Evolve? Are you sure you didn't mean revolve? And where do you come up with that extremely low world number of 1%?

Because in Europe alone nearly 80 percent of passenger cars are sold with manual transmission.

And domestically, specifically with trucks, stick shift transmissions comprise about 20 percent of the market.

 

It's not only I prefer to drive a manual, I would much rather replace a clutch than rebuild an automatic. I haven't liked or trusted slushboxes since I started driving over 40 years ago. Hell, my nephew feels the same way and he's only 22 - he has a 5 speed '99 Explorer Sport with a 4.0 pushrod mill and a '70 VW Bug. He used to have a '01 Ranger with a 3.0 and a 5 speed and before that, a '98 4Runner with a 4 banger and a 5 speed. He also had an early Miata.

 

x2 on all of that.

Also, how do you think they are getting such better MPG?!

Yes, it IS the manual transmissions that are reducing greenhouse emmissions by 50% over there.


x2 on that...

I can get my clutch replaced with an OEM equivelent for under $900 at a professional transmission shop that does this type of work all day long.

Oh which FYI, is cheaper than my last 4 wheel brake job by Ford costing me a whopping $1,200!

I think I'd rather use my clutch instead of brakes.

 

x3 on everything he said ^^^

I say long live the manual! If Ford offered the 4.6L or the 5.4L in stick, I'd go pick one up the morning it hits the lot

 

Agreed.

It's either or, folks.

You want that F150 with several hundred LB's of diesel in the front and ~400 ft/lbs of torque going through the rear axle?

Well, guess what? That sound like what a 3/4-ton or 1-ton puts up with these days and I don't see v6 gassers in those, either...

 

No, they sure don't have a V-6. In fact the 5.4 V-8 is underpowered in a F-250 SD if your going to do a lot of towing.

But they do have the option of manual transmissions, like in my manual transmission F-250 SD V-10.

 

that just puts that much more stress on ur motor
id way rather replace my brakes myself than clutch/motor.....

 

x2. There have been many a time I wished Ford had made a 7 foot box extended cab in a Ranger.

 

No more manual eh? My first F-150 was a 97' with the manual tranny. It was fun, but I prefer my auto. I would, however, prefer a manual in a sports car, though. The end of the V6! That's too bad, I've had two 4.2's now both with over 100K miles. I hope to get 200K out of my current F-150 4.2. I bought both my F-150's new and I can honestly say, the only reason I got the V6 was for the great deals they were offering on them, and I was young and broke. Sad days, I guess this V6 engine forum will slowly start to deteriorate as folks start trading in for the new F-150. I hope the knowledgeable V6 guys stick around, I still have another 100K miles to go on my truck (or that's my goal) and I'm sure I'll still need to reference your expertise.

 

It'll be a long time before I sell mine... that DOHC junk scares me along with the Coil on Plug stuff too.

 

Heck, drive by wire bothers me too - I'm in my 03 for the long haul.

 

Wow, good work? You found a typo and a missing "r."

As for where I came up with that number, that is the number FORD released for their internal ratio of units sold.

your argument about Europe having 80% sticks is freaking fantastic....IF we were talking about trucks being sold in Europe. Sadly, it literally means NOTHING in terms of what is being discussed.

Guess what? Fewer than 1.5% of households have internet access in Africa, so anything having to do with selling advertising on the internet should be stopped...only 1.5% of people see it! Please....

 

Umm, you are the one who wrote "the world does not evolve around LESS THAN 1% of the customer base!", thereby with the statement including "world" opening the discussion to the "world". Wait, don't tell me, that was a typo too.

In any regard, the 2nd link I posted explains in the U.S. the truck market is composed of 20% manual transmissions. A far cry from 1%. Can you post a link to that official Ford statement?

 

Yeah.. it's about 20%... It will always stay 20% unless the manufacturers cut MT's...

People that once drove manual will get replaced by people who do... so 20% is about it...

Perhaps I think it's one of those things that people just don't like discussing. But since 20% does sound like a fair number... Ford has reason to offer it.

 

I heard this 1% statement as well. The Chief Design Engineer said it in one of the videos that was linked in another thread. Of course I can't find it now.

The engineer said that the F150's sold with the manual transmission only made up 1% of all the previous generation (2004-2008) F150's sold. That does not surprise me at all. I have never even seen a 2004-2008 with a manual transmission and there are one hell of a lot of F150's around.

It is unfortunate for those who prefer the manual transmission but I think it is a good decision by Ford. For every 1 person that actually knows how to drive a manual transmission there are 20 dumb asses that suck at it but drive one anyway. This negates any mpg benefit from the manual trans. Ford also has to spend less money on warranty repairs because some idiot burnt up his clutch or transmission because he/she doesn't know how to shift.