We Need a New Name for Manual Cars

I don't know whether it's just ignorance or trying to pretend to be cool, but I'm noticing everybody seems to be calling their car a 'manual' because it has tiptronic paddle shifters. In many ways, this is like calling a sex doll your girlfriend because it has a face.

In fact I'm noticing people are becoming terrified of admitting that their car is automatic. Whenever I ask someone what transmission their car is, they'll go into marketing jargon overdrive by saying ' manual paddle shift', tiptronic, dual-clutch PDRN, or some other codeword. At this time I can't confirm or deny whether those with paddle shifters even use them because they've been around for a while now with very little cult following or appreciation.

But anyway, point is we need to come up with a new colloquial term for a car that has a gear stick and foot pedal clutch, because is way too confusing.

Mod: Closed comments. Answer found.

closed Comments

  • +3

    "3 pedal-er"

  • +40

    Ah, no. I don't know who you've been talking to but majority of people simplify it to either manual or auto. Someone slightly into cars might say CVT instead of auto, and someone who knows even more would say dual-clutch.

    No one calls a semi-automatic a manual, in any sense of the word. And I talk to people every day about their gearbox preference.

    • +13

      This, never heard someone refer to an automatic as a manual. Only thing that's mildly confusing are stupid things like the old Mercedes a class that have a 5 speed h pattern manual, but no clutch pedal.

      Rather than a new name for manual, I think you need new friends.

      • +12

        SlavOz is just trolling. C'mon, we know this. Look at the post history. Intentionally controversial nonsense as usual.

        • +1

          THIS!!!

        • +1

          Yeah I hope that's what it is, the reference to prnd made me lol. If he's being serious he has issues.

          • @brendanm: Dudes this is the Internet, serious discussions are hardly the norm. If you can't joke about silly people what the hell kind of fun can you have in life?

            But yes I'm being serious - I've run into a lot of people who conflate Manual and auto cars. Given that manual cars are so rare I wouldn't be surprised if a young person didn't even know that cars come with mechanisms that require you to shift and rev yourself.

            • @SlavOz: In which arena do you think a direct-shift gearbox (DSG) falls, being a manual trans in the guise of an auto?

              • @Ozpit: Are DSGs not a form of auto? I figured manual transmission was any where you manually operate the clutch and gear selection.

                • @Diji: DSG’s operate the same way a manual does, but automatically. Haha. So it’s an auto at the end of the day. There’s also semi-automatic like Renault’s +- gearbox which also has an auto mode. But the suck with the solenoid actuated clutch which replicates a full second between disengaging and reengaging the clutch, so you get the awful lurch.

        • yep.. this

          literally a crap formatting step away from being IVI
          ;)

      • +9

        When you buy a new Mustang apparently it elavates you above everyone else 😂

        Post history is just whinging about shit. Eating out apparently isn't expensive, people shouldn't buy new cars except new Mustangs, people shouldn't buy SUVs, people call automatics manuals… The list goes on.

        One day OP will grow up, till then he may as well be in the same class as high-yield investment car guy

        • +2

          It's no ordinary mustang, it will have a sports exhaust thank you very much.

        • -7

          When you work 60 hours a week over 6 days, apparently it elevates you above everyone else trololololol.

          Post history is just whinging about shit like why you can't use CAPS letters or why retailers are hiking their prices in console wars. The list goes on. Oh and apparently you're quite fond of hijacking discussions for your own ego.

          Spackbace, hopefully one day we both grow up then :)

    • So it’s surprising you do not know there a many cars out there with manual gearboxes that have actuators that do the shifting for them.

      They are referred to as semi automatics.

      • +4

        They are referred to as semi automatics.

        referred

        referred

        Wait, you mean to tell me that no one calls them a manual?

        Thanks for proving my point.

        Oh and proper semi-automatics (a-la-MR2) are rare as hens teeth as no one likes them. Modern gearboxes go by either automatic or manual. There's no confusing that.

    • I've had people say, I have an auto but drive it like a manual, looking at them confused I asked "how?" they went on to say the use the sports mode gear selector.

      • Well yes, that's fine to say, but they still said "I have an auto"

    • +1

      I’ve heard people say their car can be manual, as in you can select gears. But it is always in a context that you know the car is an auto.

  • +10

    this is like calling a sex doll your girlfriend because it has a face.

    lol wth

    • +2

      yeah you made Deshuanqa cry now go apologise to her.

      I don't know why I chose that name it just came out.

  • +6

    Boomer sticks.

  • +1

    Who the hell calls a tiptronic a manual?

    • +4

      OP's speaking sex doll, Mandy.

      • +5

        Short for Amanda

        Amanda Hugenkiss

        • +4

          Why can't I find Amanda Hugenkiss?

  • +3

    let us know when you've convinced the rest of the world about this change

  • +4

    The correct name is flappy paddles.

  • +3

    I'm proud to say that I drive an automatic (DCT). Nothing to be ashamed of, especially since I live in the CBD and always driving in start/stop traffic. It's hard to enjoy a manual car in that kind of traffic.

    There's going to be less and less new drivers who know how to drive a manual since there's less and less cars that are true manual.

    like calling a sex doll your girlfriend because it has a face.

    I don't think it's the face bit that's important on the doll to call it a "girlfriend".

    • +2

      For sure manual is a dying breed. Hell, is my 7yo even going to need to know how to drive at some point or will it be automated?

      Manual for small engines, low-powered sports cars. Auto for the rest

      • +2

        Hell, is my 7yo even going to need to know how to drive at some point or will it be automated

        I guess that's probably going to depend on whether Elon Musk eventually goes broke or not!

        Motorbikes will still be manual for a while.

        • +4

          Quite possibly the most useless, irrelevant analogy I have read in a long time…

          being driven by less engaged, lazy drivers

          Just because you can drive a manual, doesn't mean that everyone else driving autos are "less engaged" or "lazy". It may be that their chosen car only comes in auto or that is the car work supplied them. And if you're so good at manual, happy to have you have a go at my 18 speed Road Ranger.

          You could reach 100kmh without even realizing it

          What if the speed limit is 100km/h? Or even 110km/h? You have given no frame of reference. Doing 100 on a wide open country road is different to doing 100 in a busy suburban street… The latter, most people would absolutely notice it…

          Even if its only a second

          Do you even maths? What sort of "family" crosses a section of road that is marked at 100km/h? Even at 60km/h, each second is about 17m travelling distance (or about 4 car lengths a second.) And observing people and getting a car stopped in that time has absolutely no relevance to what gearbox it has in it.

          • +2

            @pegaxs: Welcome to the arrogant 20-something of today. I've heard this crap a few times and it's hilarious

          • +3

            @pegaxs:

            What sort of "family" crosses a section of road that is marked at 100km/h?

            SlavOz's family. "Nah kids, who told you to cross at the lights? We'll be right crossing here."

  • -1

    I call em money guzzlers..

  • +3

    quality sh!etpost slavoz. How's your ROI / justification on brand new mustang /W custom exhaust doing? did it retain original value?

    • Don’t forget the Roush cold air intake and Roush strut brace and the Roush bonnet scoop and the Roush….

      • +8

        Since we're measuring speed here.. I bet your car isn't faster than my motorbike.

        Oh and mine only cost $3000

      • you own a mustang.. seriously, its not exactly a rare, exotic, highly sought after,or even expensive car… its arguable its even into the 'decent' category

  • +1

    I have never encountered any such behaviour. There is no reason at all to lie about transmission. Some people like the inferior but interesting in it's context vintage experience of a manual, others prefer the far superior experience of modern paddles, most don't think anything of their normal auto, and nobody likes CVTs.

  • +4

    Why would anyone be terrified of saying their car is automatic

  • +3

    It is extremely important to know what transmission is in someone’s car. I ask everyone I know - no wait - I shouldn’t be feeding the troll.

    • Apparently not fond of sparking conversations with people about their nice cars. Good for you, socialising is for trolls neways.

  • No need for new name. There's manual with a stick you have to move to change gearin an an H pattern and 3 pedals down there where one is called a clutch. Then there is an auto apart from the odd car with up down shifts does it all for you. No auto driver is going to know how to drive a manual unless they can figure out the clutch point to get the thing moving. IMO

  • +3

    I know… how about, any car that you have to manually change gears, let’s call them “manuals” and any car that has a gearbox that will automatically change gear for you, let’s call them “automatics”

    • +3

      Don’t be ridiculous. Has anyone you’ve ever asked about what transmission in their car answered with one of those answers? It’ll never catch on.

      The only people who answer with those answers suggested by the OP are tryhards that have no idea.

      • -2

        It's not try-hards. It's like people who don't know what a cassette or SEGA Megadrive is. Most people have never known anything except an automatic. This would be true especially for younger drivers. I'm only late 20s but when I was a kid plenty of cars were manual and when I was learning to drive there was a lot of discussion among family and friends whether to learn manual or automatic. Today that wouldn't be the case as often.

  • +1

    "But anyway, point is we need to come up with a new colloquial term for a car that has a gear stick and foot pedal clutch, because is way too confusing."

    Millennial busters.

  • Stick shift then. That's also old school terms for you Millennial's. Also just because you are a millennial doesn't mean you can't know what a manually operated car is.

    • Whatever happened to the ‘three on a tree’? That was when people really knew how to drive a car. Bring it back I say.

      • like it.

    • Still called that in the US

  • +4

    what does it say on the registration? why are you trying to rename commonsense car parts… you should leave that to the engineers and salespeople… looking for the next buzzword to get you to remember their advertising crap… as well as creating abbreviations for words that don't even exist. only a tool would rename nuts and bolts.

  • +1

    You're hearing a lot of people call auto cars manual.. Maybe the problem is you're talking to or hanging out with the wrong people.. Who can't tell them difference

  • +4

    who cares, you sound like a guy who learned to drive manual and is trying to show off. no one cares manual or auto
    drive what you like..

  • +3

    Why are you so obsessed… who cares… have you been noticing people "automatically" dodging you of late.
    Change the conversation to something more "engaging".. clutch slip into a more interesting topic like… Are You Ok?

    • -7

      Use your inside voice mate. You're on an Automotive forum and you don't like people talking about differences between manual and auto? That I can deal with, but purposefully entering a thread/node about a topic you know you don't like, then proceeding to complain about said topics, isn't a healthy way to conduct yourself. You need some more sunlight.

  • False premise. Deadset non issue.

    I drive an auto with one of those Tiptronic/Manumatic features. Deadset never use it, no need for it. I have no idea why anyone living in middle of City would want a manual car.

    • -3

      You're comparing porn to sex mate. I guess you could say both are similar, but there will always be a market for people who want the real, full experience.

      • +1

        Did you just learn how to drive manual? Can I share a little secret with you? No one cares.

        And I didn’t say they were similar. I suggested that apart from saying to people ‘look at me I drive manual’ there’s no need for one in city.

        • -2

          No one cares

          Seems like you do, given you've taken the time to come into a node about manual cars.

          Stop being a child.

          • +2

            @SlavOz: No one cares that YOU know how to drive manual. Hug?

            • -2

              @Vote for Pedro:

              SlavOz No one cares that YOU know how to drive manual.

              Yet you've come into a node created by SlavOz about driving manual.

              Again, seems pretty obvious that you care enough to some extent. Y u so mad?

        • -1

          I suggested that apart from saying to people ‘look at me I drive manual’ there’s no need for one in city.

          How so? Because the stop-start traffic means you'll need to constantly be using your foot? Given that auto cars accelerate on their own as soon as the brake is released, that's a weak premise. Your foot will get just as tired from having to constantly keep the brake pedal pressed. It can also be easier to move specific, short distances in a manual car (which tends to accelerate and change gears needlessly).

          Drive what you want but your assertion that there's "no need" for a manual just because you don't see the benefit in one is wrong.

          • +1

            @SlavOz: You’re one of those that rides the clutch at traffic lights aren’t you?

            Kind of like some biker mates who intentionally cruise in lower gears so everyone can hear them.

            • +2

              @Vote for Pedro: No, I'm one of those that times their speed and approach at traffic lights to try ensure I can roll through without stopping. Whereas most people (I can only assume in an auto, though not confirmed) drive full speed towards a stoppage and then slam their brakes at the last second.

              Amateurs.

          • @SlavOz: Have you heard of auto brake? This is 2019, no need to have your foot on the brake during traffic.

  • +2

    Vegan gears?

  • The only time this has ever been an issue is when I'm looking for manual cars on some car dealers website and they'll list a model as manual when it's actually DCT. Doesn't really matter other than a bit of disappointment

  • +2

    What do I drive?
    A Knobber.

  • Give them a car with a clutch pedal. If they have no idea what to do with it, call out their BS.

    • What about a clutchless racing transmission?

      • What

        • The pyrrhic victory of gifting someone a $1.5 million Koenigsegg Regera to prove a point.

  • +1

    There’s no getting around the fact that driving a four-on-the-floor is way more sexy, especially if it’s a convertible and you’re wearing pigskin driving gloves and Maui Jim sunglasses… oh, and it’s not raining.

  • +1

    Wristy

  • Coming up with a new term. Shall we care about other people's lack of descriptive vocabulary. I'd be worried about fixing my own problems first rather than anyone else's.

Login or Join to leave a comment