Originally Posted by Dadhawk (Post 1838873)

Then why not with manual crank (no need for a starter) or manual windows.... :)

In my opinion, the days of being able to sell a manual only car have passed for a couple of reasons. First, there is consumer demand. It is a very small percentage of people that prefer MT. It's no different than any other technology. (abacus vs. slide rule vs. calculator for example).

Second, is government regulations. As the number of gears in the transmission rise to help meet increasing MPG requirements, people aren't going to want to churn through 6/7/8 gears in their car.

I would not be surprised to eventually see the MT become the "extra cost" option since it is the low volume choice that will have to be special ordered.

Don't get me wrong, I love manual transmissions, and agree with those above that say "heavy traffic" is not a big deal or a reason to get an AT. If anything, it gives you something to do! I don't want to see them die, but at the end of the day it is about choice in the marketplace.

With the FRS I held off on my decision until I drove both, and still vacillated about it several times in Long Beach before sticking with the AT. The manual mode is close enough to satisfy any urge I have to roll my own.

...I have to say (and not saying this is @Shark_Bait88) I find it amusing that there are folks that want the car to be manual only, but complain that the FR-S doesn't have push-to-start and dual climate control, or would not have purchased it if it had manual windows and locks. If we want to get back to basics lets go all the way!

Originally Posted by Ammunition (Post 1836488)

I love my automatic as well and don't have any regrets about it - although I can understand why some people prefer a MT.

That being said - does anyone with an AT use the shift nob while it is in manual mode to shift? I know that it's not quite the same as a manual seeing as there is no clutch, and you simply move the knob either up or down to upshift or downshift respectively, but I still find it to be a lot more engaging than using the paddle shifters when I'm not driving it in auto.

Originally Posted by Skurge (Post 1838942)

i'm a die hard manual driver, i've only ever owned one AT car(a 99 legacy winter beater) out of the 8 i've owned.

that being said, i test drove the AT, and it was probably the best AT car i've ever driven, i almost got one but ended up going with the manual

Originally Posted by Timmy_Jones (Post 1838906)

What about people who are 7 feet tall and cannot fit in a twin?

Originally Posted by gutbomb (Post 1837746)

Before I learned how to drive stick (when i bought my frs) I believed everyone that said a manual was a pain in stop and go bumper to bumper traffic. Luckily I tried it for myself and after being in a few traffic jams I realized that they were all full of crap. You don't even have to think about it. Traffic sucks in an automatic and in a manual, but it sucks equal amounts.

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise (Post 1839053)

It always annoys me when manual drivers look down on automatic drivers. There's nothing heroic or especially difficult about driving manual. Some prefer manuals, other prefer automatics, nothing wrong with either choice.

Originally Posted by Timmy_Jones (Post 1839386)

A manual transmission, in my opinion, is more suited to a sports car. An automatic takes away a certain element of driving and control.

I look down on auto drivers with sports cars...because I want sales to be zero, so they are only produced in manual.

What if all cars came with Traction Control and no way to turn it off? It would remove an element of driving.

They could produce every single SUV in the world as an auto and that is fine with me....Miatas, Twins, the ST's, S2000 all should ONLY come with a manual.