The death of the stick shift is almost here.

[BigFootie]

One thing I find works really well for teaching new people manual with these newer Fords, is to have them practice slowly letting the clutch out with no throttle. The computer will creep it forward if you do it slow enough. Once they get used to that they can add a little bit of throttle once the clutch has already started to engage.

Also if you do this in low range it makes a super easy for them to get the concept.

That’s pretty much how I taught my daughter. Reverse gear, no throttle, ease out the clutch. Took her about ten minutes and she had the process down pat. Just need to learn where the clutch starts to grab and when your foot is completely off. It’s been probably 20 years since she drove a manual transmission last and jumped in the Bronco and off she went.

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[Canadian5.0]

If Ford made a Sasquatch 4 door with a proper manual Tremec transmission behind a proper 2.7 upgrade from the base 2.3 engine I'd buy a 2nd bronco for the driveway otherwise it'll be the one I have only

 

[Vynull]

Forgot to add my manual photo - 2001 Saab 9-5 Aero. 300ish hp sleeper.

 

[Oldhippie]

My interior photo

 

[Desmolicious]

The interior of my 250 GTO

 

[Vynull]

The interior of my 250 GTO

That's a big $#@& you / can you be my new best friend. Drool. Great photography too.

 

[Desmolicious]

That's a big $#@& you / can you be my new best friend. Drool. Great photography too.

Hold on a sec, I was meant to post a pic of my Mazda Miata’s interior. Not sure how I got that confused with someone else’s $50 million Ferrari 250 GTO.

 

[Desmolicious]

Ok, this is Riley checking out a 250 GTO parked on a street close to me. Judging by Riley’s expression even he thinks it must be a fake.
cuz who parks a real GTO out in the rain? (And it’s there every day)

 

[8rent]

I had a 6 speed manual Jeep Wrangler before my Bronco. I really enjoyed the challenge of 4 wheeling with a clutch. Now with the 10 speed auto it feels like cheating, but it is so much better.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

but it is so much better.

Debatable.

 

[VirginiaHeritage]

Forgot to add my manual photo - 2001 Saab 9-5 Aero. 300ish hp sleeper.

Dude, I came mighty close to buying the sedan version about 1999. I was still living in Anchorage at the time so it wasn’t the best choice for a year-round ride. Talked myself down from it and bought a new Tacoma about a year later. I had been fascinated by a neighbor’s Saab 900 turbo as a kid because it looked so different from everything else. Also because a childhood choose-your-own-adventure book offered a 900 as one of two vehicles you could pick for a desert race. The other choice was a Landrover or Landcruiser. I can’t believe I remember that.

 

[HPNQ420]

Neither my wife nor I have ever owned a vehicle with an automatic.

In 2013 I tried a VW TDI wagon with the DSG and hated it. The dealer found a manual. Now that VW dropped manuals we will need to search for used models when we replace our '19 GTI. Since we've been married we've always had a VW or Audi and a four wheel drive.

My daughter leaned to drive with a manual and took her driver's test in my Bronco.

When we needed a third vehicle for my daughter it took me three months, but I found an unmolested '14 Wrangler JKR with a six speed in great condition.

I have to drive Chicago traffic once per week and it sucks. Not because I have a manual, but because it's Chicago traffic. When all you've ever driven is a manual you don't think about shifting unless it's deliberate for performance.

I am sure the automatic is easier off road but I love working the clutch on obstacles, or picking the proper gear for a climb, and having the crawler gear.

 

[Vynull]

Dude, I came mighty close to buying the sedan version about 1999. I was still living in Anchorage at the time so it wasn’t the best choice for a year-round ride. Talked myself down from it and bought a new Tacoma about a year later. I had been fascinated by a neighbor’s Saab 900 turbo as a kid because it looked so different from everything else. Also because a childhood choose-your-own-adventure book offered a 900 as one of two vehicles you could pick for a desert race. The other choice was a Landrover or Landcruiser. I can’t believe I remember that.

I love this car. It does so many things well. Surprisingly fast, handles well (well, better than some. It's not a BMW) hauls so much stuff. The rear cargo area is bigger than my wifes X5 by far. I will have to sacrifice it to get into the Bronco, but thats the price for having something you can take to a dealer and have serviced. I can't wait to just install new things and not have to do ALL THE MAINTENANCE. That and being able to find parts will be nice. Seriously, if you are in the market it will be going up on Saabnet.com soon.

 

[TBird2003]

The death of the manual transmission is an American phenomenon. Traveling in Europe, the manual is very common. I learned to drive on an old Ford Three on the Tree tranny. I do see the day when all the vehicles will be automatic.

 

[heavyD]

Driving automatic makes you dumber. I can feel myself becoming a moron the longer they keep me in this loaner.
Bring back Fordbot, I want to give them my VIN. It's been 5 weeks...

I will miss the manual transmission if/when it’s gone but I won’t miss dumb posts like this and the gatekeepers that think driving a manual transmission makes them somehow superior. My ex was a dumb as they come and she drove a 5-speed Accord for half a decade.

Driving a manual transmission is extremely easy and the problem is more to do with the change of times and diminishing cultural status of driving. The human love affair with the automobile is diminishing decade over decade as driving is now largely viewed by the masses as a means to simply get from point A to B and an obstacle that keeps drivers off their beloved phones. That’s just the way it is. I’ve had a lifelong love affair with the automobile and have driven manual transmission cars for the majority of my adult life but I’m not going to be an old man yelling at clouds at its death because change is part of life and not accepting that robs one of potential happiness of going with the flow and embracing new situations. Buy and drive manual transmission vehicles for as long as you can but remember that today’s society isn’t the problem. It’s the reality of the world we live in today and you adapt or reduce yourself to the Simpsons old man yelling at clouds meme for the rest of your life.

Back to the quoted post. If you think driving an automatic is making you a moron, it’s more a reflection of your own intellect and that maybe you were probably a moron in the first place.

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