2018 was the last year you could buy a full-sized pickup truck with a manual transmission

[redpoint5]

I bought my Dodge/Cummins specifically looking for an auto and bench seats. I wanted the middle seat open for a girlfriend to sit, including no shifters in the foot area. It's also easier to crawl around through the woods off road with an auto.

Now that I'm older, I'd prefer a manual since my truck came with a tired tranny to begin with. It also doesn't lock up until about 50 MPH.

[Clev]

The reason that people don't buy manuals is that you can't get anything but the base car in a manual. In Europe, you can buy a fully loaded Kia Soul with a manual, but in the US, you can only buy the stripper model, and if you want even cruise control added to that, you have to get the auto even though it's the same damn engine. In the UK, you can get a Toyota Hilux in any configuration of luxuries and cab style you want, and it comes with a diesel engine, all wheel drive and a manual transmission with a 7,700 pound towing capacity and gets 40mpg unloaded.

It's ridiculous that we continue to get a slow trickle of dreadful vehicles while the rest of the world gets far better options.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Clev

The reason that people don't buy manuals is that you can't get anything but the base car in a manual. In Europe, you can buy a fully loaded Kia Soul with a manual, but in the US, you can only buy the stripper model, and if you want even cruise control added to that, you have to get the auto even though it's the same damn engine. In the UK, you can get a Toyota Hilux in any configuration of luxuries and cab style you want, and it comes with a diesel engine, all wheel drive and a manual transmission with a 7,700 pound towing capacity and gets 40mpg unloaded.

It's ridiculous that we continue to get a slow trickle of dreadful vehicles while the rest of the world gets far better options.

The towing capacity can never be compared. even 100% identical cars made at the same plant on the same day will have a different rating if sold somewhere else besides the USA. I would blame lawyers and juries in the US that will blame the manufacturer for giving to high a rating rather then blaming the driver for not changing his operation when towing 2-5 tons.

The diesel problem is also a USA problem with the EPA targeting them. VW was breaking the law no question, but IMO the law was the underlying problem there. I don't see the big picture benifit in having such strict NOx rules on what is really a clean engine. Still not fair VW would get to build outside the law while the others had to be saddled with all kinds of problematic add on emission devices. This is one area the USA is "leading" and expect to see Toyota and most other makers dropping civilian diesels worldwide.

The Ecodiesel was kind of playing that package game, and I think the first F150 diesels are as well. At least on the Ram they also made it available on the lowest work truck trim, then just skipped the mainstream SLT packages. So you either got a stripped down truck, or a high end truck with the Ecodiesel at first. The previous 2000's Jeep special package diesels on the Grand Cherokee and Liberty were made available on all trims but they always had an automatic as a mandatory "option". Then again when was the last Grand Cherokee with a manual? 1995?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Clev

The reason that people don't buy manuals is that you can't get anything but the base car in a manual. In Europe, you can buy a fully loaded Kia Soul with a manual, but in the US, you can only buy the stripper model, and if you want even cruise control added to that, you have to get the auto even though it's the same damn engine.

It's somewhat of a cultural issue. Even some Europeans who wanted the comfort of getting rid of the clutch pedal would often get an automatic clutch such as the ancient Saxomat system and call it a day. By the way, a friend who moved to Portugal in late 2017 told me manuals are still a strong seller there, while here in Brazil they're losing market share for the automatics in many segments. Surprisingly, while the Corolla retains the manual transmission option in Argentina, it became avaliable only with the automatic in Brazil before this move was implemented in the USA.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Surprisingly, while the Corolla retains the manual transmission option in Argentina, it became avaliable only with the automatic in Brazil before this move was implemented in the USA.

The Corolla is still available with a manual here....

[litesong]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

The diesel problem...... VW was breaking the law no question, but IMO the law was the underlying problem there.

Criminal VW execs (& other brand diesel maker execs) should be in jail, after forfeiting the money that VW & others made, hand over fist, breaking health laws. Doctor Hersbird needs to supply VW & other brand "clean diesel exhaust" into their cells to see how long the execs "enjoy" their breaths of fresh fumes. Doctor Hersbird should also enjoy the VW & other brand exhaust results.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/03/20...sels-off-hook/

[redpoint5]

Funny that manual transmissions are referred to as "standard". "You drive a standard, or automatic?"

Similar to regular, or unleaded gasoline. It morphed into regular-unleaded, and now we just say regular.

Will we ever refer to automatic transmissions as "regular"?

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by litesong

Criminal VW execs (& other brand diesel maker execs) should be in jail, after forfeiting the money that VW & others made, hand over fist, breaking health laws. Doctor Hersbird needs to supply VW & other brand "clean diesel exhaust" into their cells to see how long the execs "enjoy" their breaths of fresh fumes. Doctor Hersbird should also enjoy the VW & other brand exhaust results.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/03/20...sels-off-hook/

Love the planet but hate the people? You must be great at parties.

Fair warning to you though to keep it civil, this isn't the average hate webpage you normally must be posting on.

[redpoint5]

Yeah, what's up with the ad hominem? It's reasonable to debate the merits of diesel engines vs the consequences, but calling for a forum member to be locked up and poisoned is not.

The logical problem with justifying the punishment of subjecting VW execs to confined spaces and exhaust from a diesel is that it isn't how the vehicles are normally operated, and therefore don't pose the same health risks.

I'm very skeptical of the so-called science that claims millions die every year directly as a result of diesel exhaust byproducts. I don't know a single person who has died where the doctor declared NOx inhalation as the culprit, for instance. Besides all that, someone that succumbs to pollution that everyone else is tolerating without issue likely wasn't long for the world to begin with (not to make light of their condition).

The more relevant issue I have with VW is that they had a competitive advantage by cheating. For society to function smoothly, we all need to be playing with the same set of rules.

Then again, I live in Oregon and enjoy excellent air quality. If I were in Mexico City I might be more bothered by diesel vehicles.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

I'm very skeptical of the so-called science that claims millions die every year directly as a result of diesel exhaust byproducts. I don't know a single person who has died where the doctor declared NOx inhalation as the culprit, for instance. Besides all that, someone that succumbs to pollution that everyone else is tolerating without issue likely wasn't long for the world to begin with (not to make light of their condition).

Surprisingly, there are some nitrogen oxides widely used in medicine, such as nitrous oxide which is one of the oldest known anaesthesics and nitric oxide which is widely used to increase the oxygen saturation after cardiac surgeries.