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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: nippononly (Oct 15, 2008 9:23 pm) Nippon, I have ridden in and seen up close lots of 02-06 Camrys, all automatic I-4, and the parking brake is not floor mounted, so I am sure the manuals' parking brakes are the same - between the seats. Someone could post a picture? No question that Toyota only sells a few manual Camrys, but at least they still offer one. I was surprised that the new generation 07-current would only have automatic, but Toyota surprised me. I think the main reason that Toyota Camry, Honda Accord Sedan, and Ford Fusion come in a manual is to advertise a lower price.
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Replying to: shipo (Oct 15, 2008 5:57 pm) 
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Replying to: elias (Oct 16, 2008 4:17 am) Looked at another way, I travel a lot, and I've yet to see any evidence to suggest that traffic jams are any worse or consume any more time per mile than at anytime during my driving life. Geez, I've even commuted into Paris, London and Stuttgart on a regular basis during long contracting engagements, and even the Paris Périferique at rush-hour is easy to negotiate with a manual transmission. Best regards, Shipo |
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Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 16, 2008 5:46 am) 
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Replying to: mcdawgg (Oct 16, 2008 4:44 am) This links to one picture I saw: http://66.160.188.111/.ee9d355/cmd.233/enclosure..ee9d356 I am quite sure that Toyota only offers a Camry manual as a way to advertise a lower starting price, and just try to find one. It should be against the law to call the automatic the "optional" transmission when 99.995% of all Camrys you build are automatics.... Oh, and Elias? 6 hours of stop and go? Good GOD man, if I had 6 hours of stop and go every day I wouldn't drive at all, I would quit the job or ride the bus, or I don't even know what. I would definitely be making quick and dramatic lifestyle changes at that point. But I would submit to you that anything over 1 hour to 90 minutes in traffic that is literally stop and go, and not 20 mph or whatever, is rare and outside the norm. And 90 minutes I could do with my stick shift quite happily, and appreciate every minute of not owning the awful alternative in transmissions.
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Replying to: nippononly (Oct 16, 2008 6:32 am) That my friend makes you a rare breed. You and a few others. But so rare that a company like Toyota isn't willing to spend the time courting people like you. But you know that because that is why you posted. "I am quite sure that Toyota only offers a Camry manual as a way to advertise a lower starting price, and just try to find one. It should be against the law to call the automatic the "optional" transmission when 99.995% of all Camrys you build are automatics." It may also be why you predicted Toyota would be the first Asian company to drop the manual for US consumption. I still say it will be MB. The problem is you simply don't have the consumer support to justify the effort necessary to give you the choices you like. I can see the day when people wanting a affordable commuter car and a manual will be herded into Mazdas, Subarus and Hondas. Unless we go to hybrids and even those three will desert the manual driver. |
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Replying to: nippononly (Oct 16, 2008 6:32 am) Nope, the current Camry has a foot parking brake only for the automatics. My '07 Camry 5 speed manual has a hand brake between the seats. As I said earlier, it is encouraging that Toyota still offers a manual in the new Camry, but you know it is only to advertise the price. They do sell the few that they make to people like you and I. I'd love to see the actual production #s for all cars broken out by transmission type. |
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I find it curious that so many seem to be worried about their left foot cramping in traffic with a manual. I've never experienced that myself. So I wonder if their right foot cramps while driving an automatic.  Maybe automatic drivers in heavy traffic have incredibly developed muscles in their right legs while manual drivers are more balanced because both legs are getting exercise. I'll have to watch as people get out of their cars... the automatic drivers must have to really concentrate so that they don't walk in counter-clockwise circles with those huge muscles in their right legs. At the very least they must veer to the left.
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The last time I sold an Accord with a manual. It's probably been three or four years. They do make them but they don't sell. Most stores don't even order any for that reason. Civic manuals are a bit more popular but not by much. The used to make manuals in CRV's but they quit doing this a couple of years ago and nobody seems to have missed them. |
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Replying to: elias (Oct 16, 2008 4:17 am) Even stop and go is not a good enough reason to go with a slushbox. It is far much easier to modulate stop and go speed in a manually equipped vehicle than automatic. In a manual, you just put it in 1st, and modulate the speed with the throttle. With some finesse, you can crawl at 5 mph all day long at pretty much the idle and not have to clutch or brake for miles on. Just keep a little bit of room in front of you, just like the semi drivers do. Of course, people who are incapable of learning how to drive a far superior and more adaptable vehicle, such as a manual equipped vehicle, are not capable of logically realizing that by riding the guy infront of them bumper they are not going to get to their destination any faster if they were 5-10 feet apart. It all has to do with driver's brain capacity  P.S. I drive a 2005 CR-V with manual transmission. It is a full 1.5-2.0 seconds quicker to 60 mph than automatic, and is much better handler in snow.
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