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Excellent thread. A lot of good observations.
I am a long time manual fan. Like many here, I actually enjoy the art of shifting. And yes, good manual driving is an art. I am reminded of this when I drive somewhere with the OL driving my MT Sonata. My wife is perfectly capable of driving a manual, but, to her, it is not an art. After a few minutes, I usually ask her to pull over and let me drive!
As for today's autos, they really are light years ahead of the slushboxes of yore. I rented one yesterday. A lowly Hyundai accent. 6 speed with an eco button that short shifted the hell outta that thing! I really would think about buying one, but, in the end, I still like being in control.
I do have one question? Why in the hell do manufacturers continue to put such short ODs in the top gears of MTs? That accent has a much taller top gear than my '09 MT Sonata. Some new cars have a higher mpg number for the autos and I am certain it is because the autos top cog is much higher than the manual. Give me a proper OD for 75 mph cruising. I am perfectly capable of downshifting on hills.
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