Who LIKES Shifting??

[747Flyer]

My Volvo 610 has a 10 speed. Every muscle car I ever owned had a manual. To me, shifting is a big part of the fun. It never gets old. I love " putting it through the box." I'm 66 years old. Wife says I'm a dinosaur. I'm in no way disparaging automatics or those that drive them. Resale is probably higher. Just curious though.... are there many like me left??😧

[Scottiedot]

I like shifting, our freightshaker has a 9 speed, we own 6 other 4 wheeled vehicles, 4 of which also have standard transmissions………

[rickeieio]

Makes no difference to me.  Modern automatics and auto-shifts are quite good.  Haven't owned a work pick-up w/ manual since '93.  Of the 4 road tractors we've owned, only one was an auto-shift.  I didn't like it at first, but when we went to Alaska I decided to give it a fair chance.  Pretty much left it in auto after that.  That said, out KW is a 13 spd. 

First car was a stick, and between the wife and I, we've had 6 or seven manual cars.  Cuda and Challenger both stick, Vette was auto.

All 8 of our motorcycles are manual.

[SWharton]

I like shifting. Given a choice I would prefer to drive a stick shift. I had to give up my 1996 Honda a few years or so ago, I was devastated. Even today, I reach to shift and need to stop myself.

[noteven]

One day in 1976 I was driving a 1970 Freightliner COE, Cummins Super 250, 4 speed main, 4 speed auxiliary transmissions, five axle semi trailer tanker, hauling gasoline. I kept a count going on a clipboard on the doghouse. I made somewhere around 1400 shifts in a 200 mile trip. 🤣

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Our 610 Volvo is a 10sp as well.  There are times I like it, and times its aggravating.  We used it as a daily driver for 4 years so there were times my leg got tired of the clutch.  Only clutched to get rolling... float everything else.

[747Flyer]

28 minutes ago, noteven said:

One day in 1976 I was driving a 1970 Freightliner COE, Cummins Super 250, 4 speed main, 4 speed auxiliary transmissions, five axle semi trailer tanker, hauling gasoline. I kept a count going on a clipboard on the doghouse. I made somewhere around 1400 shifts in a 200 mile trip. 🤣

😲

[Moresmoke]

I like shifting myself. But sometimes compromises need to be made to gain the blessing of the CFO. So I ended up with an Ishift.  

My take on it is that any rookie can drive it, and anybody driving it looks like a rookie. It is nice in stop and go traffic/lights, but on the open road and even more so in the yard, I would much prefer a manual. I did buy up and install the premium shifter, at least solves the yard issue.

[dblr]

Only had manuals when I was employed but for my rv hauler got the semi auto, I do not mind shifting but did get spoiled fast with the auto. Had to go with a friend when he got his Volvo with a 10 speed, I will say jumped right in like I never stopped shifting and even enjoyed the 6 hour trip home. Plus remember a manual trans is also a theft deterrent for the newer generation.

[ms60ocb]

Not on the HDT side but I had my daughters learnto drive a manual before I would allow them to get their drivers license. 30+ years later they still prefer the manual shift.

Clay

[dennisvr]

The only manual I have now days is my dune buggy.  I do like to take it to town once in awhile.  As for the HDT I have the 3 peddle autoshift and like it.  Done enough shifting of trucks thru my career to last me awhile.  I have caught myself  manually shifting up and down the hills, it just doesn't shift to my liking going up and I will put in HOLD and shift it manually going down hill.

[Star Dreamer]

In the HDT, I prefer my Ultrashift 2 pedal transmission. I can concentrate more on watching my turns vs having to worry if I am in the right hear or not. We are not in any rush so no need to get up to speed quickly and it made it easier to teach the wife how to drive the  HDT. 

Now, I do love my stick in my Eagle Talon but as we get older and the knees start acting up it makes it much harder to push the clutch in. 

Edited September 9, 2021 by Star Dreamer

[travelrider73]

I used to like shifting.  Now I'd prefer an auto.  However, some automatics (especially in small vehicles) up-shift when you don't want them to even in "manual control" mode.  That dangerous annoyance makes me wish that particular vehicle was a manual.  I also prefer automatic because I can likely get my wife to drive it.  Not sure if I could ever convince my wife to learn the manual for some reason.

[beemergary]

At 71 when I can't shift my 13 speed-hang it up When I can't drive my racecar in trailer and have to us a winch-hang it up. Still ride a 1969 Harley kick start-race vintage snowmobiles.  Had a drop dead heart attack 9 yrs. ago. Open heart 3 yrs. ago. Hernia surgery 2 yrs. ago. Still run on a tread mill for heart stress test. Just make it. Think God wants me to follow my young brain.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 9/8/2021 at 11:06 AM, beemergary said:

At 71 when I can't shift my 13 speed-hang it up When I can't drive my racecar in trailer and have to us a winch-hang it up. Still ride a 1969 Harley kick start-race vintage snowmobiles.  Had a drop dead heart attack 9 yrs. ago. Open heart 3 yrs. ago. Hernia surgery 2 yrs. ago. Still run on a tread mill for heart stress test. Just make it. Think God wants me to follow my young brain.

Often it's not what was "fixed" - but what couldn't be "fixed" in/on your old bod.

There was a poster a few years back that wanted an HDT in the worst way - but found he couldn't have a manual trans due to an artificial leg.  Sooooo - even though there are -no doubt- "work arounds", his preference of/for a manual trans was not an option.

I'll be 80 next month - and still kick start my early 60s Triumph motorcycles. However, if you live where freeway (expressway - or whatever) has traffic that moves at -slow-creep-stop speeds for long stretches of the road....I'll take a car/truck with an auto anytime. (and do).

BTW - my BIL races Super Gas, bracket II (9.90 et) with his '62 Corvette.  Trans = (race ready) PowerGlide.  His former racer (now a "street" car)  '64 Vet has always been a stick..  His '62 Olds F-85 has had several of each over the years.

Whatever works! - Run what ya brung! - 😁

[jenandjon]

I dont mind shifting. My work truck has an Allison and I love it. HDT has a 10 speed manual. If the HDT were an auto Jen would be open to driving. She drove our crew cab long box pickup pulling a 33 ft 5th wheel and did really well. She just dont want to learn how to drive a manual. I dont understand why. She knows how to use a clutch becaus She operates farm equipment better than any of the guys out here.

[noteven]

I help a bit on a local farm during harvest.

Last night I was tasked to take the "ol International" tandem truck and take a dab of wheat off the combines that didn't fit in the sem eye at the end of the day. 

Gas engine, 5 & 4 tran missions. About 300 rpm gear split, and the kind of horsepower on tap where you shut off the headlights to add that hp to the wheels when you see a hill coming... 

As they say "weren't those gears ground at the factory?" 🤣

[rickeieio]

We had 4 IH tandems a few years ago.  Well, 21 years ago.  One 1976, 446 gas, RT6513 and air brakes, 2-1979 S1900, 446 w/ 5/4. and a 1980 the same as the '79s, including hydraulic brakes.  The '76 was rough riding, but a pleasure to drive.  Then in 2000, against the advice of all those who know everything, I bought a 1984 White/GMC/Volvo, Big Cam 350 and Eaton 8 spd, pulling a 41' Wilson hopper. "It'll be stuck all the time, you can't get into that field or out of this field, blah, blah, blah......"

I sold my Mack last fall, and the nay sayers have Macks with Wilsons.  Progess.

And I've done enough shifting.  I don't feel the need to prove anything.

[rpsinc]

My wife had her Class B license to drive school buses with little kids.  Got all the training, driving, pre trip, on and on.  No limitations.  She was legal to drive anything, big buses, short buses, manuals, autos, short of air brakes.  

She has not EVER offered to drive our RVs, Class As, MDT, 1 tons, now 730.  She is content to sit in the seat and sorta navigate.  Wish I could get her to change that, but after 43+ years, I know better than to rock the boat.  Although I do nudge it a bit at times.

[unclebuck]

just bought a 2013 with 10 speed and i love it will not go back to auto.I  like being  in control of my truck in the hills. took a while to get use to it, but once you master it ,its fun. did not like 2001 volvo auto, had a mind of its own

[mike5511]

My 98 is a 10 speed and I wish it was a 13 speed. We're the same age, and I agree 100%!

 

[jenandjon]

7 hours ago, mike5511 said:

My 98 is a 10 speed and I wish it was a 13 speed. We're the same age, and I agree 100%!

 

I hate that 10 speed but it was cheap. I had to replace it earlier this spring. I wanted a 13 also but I found a low mile used reman 10 to go back in. The company I pull for had one sitting on the shelf in the shop. I couldn't argue the price. $2000 installed.

[mike5511]

17 hours ago, jenandjon said:

I hate that 10 speed but it was cheap. I had to replace it earlier this spring. I wanted a 13 also but I found a low mile used reman 10 to go back in. The company I pull for had one sitting on the shelf in the shop. I couldn't argue the price. $2000 installed.

I'm hoping mine holds together. As much as I'd like a 13 speed, I don't want to spend the money.

Edited September 20, 2021 by mike5511

[DamianF]

I like shifting just fine. The only auto I drive is my girlfriends Toyota. Kenworth has a 15 speed in it and it's perfect as far as I'm concerned. A really liked the 5&4 I ran for a while when I drove commercially.

[Imurphy907]

being manual was one of my requirements when we were truck shopping.