I think you should drive a vehicle with a manual gearbox. Driving a stick shift is a dying art and it shouldn’t be.

Audi has announced that after 2019 they will not sell their cars with a manual gearbox option. 2015 was the last year the V10 R8 was offered with a gated manual. Lamborghini stopped selling manual variations in 2014. But not that long ago (1980) one out of every three new cars in the US were sold with a manual transmission.

When you look at performance, longevity, and efficiency, automatic transmissions are better. But it doesn’t lead to a better driving experience.

Exceptions

If you don’t care about driving or you drive in a lot of traffic every day, get a daily driver with an automatic transmission. When driving is a chore, an auto will do just fine.

If you need to race at the drag strip every weekend, a manual gearbox won’t perform at the level of the competition. Real racers need expensive transmissions that are either automatic or have double clutch gearboxes. But no one said you only have to have one car. My WRX has a manual and my Tundra has an automatic transmission. It’s nice to be able to choose what I want to drive on any given day. But the bottom line is, I will always own and drive at least one car with a manual gearbox.

You Have More Control With A Manual Gearbox

With a manual gearbox, you decide what gear the car is in. With an automatic, the ECU (the car’s computer) determines what gear you should be in based on how much you push on the gas pedal. This works great most of the time. But there are a few situations where it is much more advantageous to drive a manual.

Driving on slick roads? Black ice perhaps? With a manual gearbox, you can gear down and safely traverse dangerous roads. I’ve done it many times before and I feel much more comfortable and confident while driving a manual in inclement weather.

Need to pass someone on the highway? I would much rather be in a manual and drop a gear myself than wait for the computer to respond after I mash on the gas.

I could go on, but the point is a driver can have much more in control when operating a vehicle with a manual gearbox.

Good Luck Texting And Driving With A Manual Gearbox

Phones are cool and they let us access information and people like never before. But you shouldn’t text or use your device while driving.

With one hand on the shifter and one hand on the wheel you barely have time to adjust the radio. Driving a car with a manual gearbox keeps you attentive and focused on the road. This is a very good thing for your passengers and fellow drivers on the road.

Driving a Manual Gearbox Is Just More Fun

Shifting gears make you feel like you are part of the car. It just makes for an amazing driving experience. Almost everybody who knows how to drive a stick shift has a funny story and remembers when and how they learned. Ask your car enthusiast friend next time you see them and ask how they learned to drive a manual.

Driving a manual gearbox might be a dying art, but it’s not dead yet. If you don’t know how to drive a manual, check out our post on how to drive a car with a manual transmission. You might just get hooked!

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SAVE THE MANUALS