Visitors to the uk be warned

**Kitfoxdave** · 29th July 25, 12:08 PM

Years back, went to Wales, England and Scotland. In Wales used public transport and freinds driving us around. In England, we took trains to York and train, taxi to Wall... utilized taxi to explore Hadrians wall... took train to Edinburgh and then went with friends to Ft William. In Ft William I hired an estate car (automatic bad leg so clutch is nogo), and carefully drove up the Grand Glen to Loch Ness then on to Skye. It took about a days drive in the highlands to get used to driving... I kept a close eye on vehichles in front and behind and pulled onto shoulder where there was sufficient room to let others pass. It was a pleasant drive. After a week in the highlands, we came by the south shore of Loch Lommond and got dumped into a golf tournament heavy traffic! I elected to take the first bridge over the Clyde and continue our explorations from there!
As they say, be careful and alert! We had a wonderful time without incident. When I got back to the states, it took a couple weeks to readjust!

**Iain Ruaidh** · 3rd August 25, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by CBH

The thing I could not get past when shifting with the left hand, is that the shift pattern itself is not reversed. 1st gear is closest to the driver on LHD cars in America and Europe. But when sitting on the right side of the vehicle, the lowest gears are furthest away. That just never felt right.

Can manual transmission vehicles still be rented in the UK or Europe ? I haven't tried renting a car there in 20 years.

Back in my Royal Air Force days in the early 80s, they had the Half Ton Land Rover, a crazy vehicle where the shifter had the usual UK manual pattern but the long stick would move 6 inches left for 1st and 2nd, centre for 3rd and 4th, and 7 inches right for reverse, but only 1/2 an inch forward or back to engage the gear!

Manual cars are still completely normal in the UK.

**SF Jeff** · 5th August 25, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Iain Ruaidh

Manual cars are still completely normal in the UK.

One more reason to move to Scotland.

At least 10 years ago I saw a statistic that only 8% of new cars sold in the U.S. were manual transmissions. That's probably down to 0% now. Even the high-end sports cars (lambos and ferraris, etc.) switched from a stick to paddle shifters on the steering wheel. And those are electronic and don't require a clutch pedal, but at least you can shift when you want and not rely on the vacuum of the engine.

**Kitfoxdave** · 5th August 25, 12:49 PM

As a gimpy old man with a bad left leg, I reserve an automatic vehicle in the UK and Europe... it costs me dearly, but worth the money... at the spritely age of 28, a driver crossed the center of the road and hit me in my vehicle head on... after months of recovery from putting my hip together, it was discovered that my PCL was destroyed when the lower dash was pushed back into my knee severing the PCL and blowing out my hip. Until that point I had 2 manual vehicles... even with a heavy duty knee brace I cannot hold in the clutch... only for a very short period of time... Automatics make it possible for me to enjoy the scenic byways and hidden gems overseas... again well worth the price differential....

Learned to drive a manual tractor at age 14.... scooping out a ditch at about a 20 degree side angle...

**MacKenzie** · 5th August 25, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by SF Jeff

At least 10 years ago I saw a statistic that only 8% of new cars sold in the U.S. were manual transmissions. That's probably down to 0% now.

There are still a few cars. But as far as trucks go, unless you're special ordering fleet vehicles, forget it.

Back in the spring we took the '09 Challenger (6-speed manual) to the dealer for it's annual "inspection" for the drive train warranty. The first time we tried to drop it off we were turned away because the ONE GUY that worked there that could drive a stick shift was on vacation.

**CBH** · 5th August 25, 06:20 PM

3-pedal cars are nearly as rare as kilts in the US.

I spent crazy money (for me) on a new Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing a couple of years ago. It is the last brand new, V8 manual transmission sedan that will probably ever be sold in America. I knew I would forever regret not buying the last and greatest of all time. Its a wonderful car - best of all possible worlds.

Besides the Mustang and Toyota Supra, as well the Subbie/Toyota BRZ twins, and the Miata, that's about it. And all of those are sports cars, as it should be

Porsche doesn't even sell manuals on all its cars any more. And the mighty Corvette - to which I've aspired my entire life - ditched the manual in its most current generation. A little part of me died when that was announced ........

**Canadian Vet** · 6th August 25, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by CBH

3-pedal cars are nearly as rare as kilts in the US.

I spent crazy money (for me) on a new Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing a couple of years ago. It is the last brand new, V8 manual transmission sedan that will probably ever be sold in America. I knew I would forever regret not buying the last and greatest of all time. Its a wonderful car - best of all possible worlds.

Besides the Mustang and Toyota Supra, as well the Subbie/Toyota BRZ twins, and the Miata, that's about it. And all of those are sports cars, as it should be

Porsche doesn't even sell manuals on all its cars any more. And the mighty Corvette - to which I've aspired my entire life - ditched the manual in its most current generation. A little part of me died when that was announced ........

Subaru has a couple ... one model of Crosstrek and their hot STIs.

**jsrnephdoc** · 6th August 25, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by CBH

3-pedal cars are nearly as rare as kilts in the US.

I spent crazy money (for me) on a new Cadillac CT5 V Blackwing a couple of years ago. It is the last brand new, V8 manual transmission sedan that will probably ever be sold in America. I knew I would forever regret not buying the last and greatest of all time. Its a wonderful car - best of all possible worlds.

Besides the Mustang and Toyota Supra, as well the Subbie/Toyota BRZ twins, and the Miata, that's about it. And all of those are sports cars, as it should be

Porsche doesn't even sell manuals on all its cars any more. And the mighty Corvette - to which I've aspired my entire life - ditched the manual in its most current generation. A little part of me died when that was announced ........

Of course, sometimes IS progress. To be fair, the death of 3rd petal clutch shifted cars is NOT because torque convertor automatic transmissions have gotten much better. What's replaced them for sport and sporty cars is the dual-clutch automated manual, which is truly a wonderful invention.

Sometimes, better DOES win out.

**SF Jeff** · 7th August 25, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by MacKenzie

The first time we tried to drop it off we were turned away because the ONE GUY that worked there that could drive a stick shift was on vacation.

I studied Krav Maga for 4 years and one time we had a guest instructor come to teach a class on car jacking (how to prevent one, not do one). A few students volunteered their cars and we broke up into groups, about six groups of 4-5 students. One of the cars was a stick and the instructor asked who could drive a stick so they could be put in that group. In a class of about 30 students, only myself and the owner of the car raised our hands.

**User** · 14th August 25, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by SF Jeff

I studied Krav Maga for 4 years and one time we had a guest instructor come to teach a class on car jacking (how to prevent one, not do one). A few students volunteered their cars and we broke up into groups, about six groups of 4-5 students. One of the cars was a stick and the instructor asked who could drive a stick so they could be put in that group. In a class of about 30 students, only myself and the owner of the car raised our hands.

How to prevent a car jacking: own a manual car.