Car Dealerships: The Lazy Manual Transmission

Manual transmissions are becoming increasingly rare in new cars. In 2016, only 3% of new cars sold in the United States had manual transmissions. This is down from 18% in 1990. The decline of the manual transmission is due in part to the rise of automatic transmissions, which are easier to drive and more fuel-efficient.

But there are still some car enthusiasts who prefer manual transmissions. They argue that manual transmissions give them more control over their cars and make driving more enjoyable. However, car dealerships are often reluctant to sell cars with manual transmissions. They argue that manual transmissions are unpopular and that they don’t want to stock cars that they won’t be able to sell.

This is a lazy attitude on the part of car dealerships. They are not willing to put in the effort to sell cars with manual transmissions because they don’t think it’s worth their time. But there are still customers who want manual transmissions, and dealerships should be willing to cater to those customers.

The Benefits of Manual Transmissions

Manual transmissions offer a number of benefits over automatic transmissions. These benefits include:

• More control over the car. With a manual transmission, the driver has more control over the car’s speed and acceleration. This can be beneficial for driving in slippery conditions or when towing a trailer.
• More fuel-efficient. Manual transmissions are typically more fuel-efficient than automatic transmissions. This is because manual transmissions allow the driver to shift gears at the optimal time, which can save fuel.
• More fun to drive. Many drivers find manual transmissions more fun to drive than automatic transmissions. This is because manual transmissions allow the driver to be more involved in the driving experience.

Why Car Dealerships Are Reluctant to Sell Cars with Manual Transmissions

There are a number of reasons why car dealerships are reluctant to sell cars with manual transmissions. These reasons include:

• Manual transmissions are unpopular. As mentioned above, only 3% of new cars sold in the United States in 2016 had manual transmissions. This means that dealerships don’t want to stock cars that they won’t be able to sell.
• Manual transmissions are more difficult to drive. Manual transmissions require more skill to drive than automatic transmissions. This means that dealerships may be concerned that customers will be turned off by manual transmissions.
• Manual transmissions are more expensive to maintain. Manual transmissions are more complex than automatic transmissions, and this means that they can be more expensive to maintain.

Car Dealerships Should Offer More Cars with Manual Transmissions

Despite the challenges, car dealerships should offer more cars with manual transmissions. There are still customers who want manual transmissions, and dealerships should be willing to cater to those customers. Dealerships can make it easier to sell cars with manual transmissions by:

• Educating customers about the benefits of manual transmissions. Many customers are simply unaware of the benefits of manual transmissions. Dealerships can help to educate customers about these benefits by providing information on their websites and in their showrooms.
• Offering test drives in cars with manual transmissions. Many customers are reluctant to buy a car with a manual transmission because they have never driven one before. Dealerships can help to overcome this reluctance by offering test drives in cars with manual transmissions.
• Stocking a variety of cars with manual transmissions. Dealerships should stock a variety of cars with manual transmissions to meet the needs of different customers. This includes cars from different manufacturers, with different performance levels, and with different price points.

By taking these steps, car dealerships can make it easier to sell cars with manual transmissions. And by offering more cars with manual transmissions, dealerships can cater to the needs of customers who want more control over their driving experience.