The stick-shift car is starting to become a thing of the past. We knew this was inevitable back when Audi ceased offering a manual transmission for its R8 GT Spyder model. This wasn’t the first company to start limits its manual options, but it was the start of a trend in America to offer only fully automatic versions of a vehicle.
However, just because the old way of driving is dying doesn’t mean that you have to give up on it yourself. If you’re still interested in getting your first manual-transmission vehicle, here’s a list of the top things you must know before purchasing a manual vehicle.
You Can Still Buy Brand New
Manual vehicles may be a dying breed, but they’re not entirely dead yet. Most car companies still offer one or two models with stick shifts as options. Of course, finding a new vehicle in general is quite difficult these days due to the shortages, but finding a brand-new manual vehicle should still be pretty easy. We’re sure that the dealerships near you will have a couple of these vehicles sitting around that they’ve been trying to sell off for a while now.
Learning To Use One Isn’t Too Difficult
Many people think that learning how to drive a stick is complicated. However, most people can pick it up in an afternoon. As long as you have a good teacher or can find a few in-depth tutorials online, you shouldn’t have any issues learning how to use a manual.
However, you’ll want to verify which kind of manual transmission you have. There are a few different types, and depending on the version your vehicle has, you might need to do a few things differently when using it. Once you determine that, though, it should be smooth sailing.
It Will Be Cheaper Overall
As we mentioned earlier, the demand for manual cars is much lower than that of automatic ones here in the States. That means that the cost of buying one will be significantly lower. Many dealerships have trouble getting manuals off the lots these days, which means you could get a hefty discount if they’re desperate to move the one you’re interested in—especially if you try haggling on the price with them a little bit.
Of course, the savings don’t stop there. One of the top things you must know before purchasing a manual vehicle is that you can actually save on gas as well. Once you become efficient at changing gears, you’ll start to see a steady increase in the number of miles you get per gallon.
Plus, manual vehicles are less prone to breaking down on you. That’s because automatics are incredibly complex these days. Stick shifts are very basic, so even when they do break down, the fixes will be more straightforward and use fewer parts, leading to a cheaper final bill. Hopefully, these savings will inspire you to take extra care of your car and become more proficient with your stick-shift usage.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
