Why is it so hard to find a manual transmission on a lot???

[MLL67RSSS]

JFTR some are a little off on their dates, I'm 54 and cars with automatics were the norm when I started driving in '76. Only about four people I knew had a manual (A Beetle, F-150 pick-up, '68 Camaro, & '70's Trans AM). I wanted a manual when I got a new car in '78 and had to order it, when I traded for a new one, same model in '80 to get AC (moving to AZ) could only find one with manual and AC in all of Central Indiana. You'd have to be in your '80's to have lived when manuals were more prevalent.

[MLL67RSSS]

Originally Posted by wayne watson

Thanks for the history lesson but since I am 42 and grew up in the 70's, I really don't remember too many stick-standard cars being driven.my parents always had automatics and so did all the neighbors.. this should really blow your mind, they had automatics in the 50's, can you believe that?

Yeah, saw that too. I'm 54 and cars with automatics were the norm when I started driving in '76. Only about four people I knew had a manual (A Beetle, F-150 pick-up, '68 Camaro, & '70's Trans AM). I wanted a manual when I got a new car in '78 and had to order it, when I traded for a new one, same model in '80 to get AC (moving to AZ) could only find one with manual and AC in all of Central Indiana. You'd have to be in your '80's to have lived when manuals were more prevalent. JFTR

[Tom_T]

When I was looking to move from my L99 'vert to a LS3 'vert I plugged it into the Chevy site and it found one that was in route to a dealer nearby. Called the dealer told them to hold it for me and I now have my first manual since my '69 Roadrunner.
Learned to drive in a '55 Ford 3-speed on the column...........We have been predicting the demise of the manual transmission since the 60's

[TooCool5]

Originally Posted by shibbs

That's part of the reason I ordered mine exactly the way I wanted it.

^^^This^^^

[McRat]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

... We have been predicting the demise of the manual transmission since the 60's

It's already close today. Fewer models are offered with manuals each year.

They will never die completely. But when all performance advantages point to other systems, only economy cars will have them.

[citabria7]

Originally Posted by Tom_T

When I was looking to move from my L99 'vert to a LS3 'vert I plugged it into the Chevy site and it found one that was in route to a dealer nearby. Called the dealer told them to hold it for me and I now have my first manual since my '69 Roadrunner.
Learned to drive in a '55 Ford 3-speed on the column...........We have been predicting the demise of the manual transmission since the 60's

'60 Simca..4 on the column. What a piece of shit

[abaucom21]

Last week test drove a Jag F coupe, supercharged V-6, 340 hp. Sweet. Only offered with an automatic.

[camguynj]

Originally Posted by DagoCountyGee

They only had 1 manual when I bought my car and it was a 1ls. I didn't want the basic model and I certainly didn't want it in silver. I had to order my blue ray 1lt/rs
Dealer tried to sell me one of their autos saying that paddle shifting was the same thing. Test drove it, hated it, told them I wasn't interested.

Two questions for your dealer 1) Did he ever drive a manual muscle car? 2) Same as what? ...doing finger curls

[rdrfronty]

Was just at my dealership picking up my license plates. For curiosity I checked out the other Camaros there. They had 35 of them.
The breakdown -
1ea - Z/28 = 6spd - NPP
10ea - SS = Auto - no/NPP
21ea - V6 = Auto - no/NPP
3ea - V6 = 6spd - no/NPP
I never really payed attention to what was the typical setups when I was getting ready to buy my 1LE since I was only considering that model. But it did surprise me that none of the SS's had a stick and the only NPP was on the Z/28.
I guess I might be wrong, but I truly think they would sale more cars if they had at least 1 6spd & NPP car for test driving. These cars sound SOOO beautiful going through the gears, even when done mildly. Any car enthusiast I think would be impressed enough to want to break out the checkbook if they where already on the fence.
Maybe I'm just biased. Don't know.....

[Fastcat3]

Originally Posted by citabria7

'60 Simca..4 on the column. What a piece of shit

Wow! I thought I was the only one that learned to drive a Simca just like that. It was so ugly....beige and brown.....but lacking on styling a tad. Just bought a new 2SS/RS with a stick. They are pretty scarce around here too.

[11SGM2SSRS]

I was at Miller Chevrolet in Rogers, MN a few days ago. They had 14 Camaros lined up in front of the dealership. 5 were V8's and 9 were V6's, all were auto's. I just shook my head.

[jd10013]

Originally Posted by McRat

It's already close today. Fewer models are offered with manuals each year.

They will never die completely. But when all performance advantages point to other systems, only economy cars will have them.

it will always be more than economy cars, sport/pony cars will always offer them in some limited number. you'll always have a certain segment of the population that prefers them, so they'll never die completely.