S.Crab wrote:
> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
> availability of manual transmissions:
>
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>
> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
> genuinely curious.
>
> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>
because modern autos are faster and more economical. there's also a
safety argument - both hands on the wheel at all times as well as the
ability to program the shift pattern to better cope with emergency
situations. go drive a modern auto - they're quite effective!

 

S.Crab wrote:
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions?

Same reason why most people take the elevator instead of stairs:
easier, more convenient. And who has a third hand when one's got the
cell phone, the other's got a coffee, and the knee's steering the car?
=)

Me? I prefer to take the stairs, and I also prefer manuals for the fun
of it.

 

S.Crab wrote:
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions?

Same reason why most people take the elevator instead of stairs:
easier, more convenient. And who has a third hand when one's got the
cell phone, the other's got a coffee, and the knee's steering the car?
=)

Me? I prefer to take the stairs, and I also prefer manuals for the fun
of it.

 

S.Crab wrote:
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions?

Same reason why most people take the elevator instead of stairs:
easier, more convenient. And who has a third hand when one's got the
cell phone, the other's got a coffee, and the knee's steering the car?
=)

Me? I prefer to take the stairs, and I also prefer manuals for the fun
of it.

 

One main reason I can think of, is the massive amount of traffic in
most urban areas. It can be a pain creeping along for 10 or miles in
1st or 2nd gear.

But I will only drive an automatic if I have no choice. Both my wife
and I prefer manual.

We were looking for a new car for her recently and wanted to look at
teh BMW 3 series, but none of the dealers in Orange County had a manual
version for us to test drive. So we went back to Saab.
--
Remove My_Skin to E-mail me.


S.Crab wrote:

> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
> availability of manual transmissions:
>
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more
> control of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>
> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
> genuinely curious.
>
> Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

One main reason I can think of, is the massive amount of traffic in
most urban areas. It can be a pain creeping along for 10 or miles in
1st or 2nd gear.

But I will only drive an automatic if I have no choice. Both my wife
and I prefer manual.

We were looking for a new car for her recently and wanted to look at
teh BMW 3 series, but none of the dealers in Orange County had a manual
version for us to test drive. So we went back to Saab.
--
Remove My_Skin to E-mail me.


S.Crab wrote:

> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
> availability of manual transmissions:
>
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more
> control of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>
> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
> genuinely curious.
>
> Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

One main reason I can think of, is the massive amount of traffic in
most urban areas. It can be a pain creeping along for 10 or miles in
1st or 2nd gear.

But I will only drive an automatic if I have no choice. Both my wife
and I prefer manual.

We were looking for a new car for her recently and wanted to look at
teh BMW 3 series, but none of the dealers in Orange County had a manual
version for us to test drive. So we went back to Saab.
--
Remove My_Skin to E-mail me.


S.Crab wrote:

> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
> availability of manual transmissions:
>
> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more
> control of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>
> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
> genuinely curious.
>
> Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

Brian Smith wrote:

> There is nothing complicated about driving a manual transmission
> equipped vehicle. If a person can walk and chew gum at the same time it's
> not a big deal. Wait! There's the problem. {;^)
>
> In city traffic it is much easier to go with the flow with an automatic
> transmision than a manual transmission (all the stop and crawl).

I love my MT car, but for a work vehicle, I prefer an automatic, because I do
have to spend a lot of time in traffic, and the clutch leg gets rather tired
before long.

 

Brian Smith wrote:

> There is nothing complicated about driving a manual transmission
> equipped vehicle. If a person can walk and chew gum at the same time it's
> not a big deal. Wait! There's the problem. {;^)
>
> In city traffic it is much easier to go with the flow with an automatic
> transmision than a manual transmission (all the stop and crawl).

I love my MT car, but for a work vehicle, I prefer an automatic, because I do
have to spend a lot of time in traffic, and the clutch leg gets rather tired
before long.

 

Brian Smith wrote:

> There is nothing complicated about driving a manual transmission
> equipped vehicle. If a person can walk and chew gum at the same time it's
> not a big deal. Wait! There's the problem. {;^)
>
> In city traffic it is much easier to go with the flow with an automatic
> transmision than a manual transmission (all the stop and crawl).

I love my MT car, but for a work vehicle, I prefer an automatic, because I do
have to spend a lot of time in traffic, and the clutch leg gets rather tired
before long.

 

jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:c9udnS0tl9YwLO3YnZ2dnUVZ_qGdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:

> S.Crab wrote:
>> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
>> availability of manual transmissions:
>>
>> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
>> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
>> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
>> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
>> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>>
>> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
>> genuinely curious.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>>
> because modern autos are faster and more economical. there's also a
> safety argument - both hands on the wheel at all times

As if most automatic drivers really use BOTH hands on the wheel...;more
likely they use the other hand to hold a cellphone,cigarette,food,or dangle
the spare hand out the window,or rest it on the passenger seatback.


> as well as the
> ability to program the shift pattern to better cope with emergency
> situations. go drive a modern auto - they're quite effective!
>

And enable "unintended accelleration" accidents.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

 

jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:c9udnS0tl9YwLO3YnZ2dnUVZ_qGdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:

> S.Crab wrote:
>> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
>> availability of manual transmissions:
>>
>> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
>> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
>> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
>> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
>> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>>
>> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
>> genuinely curious.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>>
> because modern autos are faster and more economical. there's also a
> safety argument - both hands on the wheel at all times

As if most automatic drivers really use BOTH hands on the wheel...;more
likely they use the other hand to hold a cellphone,cigarette,food,or dangle
the spare hand out the window,or rest it on the passenger seatback.


> as well as the
> ability to program the shift pattern to better cope with emergency
> situations. go drive a modern auto - they're quite effective!
>

And enable "unintended accelleration" accidents.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

 

jim beam <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in
news:c9udnS0tl9YwLO3YnZ2dnUVZ_qGdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:

> S.Crab wrote:
>> I ask this as a new-car shopper who is curious at the lack of
>> availability of manual transmissions:
>>
>> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
>> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
>> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
>> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
>> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.
>>
>> I don't mean this question to be condescending in any way--I'm just
>> genuinely curious.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your responses.
>>
> because modern autos are faster and more economical. there's also a
> safety argument - both hands on the wheel at all times

As if most automatic drivers really use BOTH hands on the wheel...;more
likely they use the other hand to hold a cellphone,cigarette,food,or dangle
the spare hand out the window,or rest it on the passenger seatback.


> as well as the
> ability to program the shift pattern to better cope with emergency
> situations. go drive a modern auto - they're quite effective!
>

And enable "unintended accelleration" accidents.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

 

In article <1165004797.790036.307320@f1g2000cwa.googlegroups. com>,
harveyr@gmail.com says...

> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.

I prefer manuals too, but automatics have gotten a lot better in recent
years than they used to be. An interesting trend in high-end exotic cars
like Ferraris and Lamborghinis is that more buyers now seem to be opting
for the F1-style "paddle shifter" transmissions than manuals - granted,
these really aren't automatics in the true sense of the term, but it's a
telling development that probably foreshadows even less interest in
manuals once the technology begins to trickle down to more affordable
cars.

AutoWeek recently tested the new Porsche 911 Turbo, and the Tiptronic-
equipped model was faster than the manual from 0-60.

Dave

 

In article <1165004797.790036.307320@f1g2000cwa.googlegroups. com>,
harveyr@gmail.com says...

> Why is there a seemingly overwhelming preference for automatic
> transmissions? Is it that people don't want to be bothered with
> manuals, don't want to learn how to drive them, or for some other
> reason? I personally think manuals are more fun and offer more control
> of the vehicle, but that's just one man's opinion.

I prefer manuals too, but automatics have gotten a lot better in recent
years than they used to be. An interesting trend in high-end exotic cars
like Ferraris and Lamborghinis is that more buyers now seem to be opting
for the F1-style "paddle shifter" transmissions than manuals - granted,
these really aren't automatics in the true sense of the term, but it's a
telling development that probably foreshadows even less interest in
manuals once the technology begins to trickle down to more affordable
cars.

AutoWeek recently tested the new Porsche 911 Turbo, and the Tiptronic-
equipped model was faster than the manual from 0-60.

Dave