Manual fun

[Ciulster]

Saying using paddle shifters is shifting "manually" is like saying you washed your clothes manually by pushing the button to start your washing machine.

While I agree the paddle shifts do add back that all important versatility of being able to be in whatever gear you want whenever you want and not having to wait for the transmission to figure things out on its own, pushing a button to tell the transmission what it should be doing is not the same as physically moving a mechanical lever and moving that gear in and out of engagement yourself.

I actually find the biggest draw in a manual is the clutch though. Being able to feather the clutch and gas, that firm thrust forward as you hit the bite point on the clutch and slowly add power as you let it out the rest of the way is a feeling that will never be matched and honestly, whenever I drive an automatic I find myself not knowing what to do with my left foot to the point it's distracting for me. Having to orchestrate all four of your limbs in an elaborate dance where even one misstep will cause a jerky/rough experience or even worse an outright failure to move, even just to go stoplight to stoplight is extremely focusing. Give me neutral jiggles or give me death.

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[Screen Protech]

Bought my gt two weeks ago ordered it in September it’s been 16 years since my last manual car and I am having so much fun, i’m glad we have American muscle you can shift manually. I would have considered the Corvette, but I didn’t want an automatic and I know they’re faster but I’m not racing. I am enjoying the car, manual muscle is visceral. I live in Sarasota fl and the traffic is terrible this time of year no problem with the shifting .

I love manual. I always get the comments, "Automatic is faster shifting". I just want to enjoy the car! lol

 

[highvoltage]

Just something about a V8 and shifting your own gears. I don’t need to be faster. I enjoy the car my way and that’s what matters

 

[Mspider]

I love manual. I always get the comments, "Automatic is faster shifting". I just want to enjoy the car! lol

I never understood the whole auto being faster thing. Who are you racing? Who cares?

On top of that do people not realize how fast EVs are now of days? A tesla model 3 performance would dust a A10 mustang on the track and drag strip for the same price. Why are you even buying a ICE car anymore if going faster is the goal.

Is this coming from someone would who is planning on buying a auto.

 

[thereatthebeginning]

Totally agree. Just picked up my 2025 GT. Fantastic!

 

[Jonyxz]

Amen

 

[thereatthebeginning]

Totally agree. Just picked up my 2025 GT. Fantastic!

Me too! Love my new 2025 GT!

 

[Allanrock59]

If you only want speed buy an EV.

For the same car, if you want to go a bit faster from 0 to 100 get an automatic.
If you want to save a bit of money on gas buy an automatic

If, for you the driving experience is what drives you then get an manual. I agree that there is nothing more fun then the feeling of shifting gear with a V8

Bottom line it's really just a question of choice. You want it or you don't for whatever reason. There is no good or bad choice. The reason I bought an automatic is I have arthrosis in my knees.

 

[Redback]

Agreed. Would not have bought my Mustang if it was not available with a stick.

 

[bimmerborn]

 

[MCS]

I love manual. I always get the comments, "Automatic is faster shifting". I just want to enjoy the car! lol

I've heard this so many times as well. I've owned a Supercharged 2021 GT that was an A10 and sure, on the 1/4 track it would shift faster but on the street? That millisecond difference is gone.

When we are forced to drive out into the wasteland (or Brampton, Ontario) to find the Guzzoline the difference between the A10 and the 6 Speed (the Tremec, cause the getrags will all be long dead and gone) will not matter that much.

IYKYK

 

[Redback]

Classic. I'm looking to get a weighted version of this from Barton Shifters. Just have to make peace with shelling out $130 bones for it.

 

[bimmerborn]

Classic. I'm looking to get a weighted version of this from Barton Shifters. Just have to make peace with shelling out $130 bones for it.

Got mine from famous auction site. $76 USD. Weight is exactly same as stock shift knob. It is a larger diameter than original GT and DH. That is what I wanted.

 

[5.0ALM]

That OEM knob had to go!

 

[HeyMoe!]

I've owned manuals, since the '70s (Oh, that '83 GTI manual I should have kept). I've owned BMWs since 2009. Four of them, the first three manuals. I couldn't get a manual in 2022, without going way beyond my means, so I settled on an M340i. Nice car, it really is, but I miss the manual.
The BMW car club magazine is very good. There's a guy in their "Tech Talk" column, Mike Miller, who is an absolute BMW guru; it's one of the best parts of the magazine.
He has offered the opinion that there are five "driver inputs" that one has into driving. They include, the gas pedal, the brake pedal, the steering wheel, the clutch, and the shifter.
In his mind, with an automatic, you lose 40% of the inputs.
I get it why people buy automatics. Heavy traffic, physical limitations, and such. I do understand that. And, I've driven a C8 Corvette, and the automatic was nice.
I live where it is rare that I have stop for three stoplights in a row. And, curvy roads beckon. So, after pricing an M2 manual (no discount), and a Mustang GT manual (almost same MSRP, but CCA pricing), I have a Grabber Blue GT on order, which I will look forward to driving on twisties, and just blasting around town. And, it didn't hurt that the Ford dealer is an hour away, and the BMW dealer is 2+hours away.
Just my couple of two cents. I'm 71 YO; this itch may go away sometime down the road. But, not yet.

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