STUDY: Manual Stick Shifts Are Even Less Popular Than EVs

Grey Colson

Grey Colson

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I don't care. I LOVE my Stick Shift!

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STUDY: Manual Stick Shifts Are Even Less Popular Than EVs - Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle

A new study points out that sales of all-electric vehicles surpassed those of vehicles with manual transmissions in 2019 according to data from J.D. Power.
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I guess this was easy to see coming, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my manual transmission. I always wanted one in a Vette, but it just didn't work out with the previous 3 over the past many years. The only manuals I've owned previously were a Jeep and a Mazda that couldn't pull a hot biscuit off a block of ice. Never have I driven a stick with this much power and Mrs. Colson loves it as much or more than I do. Coming home from her mothers last Saturday, we were turning down our street. It was her turn to drive home. She said, "It kinda sucks that we're almost home, doesn't it?"

But, you know, especially in sport and muscle cars, the stick used to be THE THING. If you drove an automatic, you simply weren't really driving a muscle car. Even watching Mecum Auto Auction over the years, the cars with manual transmission brought more money than automatics. Funny how things change. I didn't realize the 2020 Vette was not going to be available in a stick. Sucks for them....

Stick.jpg
 
I'd love to have one, mainly so I wouldn't have to worry about anyone under the age of 30 trying to steal it. :)

I will say that it's not surprising the sales are down since it's dang near impossible to find one anywhere. Kinda a self fulfilling prophecy.

My brother and his wife did get a dang good deal on a used Toyota they bought because it was a stick and it had been on the lot for months because no one who wanted a car could drive it.
 
The Sound Guy said:
I'd love to have one, mainly so I wouldn't have to worry about anyone under the age of 30 trying to steal it. :)

I will say that it's not surprising the sales are down since it's dang near impossible to find one anywhere. Kinda a self fulfilling prophecy.

My brother and his wife did get a dang good deal on a used Toyota they bought because it was a stick and it had been on the lot for months because no one who wanted a car could drive it.
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Millennial anti-theft device.
 
I'm old enough now to enjoy a comfortable and effort-free drive. The yung-uns can have the stick shifts.
 
Given the emphasis on fuel efficiency, I'm surprised there aren't more manual shifts still sold. If you drive one right, you can get considerably better gas mileage than from an automatic.
 
Guard Dad said:
Given the emphasis on fuel efficiency, I'm surprised there aren't more manual shifts still sold. If you drive one right, you can get considerably better gas mileage than from an automatic.
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The older automatics were less efficient than the light weight manuals, but the newer automatics without the rear pump drew even with the sticks. then came the lockup torque converters and the automatics drew ahead. The reason is simple, internal friction. Manuals, especially 4, 5 and 6 speeds have much more fiction as they have all of those internal gears not only meshing, but loading and unloading constantly. The automatics a system of smaller planetary's that are used less and less as you go up through the gears. Now add computerized shift sensing on an automatic and the manual gets left in the dust. Simply put, there is a very good reason for the companies not to offer it. I always thought a manual was more fun and superior on icy surfaces, but the the one I had in my 71 LeMans had a 3400 pound pressure plate which was murder to drive in rush hour traffic,,, my left leg would be aching by the time I got home!
 
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