Stick-shift cars are so rare in America these days that the only people you ever see driving them are the ones who are quite serious about their vehicles. No matter what kind of car nut someone is, manuals tend to be their bread and butter. But why do serious drivers prefer manual transmissions? That’s what we’re going to cover here in today’s blog post.
More Control on the Road
Probably the biggest reason for this preference is the fact that manuals give more control of the vehicle to the driver. Being able to control the gear you’re in at all times allows you to control whether you want to go for performance or fuel economy. Some automatic-transmission cars have these kinds of options, but only to an extent. Stick-shifts give all the control to the person behind the wheel while on wide-open roads.
Better for Off-Roading
Of course, this also translates well to off-roading experiences. Automatic transmissions don’t have the ability yet to know what kind of terrain they’re dealing with as a person does. That means the driver is more equipped to choose the best gear for the current situation.
Easier To Maintain
One of the main reasons why serious drivers prefer manual transmissions is that they’re easier to maintain. Stick-shifts are fairly basic. Most of their parts are mechanical, so it’s not too difficult to fix them if they break. Automatic transmissions, on the other hand, incorporate lots of technology. This will increase repair times and may make some problems nearly impossible to fix.
Lower Price Overall
Because of all of that, manual transmissions are much cheaper to fix. Their parts are much more affordable, and if you decide to pay someone to repair one, it won’t cost as much since it won’t take up as much of their time. However, if you decide to fix the manual transmission yourself, it’ll be even cheaper. Just find a store like ours that sells manual transmission parts online, and you’ll be all set.
Stick-shift drivers also save money when initially buying their cars. As we mentioned, most people don’t commonly ask for these types of vehicles these days. That means many dealerships are practically giving them away. If you know how to drive a manual vehicle, there’s no reason not to buy a car that has one at a significantly lower price.
Much More Enjoyable To Drive
The final reason could be more debatable than the others, but most serious drivers agree that manuals are more fun to drive. Nothing beats the thrill of gearing up as you speed up after stopping at a light. It also gives drivers something more to do than just sit there with their hands on the wheel and a foot on the gas. Some people might think that this gets old after a while. But there’s a reason why a select group of drivers keeps coming back to these vehicles time and time again.
