Just touring around Europe right now & amazed at non existence of automatic cars. In Turkey, Italy, Greece & UK just about every taxi is manual & checking on cars parked on side of road is the same.
z3mcoupe,
Sep 27, 9:01pm
Yes not many people drive auto in the UK, no fun in driving auto
mark.52,
Sep 27, 9:01pm
Lucky Ba$tards.
Hard to get a new manual here.
tamarillo,
Sep 27, 9:03pm
They're drivers car. Jap cars are appliances so.
Let the fun begin.
socram,
Sep 27, 9:12pm
Which leads to some very grumpy customers, when they rock up at the rental company in Europe/UK and find out that even though they booked an auto on line, the rental company hasn't got any!
slarty45,
Sep 27, 10:01pm
not many amputees in europe?
panicky,
Sep 27, 10:05pm
Vehicles tend to have smaller engines in Europe, 1.3's 1.4's are common. You need to have a manual to get them to go anywhere.
curlcrown,
Sep 27, 10:07pm
Just order one.
clark20,
Sep 27, 10:13pm
Heaps of fun driving my auto
carclan,
Sep 27, 10:19pm
My VE Commodore is a six speed manual, have not seen any others so maybe your right
brapbrap8,
Sep 27, 10:22pm
Manual isn't even an option for most cars now. The fact is that automatics or robotic manuals are faster and have better fuel economy so the manual is going extinct.
stevo2,
Sep 27, 10:25pm
2 of my 3 vehicles are manuals (iLoad and MX5). Having said that, if I was to buy another van, I think I'd go the auto way and sports cars should not be available with a slushbox.
survivalkiwi,
Sep 27, 10:31pm
I bought my wife a brand new swift manual back in 07. We had it for 5 years and did 20k in it. When we traded it in it sat in the dealers yard for about four months befor they sent it to their dealership in another town where it took about another 3 months to sell. It was in as new condition and was priced in accordance with the rest of the market. I asked why it took so long to sell and they said because it was a manual.
franc123,
Sep 27, 10:31pm
This is a tired old argument, if there was demand from new car buyers here for manuals they would be offered if they were available, but there isn't demand for them.
gunhand,
Sep 27, 10:32pm
But,but, but what will happen to all the manly men who won't have a manual to caress if they become extinct? Will manly men also become extinct or will their testicles just shrivel up because they are are no longer able to feel manly behind the wheel? Could be a conspiracy of woman's groups to de man the man by forcing manufactures to not make manuals. Thank God I don't worry about such things.
brapbrap8,
Sep 27, 10:41pm
Sales of the 70 series Landcruiser should be strong then, it is ONLY available as a manual, plus it has manual hubs and other things women would have no idea about.
Even in big manly utes, autos out sell manuals about 10-1 these days because most people, even manly men have worked out that autos are just better to drive in modern vehicles.
whqqsh,
Sep 27, 10:53pm
wife's from the UK & after 10 years still comments on how many cars we have that are auto & how many people can't drive manual at all
tintop,
Sep 27, 11:01pm
Manly men will have a girly girl beside them and have a left hand free .
ema1,
Sep 27, 11:08pm
Exactly the case this argument has been pretty much done to death, I have fun with my automatics too, but in saying that it's a preference thing and the demand for manuals isn't what it used to be. I for one prefer an automatic funny enough considering owning/driving lots of manuals in the past. Most automatics back then were far less efficient than today's ones and with that progression you get higher acceptance rate. simple.
I got my first automatic car when I was 63. By then I was ready for it!
melonhead1,
Sep 29, 1:10am
You have to buy a gearbox, say a Tremec manual, make a new flywheel, bell housing, clutch pedal, propeller shaft and modify the tunnel of your car to make it fit and get an aftermarket ECU and there you have your new manual car. With no warranty.
elect70,
Sep 29, 2:51am
Hardly surprising , makers dont have manuals as an option . it makes it easier to meet fuel & emissions standards rather than lack of demand except yanks who cant drive manuals anyway . Even BMW dont offer manual on any new cars in NZ except the M1 & M3 cars , no manual Audis mercs , alfa have it on several models . Personally I still like it in a 3 series BMW size car .
sw20,
Sep 29, 3:34am
On to my 13th car, haven't had an auto yet!
The only thing I'd buy in auto would be an e38 740i BMW or maybe a W211 E63 AMG Merc.
richardmayes,
Sep 29, 4:40am
For a while in my 20s I used to feel like driving a manual gearboxed car was an essential part of my whole male identity and prowess.
But in hindsight that was a mental health issue and I'm over it now.
Sometimes it's fun to change gears.
And sometimes it's nice to click it into "Drive" and just forget about it.
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