Technic Pub

[langko]

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

Ok, so I guess that implies a 92%-8% split? 

That's a good method of looking into stats like that. On Kijiji.ca, I see 141,005 cars for sale in Canada, 3,813 of which are manuals, which would be a 97%-3% split

There abouts. It’s interesting because if you filter by new cars only then you have roughly 34,500 autos to 675 manuals for sale. Which is closer to 98%-2%. Suggesting that the manual is slower disappearing. 

I never learnt how to drive a manual, my dad had an auto when I was learning to drive. It’s on my bucket list of things to do, but more so I actually have the ability to do so if needed - not because I see myself owning a manual car any time soon.

[Jay Psi]

Automobiles in general are increasingly considered as utilities to use conveniently rather than being enjoyed for their own sake. To most people who drive, manual transmissions are less convenient than automatics, in ICEs and electrics. The general trend of increasing convenience leading to decreasing competence in use and repair is definitely worrying, for cars and technology in general.

For reference my car wasn't available in manual in Europe, which I would have chosen if it was an option. In my country, 460k cars on sale (on the most popular site), 286k automatic and 174k manual for a 62%-38% split. Brand new cars only - 25.5k on sale, 22.5k automatic, 3k manual for an 88%-12% split.

[Lipko]

I have a manual, it's still common in Hungary. It's no such of a blast... Especially in traffic jams

[Plumber]

Being a confirmed biker I only ever owned one car, it was my dad's first car and it's repainting featured large in my parents courtship.

Its a manual, a newfangled four speed (cf 3 speed on prior models) and it even has lazy driver syncromesh on top which is nice as there's no space to heel and toe if you have bigger feet than a child.

Just by way of confirming my bonafides as a luddite, earlier this year I bought a 2004 BMWK1200RS and was horrified to find the brakes were electrically operated it was sent straight back to the dealer in favour of a '98 model with rider operated hydraulics that work without relying on decades old electronics!

The day I can't wind my own windows, adjust my own seat, turn on my own lights, stay in a lane and read a map let alone change gear for myself at the appropriate time is the day it's time to stop driving.

[Paul B Technic]

9 hours ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

What would you say the auto/manual split is in Australia?

95% auto, 5% manual for new cars in the last few years. The only manuals you really see are in commercial vans and small trucks.

[2GodBDGlory]

5 hours ago, Jay Psi said:

Automobiles in general are increasingly considered as utilities to use conveniently rather than being enjoyed for their own sake. To most people who drive, manual transmissions are less convenient than automatics, in ICEs and electrics. The general trend of increasing convenience leading to decreasing competence in use and repair is definitely worrying, for cars and technology in general.

For reference my car wasn't available in manual in Europe, which I would have chosen if it was an option. In my country, 460k cars on sale (on the most popular site), 286k automatic and 174k manual for a 62%-38% split. Brand new cars only - 25.5k on sale, 22.5k automatic, 3k manual for an 88%-12% split.

Thanks for the European stats!

4 hours ago, Lipko said:

I have a manual, it's still common in Hungary. It's no such of a blast... Especially in traffic jams

I'm lucky to have lived in small towns and small cities where you don't really get traffic jams, but on the occasions where I have driven down to the big city (Toronto), and hit traffic, I can understand how manuals could get annoying fast!

3 hours ago, Plumber said:

Being a confirmed biker I only ever owned one car, it was my dad's first car and it's repainting featured large in my parents courtship.

Its a manual, a newfangled four speed (cf 3 speed on prior models) and it even has lazy driver syncromesh on top which is nice as there's no space to heel and toe if you have bigger feet than a child.

Just by way of confirming my bonafides as a luddite, earlier this year I bought a 2004 BMWK1200RS and was horrified to find the brakes were electrically operated it was sent straight back to the dealer in favour of a '98 model with rider operated hydraulics that work without relying on decades old electronics!

The day I can't wind my own windows, adjust my own seat, turn on my own lights, stay in a lane and read a map let alone change gear for myself at the appropriate time is the day it's time to stop driving.

Haha, nice!

1 hour ago, Paul B Technic said:

95% auto, 5% manual for new cars in the last few years. The only manuals you really see are in commercial vans and small trucks.

That's interesting that that's where you see them! That's exactly where you would least see them in Canada. Nobody wants to buy their company a vehicle that most of their employees can't drive, so the manuals stick to personal, enthusiast, vehicles.

[dr_spock]

 

On 6/21/2026 at 8:43 AM, 2GodBDGlory said:

Thanks for the European stats!

I'm lucky to have lived in small towns and small cities where you don't really get traffic jams, but on the occasions where I have driven down to the big city (Toronto), and hit traffic, I can understand how manuals could get annoying fast!

Haha, nice!

That's interesting that that's where you see them! That's exactly where you would least see them in Canada. Nobody wants to buy their company a vehicle that most of their employees can't drive, so the manuals stick to personal, enthusiast, vehicles.

 

I daily'ed a manual in Toronto traffic for a long time. It's something to keep the mind from going numb.  It had an old school throttle cable. I could modulate it like one pedal driving. Foot off the gas and it slowed right down.  I hardly used the brakes if I timed the traffic movement correctly.  Unlike my new car with a drive-by-wire throttle which wants to keep going at the same speed and I have to brake more.

 

On 6/20/2026 at 11:14 PM, langko said:

There abouts. It’s interesting because if you filter by new cars only then you have roughly 34,500 autos to 675 manuals for sale. Which is closer to 98%-2%. Suggesting that the manual is slower disappearing. 

I never learnt how to drive a manual, my dad had an auto when I was learning to drive. It’s on my bucket list of things to do, but more so I actually have the ability to do so if needed - not because I see myself owning a manual car any time soon.

 

I had to learn manual when I bought a new car.  (The manual was $1500 cheaper.)  It's good skill to have in case you have to be designated driver for someone's manual.

 

On 6/21/2026 at 2:53 AM, Jay Psi said:

Automobiles in general are increasingly considered as utilities to use conveniently rather than being enjoyed for their own sake. To most people who drive, manual transmissions are less convenient than automatics, in ICEs and electrics. The general trend of increasing convenience leading to decreasing competence in use and repair is definitely worrying, for cars and technology in general.

For reference my car wasn't available in manual in Europe, which I would have chosen if it was an option. In my country, 460k cars on sale (on the most popular site), 286k automatic and 174k manual for a 62%-38% split. Brand new cars only - 25.5k on sale, 22.5k automatic, 3k manual for an 88%-12% split.

 

I spec'ed my current car to have minimal fancy electronic features. Convenience can turn into inconvenience when things eventually go wrong. Money not spent on complex system repairs can be allocated towards more LEGO.

 

 

[2GodBDGlory]

7 minutes ago, dr_spock said:

I daily'ed a manual in Toronto traffic for a long time. It's something to keep the mind from going numb.  It had an old school throttle cable. I could modulate it like one pedal driving. Foot off the gas and it slowed right down.  I hardly used the brakes if I timed the traffic movement correctly.  Unlike my new car with a drive-by-wire throttle which wants to keep going at the same speed and I have to brake more.

My car also has a throttle cable and a manual, and whenever I'm driving someone else's auto I'm annoyed at how often I have to use the brake pedal! It really is close to one-pedal driving a lot of the time

[Plumber]

The torque convertor in an auto box is extremely poor at transferring energy into the engine from the wheels (it is after all been designed to maximise efficiency in the other direction) as a result there is very little engine braking in an automatic which increases the necessity to use brakes under all driving conditions

[Toastie]

 1981: Renault 5 (1974 model) with dashboard-mounted shift lever. Manual ever since.

1997: Moved to the US. Dodge Minivan - automatic. Loved it, as traffic in SoCal was always a bit congested, but steady (5 mph or 70 mph depending on the hour :D Hated it because being constantly on the brake ...

2001: Back in Germany: Manual GM (Opel) Zafira, 1st generation. And so on ...

2026: Manual GM (Opel) Zafira, 3rd generation.

Happy with it - has a drawer-type bike mount - takes about 5 minutes to get the bike on it and 2 minutes to get it off and close the drawer. So cool.

Best
Thorsten

 

[evank]

I'm 51. My daily is a 2025 Chevy Equinox EV -- that's confusing because they still sell a full-gas, non-hybrid Equinox, too. But mine is full battery, not hybrid. It gets about 300 miles in the summer. I also have a fun car, it's a 1995 Mazda Miata five-speed, quite slow but way more fun than the EV (except when driving in a straight line).

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Who's excited for Spain vs Portugal

[msk6003]

I just found out that there is a post like this on this forum.

[evank]

Anybody else a Springsteen fan? I'm one of those fans who's been to a billion shows. I know he's as popular in Europe as here in New Jersey. A local university just opened his official archives and a museum building to the public. I went last week and it's spectacular.

[JGW3000]

8 hours ago, evank said:

A local university just opened his official archives and a museum building to the public.

Where abouts? I occasionally do crazy road trips - for example, round trip from New Haven to Hellertown just to go to the closest Waffle House. Could make a slight detour to see the Springsteen Museum. 

[evank]

21 minutes ago, JGW3000 said:

Where abouts? I occasionally do crazy road trips - for example, round trip from New Haven to Hellertown just to go to the closest Waffle House. Could make a slight detour to see the Springsteen Museum. 

It's at Monmouth University, in Long Branch. That's only 15 minutes from Asbury Park. They constructed a whole new building for Bruce's archives and the museum exhibits -- it's exceptional!!

https://springsteencenter.org/

[Jude]

Does any of you fellow Lego builders play instrument games like Guitar Hero/Rock Band?

Or the finnish legend Frets on FIre, which i think was winner of Assembly event and only after then these guitar games was released.

Edited Tuesday at 08:42 PM by Jude

[msk6003]

5 hours ago, Jude said:

Does any of you fellow Lego builders play instrument games like Guitar Hero/Rock Band?

Or the finnish legend Frets on FIre, which i think was winner of Assembly event and only after then these guitar games was released.

I playing taiko no tatsujin.

I am planning to make an MOC inspired by this, but I'm not sure when I'll do it.

[dhc6twinotter]

I'm a bit late to manual transmission discussion, but I do daily drive a Toyota 4Runner with a manual.  It's a 2000, which is the last year they offered them with a manual.  I purchased it Christmas Eve of 2010, and it took me two years to find it.  It's a very rare 5spd/Sport Package/leather combo (only two years in the entire 42 year history of the 4Runner this combo was available).  I've been a part of the Toyota online community for 25 years, and I've never seen another with this combo of options.  I've driven all over the United States in it, visiting many National Parks.  I even took a five month road trip in it.  Pulled trailers cross-country twice.  It's been amazing.  It now has a bit over 250k miles (~400,000kms) on it, so I'm searching for a replacement.  

[2GodBDGlory]

2 hours ago, dhc6twinotter said:

I'm a bit late to manual transmission discussion, but I do daily drive a Toyota 4Runner with a manual.  It's a 2000, which is the last year they offered them with a manual.  I purchased it Christmas Eve of 2010, and it took me two years to find it.  It's a very rare 5spd/Sport Package/leather combo (only two years in the entire 42 year history of the 4Runner this combo was available).  I've been a part of the Toyota online community for 25 years, and I've never seen another with this combo of options.  I've driven all over the United States in it, visiting many National Parks.  I even took a five month road trip in it.  Pulled trailers cross-country twice.  It's been amazing.  It now has a bit over 250k miles (~400,000kms) on it, so I'm searching for a replacement.  

Ooh, that's a cool ride!

[Toastie]

6 hours ago, dhc6twinotter said:

so I'm searching for a replacement

Why is that? This is so cool to read - 400000 km - incredible. And of course absolutely sustainable, this car was built using resources which are still in use.

So cool.

Best wishes,
Thorsten

[dr_spock]

It's summer road tripping time. Where in the world is spock?

 

13 hours ago, dhc6twinotter said:

I'm a bit late to manual transmission discussion, but I do daily drive a Toyota 4Runner with a manual.  It's a 2000, which is the last year they offered them with a manual.  I purchased it Christmas Eve of 2010, and it took me two years to find it.  It's a very rare 5spd/Sport Package/leather combo (only two years in the entire 42 year history of the 4Runner this combo was available).  I've been a part of the Toyota online community for 25 years, and I've never seen another with this combo of options.  I've driven all over the United States in it, visiting many National Parks.  I even took a five month road trip in it.  Pulled trailers cross-country twice.  It's been amazing.  It now has a bit over 250k miles (~400,000kms) on it, so I'm searching for a replacement.  

What do you plan to replace it with? 

 

[Jurss]

Is there any replacement at all? :)

[Toastie]

6 hours ago, dr_spock said:

Where in the world is spock?

Rocher Percé?

Have a nice vacation time!!!

Best
Thorsten

[2GodBDGlory]

1 hour ago, Jurss said:

Is there any replacement at all? :)

A manual Tacoma with a cap, maybe? You can still get those new, at least