Jeep Wrangler Forum banner

How many of y'all still drive a manual???

19K views 214 replies 148 participants last post by  Dan.S 
#1 ·
Hello all!

I just read a report this morning that kind of shocked me..."According to US News & World Report, only about 5% of vehicles sold in the US are manual transmission, and as few as 18% of Americans even know how to operate one."

Surely these numbers have got to be bigger in the Jeep Community. So my question is, how many of y'all still drive a manual?!?
 
This post has been deleted
This post has been deleted
#3 ·
I have a manual TJ and a manual brz as my daily. I believe a manual transmission makes driving a much more enjoyable experience and keeps me more connected with the car and my surrounds. A manual sure does make it hard to eat a muffin and drink a coffee while shifting between 1st and 2nd in the morning commute though.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for a manual ecodiesel wrangler.........
 
#5 ·
Welcome to the forum. Manual YJ and ordered a JK loaded minus the auto trans. which was a good decision at that time since it's a 10 and the older JK auto transmissions aren't as capable as the 12+. All of my other vehicles are autos. Sometimes it's a nice break not to have to shift.
 
#8 ·
Yup. Had to wait for awhile until the dealer located me a standard transmission with Tank paint and a soft top. My Road Runner is a 4 speed too. I just simply enjoy rowing the gears.
Same here. I had to special order my manual Wrangler back in May. The dealer looked at me like I was crazy for wanting a standard.
 
#11 ·
I vastly prefer to drive a manual, just because it's more fun. I ordered my '17 JKU in manual, and traded in a manual '06 Ford Fusion to get it. (Every mechanic I ever took that car to was surprised. None of them had ever seen a non-automatic Fusion.)

Besides finding it more fun and engaging to drive, I also joke that it's my theft-deterrent system. So few people know how to drive stick these days, it actually does add some small level of security.

Hell, I once parked at a hotel with mandatory valet parking and had the guy say "Um... the guy who can drive a stick is on break right now. Would you be okay parking it yourself?" I was shocked.
 
#16 ·
Driving a manual since my first new car......... '69 Chevelle.
'16 JK Sport is a manual
'12 VStrom DL 1000 naturally is a manual.
'14 Silverado Crew Cab unfortunately is an Auto. I needed a truck and that's all they (Chevy) offer in a Silverado CC.
IMHO, a manual lets you "drive" the vehicle as opposed to just using the gas and brake.
And DocTanner is right......it's a small "theft deterrent".
 
#19 ·
All of my previous Jeep's were manuals, but the JK and JKU have lost a lot of the "Jeep" feel for me, so the manual didn't seem as appealing. Autos have been getting better, while manuals have stayed about the same or even a bit worse due to the way the throttle works now. In the end, the biggest factor for me was the factory remote start in an auto. The decision was virtually coin toss close, but the fact that I don't have to wait to see out the windshield in the morning leaving work sold it for me.

If I was to buy another TJ, YJ, or CJ, it would absolutely have to be a manual.

ETA: I think the theft deterrent aspect is good from a social commentary perspective and a good one liner, but as a practical thing, I think it's over blown. No one is checking to see if the car is an auto before trying to steal it. I know more than one person who learned to drive a manual in a stolen car. If anything, I think it's more likey to be recovered with a ton of trans and clutch wear that doesn't show up until later and not covered by insurance. Of course that's just my guess based on what I saw growing up.
 
#22 ·
ETA: I think the theft deterrent aspect is good from a social commentary perspective and a good one liner, but as a practical thing, I think it's over blown. No one is checking to see if the car is an auto before trying to steal it. I know more than one person who learned to drive a manual in a stolen car. If anything, I think it's more likey to be recovered with a ton of trans and clutch wear that doesn't show up until later and not covered by insurance. Of course that's just my guess based on what I saw growing up.
You're probably right in that it doesn't actually add *much* protection. In truth, someone who steals cars for a living would be rather idiotic not to know how to drive stick.

That said, I had a friend with a manual back in high school. One day, he came out to find the car had been moved several feet, parked badly, in first gear, with the parking brake off. (He always parked in neutral with the brake on.) So, maybe someone was just messing with him, but it looked a lot like someone broke in, tried to steal it, and couldn't manage to drive off.

Anecdotal, for sure. But there it is.
 
#21 ·
Our JKU BC is a manual. For us it was not even a consideration to get an auto as both the wife and I prefer to drive manuals, we find it more involving.
I have a couple of work trucks that are auto's, I did not have a choice for those. I also ride motorcycle, every one of them except one has been a manual.
On a side note about the theft deterrent element of a manual;
I used to race motorcycles. For racing I would run a reverse shift pattern, where up is a down shift and down is an upshift. To avoid confusing myself on the race track I would switch my street bikes as well. One of my bikes, along with a friends, was stolen. My bike was found just down the road, abandoned in a ditch, while my friends disappeared. As I recall it was found with the trans in 4th or 5th gear. It seems that they could not figure out how to shift it.
I keep hearing stories about how the manual transmission will be phased out, how they won't make them any more. That may be, but they have been saying that for decades. I guess if they say it long enough it will eventually be true. I suppose a self driving car won't know how to drive stick. But I don't think I will ever buy a self driving car, at that point I would rather walk, or ride a bicycle.
I think my next car will be used, and I am one who prefers new over used as I hate buying other peoples problems.
 
#23 ·
It's the other way round for us in England where most vehicles are manual. Having said that, my TJ is a manual, but my daily driver (Mitsubishi Shogun) is an auto.

In the main Jeeps in the UK are usually US spec transmissions apart from the 2.5 TD diesel XJ which is manual.
 
#131 ·
Saw that firsthand when I was over there a couple of years ago. Had to special reserve a rental car with an auto as my family wanted me to concentrate on driving on the other side of the road without worrying about shifting.

BTW, the Audi they rented us actually shutoff when you were stopped and would turn on immediately when you pressed the accelerator.
 
#24 ·
1964 Pontiac Catalina 4 speed, 1965 Scout 3 speed, 1980 Chevy Luv 4 speed, 1987 Mazda B2600 5 speed, 1979 Subaru 4 speed, 1996 F150 5 speed, and 2016 JKU 6 speed

All of the above 4x4 except the Pontiac of course.

Drivers ed at High school in 1981 we had manual transmission cars to learn on.

What kind of oil should I use, whats the best tire.

No right or wrong answers
 
#77 ·
Holy cow! One of the first cars I ever drove was a '65 Catalina (4 dr auto 389). Every once in a while I search the interwebs to see if any are out there for sale.

That car was ridiculous. 100+ mph with 14" bias ply's, 2 point seat belts and 4 wheel drum brakes. After a particularly hard stop, I wouldn't have any brakes for a half mile or so.
 
#26 ·
I just bought my JKU and I found two nearly identical ones. I had a choice between soft top / manual or hard top / auto... last second gut instinct pushed me to the auto.

For me, the auto works perfect since it is a DD for right now but in the distant future, I can see myself transitioning it to a trail only rig and going with a manual.
 
#32 ·
I was just talking to my buddy about this. He drives a manual WRX and I was asking him how he liked it.

I know how to drive manuals but never owned one as my daily driver. Now that i'm pretty sure I'm gonna build a 2017 for my Jeep... I've debated on taking the auto transmission out of my original requirements and making the build a little cheaper.

Having not HAD to use a manual day in and day out, I'm nervous to make the jump on a brand new car. But I do know they are more fun, I just don't know if the novelty would wear off and I'd be regretting it a couple weeks after getting it.
 
#36 ·
If it helps, I love the transmission in my '17. It's definitely a "truck transmission" but I never feel like I'm wrestling with it. Totally smooth.

When the novelty wears off, you'll probably just be used to it and not give it any more thought. Once you get use to it, you'll find yourself trying to step on a non-existent clutch every time you drive an automatic.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top