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Automotive News & Views The Future Of The Manual Transmission
5807 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 7:20 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 29, 2008 3:27 pm) My origional contention was that the weekend family drive has fallen out of favor due to the cost of fuel and how using fuel just because has become politically incorrect. I just wonder if the post that included the idea that they drove as many miles as they wanted and burning just as much fuel as they wanted could be supported as being responsible in view of how much foreign oil we import today? I wonder how such a philosophy would apply if every driver felt the same? As much as it pains me to say this  I must agree with you.... There is often an inherent hypocrisy in attempting to balance the enjoyment of an activity with the social responsibility... and there is also a blindness when I sit in my overpowered V8 car and scoff at the guy driving the V8 pickup because the bed is so clean... I do believe that a shift is happening, slowed somewhat by the retreat (temporary?) in the price of gas. My concern though, is that much of the shift has been for economic, rather than "societal good" reasons; we care about "foreign oil" because it is expensive, and because "they" could always jack the price, we care about more economical vehicles because they are cheaper to run, not because we REALLY believe the planet is in peril etc.
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Replying to: ny540i6 (Sep 29, 2008 4:17 pm) I also want 30 MPG city, 80 MPG Hwy. '87 Mustang If this guy can do it, why can't any of the global manufactures??? I know it's a stretch but I am sure we are advanced enough to get this done. Regards, OW
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Replying to: ny540i6 (Sep 29, 2008 4:17 pm) |
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 25, 2008 5:57 pm) In my haste, I overlooked this phrase in your post. I concur. Are you a SoCal person? I should know by now, but don't. I travel quite a bit, so maybe we can make it happen. As far as being stoned by a tree hugger, I at least look responsible as I tootle about in my TSX (with a 6-speed manual I might add) getting a mixed driving MPG number a little over 28. My previous (as yet unsold) vehicle did 20 around town on a good tank and 18-19 most of the time, so I'm not completely oblivious to the conservation mantra. I do feel, however, that the market tends to make it work out. Those who can afford it will do what they prefer (a distinct minority). Those who can't will make the adjustment -- witness the overall reduction in fuel demand earlier this year. Either way, you're on for the cup of coffee, if we can get the logistics worked out.
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Replying to: cdnpinhead (Sep 29, 2008 5:48 pm) However as far as manual transmissions go I believe we may have the most hybrids of any state. The hybrid has become the darling of the PC in this state and so far they simply aren't coming with manuals. It is that type of future view I wonder about when I look at the future of manuals. Let me know if you are ever down where I might be and I'll buy. |
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Replying to: boaz47 (Sep 29, 2008 11:27 am) Kind of like Ford's SYNC on a 14,000 Focus?
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Replying to: lilengineerboy (Sep 29, 2008 7:51 pm) |
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I am not against text messaging, and it sounds like your idea is sound as a pound, as far as texting someone about a highway emergency. But my point on not doing it while driving is because we all have to share the road with these dodo-heads that insist on texting while driving. I would probably just make a cell phone call to that person getting out of work later than I, and just leave a voice mail message for them, if they didn't pick up. Everyone's cell has voice mail, doesn't it? Everyone's cell I know of has a voice mail messaging system. Anyhow, no, it is not offensive what you are bringing up in this forum and I have willingly participated in it. I didn't have to, so everything's OK. I was serious when I say go and enjoy your trips in your vehicles with ICE, hybrid, or whatever you drive. If you can afford the ghastly and you have the extra time car travelling entails, I still say go for it. Once again, the current economic climate strings this one out to the point that there won't be too much pull on the system and too much usage, the prices are high and for whatever good reason(India, China and Russian increased demand, Hurricane Ike, Governor Palin blowing her nose at just the right time, they don't need a valid reason, they've already got a playbook loaded with every luxurious reason they could ever need to continue overcharging us for ghastly) they are staying artificially high. Boy, they never do that to us, do they? If memory serves me, the '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS with the 5-speed manual gets 22 city and 31 highway mpg. The '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS with the automatic CVT tranny gets 21 city and 31 highway mpg. So, 1 mpg less in the city and that's all. Also, I got on a 209 mile one way trip to Phoenix on Monday, 35 mpg on I-10, going over to Phoenix. I got about 31 mpg highway on the way back, a lot more slight inclines up and hills to go up and over, starting south of Tucson and continuing on in to Willcox, AZ. So I'm besting the window sticker estimates for mpg in my Lancer GTS with the automatic transmission. Not much to complain about with this non-manual setup I've got, eh? Nope, I say take an old-fashioned vacation on the road and take your time, read the signs by the side of the road and learn about the area you're travelling through. I love to edumacate myself like that on vacations, oh yes I do. 
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Replying to: circlew (Sep 29, 2008 4:29 pm) There's no way that's verified. I bet he's only taking in to account the 15% gas part, and ignoring the fact that he's burning 85% ethanol. The number just don't add up. Ethanol has higher octane so the extra power is believable, but 80mpg is not, because you actually lose mileage. |
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R&T has a comparo of 4 "fast" models in this month's edition. Of those, only one had an automatic, the Lancer Ralliart (Mitsu's answer to the non-STI WRX). And out of 4, it placed, ummm.......FOURTH. One of the reasons? The TC-SST gearbox, which they felt was "a bit clunky around town.....Even in full automatic mode, the twin clutches aren't very smooth in stop-and-go traffic, and the occasional expensive-sounding thunk when manually shifting from 1st to 2nd gear is disconcerting..." That latest and greatest answer to the question of how to make an automatic that is as good as a manual (which is of course, impossible, hence all the botched tries  ) still seems to be lacking....
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