Quote:
Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty
I hate to say it, because I love manual transmissions too....but I fear the days of the stick will soon be behind us. In just about any make of car that still offers manual, you are lucky if 10% of the produced examples will be equipped that way. As a whole, people like automatics. For example, to this day, I have yet to ever see a B6 Passat without an automatic transmission in person.
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The B6, like the B5, is considered a luxury vehicle in the VW lineup and as such it makes sense it does not have a manual. I don't think you can get any current Mercedes vehicle in the USA with a manual.
People have said for years we won't have manuals, and yet every year we still do. VW's own TDI Cup Edition Jetta was announced as "only in DSG" and yet 15 manuals have been shipped out in Cup Edition Trim. Two of them happen to be in my state.
When I bought my Jetta they tried to sucker me into a DSG and finally I slammed my fists on the desk and said "If you're too incompetent to find a manual equipped vehicle with heated seats and a sunroof, then I am afraid my business with you is finished." This was after I had been shown 3 used 5-speeds in silver (I said no silver/light colors) and without a sunroof.
They had a black manual on the lot the next morning (this is my 4th or 5th new car purchase from these idiots, never again new) after $1300 down non-refundable. I got monster mats and a lot of other goodies for the $24,200 price ($300+ under the sticker).
People who say they couldn't find a manual, honestly, didn't look hard enough. I drove 450 miles to get Peaches and was prepared to drive upwards of 800 miles for the right car.
I get what I want and don't make compromises. Life's too short for that kind of crap, especially when you've got people who make commissions off the sale. They should bend over backwards to get you exactly what you want but somehow the sheeple have been trained to not make them work nearly as hard as they should have to.
That said I won't be buying any cars built past 2006 (because I'm not going back to gas, and I don't trust a 'clean' diesel). I won't ever own one with an automatic. If I become disabled I'll pay someone to drive my manuals around for me (wouldn't that be a cool job? Driving Mr. foxie).
This isn't the first NB Special edition to only have an auto. Remember the XM Bug? "Satellite Blue" only with a 2.0L and auto with two tone cloth seats. VW has done this before, they'll do it again, because the Beetle is a car that sells to a certain demographic that felt it was "too cavernous" (hence the increased headliner/reduced headroom in 2006+ models -- really a tragedy of it's design if you ask me) and also don't know how to drive a stick.
In business you are in the game to win, not to make a point. I wish more companies were out there to make a point, but I don't know of a single automaker who I can say really is "making" a point these days. None of them are. They're just peddling the same junk to us Americans who keep buying it.
Seriously. $300 for a 40k mile fluid change? I think it cost me $15 to put gear oil in my manual... after 100,000 miles of use.
/semi-melodramatic rant about manuals and autos