What happened to manual transmissions?

Soldato
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Previously auto gearboxes were unreliable, inefficient and expensive to own as a result. This is not the case theses days, therefore the manual exists purely as a cost saving option on most cars.

Outside of a pure sports car I cannot understand why you'd want a manual box on a modern car.
You don't need to understand, people will buy what they want, based on their preference :)
 
Soldato
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It is probably due to autos in the premium sector being more reliable with high performance overall which results in less warranty returns than a manual, customer satisfaction etc, and also actually being able to handle the power throughput of modern engines with more abuse protection via software.

I do know some manufacturers autos are over developed now and that will probably decline slighty in the future until it falls back inline

But if the auto boxes break in those high end cars, the bill to fix it will be huge.
 
Soldato
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Isn't the manual Golf R a bit half-arsed though and seems to have issues handing the stock power?
Yes, the manual boxes on that platform are able to handle much less torque. A lot of tuning companies torque cap their remaps on manual cars as they just won't cope long term.
 
Caporegime
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You don't need to understand, people will buy what they want, based on their preference :)

Unfortunately though some people's preferences are based on irrational prejudices. In a society where we're told to constantly challenge such things it then becomes a bit odd to just go 'accept it'.
 
Soldato
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I've a mk5 gti with dsg and love it, but the hate from the manual crew makes me laugh, some of the rubbish that comes out of their mouth. Mainly bringing up the mechatronic issues and the cost to repair, and, dsg takes away from the driving experience so it's not a real drivers car :D

The thing is, of all the modified VAGs I've seen, the DSG boxes don't have any issues with it but the manual's are struggling with clutches etc.

I was always dead set again them but after seeing a few on Youtube and driving them they are great, consistently fast changes, it's like driving a 200bhp go kart :D
 
Soldato
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I like manuals just because I like to change gear no other reason really. Had a few autos but just prefer a manual. Saying that I doubt my next car will be a manual especially if electric.
 
Soldato
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, dsg takes away from the driving experience so it's not a real drivers car :D
I do have a giggle when vRS drivers bring this one up. It's a family Skoda with some added power, not a sports car. Read some of the guff on the owners forums / groups and you'd think a TDI vRS is the car that killed Lotus.
 
Soldato
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I can't believe that something dating from the dawn of motoring and so antiquated as shoving one lever with your hand and another with your foot is still popular, even worse in heavy traffic.

The way forward will be no proper gearbox at all, just a sun & planet system like my Toyota, where the vehicle goes seamlessly from start to top speed
 
Associate
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I'd imagine quite a lot of the drivers of these cars are just getting them for traffic light bragging rights and the DSG boxes are generally a little faster than the manual equivelant.

Also technology has caught up and automatics aren't horrible like they used to be.
 
Permabanned
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I switched to automatic from being in a lot of stop n go traffic. But immediately realised how superior it is in every way, to the point I regret even bothering to learn manual.
 
Soldato
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I test drive the auto and dual clutch version of my car and went with the manual.
Extra service costs put me off, as well as I didn't feel it made any improvement to the car or drive. I sit in a lot of traffic and never once thought the manual box was annoying. I'm not the sort to keep speeding up and showing down I'm the sort that crawls in 1st so I don't change much in traffic.
Also the only gearbox issues I've heard of on my car are all the auto and dual clutch boxes no issues with the manuals.
 
Soldato
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I do have a giggle when vRS drivers bring this one up. It's a family Skoda with some added power, not a sports car. Read some of the guff on the owners forums / groups and you'd think a TDI vRS is the car that killed Lotus.

However, some of us genuinely enjoy the vRS and are happy to Wax Lyrical about it.
Just because it isn't a "sports car" doesn't mean that slouches around and is nothing more than a family hatchback - if I want power, there is plenty of it there.

I purchased my third Octy VRS back in December last year - there were far more diesels available than petrol, but then I wanted proper fuel in the car.
Manual or Auto - I've only ever owned one Auto, many years ago and I enjoy driving manual. As I was buying "previously enjoyed" the price, condition, mileage and options were more important that gearbox choice. I ended up with manual and am enjoying my choice.
I'd actually say I really enjoy my choice and I do drive with a little smile - but then I'd by getting all excited over a family car....and apparently you're not allowed to.
 
Soldato
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However, some of us genuinely enjoy the vRS and are happy to Wax Lyrical about it.
Just because it isn't a "sports car" doesn't mean that slouches around and is nothing more than a family hatchback - if I want power, there is plenty of it there.

I purchased my third Octy VRS back in December last year - there were far more diesels available than petrol, but then I wanted proper fuel in the car.
Manual or Auto - I've only ever owned one Auto, many years ago and I enjoy driving manual. As I was buying "previously enjoyed" the price, condition, mileage and options were more important that gearbox choice. I ended up with manual and am enjoying my choice.
I'd actually say I really enjoy my choice and I do drive with a little smile - but then I'd by getting all excited over a family car....and apparently you're not allowed to.
It's not that you're not allowed to enjoy it, I thoroughly enjoy mine which I'm apparently not meant to because it's DSG and so that means I can't be a real driver and the car is more boring than walking.

It just amuses me the way some owners **** off the DSG as if it's some sort of ultimate driving machine that is completely ruined by not having a manual box for ultimate driver engagement.
 
Caporegime
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I think a lot of people hear of DSG or Powershift (Ford) automatic gearbox issues and rarely hear of manual gearbox issues. A friend at work had a Skoda Mk.2 VRS with DSG which lunched itself. It was off the road for nearly five months and even though it was ‘repaired’ it lunched itself again six months later and she got rid. Overall cost was over £1k and it never worked right afterwards anyway. Given the choice I’d have a manual but some cars don’t come with them.
 
Man of Honour
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It's like any other product that gets developed really.

It's expensive, rubbish and unreliable. Some people want it because they need it, some want to be early adopters, some want it because they really want the features
>insert development period - days/weeks/years/decades
It's cheap, good and reliable (more likely 1 or 2 of those 3) It becomes the norm, and it's predecessor fades away.

Automatic gearboxes have been through this development period and are now no longer at a stage where they are considered a risk or compromise by the average consumer, ergo they begin to become the norm instead of manual gearboxes.

The cycle just takes longer with cars than it does with most other tech.

When did you last seek out a new TV with a SCART socket?
Do you scour the classifieds desperate for tools that take NiCAD batteries?
When did you last look for a motherboard that takes SDRAM?
How are cassette sales doing these days?

I'm not an automatic defender by the way, far from it - but you can see why manual gearboxes are in decline.
 
Caporegime
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The other reason manuals are in decline is the increase in uptake/development of driver aids and a move toward automation of simple driving tasks.

Automatics are able to be fully controlled by autonomy software, manuals aren’t.
 
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