A few years back Car and Driver magazine ran a " save the manuals" thing. It's heartbreaking to see how few have that option.

These days a manual transmission is an anti-theft device.

My wife is the warranty administrator at a local Chevrolet dealership. They do shuttle pickups and deliveries for service work or exchange for rentals. They have specific individuals for that job, but when there is a Corvette with a standard shift, they have to get her, a 64 year old woman to drive them. They have no clue on driving a manual transmission. And yes, she has gotten on the gas a few times.

    meagain They have no clue on driving a manual transmission. And yes, she has gotten on the gas a few times.

    Years ago a local GM dealer had a bunch of radio ads with two good ole boys Floyd and Earl. Floyd saw Earl come in one morning really in the dumps. Earl said he was in the dog house. He said his wife was in an odd mood last night and asked him if she died would he remarry. He said maybe if he met the right person. She asked if he would let her live in this house. He said probably because she would need a place to live. She then asked if he would let her drive her Corvette. He said, shoot no, she can't drive a stick shift. 😜

        I had a stick until February of this year. I was driving a 2002 Mini Cooper with a 5-speed manual transmission. I loved that thing, but in the traffic jams I get into on a regular basis, it was a bit of a pain. Otherwise, though, it ruled.
        Got a new-to-me car in February and it is automatic. I miss the stick, but the traffic jams and stop/go traffic is better.

        Rickochet He said, shoot no, she can't drive a stick shift.

        Or the variant applicable to this forum...

        "No, she's left-handed."

        (In answer to "Will she use my golf clubs?") 😀

          I've mostly had manual transmission cars. The last one was a 2003 Acura RSX Type S (my son owns it now). When I purchased my current car, I had little interest in a stick. A pain in traffic.

          After I retire and don't have to deal with daily traffic, I might look at one again.

          Always drive a stick. We have a 6 speed and an automatic but I drive the stick most of the time. With a stick your driving the car, with an auto your just sitting there.

          Sticks are great when you're young and driving a muscle car. They're a lot of fun. In fact, the first vehicle I learned to drive in was a manual '66 Chevy Pickup, when the gear shifter was mounted on the steering column. Talk about a learning experience. lol.... Wish my pops had kept that truck. She was a short-bed, dark blue color, and you didn't have to take it into a shop and spend $400 to get work done on it if you were the least bit mechanically inclined.

          Then, when in the army, bought a brand new 1990 Honda Accord, which was manual. I absolutely loved that car. I got 36 mpg and never had a problem with it in all the years we owned it. But then again - my commute from off-post housing to the base at Ft. Benning was only 20 minutes and only a few traffic lights.

          But as I got older and spent more and more time in rush-hour traffic - I found the manual transmission more annoying than fun.

          My son drives a 2013 VW GTI hatchback that is stick-shift. It's a fun little ride, very nice car. He had it worked on shortly after buying it and had a chip put in that gives it about 25 more horsepower.... A popular car for the younger adults who have yet to experience gridlock at 5 o'clock in the afternoon on the 45 minute drive home from work.

          I test drove it before he bought it. It was a lot of fun. It took me back to a time in my younger days when I too enjoyed driving a stick.

            Definitely depends on where you live and commute. Where I live, no traffic, lots of 2 lane winding roads. It's fun to dive in deep and accelerate out of the corners with my 1993 Corvette 6 speed. Wouldn't have a manual if I lived in a city.

            My 20 mile commute took me an hour this morning; that's the 2nd time in 2 weeks and always happens when school starts back up. The thought of my next car being a stick is long gone. As others are saying, maybe when I retire.

            PA-PLAYA
            The second car I owned was the original 1983 VW Rabbit GTI. I bought it used in '85. What a fun little car. It was really quick off the line for a 4-cylinder of that era. It was geared so low it would turn 3,800 rpm in 5th gear at 70 mph. I've wondered what the later ones are like to drive.

                My new Mustang is an automatic. I test drove both and was really torn because the manual was slick and I knew it would be more fun. BUT, I didn't look forward to it in daily commute traffic. My wife tilted me toward the automatic, which ended up being fine because the one I bought is in such pristine shape!

                MidwayJ

                It's fun to drive, but not the car for an old middle-aged fat guy with a bad hip. My son loves it though. When he had the chip put in it really increased the hp. And I'll also add that I wasn't a fan of him having the engine modified, because it had plenty of power as-is off the lot. But it's his car, so be it.

                  johnnydoom

                  That is definitely an Al Czervik special right there. One could only hope that it comes equipped with an authentic 'General Lee' horn sound (Dukes of Hazzard).