Manual Transmission Drivers: Younger or Older?

[amsnow440]

Originally Posted by 631twentyeighteye

20- MT and always will choose MT no matter how "lightning fast" automatics shift.

^This x 10,000.

I'm 24 and all of my cars have been and always will be manuals. Yes GT-R and Turbo S, I'm looking at you...

[angler]

I am 57 MT
Wife is 55 MT
Daughter is 19 MT
Nobody in the family has ever owned a car that was an auto

[Bama335]

Good for all you younger folks who have picked up the torch, as if the sales numbers don't get better for our beloved manuals, that torch will be put out within the next couple generations of cars.

I'm in my upper 40's, learned on MT, took the test on MT and have had at least one MT in the garage ever since. Mom thought she would delay my getting a license by making me take it on the manual, instead, I found I liked the driving involvement alot more than her LTD automatic.

Even back in the '80's, I was one of a few in my group of friends who could drive stick - I applaud those friends now when they teach their kids to drive manual.

Unlike some here, I don't hate on the automatics, they have their place, and the technology is infinitely better than what was in that old LTD - the ZF8 is one of the best automatics avail, and the DCT in my E88 is fantastic - that said, when I want to go do some "enthusiast" driving, it's 3 pedals for me, thanks.

[chris82]

23, MT. Will always drive with 3 pedals. The Porsche GT3 is my all time favorite car, but I'm really turned off by the fact that it isn't even offered with a manual transmission anymore

[CAVU]

Originally Posted by Bama335

Good for all you younger folks who have picked up the torch, as if the sales numbers don't get better for our beloved manuals, that torch will be put out within the next couple generations of cars.

I'm in my upper 40's, learned on MT, took the test on MT and have had at least one MT in the garage ever since. Mom thought she would delay my getting a license by making me take it on the manual, instead, I found I liked the driving involvement alot more than her LTD automatic.

Even back in the '80's, I was one of a few in my group of friends who could drive stick - I applaud those friends now when they teach their kids to drive manual.

Unlike some here, I don't hate on the automatics, they have their place, and the technology is infinitely better than what was in that old LTD - the ZF8 is one of the best automatics avail, and the DCT in my E88 is fantastic - that said, when I want to go do some "enthusiast" driving, it's 3 pedals for me, thanks.

+1

My story matches all 4 paragraphs.

[TwinTurboed]

Started at 16 with MT. Bought an AT at 20 and sold it after 7 months. It was a G37 with the 7 Spd, i hated that transmission so much, probably would have been happy with a BMW ZF 6 spd or some sort of DSG/DCT. Bought a 135i 6MT at 20, still have at 22.

[JimD]

I started on an automatic but the first car I purchased, at 17, was a manual transmission 1966 mustang. I've driven company cars that were automatics and purchased one or two for me to drive but mostly I have driven manuals. I have two at the moment. I plan to replace the manual SUV with a pickup or SUV, not sure which, with an automatic. My wife can drive a manual but doesn't want to.

I taught my 21 year old daughter to drive my manual SUV this summer when her Jeep was in the shop. She caught on quickly and did fine. My 32 year old son has two manual transmission vehicles. The other two kids drive automatics and don't know how to drive a manual.

My age is implied by my kids ages but I am 58.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by Alow

38 - mt. I think it's mostly older people who had more manuals when we were learning to drive. Young people that drive manuals are mostly car enthusiast IMO - which this forum has a lot of but its probably not representative of the overall population.

The country of origin also plays a part too I bet.

For sure. When I was working in Sao Paulo 95% of all the cars I saw were manual transmission. I assume its because they're cheaper and you can get more power and reliability when mated to a small motor.

[bmw1racer]

54, MT.

I'm on my sixth BMW since 1984 and every one of them has been an MT.

[inline sex]

24 - MT
All 4 BMWs I've owned have been manual. In fact I've never owned an automatic

[Harlequin]

39 - MT (obviously)...

I've had 17 cars and only one - the last one - 135i DCT - was not Manual.

[RoundelM3]

66 with MT (128i Convertible) and 8AT (335i Sedan); wife and I drive both cars. Prefer MT in smaller cars, AT in larger cars.

[MightyMouseTech]

mid forties, MT
wife is early 30's, MT
even my sister, who is early 40's has a nice stable, every single one MT, including the ITR, 335 and V10 R8.

I have owned about 15 cars or so, only one was automatic, but that was a 3/4 tonne Suburban tow vehicle. In the future will be harder to find a true MT car, but I will always be able to find at least one I like.

[NorthernDancer]

Me-68-MT X3
wife-62-auto but can easily drive a MT
son #1-MT
son #2-auto now but always MT before

[Mach1er]

25 - MT
Father (64) - MT
Mother (62) - MT
Friend (24) - MT

[Billup]

24
First car Civic EK Hatchback was a 5 speed.
Second Rsx Type-S with the 6 speed.
Motorbike is 6 speed of course.
128i is failmatic unfortunately.

I bought the car as an automatic because my Rsx had heavy duty clutch, pressure plate, oversized CMC, so it took about 100 ft/lbs of force to depress the clutch. After a while I started getting really bad pains in my left ankle so I opted to get an automatic this time around since I still have the bike to play on.

[P7X]

31- MT
Gf is 26 and is buying a MT this week (first one)

[PA135i]

54 MT. Learned to drive on an automatic, was a new 77 Chevy Caprice lol.
Been driving stick for 29 years now.

Think I might go Auto next time. It can be a real bother in heavy traffic.

[ejm3]

47 - MT
I've pretty much always owned an MT since I was 16.

[Stock4Evr]

My age >70 is not why I decided to go for an Auto trans. I drive mostly on the highway and therefore do not get to use the fun of a manual. When in the city, which is not very often, I use the manual (shifter/paddles) frequently.

[Bamerbimmer]

52 MT

[Kontra]

22-MT. Daily traffic through NYC doesn't bother me at all. The clutch pedal in BMW's to my knowledge are like butter though, put me in my brothers '94 cobra and I'd probably be bitching for an auto within a month.