Rant!!!

[feller]

Why doesn't GM offer a manual transmission, also why can't I seem to find a used truck with one in it. Ok I'm done, lol

[71gmcC15]

I don't think anyone offers manuals in pickups. I think dodge was the last ones to

[72c20customcamper]

Because autos get better mileage than standard now. My daughter bought a jeep Cherokee has a 9 speed auto. 9 speeds hard to believe.

[feller]

That's a lot of gears. I like to row through the gears, got tired of it, now I miss it. Also when is gm gonna chop 7&8 off of the 5.3 or 6.0 and make a new generation 4.3?? Those were decent little motors but could stand a bit more power

[roboticjunky]

Gm made a new 4.3 V6 in 2014 in full size trucks. http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-engines/lv3/

Some mid-size trucks come with manual transmission; Colorado, Canyon, Tacoma, and Frontier.

[special-K]

Automatics may get better mileage now, but it didn't stop them from being offered when they didn't all those years.

[PepperTreeGarage]

My 2 cents. Most can't drive a stick shift. Plain and simple.

[Grumpy old man]

Are you a rider or a driver ?

Driver

left hand steering wheel
right hand shifter
left foot clutch
right foot gas/brake

rider
left hand steering wheel
right hand radio controls
left foot tapping to the music
right foot gas/brake

[feller]

Driver I suppose, lol. And no one knowing how to drive them is an anti theft system

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Are you a rider or a driver ?

Driver

left hand steering wheel
right hand shifter
left foot clutch
right foot gas/brake

rider
left hand steering wheel
right hand radio controls
left foot tapping to the music
right foot gas/brake

Funny, but it's more like the rider sits in the passenger seat and most people 'drive', the rest 'operate' a vehicle with a clutch. They took away the option to operate, a large element of control for a truck. I'm sure it's bean counting that killed the manual transmission. I think Toyota stopped offering a truck cab and now only offers coupe and 4dr sedan cabs... due to low volume on truck cabs. I ordered my '92 K3500 with manual transmission. Although I had people all the time commenting that they didn't realize you could still get a manual, due to never seeing it, the automatic was a $1,000 option and the manual was free. So GM was making $1,000 less on offering the exception. You would think the bean counters would love that. But to offer less choice means lower production cost (ask Toyota) and with what trucks cost now they can keep that $1,000 (or way more) hidden in the base price just fine.

[Redneck Rydes]

I remember a couple of car thives that got caught trying to steal a car both got in to steal the car and coudn't figure out why it had 3 pedals and the shifter moved side to side, by the time they got it started and tried to move it cops got them, kids!

[Indychus]

Both of my recent late model GM cars have been manuals... Chevy Colorado and Cadillac CTS-V. Manuals are still out there, just not as many options as there used to be. The market has spoken - people want automatics, and the technology has surpassed manuals. Automatics now shift faster and get better mileage. There are 8, 9, and 10 speed autos now that keep the engine in the sweet spot of the power curve in basically every situation for optimal performance and efficiency. This also helps manufacturers meet the ever-increasing efficiency standards.

Of all the cars I have owned, 90% have been manual transmission and I'll continue to drive manual as long as they are available. But I'll admit they are a bit of a one trick pony now. They used to be more fun, faster, more efficient... now they're just more fun.

[Grumpy old man]

Yeah but , You just can't beat the COOL factor of a good running V8 going thru the gears . WHAAAAA WHAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA over the auto BRMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMbrMMMMMMMMMMMbrMMMMMM

[special-K]

Automatics promote unsafe driving. With a manual you have to think to go up or down a gear according to the speed of vehicle which you must pay attention to. With an automatic you just GO! In town the speed limit is 25-30. I stay in 3rd or 4th. I drive to town in 4th because the speed limit is 30-40. Automatics are put in overdrive to take off. I don't think many at all have ever selected any position but Park, Reverse, or O/D. People are driving across parking lots doing 40+. I'm in second doing 15 looking out for pedestrians and cars maneuvering in and out of parking spaces. I'm riding the brake in an automatic to stay at 15. You ask someone driving an automatic what gear the car in and they probably don't know unless they are in top gear or starting off. With a manual everyone knows what gear they are in. You can't drive without knowing that.

[Shorty Cox]

The US Military has fazed out vehicles with manual tranys. Why? Because recruits would have to be taught to drive them. The "biggest" truck the Army has (HET) is an automatic.

[special-K]

We started off with anyone who drove knew how to shift. Now look where we have degenerated to.

We started off having to look around before changing lanes. Now look at the degenerative path they'd like to take us down. Will vehicles have mirrors in the future? Plenty already don't know how to use them.

[feller]

Looks like I opened a can of worms, and I'm not the only one who craves a manual.
Bean counters ought to look at who would be interested in a manual and the manufacturer would still give the option, I would totally buy a new truck, but if it was a stick I would want it even more.

[feller]

Mostly to keep the wife from driving it, lol.

[special-K]

My X had a stick shift Fairmont (3+O/D) when I met her. All three of my kids started off with manuals and the next couple vehicles, too. My X drove all manuals (except her classics), six vehicles, until the one she left town in. I knew buying an automatic was a bad idea.

[richard2717]

I am surprised they still put turn signals on them.....what a waste

[67ChevyRedneck]

100% based on consumer demand. Automatic vs. Manual sales finally reached a point where so few manuals were being sold that it no longer made economic sense to the bean counters to have two options.

If you think about it, there's A LOT of extra parts/design effort that have to go into added a manual trans. The extra pedal, the shifter/hole, different computer package, different instrament cluster, possible different seat, driveshaft, crossmembers, and the design of the actual trans itself. There's a TON of logistics involved. Same reason crank windows aren't offered in most vehicles anymore, it's literally cheaper to give everyone the better option than to have a second option to make a vehicle "cheaper" because of all the parts/design/logistics involved.

[cayoterun]

Originally Posted by feller

Looks like I opened a can of worms, and I'm not the only one who craves a manual.
Bean counters ought to look at who would be interested in a manual and the manufacturer would still give the option, I would totally buy a new truck, but if it was a stick I would want it even more.

Reaching back in the oold days------ In the early 60s, I drove over-the-road trucks.
I wonder what the young guys would think to crawl in an old Mack tractor with a 15spd tri-plex tranny. Two sticks, every third shift, both sticks had to be shifted.

[whitedog76]

The first truck I learned to drive was a K30 with a Sm465, the second truck I learned to drive was an IH with a DT466 and a Roadranger 13 speed. Thanks dad.

Anyhow, I’ve driven and owned a number of cars and trucks that were manual and automatic. To be honest, I don’t really miss it. I did buy a 5 speed for my project, but the more I think about it, I’m going to just use a 4L60.

I did like being able to get some more RPM when merging/passing, etc... My current truck, with a 6 speed auto won’t even let you manually shift out of Overdrive. That’s about all I miss.

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by cayoterun

Reaching back in the oold days------ In the early 60s, I drove over-the-road trucks.
I wonder what the young guys would think to crawl in an old Mack tractor with a 15spd tri-plex tranny. Two sticks, every third shift, both sticks had to be shifted.

In the late sixties I was skidding logs in the Kaskaskia River bottoms in Illinois. My dads partner had a Mack B Model with two sticks. I would ride out of the woods in the afternoon with him. I loved watching him crawl along shifting that thing like cutting hot butter.


MY Peterbilt came from the factory with a six and a four. When I bought it with 500,000 miles, I had a thirteen speed put in it because I knew I would be turning it over to someone soon and they would not know how to drive a two stick. I seldom drive it and now I have the truck locked in the warehouse because I can't stand to see somebody destroy it. I'm thinking about selling it.

['63GENIII]

For many years, I drove automatics even though I learned to drive stick when I was 14. Within the last few years though, as the market becomes more tech driven, Ive started preferring lower tech.

First was the Harley - Went from hand clutch, foot shift to hand shift, suicide clutch. I find Im more engaged and alert when I ride these days - I have to be.

Next was the '63 - Went from TH400 to NV4500 for the better mileage... yeah right. Its still WAY more fun to drive than the auto!

Lastly was the commuter.. Went from a auto hatchback to a 5 speed turbo wagon and a lot more fun driving to and from work unless there is traffic.

All of these vehicles are a lot more fun for me to drive, keep me challenged and paying attention - especially the jockey shifted one!


What I have found is that with all of the new high tech "autonomous" cars is that, and seriously, no offense meant to anyone who owns one, but the tech seems to be making people dumber on the road.

Case in point..
I drive to work and home about the same time every day and so naturally I see a lot of the same people driving on the highway a few times a week. Well, a couple of weeks ago, for a 3 days out of the week, I ended up behind the same Model 3 Tesla in the far left lane (passing lane). While traffic was moving at around 75, this guy was doing 60 - 65 or so. As I would get closer (within 4 - 5 car lengths) he would tap the brakes a few times, Im assuming to get me to back off even further. Truth be told, I wasn't tailgating and wasn't in a hurry so I just changed lanes and got with the flow of traffic and passed him. Not fast and not really paying attention to the driver at all.

Next day, same thing. Brakes tapped. Again not really paying attention to the driver, passed and got with the flow of traffic.

Two days later, it was a Friday and Im looking forward to getting home and cracking a beer to start the weekend and lo and behold its the same model 3 in front of me in the fast lane. Brake lights tap a few times to get me to give hime 10 car lengths. Id creep up a little, brake lights flash. Back off a little and they don't anymore. Im a little irritated at this point by the guy who can't keep up with the flow of traffic on his right and who has over a mile of clear lane in front of him. The lane to the right is clear, I downshift into 3rd, spool the turbo and pass just slow enough that I can get a look at this person who has no sense of their surrounding environment and BLAM! No, I didn't rear end anyone, remember the lane was clear (us low tech guys check stuff like that), but this guy was reading a paper!! or a magazine or maybe it was a treasure map but he WASNT looking either in front of him or to the side! I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

It seemed to make sense at that point. As I got closer, the car sensed traffic coming from behind and maybe flashed the brake lights? Is that really a thing, an option these days? Because I can sure as hell tell you that this guy didn't have any idea that I was there let alone slack jawed staring at him reading while he was driving.

My point to this dissertation is that I feel way more aware while driving with the manual trans and maybe even a few less options. The thought of just hoping into a cage, taking a nap and waking up at my destination scares me a little.

I was always told that driving was a great privilege not an unalienable right.

To get back to the rant. I'll take a manual. You can have the 4.3 as well. Im still stuck on Big Blocks too!