Death of the manual gearbox.

Peerzy said:
People will still continue to buy manuals for run of the mill VAG/Ford etc cars as the the automatics usually add £1000~. Someone spending £10k on a Ford isn't going to want to add £1k to the price so will opt for the manual.
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It'll filter down and get cheaper just like abs, electric windows, air conditioning and all the other gadgets. Start of as top end options and slowly filtered down. Once mass production starts prices drop a hell of a lot.
 
exactly

air con was an expensive luxury when it was first launched, now all but the most poverty spec models have it as standard.
 
The safety thing will be pushed when it becomes standard and understandably so; downshifting whilst cornering is certainly made safer if you can keep two hands on the wheel whilst doing so.

And it allows you to be a racing driver >_<
 
MrLOL said:
exactly

air con was an expensive luxury when it was first launched, now all but the most poverty spec models have it as standard.
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True, but there still will be an 'extra' cost at the bottom end of the market.

If someone is spending £7k on an i10 they're usually buying that car, at that price in that market because they can't afford the much better £8.5k Fiesta, what makes you think they will pay an extra £1k for the auto?

If the manual isn't offered they simply won't buy the car for £8k.

AcidHell2 said:
It'll filter down and get cheaper just like abs, electric windows, air conditioning and all the other gadgets. Start of as top end options and slowly filtered down. Once mass production starts prices drop a hell of a lot.
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BMW have been mass producing auto boxes for decades have they not? They still cost a fair bit.

No doubt it'll happen at some point, but no way are VAG gonna want to say "Hey buy our brand new Polo, not only will we force you to get an auto, but it's gonna cost £800 more than the last model because of it" as the customer will simply walk over to Fiat/Ford some other company and buy what they want for cheaper.

I can see it happening one day, maybe 50-100years from now, not in the next 20 like some people have said.
 
Hate anything which isn't stick shift manual.
Hate autos, hate paddle shifts.

Really hate automatics with a passion, makes me feel like i've got a disability car, like the company feels I'm too retarded to shift gears, I feel out of control too.
Paddle shifts just don't make sense around town, on a track maybe but for around town it's rubbish.

Notice I haven't included motorway/ dual carriageway because you just pop into top gear and cruise usually so that doesn't matter to me at all.
 
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Peerzy said:
True, but there still will be an 'extra' cost at the bottom end of the market.

If someone is spending £7k on an i10 they're usually buying that car, at that price in that market because they can't afford the much better £8.5k Fiesta, what makes you think they will pay an extra £1k for the auto?

If the manual isn't offered they simply won't buy the car for £8k.
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Did abs, air conditioning or anything else increase the price of cars?
Cars have all these and are cheaper than ever, same will apply. As manufacturing techniques improve, cars cost less to produce,. So to keep cars at a reasonable price levels extras are added. Otherwise we could all by a basic spec for a few hundred quid, if they where to the same standard as a 70's car. Things come into the top end and slowly work there way down, till it's considered standard.

Peerzy said:
BMW have been mass producing auto boxes for decades have they not? They still cost a fair bit.
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Not at an entire market type mass production.
 
AcidHell2 said:
Did abs, air conditioning or anything else increase the price of cars?
Cars have all these and are cheaper than ever, same will apply. As manufacturing techniques improve, cars cost less to produce,. So to keep cars at a reasonable price levels extras are added. Otherwise we could all by a basic spec for a few hundred quid, if they where to the same standard as a 70's car. Things come into the top end and slowly work there way down, till it's considered standard.


Not at an entire market type mass production.
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ABS is a massive improvement over not having ABS, Air-Con is a massive improvement over not having Air-Con.

Auto is completly up to what the user prefers, I can't see it being cheaper to make an auto box than a manual any time soon and in this situation people at the bottom end of the market will go for the cheaper solution - which will still be the manual for some time to come.

Expensive or certain brands/types of car may move to auto only but I can't see you walking into Ford and the KA, Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all only being available in auto form.
 
Peerzy said:
I can't see it being cheaper to make an auto box than a manual any time soon and in this situation people at the bottom end of the market will go for the cheaper solution - which will still be the manual for some time to come.
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Talking about the cost of the entire car. And yes it will be ages, I'm betting on around 2 decades.
 
I get around said:
Hate anything which isn't stick shift manual.
Hate autos, hate paddle shifts.

Really hate automatics with a passion, makes me feel like i've got a disability car, like the company feels I'm too retarded to shift gears, I feel out of control too.
Paddle shifts just don't make sense around town, on a track maybe but for around town it's rubbish.

Notice I haven't included motorway/ dual carriageway because you just pop into top gear and cruise usually so that doesn't matter to me at all.
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Won't go as far as to say i hate autos, my Focus was great for traffic. However i prefer manuals and the last 3 cars i had went back to basics. Do sometimes get that pang of regret in heavy London traffic though ;)
 
Manuals are a complete thing of the past.

I'm quite in favour of this. Even in my E60, there is nothing that the gearbox can't do which a manual can, it's more economical and I imagine in cars like the porsche and Ferarri can change gear quicker than a human can
 
Lucero said:
Manuals are a complete thing of the past.

I'm quite in favour of this. Even in my E60, there is nothing that the gearbox can't do which a manual can, it's more economical and I imagine in cars like the porsche and Ferarri can change gear quicker than a human can
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Oh definetly, autos have come a long way. But theres that feel of shifting gears and control of the car that i'd miss.
 
I liked the lightning quick gear changes with the DSG box in my old TT but I didn't like the way it took over your driving by changing down when it though best and changing up if I was getting a bit close to the redline. If I want to hit the redline I'll damn well do so! :mad:
 
Doesn't a manual use less petrol than automatics, plus the cost will always be cheaper to have a simple manual gear box then a fancy paddle shift with more gubbings.
 
In addition to people who prefer the drive, manuals appeal to those who want perceived better reliability or better running costs, ie those buying cheaper or older cars. For this reason manual Fiestas and suchlike will always be around but you rarely find expensive cars without an autobox of some description.

I chose a manual version of my car because it offered better performance and was considerably more reliable and had the marginal benefit of better fuel economy. Things have moved on since, and therefore if I was buying a 2009 car I'd be far more tempted by a good semi automatic option if it existed.
 
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