Tuesday, April 21, 2009
How can you drive a car without one?
That Mt Everest of learning how to drive, shifting the manual transmission smoothly, appears to be about to disappear, a victim of the wimpification of American automobiles.
As recently as 1985, more than 50 percent of male car buyers said they wanted a stick shift. Last year, only 11 percent did, according to market researchers, and sales totaled 7 percent of the new car market.Damn Right! Nothing has come even close.
One reason is that most women prefer automatics. "I tried a stick shift once, and then I faced a hill, and I never tried again," said Danielle Wilt, 20, a junior at York College in York, Pa.
Other reasons: Couples in which only one can drive a manual transmission, competition from sporty automatics and an insufficient number of hands.
Among drivers who like driving, however, "Nothing has been a perfect replacement for the stick shift yet,"
Several experts theorized that people who consider driving a chore favor automatics because they make the job easier. By contrast, stick shifts "force you to be involved in the driving process," and enthusiastic drivers love that, said John Nielsen, AAA's national director of auto repair and buying.Or to put it another way, how can you put on your makeup, drink your coffee, jack your jaw on a frivolous phone call and change the kids diaper before dropping him off at day care while doing 50 MPH if you have to shift, too?
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... a victim of the wimpification of American automobiles.Don't get me started.
Though the "constant velocity automatic" is a marvel.
Though the "constant velocity automatic" is a marvel.
The CV automatic may be a marvel, but we get enough little snows each winter that I want to choose my gears when I need them.
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