Bye, bye stick-shift

[JerryB]

Hi folks,

I see on the news this evening that Audi will soon no longer offer a stick-shift in their cars for North America.

It also said, that overall, stick-shifts are only in 2 - 2 1/2 % of all cars sold in the USA.

So, how many of you learned to drive on a stick-shift?

Me, for one.

Jerry Baumchen

[SpyderAnn01]

Me too. I liked stick shifts so much that in 2003 when Cadillac came out with the CTS with a manual transmission I drove 12 hours to purchase one. All of my Spyders have been manuals as I just prefer it.

[JerryB]

Hi Ann,

Re: I just prefer it.

I was that way about 25-30 yrs ago. I thought that I would never own an auto-box. Now, I am just the opposite; I prefer auto-boxes for everything. That's why I bought an SE-5.

Jerry Baumchen

[ARtraveler]

Learned to drive my first stick shift in 1966.

[canamjhb]

Drivers Training required that we learn both automatic and standard transmission when I was taking it (back in the very early 60s)
Had to pass training in order to get insurance on my parents' policy. I believe I paid an extra $200 per year for driving the family sedans. Saw an internet video of thieves trying to steal a car who couldn't complete their task because it was a standard transmission and nobody knew how to drive it..... Love it.

[SpyderAnn01]

Drivers Training required that we learn both automatic and standard transmission when I was taking it (back in the very early 60s)
Had to pass training in order to get insurance on my parents' policy. I believe I paid an extra $200 per year for driving the family sedans. Saw an internet video of thieves trying to steal a car who couldn't complete their task because it was a standard transmission and nobody knew how to drive it..... Love it.

First time (of many) that I took the CTS in for service they sent a porter out to take my car back to the garage he got in it, shut the door and just sat there. Finally he got out and said he didn't know how to drive a stick. He was a very embarrassed young man.

[Chupaca]

Learned on them and always had stick. My daughter learned to drive with me and also has always had a stick...

[PW2013STL]

Looks like we will need to keep our 2000 A4 manual alot longer. What fun would it be to own a performance car that you can not row through the gears

[PMK]

With the current trend of modern day paddle shifters, you get the best of both worlds, plus the engine management system keeps you honest.

Not meaning the kind of less refined setup on the Spyder SE series , but the more refined stuff in high end cars. Understandable why old school stick shift is fading away, technology has simply gone beyond it.

[Bob Denman]

I learned on a 1945 Willys MB
You can't get more "Stickier" than this!


MB368254_dash.jpg

[bhern]

All of our family cars were stick shift -- I learned on a 1965 Volvo that my father bought for $300 with about 200,000 miles on it. Sold it for $200 a few years later with over 300,000 miles on it, a fair number put on by me over the protests of the transmission. It was an old school four on the floor where you had to kind of edge over to the left to avoid conking your knee to get it into reverse, and shifting into 3rd or 4th required a real reach over to the right. (Had a date who thought I was getting a little fresh when all I was trying to do was accelerate... oh, never mind...)

[gkamer]

Hi folks,

I see on the news this evening that Audi will soon no longer offer a stick-shift in their cars for North America.

It also said, that overall, stick-shifts are only in 2 - 2 1/2 % of all cars sold in the USA.

So, how many of you learned to drive on a stick-shift?

Me, for one.

Jerry Baumchen

I learned to drive stick on a duce and a half. Had a steering wheel which at the time, looked to be as big as Texas. In hindsight that was a good vehicle to learn to drive stick because it was nearly impossible to hurt it.

[Kiry]

My Mom required me to learn to drive with our family car (a stick) prior to getting my licence in the 80s. I've had sticks off and on, however for the past 15 years, I've only had automatics. My Mom traded in her car and got an automatic and now is happy she did so.

I think there's value in learning to drive in a stick of some kind.

[sandeejs]

I had to learn to drive stick - family car was a stick. At least the one I was allowed to use. LOL

Years later, my little family drove to Maryland in a stick shift. It was a Mazda GLC. I was the only one who could drive it. Baby got him pneumonia, couldn't go home until he felt better. Gave Daddy a quick instruction in stick, sent him home to get back for work. He and car survived. Baby and I flew back 2 weeks later.

Good old days.

~Sandee~

[Cavman]

My first car a 1974 Nova was stick shift. The latest car I bought last year, a Subaru WRX, is stick shift.

[ByeSpyder]

My family had two stick-shifts when I learned to drive cars. I had a manual motorcycle two years before that. My wife and kids all learned on sticks as well and that didn't change until I finally bought a car that didn't come with a stick. I have to admit I like sticks more than autos but it is much easier to commute in an auto so you are not constantly rowing the shifter in rush hour traffic. Now I have four cars and only the wifey's is stick (a little econobox) which she had to order special to get the stick.

My dozens of motorcycles have all been manual except the Spyder which is gone now. Never did like the paddle shifters or the auto downshift. Neither did she.

[Sarge707]

Young people (Some Old) Don't want them because its harder to text if you have to shift? My Cell Phone is Never on in the car.

[Kiry]

My dozens of motorcycles have all been manual except the Spyder which is gone now. Never did like the paddle shifters or the auto downshift. Neither did she.

Been using the paddle shifter recently in my Subaru in bad/icy weather to downshift. I wonder if folks that have never driven a stick understand how they work.

[SpyderAnn01]

Been using the paddle shifter recently in my Subaru in bad/icy weather to downshift. I wonder if folks that have never driven a stick understand how they work.

Doubtful.

[Jester]

Had to sell my 1963 Chevrolet Super Sport 2 door hardtop because my then new wife couldn’t learn to drive the factory 4 speed even tho’ she taught piano playing with both hands and both feet 😄 Still married to her 54 years later. ❤️👍. Wish she liked riding my Spyder more. HAve had PHUN with 3 of them. Waiting on the 2019s to get her😝

[spydermyke990]

A lot of the semi trucks manufacturers are ditching the stick shift as standard equipment now, instead going to “automated manual” gearboxes(basically it’s a manual equipped with valves, solenoids, actuators and a computer control box that do the clutching & shifting).

[Peter Aawen]

A lot of the semi trucks manufacturers are ditching the stick shift as standard equipment now, instead going to “automated manual” gearboxes(basically it’s a manual equipped with valves, solenoids, actuators and a computer control box that do the clutching & shifting).

Apart from their size & the 'actual' clutch they use, that's just what the SE5 & SE6 Spyders do!! Same gearbox as the manuals, just automated shifting & clutching & rev matching etc. All the benefits of a manual box, none of the issues.....

[rwcall]

Wasn't allowed to drive the car (probabably a good thing, looking back), a refurbished plymoth police interceptor with a push button automatic until i mastered the old man's work truck. A P/U with the infamous 3-on-the-tree. Disappointigly, by the time i mastered the truck, they got rid of that car and i still never got to drive it.

[ByeSpyder]

Apart from their size & the 'actual' clutch they use, that's just what the SE5 & SE6 Spyders do!! Same gearbox as the manuals, just automated shifting & clutching & rev matching etc. All the benefits of a manual box, none of the issues.....

I guess I am just old fashioned but I much prefer to be in total control of my vehicle, bike or car. What surprised me is I bought the SE for the wife but she didn't like the auto shift either.

[d.o.spyder-rts]

I learned to drive on both, but mostly manual transmissions. I worked on my Uncle's farm driving tractors and pickups with 3 speed on the column. My first manual was a 1974 4 speed Lincoln Mercury Capri, loved that little car. Dale