued with me for 10 minutes that "nobody drive stick anymore" - to which I replied look at the car I'm driving right now. He was also arguing with me that I wanted a 2 door. His last resort was that instead of waiting 3 to 4 months, I could use the $1000 deposit to drive away that night with a brand new Bronco. He had a dozen overloaded 4 door automatic (and overpriced) Broncos on his lot.
In the end, I got "my" Bronco the way I wanted it and it only took 2-1/2 months.

My dealer tried to talk me out of a 2dr but it wasn't a hard sell, more like "You really sure??" Then they ordered a 4dr "by accident " anyway and briefly tried to get me to bite.

I think there were two things they are really concerned about: Selling something now, and having inventory that's harder to move today (2dr manual, throw in Iconic Silver the guy probably passed out!). They are hyper focused on making sales today.

 

[Ride Em Bronco]

Big difference in goals and desires of the new vs old generations. I could not wait until I turned 16 to get my driver's license and got to drive my dad's rusted out 57 Chevy pickup with three on the tree. And my friends with jobs were all buying new sports cars and always with manuals. So when I got a job and bought a new sports car of course it was a manual. And every car and SUV since then has been and still is a manual - with the same holding true for my wife. I could care less about having a phone in my hand to hold onto when I'm driving - in fact the phone is mostly off and in my console compartment. My right hand is too busy holding onto the shift knob while creating a whole lot of fun for me by going through the gears.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Big difference in goals and desires of the new vs old generations. I could not wait until I turned 16 to get my driver's license and got to drive my dad's rusted out 57 Chevy pickup with three on the tree. And my friends with jobs were all buying new sports cars and always with manuals. So when I got a job and bought a new sports car of course it was a manual. And every car and SUV since then has been and still is a manual - with the same holding true for my wife. I could care less about having a phone in my hand to hold onto when I'm driving - in fact the phone is mostly off and in my console compartment. My right hand is too busy holding onto the shift knob while creating a whole lot of fun for me by going through the gears.

A lot of kids don’t even want to drive anymore, let alone learn a stick! Crazy:

“Around 20% to 25% of young American adults do not have driver's licenses. For example, studies show that about 20% of people ages 20 to 24 don't possess a license. For younger teens, up to 75% of 16-year-olds do not hold a license.” —Google/Gemini

 

[BigFootie]

Big difference in goals and desires of the new vs old generations. I could not wait until I turned 16 to get my driver's license and got to drive my dad's rusted out 57 Chevy pickup with three on the tree. And my friends with jobs were all buying new sports cars and always with manuals. So when I got a job and bought a new sports car of course it was a manual. And every car and SUV since then has been and still is a manual - with the same holding true for my wife. I could care less about having a phone in my hand to hold onto when I'm driving - in fact the phone is mostly off and in my console compartment. My right hand is too busy holding onto the shift knob while creating a whole lot of fun for me by going through the gears.

I was at the DMV the day I turned 16. So was my daughter and took her test in a manual as well. My step daughter waited a couple years and won’t even think about driving the Bronco. I’ve tried to tell her it’s the easiest manual to drive I’ve ever own.

I too learned on a mid fifties Chevy with a three on the tree. We had so much fun bombing that thing around the fields barely being able to see over the hood.

 

[VirginiaHeritage]

My first car was a baby blue Pontiac Phoenix handed down from grandma to mom and then me. Thank God it died soon so I didn’t to endure that car for long.

The second was handed down from dad: a 1985 Jetta diesel. It got 52mpg on the highway and I think it had all of 55 horsepower. It cornered great though. You needed a manual to wring every ounce of performance out of that little diesel engine and I loved doing it. So when I bought my first truck to take to Alaska for college, it was a ‘93 Toyota 4WD with a manual, followed by a 2000 Tacoma 4WD with a manual, which was my favorite vehicle ever.

 

[userdude]

I wonder what the Venn diagram is of vehicle enthusiasts and those who started out or drove manuals when young?

 

[Lotus Dave]

This thread needs photos!

Don't forget a manual can also be a theft deterrent...

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

I wonder what the Venn diagram is of vehicle enthusiasts and those who started out or drove manuals when young?

Significant overlap. Both shrinking in overall numbers. How old do we think the average “grew up driving a stick” person is 65? 70?

 

[userdude]

Significant overlap. Both shrinking in overall numbers. How old do we think the average “grew up driving a stick” person is 65? 70?

I'm in my mid-40's and probably at the tail end too. I don't know anybody now who has a manual, whereas in the mid-90's I knew probably 10-15 and was one myself (so was my brother). Maybe it might skew 5-10 years young, 55-60. But a lot of those guys got Harleys.

 

[Q1svt]

How old do we think the average “grew up driving a stick” person is 65? 70?

why I purchased a manual …

https://www.carscoops.com/2026/06/manual-transmission-brain-study/

 

[MilesTeg]

I have a manual Mustang, and and manual Bronco. I will always preference a manual over an automatic. I've only ever bought automatics when there was no manual option for the car I wanted.

My next car will probably be a BMW m-line sedan, as long as they still make them in manual when I decide to do that. Sadly, even BMW won't drop a manual in their highest end drive trains. You have to settle for the "low end M". But it's worth it, to me.

As a Xennial I grew up with a mix of manual and auto cars in my family. I've owned a mix of auto and manual cars. Very, very glad Ford offered a manual Bronco, even if they won't pair one with the V6 (which still annoys me).

 

[profet]

Just ordered a 2-door Badlands manual.

 

[zyglyrox]

I refuse to give up my manual, my wife thinks I’m crazy but all I’ve known is shifting my own gears (except for the 4dr Bronco I had, made me stir crazy enough to trade it for a 2dr 7mt).

It’s the simple driving pleasure of it at this point. I don’t think it’ll ever leave my blood. If I had to get rid of the Bronco for any reason it would be for another car with a manual.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

I'm in my mid-40's and probably at the tail end too. I don't know anybody now who has a manual, whereas in the mid-90's I knew probably 10-15 and was one myself (so was my brother). Maybe it might skew 5-10 years young, 55-60. But a lot of those guys got Harleys.

Same. I think some of it just comes down to the area or family you grew up in. Me and both my sisters all started with manuals. Our whole family my mom and wife included are able to drive manual. Definitely not the norm anymore.

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