Manual Transmission? Yea or Nay?

Stefonius

Thanks for answering the questions...when did I suggest that manual transmission devotee's were Luddites? In fact, in multiple posts, I have supported the return of the manual transmission to the HD pickups. You absolutely misunderstood the difference between not wanting to have manual transmissions available and making sure those that want them are the ones actually paying for them...

Stefonius wrote:

ricatic wrote:
They are simple, non-inflammatory questions that require only an honest yes or no. Here they are again:

How many manual transmission devotee's would order an optional manual transmission that added to the cost of the truck?

How much would the manual transmission devotee's be willing to pay for that transmission?

How many manual transmission devotee's would not spend the extra money and just buy the standard automatic transmission?

No manual transmission devotee has ever answered any of these questions. A yes answer to the third question would be especially telling. Why? Because every yes answer to that question further reduces the already miniscule 1.5% market share the manual transmission has now...

Any takers today????

Fine, I'll bite.
1) Yes, I would unquestionably select an optional manual transmission as an added-cost item. Congratulations...you are the first to ever say this. You at least recognize the need to pay your own way...

2) I would be willing to pay around $1,000.00 extra for the option of a nice, simple six speed manual gearbox.same as question one

3) I'm afraid that this question cannot be answered by any one person.
It can be answered one person at a time...and you would be in the "save the manual" group...so far it is a group of one...It is the manual devotee's that cave in and buy an automatic instead that will lower the percentage of manual transmission take rates

Now as for your repeated "1.5% market share" statistic... It's B.S. If EVERY SINGLE VEHICLE sold in the USA was available in EVERY SINGLE TRIM LEVEL with a no-charge choice of automatic or manual transmission, you could generate reliable statistics about whether the disproportionately large market share for the automatic was due to consumer preference rather than restricted availability.
Respectfully, how can the 1.5% of sales manual transmission take rate for HD pickups be BS. I did not make up that number...it is an industry accepted percentage provided by the truck manufacturer's. Certainly, the erosion of the number of manual takes has been over time...but...the manual transmission lover's let themselves down. If they would have provided sales opportunities to the manufacturers contingent on getting upgraded trucks with manual transmissions, the manufacturers would have provided them. This did not happen...manual sales plummeted and eventually 2 manufacturers withdrew the option.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Well over 90% of vehicles sold in the USA are simply not available with a stick at all. Those that are only offer it with specific engines or trim levels that may not be desired by the people who would ordinarily select a manual transmission.
We are talking about HD pickups...not cars...and you make my point...this demonstrates that the features included in these upgraded packages are ultimately more desirable than the manual transmission

Additionally, the days of ordering a vehicle a la carte from the factory are all but gone. Now the factory builds what they believe will sell and consumers pick from the selection already on the dealer's lot. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, it was a lot more common to 'build' a car with an option sheet and wait for delivery.
This does not jive with my experience...these $50,000 trucks are very likely to be customer ordered...My next new truck will be...My last truck was bought off the lot because I was 750 miles from home and needed a truck to get back in less than 2 weeks


Automakers can generate more profit if they offer fewer options because they don't have to have as many varieties of parts on hand. Instead of ordering your vehicle a la carte, you now have to choose from a small number of "packages" that contain groups of options chosen for you in advance by marketing professionals.

I still maintain that the prevalence of automatic transmissions in this country is less attributable to consumer demand than to manufacturer preference. They sell us what they want us to buy and what they feel like making.


Ricatic, you keep beating the automatic transmission drum like your way is the only way. I believe you are entitled to your opinion, but I hope you recognize that those of us who believe we have more control and a better driving experience with a manual are not misguided Luddites. We are, in fact, being driven to extinction by bean counters and marketing departments who have taken it upon themselves to decide that we no longer deserve a choice in what we drive.

I touched on this briefly in the first paragraph. Where have I said that it's my way or the highway? That is patently incorrect. I wholeheartedly agree that the manual transmission guy's should be able to "buy" that option...As long as you are paying for your choice, you can have whatever you want to purchase...I have no dog in the fight to save the manual transmission, the devotee's have the dogs and need to bring them to the buying table...I only introduced the factual reasons as to why the manual transmission has met it's demise. It can be twisted and turned in all directions by those incensed by it's loss...but it is really simple...not enough sales, or complaints about how the manual was offered, to impress the manufacturers enough to continue offering the manual option...you really can not blame the marketer's or the bean counters for the lack of interest, resulting in extremely low take rates,in the manual transmission. If the sales were there...somebody would be building manual transmission trucks other than Ram...if the manual devotee's were really correct in there theory, Ram would be selling manual transmission trucks by the trainload...

Regards