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Why Do Many People Still Insist On Driving Manual Cars?

ByMatsumoto Naoki-January 08, 2021

The use of manual transmission cars is declining. According to a study in 2020, less than 15% of new car models in the market had a manual transmission. But manual cars are far from being dead as many die-hard car enthusiasts still prefer stick shifts over the automated ones.

Top Reasons for Driving Manual Cars

Here are some of the advantages you will get from driving vehicles with a manual transmission.

Complete Control

A manual car is a right choice if you want to have full control over driving. It will let you decide on your own when to shift the gears after considering all the associated factors. There will be no dependency on the computer while making vital decisions.

Easy Maintenance

Cars with an automatic transmission will need regular fluid changes and filter replacement. During the normal use of auto cars, rapid fluid degradation also happens due to a high fluid operating temperature. Manual cars do not require these changes and hence, require less maintenance.

Manual cars are easy to maintain. (Source: Matti Blume / Wikipedia)

More Wheel Power

To run an oil pump and slippage of torque, the engine loses some of its power in the case of automatic cars. Contrarily, having a manual transmission in cars means the manual gearbox will send the total energy to the tires without losing it anywhere in between.

Anyone Can Drive an Automatic

Today, the automatic transmission is the default mode in most cars, and those who drive the manual cars do it on purpose. These days, not everyone knows how to drive manual vehicles. Driving manual cars sends out the message that the driver is serious about it.

Better Fuel Economy

With the price hike of fuel in the global market, it is impossible not to think of fuel cost while driving cars. Automatic cars added many gears and went through engine modifications throughout the last decade, contributing to increased fuel use. However, manual cars still offer fuel-efficient driving.

Quick Start

While driving a manual car, it is possible to accelerate at the exact moment, depending on the engine rpm and tire speed. It allows avoiding the wait time an automatic vehicle will take to determine the right gear and torque converter slip for acceleration.

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A Personal Bonding with the Car

You cannot deny the bond with the car when there is a manual transmission. Manually shifting the gears means having a personal yet powerful connection with the vehicle that an automatic vehicle cannot offer. It also ensures a direct and constant relationship between crankshaft and driveshaft that is absent in automatic cars.

Better Compatibility with Autocross

During track-day or autocross, automatic transmission puts a lot of pressure on the fluid that decreases longevity. On the other hand, there is no oil pump in manual cars that can create heat. Also, these cars do not depend on fluid pressure to execute proper shifting.

Conclusion

Although more and more people are interested in using automated cars, manual vehicles have their own set of benefits. The advantages of manual transmissions will help you to compare with automatic cars and make the right decision.

Matsumoto Naoki is senior car blogger at Car From Japan. Having background in mechanical engineering, he has a unique perspective on a lot of new car innovations. Prior to Car From Japan, Matsumoto was Mechanical Design Engineer at Yajima Plant, Subaru Corporation. His articles provide detailed DIY instructions and how-tos to help you get your new car on the road. If you want to save money and feel more confident when working on your cars, you should not ignore Matsumoto’s sharing posts. He presents driving tips and tricks for everyone through easy-following steps and mechanically but friendly writing.

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