Does Anybody buy Manual Cars these days?
I am trying to sell my manual Mazda 3 Top of the range with Low KMS however it is not attracting any interest even with it being well priced. Is it a sign that Manual cars will be worthless in the future?
Look forward to your thoughts.
I suspect is your vehicle not the fact that is manual.
Perhaps a Mazda 3 on manual is not appealing. Or pricing. Or color. Or who knows what. A combination of factors perhaps.
Probably partly because it's manual but also because of cost of living at the moment. I've had a specific car alert set for a while and it seems like more are being listed recently. I have a feeling that some people are selling their cars or moving to one car to keep their heads above water or to smash the mortgage down because rates have gone up.
It's not definitive but it's possible that Gen Z actually want manual cars because it's a more connected driving experience. Maybe you'll get more interest from younger buyers who are looking for a first car, but again it depends on the general economy. If younger first-time car buyers aren't getting decent paying jobs then they won't be shopping for cars.
The price is to high. Every "my car isn't selling" is purely because of the price. Plenty of people can still drive manuals and may choose to do so, but 95% of people looking for a Mazda 3 are not.
Gotta drop the price if you wanna sell anytime soon or potentially at all.
Yup no value. I'll offer you $500 ;)
This is funny because my wife specifically wants a Soul Red Mazda 6 in manual and they don't exist.
manual BMWs have gone up in price for used, and only a few models have the option of manual of course in the sports range … some brands and models people buy to get from A to B some brands and models people buy because they enjoy driving and those are the brands manual has greater appeal. i have a manual BMW and love it.
32k is expensive though
You want $32,000 for something that cost $36,000 new 5 years ago.
Spot on!
many sellers list their cars at a very high price or at least at the range that buyers can basically buy new cars of a similar spec or even same. some get into a delusional idea that they can sell a used one at a higher price than a new one of the exactly same model and this has happened since post COVID.
I once went to a FORD dealer and was offered a two-years-old Ford Raptor without any extra at around $10,000 higher than a new one. I was told the reason was that new car waiting time :D.
Oof that's crazy. OP's $36k car was worth $32k the second he drove it out of the dealer.
Hence this posts exists asking why it is not selling.
My pov pack manual was one of the cheapest cars on carsales and I still couldn't shift it. Three enquiries, one a young couple who tried to start the car in gear and I had to explain to them that is a manual and it has three pedals. The next wanted it for a demo derby (I wasn't prepared to sell on these conditions), the third wanted it while their car was being repaired.
Took forever to sell, no bites. I'd spent more on new mounts and a new set of Bridgestone tyres then the stupid car was worth. It needed rego and the oil consumption was about 3L/500kms. So it had issues and I was honest in the listing.
If anyone thinks manuals are dead, I've hired quite a few brand new cars in Europe this year and all had manual. The most surprising one was a Toyota Yaris with ~3000km on the clock, which had a silky smoth engine and gearbox. You could take off in third on flats and the spacing was brilliant. One of the best engine/gearbox combos I'd driven in a long time, so much torque down low for a NA non-hybrid engine. Brilliant clutch feel, weight, and so smooth to shift you would think it was an auto.
So I think manuals still are being made, but they are not being sold down under.
For Australia I'd prefer an auto, for Europe I prefer the manual as it gives me more control to hold a gear or downshift if I want. And with most cars being 1.xL piss weak engines I'm usually shifting at 5000rpm or the bloody car starts losing speed on any climb… except in that Toyota, that engine was amazing!
That's Europe though, where incomes are a lot lower. People will drive a manual because the purchase cost is lower.
I agree small engine + manual is brilliant
Used to be that manuals were a lot cheaper because an auto box was a lot more expensive to build. Thats becoming less true because economy of scale and stuff. Autos are a lot better than they used to be, especially in small cars and now getting far more common and closer to manual in price too.
I still prefer manual too. Either big or small engine!
I will buy a manual, BUT I will NOT pay covid$$$10,000 for a car worth $5000
Assuming it isn't an MPS?
You mentioned top of the range but I think you're talking about something else depending on MY
It's a nice car and there is a market for cars with manual transmissions especially something like your Mazda Astina. Saying, that… it's priced ok but not really that competitively. Theres a comparable dealer car for sale that is 3 years younger (2022 vs your 2019) $36,990 drive away. If someone bought your one at $32k they still need to pay transfer duty ($1400) and re-register as your rego has only got 1 month left on in it so the difference is really only couple grand or so. If I was in the market I'd probably go the dealers car over yours value-wise. In short, yours is a bit overpriced. Knock it down to $29,000 and it should sell.
32k for a 5 year old Mazda 3 manual that originally cost only a few thousands more brand new. Could you guess why is isn't selling? Hint: It's not because it's a manual.
So to answer your question, yes, there's demand for all kinds of things but not at ridiculous prices.
Wow, OP didn't disclose that in their post. Definitely ridiculous pricing, but OP wants to blame it on the car being a manual for not selling.
Most private sellers are still in COVID era pricing. Market has corrected
nothing to do with being manual, the issue is the excessive price tag you have on it.
Obviously less potential buyers as many drivers these days can't drive a manual, but they would still be out there.
Even as a very experienced manual driver I'd hesitate to buy one on a daily unless it was at a significant discount vs the auto, as resale will be more and more of a hassle as every year goes by. The driving instructor that lives on my street doesn't even have a manual car anymore, it's well on the way out.
How big is the engine, 2.5 non-turbo with all the bells and whistles doesn't sound like an attractive model to me, manual or auto. Sorry you bought the wrong model for resale.
if you driven a manual car that has indicator stalk on driver window side, its a dream ride as u control steering with single hand and other on gear always.
This is the way it should be. If driver sits on the right, indicate with right, shift with left. If driver sits on the left, indicate with left, shift with right.
The fact that we don't have regulations to mandate indicators being on the RHS is stupid to me, just encourages manufacturers to cut costs and not reverse the orientation of their steering wheels vs. right-hand drive markets, despite the fact that everything is on the opposite side.
Spot on.
You're supposed to drive with 2 hands on the steering wheel, not one on the gear stick. You're definitely not supposed to be turning on the indicator while changing gears either.
Yes these L/R comments baffle me, get both hands on the bloody wheel
I used to jump into euro manual cars and forget the stalks were reverse to Jap cars. I'd turn the wipers on while trying to indicate, then panic whilst changing gears at the same time.
I've got two manual cars. One with indicators on the left (enthusiasts car) the other on the right (daily beater). My muscle memory seems to remember which car I'm in so not an issue over time.
It's about single hand steering that's impossible with left hand side indicator.
Single hand steering isn't the way you're supposed to drive. You'll fail your license test if you do that.
@MrFunSocks: Agree. But let's say I prefer to place my left hand at the bottom of steering wheel always and hate raising it to use indicators which are on left side. While my right hand always rests on the door which is a easy way to reach indicators if they are on right side.
Sold a manual Tiguan 2 years ago. Took a bit longer than it should, but most people interested were Europeans.
Manuals are a lot more common in Europe.
I bought a new Mazda 3 two months ago. Mazda dropped the manual version late last year because it wasn't selling. Most people who want a 3 don't want manual. The MX-5 still has 50/50 sales between manual and auto, but that's because the car appeals to a specific enthusiast market.
Also, drop your price. All cars will sell, unless there's something wrong with it or the price is too high. I just sold a car on Carsales at quite an attractive price and it took two weeks, with just two genuine enquiries. The days of people lining up at the door to buy used cars at inflated prices are gone. Red Book pricing is massively inflated as COVID era prices are still there. When you sell a car on Carsales the site gives you a recommended price range. Ignore it. Usually the suggestion is practically delusional.
however it is not attracting any interest even with it being well priced
"no lowballers i know what i've got!!1"
It depends on the model of car. E.g. most MX-5s are manual because the main reason people buy them is for a fun engaging driving experience and don’t use them as a daily driver. An automatic gearbox makes things easier but you’re less engaged / in control of the car.
MX-5 is not a normal car, most people buy normal cars as daily drivers and an automatic gearbox suits them as it’s easier.
There may not be many people who are looking for your exact car.
10 years ago a mate trying to sell his manual mazda 3 couldnt even get dealers to touch it, they would only go auto as thats what they could sell.
Not surprised it hasnt changed.
Lower the price significantly or go to a stealership.
You’re going to have issues selling in this economy
I'll just add that when I bought my Mazda 3 two months ago the wait time to get the model and colour I wanted was just two weeks. A Corolla hybrid was six to nine months, while a Yaris Cross Hybrid was one to one and a half years waiting time. Those wait times were quoted by the salesman trying to sell me a car, so they might even be sugar coated.
This means someone wanting a Toyota hybrid may have no choice but to pay almost new price for a used car if they want a car right now. That kind of pressure does not exist for Mazda 3s.
Did the OP edit/delete his post after getting flamed. Where did he say he wants $32k for it?
$32k for a 5 yo Mazda 3? tell em they're dreaming.
This isn't Covid anymore. I remember some fool purchased a Civic Type R limited edition for over $100k in 2022.
I think people just looked up the listing. Not hard to find when its one of three cars in VIC and there is only one private ad.
Definitely less demand for them, out of my younger extended family only myself, my partner, and BIL can drive manual, and everyone else is automatic only. That I think is what is going to happen in future. Add to that if EV continues to push then manual will be a selective purchase.
But it’s funny cause in the ‘14 to I’d say maybe ‘19 or ‘17 Nissan, Mitsubishi, Renault CVT/manual options, the manual is the better option because the Jatco transmissions can be very hit and miss.
Jatco cvt = dog.
Not in a good way
I generally prefer manual, but often it's not even an option these days. I just bought a new car a couple of weeks ago, first auto I've owned - as automatic gearboxes go, this one is fantastic, but still doesn't have that tactile sense of involvement with the car you get from a manual. I'll be turning 50 next year, been driving since I was 16, this is the 6th car I've owned - the previous 5 were all manual. As lovely as the new car is, I'm trying desperately to find a way to hold onto my Nissan 370Z, too. Just so much fun to drive with the manual transmission, and if I let it go I know there's a pretty good chance that I'll never own another manual again :(
There’s the new Z
Yeah I looked at that but decided against it. Just didn't seem to be enough of an upgrade on the 370Z to be worth the price. If I hadn't already been a Z owner I would have been all over it. Plus, after owning the 370Z for 12 years… I'm getting old :P As much as I love it, it's a bit harsh, driving it for extended trips gives me a sore back these days :P Plus the lack of practicality (no back seat, basically no boot) is an issue from time to time.
I ended up getting a BMW M340i which is pretty much the perfect balance of comfort / practicality / performance for me. But yeah… no manual option :( I love both these cars, for almost exact opposite reasons. In an ideal world I'll find a way to keep my Z as well as the BMW and just never need to buy another car again for the rest of my life :)
Great choice in the M340i, the best sedan sold for ~$100k today. Which idiot would pay more for an 'AMG' C43 over the M340i?
After owning 5 European cars in a row (and just recently having to get rid of one as it wasn't work fixing all the small issues), I've decided to go for one last ICE car, which will be Japanese and manual for my next car.
The B58 is a fantastic engine. Lets hope it gives you more than 10 years of service without too many dramas with all the plastic engine parts.
@JimB: Did a lot of research online for a year or so before going ahead with the order. The current B58 doesn't seem to have any widespread issues about from a dodgy oil pump in the 2020 models which seems to have now been rectified. I guess if it was reliable enough for Toyota to slap their badge on it in the Supra then hopefully it'll be good enough for me. I'm probably more concerned about having issues with the ridiculous, unnecessary amount of tech in the car than with the drivetrain.
What are you getting as far as a japanese manual goes? Not too many of those these days, unless you're going the sports car route (Z, MX5, 86?) or WRX? At least I assume the WRX still has a manual option…
@AngusD: Yes, B58 is improved so hopefully it will be reliable long term but who knows with Europeans (I still have 2 haha)
Most likely BRZ/86 as it ticks all the boxes. Lightweight, RWD and fun. Need minimum of 3 seats so that rules out MX5.
If I was looking for 4 door, I'd get the i30N Sedan or Type R over the WRX. What a sad thing the WRX has become.
I don't need it to be super fast. I've already have enough speeding tickets lol
@JimB: Yeah I'm having a hard time keeping the M340i under the limit. It's actually worse in comfort mode because it's so smooth and quiet you end up doing 80 without even noticing :D At least in sport mode there's a bit more noise and you feel the gearshifts so you're more aware of the speed building up.
Still plenty of learners out there looking for manuals, and parents who are funding them. I had a lot of interest in my old car that was a manual from parents looking for learner cars.
No parent is going to buy a 32k car to learn on used as their 'first car'. (Well, no sane parent) :P
What was the price of your old car?
Yep. I got my son a manual Getz as a first drive and it was a cracking little car - until he wrote it off. He now drives a manual Barina - it's not great but was cheap and reliable.
My son wanted to learn manual - if you can't drive one, you can't drive.
Depends on the car. I got a Hyundai I20N last year and love it but it would be seriously lacking if auto. On the other hand, I used to have a manual Navara and that was not much fun to drive - especially off road.
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2019-mazda-3-g25-as…?
For those interested. Looks like 1k dropped off price so far?
It'll probably sell eventually, it's a nice car, 2.5L punchy engine.
But over 30k for a 5 year old car when a brand new base model for 33k driveaway.. Yes it's base vs top spec (also auto only) but you get the warranty with it too. Which is probably more important than a sunroof/nice trim for most people.
GLWS
If that is the car then its definitely priced too high, no wonder there is no interest. This one has less km and auto but priced $2k less. OP needs to price theirs below $25k if they want to sell anytime soon. BTW I don't think the red interior is helping either..
That car you linked is a repaired write off. Ops car is worth way more than that. $29k to $30k is a fair price for OPs car.
My bad, here is an Auto which is not listed as a repairable write off, still cheaper than OP's price at $29k with 49k kms (+/- 15k kms for a 5 year old car wouldn't make a difference in price). Here is a sedan with 59k km on the clock listed for $26k. When new the manual was $1k cheaper than an auto, in the used market I'd think it has to be more than $2k less, because of the extremely low demand.
@opt: I guess thats the decision OP needs to make. Either wait for a buyer who must have a manual and maintain the price or sell it cheap faster to someone that’s happy to put up with the manual for a really good bargain.
Personally, if I was looking for a small car this Astina manual would be exactly what I want. Although, I wouldn’t pay more than 25k for it either. I reckon $30k is ok but it’s not really super competitive and wouldn’t motivate me to make contact. Because realistically, in 3-5 years time this car is barely a $20k car.
I love driving nimble manual cars, but I loathe driving my manual van in traffic. Autos are also much easier to sell. EV's don't even have gears.
So, no. There's little demand for manual vehicles, unless you're selling an enthusiast vehicle.
EV's don't even have gears
Some do. Just not user selectable. Taycan is an example. Allows for rapid acceleration and high top speeds.
I prefer a manual in any model, but I'm not in the market for a gutless Mazda3 at 32k
While i agree that 32k is well outside budget, driving a lower powered manual is a lot more fun than a low powered auto.
I had a 91 corolla manual. It was a hoot to drive, partly because you could wring its neck and not put yourself too far over the black number in rhwbred circle.
Perhaps "sluggish" is a better word? I've also owned and driven small manuals - agree they're good fun, and the i20 loaner I had once was frankly unbearable with an auto. The Mazda3 powertrain doesn't do it for me unfortunately - the fun factor just isn't there somehow.
I'm sure the 2.5L engine paired with a manual gear box would have way more pep than the i20 which I assume probably had a 1.4L or something in it.
Popping a turbo on the Mazda would would make it really fun though.
We bought a manual for our son's first car and will do the same for our daughter. Here in WA whatever you sit your test in determines the license you get. I want both my kids to have manual licences.
Good to keep your options open. Never know when you could come across a mint g25 astina that someone can’t sell because it’s a manual and has to sell it for cheap.
I am one of those who would actually pay a premium for a manual. I've been driving manual for probably 18 years now and am struggling to find a decent family car (with some creature comforts) with a manual transmission. The best I can find is a 2016 Subaru Outback in Manual. I did once see a 2014 Audi A6 (Wagon) in Manual for sale. However, I am in Sydney and seller was in Melbourne. Seller had apparently imported the car from UK couple years ago. Will soon be starting a family so I'm constantly checking the market for manual (family) cars. I have also looked into Import fees and am willing to pay around $5k to import a nice Manual car from UK. You can find a 2015 Audi Q5 in Manual! and a Mercedes E class! My brother lives in London so it will make it easier for me.
You just need to be patient and the right buyer will come along.
Just gotta find the right buyer, but having the right type of car makes all the difference. My daily that I have to drive 100km in? God I wish it was auto, but the turbo diesel version didn't come in auto :(. My weekend/fun performance car? Manual without a doubt. Driving around in the city or long distances I think most people now would only buy auto, and understandably.
The only advantage of a manual boring car is that they are cheaper than their auto counterparts.
A manual sportscar has a different appeal.
Exactly! I've never understood the types who claim to be an "enthusiast" because they drive a manual econo sh!tbox daily driver like the car being discussed here.
I did have to drive a pos Nissan micra manual once as all other rental cars were unavailable and the rest of the people in the queue at the rental car agency couldn't drive a manual. At the end of two day rental period I wished that I had taken a taxi everywhere instead of renting that gutless pissant of a car.
My 1 year stint with a bug eyed wrx was a completely different story altogether.
Manual is simply more fun but i think reality is that the pool of people able to drive one will continue to decline.
There is and will always be. Driving auto is no different than sitting on a tram or train.
I don't know about that. I can sleep on a long train ride. I don't think I can do that behind the wheel of an auto
What car do you drive?
My BM SP25 GT is automatic, though thankfully a conventional auto and not a mind-numbing CVT box. I bought it as my first automatic car after 5 previous manual cars, mainly because my Girlfriend doesn't want to learn to drive manual. I kind of wish I did have a manual transmission in that Mazda, because my Brother's SP25 is great with it. I do have another 2 enthusiast cars which are manual though, so I can scratch that itch when I put registration on those for some parts of the year.
But yes, i believe a lot of buyer preferences for new car sales are also reflected in used car purchases (auto preffered🥲 ).
Is there demand for manual sports cars? You bet.
Is there demand for manual every day daily driver cars like a mazda 3? Nope.
If you have the space, keep it for another two decades or so and sell as vintage. The price would go up massively when electric cars become the norm. But that would probably require you to become a mechanic or at least be very knowledgeable about the vehicle in the meantime.
Wait, let me calculate….
Done. In two decades this car will be worth exactly $0.00
Sorry, correction. Disposing of it to the local rust collection agency will fetch exactly $420.69
No one cares about a manual mazda 3.
Don't forget to include insurance, registration, interest, and inflation in the calculations. Even if the car doubles in price, the seller has lost money after 20 years.
Overpriced
Hyundai N series is better.
Im about to list a 2019, brand new was a round 35-36k
I was expecting around 25k~ back and thats me being generous to myseld. 30+ is just ridiculous.
30k is ok if it’s like a 2022or 2023 model. 25 reasonable for 2019.
I daily a Manual Evo.
You only live once. Would rather have a car thats driven and not hidden.
Manual cars aren't worthless. It is cause your car is a proper commuter car. Not a sports/enthusiast car.
In saying that, people will still buy your car. I believe the market is just slowing down at the moment.