A Manual Trans Comeback? Maybe

[NickF1011]

And everyone worked on their own cars, changed oil, plugs, and points and fuel filter. And much more like water pumps and brakes. No big deal in those days.

 

"Everyone" is a bit of a stretch. There have been professional mechanics since there have been cars.

[FordBuyer]

"Everyone" is a bit of a stretch. There have been professional mechanics since there have been cars.

 

Open up the hood of a vintage car Nick and even you could change your plugs and water pump. It's like looking at a lawn mower engine, only bigger. Mechanics back then were used mostly for warranty work, and auto trans and the like. Lots of women didn't even have driver's licenses back then let alone have cars. All the big cities back then including Detroit had sophisticated mass transit and interurbans that could take you out to the rural areas. People were so much more self reliant and cut their own fricking lawn and worked on their own cars. Going out to dinner was for special ocassions only. Sunday dinner was at 3PM with roast beef at home and every family member better make it to avoid dog house. Fast food was a White Castle type place where you went once in a great while to get diarreah. A fat person weighed about 200 pounds maybe.

[jpd80]

Don't forget the whole PAG fiasco, and the demise of Lincoln and Mercury for that matter because of so much focus and money spent and lost on PAG. The verdict is still out on whether Lincoln can be resuscitated back to a viable life span. Sometimes I think it may have been better to let Lincoln die also and just keep Jaguar and Land Rover as your luxury brands, and Volvo as your upmarket Ford instead of selling all three for pennies on the dollar and investing billions trying to bring Lincoln back to life. PAG had a global presence also, something Lincoln can only dream of. I'm still not sold on the COMPLETE turnaround story of Ford until the share price starts reflecting it. Both GM and Ford get incomplete work in progress grades.

And you're forgetting why Ford sold those brands when it did:

1) To reduce the complexity of its business structure

2) To raise capital to continue developing new Fords

3) To avoid close to $10 billion outlay on new product cyles

4) To eliminate those under funded UK pension plans

 

I think we all agree that rejuvenating and elevating the Ford brand takes priority over everything else,

and the beauty of Lincoln is that its captive to Ford platforms and construction plants so even though

future examples may wear different top hats to originators, the expensive parts are still the same.

Edited May 18, 2012 by jpd80

[Edstock]

With a reeeeaaaally long throw. And a torquey straight six. Oh, and yes, rubber floor mats. Now that's a truck.

 

That 2nd-to-3rd shift moved the end of the lever about a yard in travel, or so it seemed.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

LOL it never went away in rest of the world.

 

Most of the world outside the isolation of North America uses manual stick changers, because its more fuel efficient, creates less pollution, costs less, cheaper keeps the cost down for the buyer. Ford does a limited range of automatic transmissions on a few models in the UK, where they do l have added some comparisons. If you want the automatic transmission version of a Ranger it adds £1,000 ($1,582) extra to the price.

 

FORD UK WEBSITE

 

FIESTA (Same engines gearboxes, average combined MPG, Pollution)

1.4 Duratec Automatic 42.8 MPG 154 g/km

1.4 Duratec Manual 48.7 MPG 133 g/km

Best Ford Car in the UK, New 1.6 Econetic diesel manual transmission only 86 MPG Combinied 91 MPG Max 87 g/km of pollution.

 

FOCUS (Same engines gearboxes, average combined MPG)

2.0 TCI Duratorq Automatic 53.3 MPG

2.0 TCI Duratorq Manual 56.5 MPG

Worst Focus engine gasoline Ecoboost 1.6 (Stop/Start) Manual Transmission Only Option 47 MPG 139 g/km of pollution

Best Focus engine diesel Duratorq 1.6 Manual Transmission Only Option 67 MPG 109 g/km

 

MONDEO (Same engines gearboxes, average combined MPG)

2.0 TCI Duratorq Automatic 50.4 MPG

2.0 TDI Duratorq Manual 53.3 MPG

 

RANGER (Same engines gearboxes, average combined MPG, Pollution, adding automatic gearbox extra costs)

2.2 TDI Duratorq Automatic 28.3 MPG 264 g/km pollution (+£1,000 extra if you want the automatic tranmission)

2.2 TDI Duratorq Manual 34 MPG 228 g/km pollution

Edited May 21, 2012 by Ford Jellymoulds

[timmm55]

And if the market changes I trust Ford will respond accordingly.

 

The F150 isn't sold in Europe, nor will it be. We're talking about F150s here, not small cars.

 

No we're not. Check the TITLE again. It doesn't say anything about F150s......that's a tangent that someone has gone off on.

I said

Also remember there is a another world, outside of the USA, that embraces/prefers manual transmissions. Go to a Ford of Europe web site and see what is available.

 

I could see just about every Ford car line having a manual. Hell, the Galaxy (a largish mini-van) in the UK has a stick, not a low line model either. The F150 is not a world vehicle, it's US only. If they were only selling 2 or 3 percent manuals back when, it makes sense to sell only automatics. (But that's 10 or 15,000 stick shift trucks minimum per year, and Ford makes many many variations of the F150.....a few manuals doesn't sound ridiculous, especially now since the Ranger is gone).

[papilgee4evaeva]

I could see just about every Ford car line having a manual. Hell, the Galaxy (a largish mini-van) in the UK has a stick, not a low line model either. The F150 is not a world vehicle, it's US only. If they were only selling 2 or 3 percent manuals back when, it makes sense to sell only automatics. (But that's 10 or 15,000 stick shift trucks minimum per year, and Ford makes many many variations of the F150.....a few manuals doesn't sound ridiculous, especially now since the Ranger is gone).

 

Now, where would they get this transmission from? It's not like they have a current one on the shelf they can stick in there. Unless you want to take from the Mustang and put it in the truck, which for some reason I don't think would be a good idea.

[retro-man]

Open up the hood of a vintage car Nick and even you could change your plugs and water pump.

Yes, and you could stand under the hood in the engine compartment with your feet on the ground while you were doing it. And the truck was still only 2/3 the size of a new one.

[akirby]

No we're not. Check the TITLE again. It doesn't say anything about F150s......that's a tangent that someone has gone off on.

 

The title doesn't say cars either and there was a lengthy discussion specifically about the F150 that I was referring to. That's not a tangent just because it wasn't what you were discussing.

[timmm55]

The title doesn't say cars either and there was a lengthy discussion specifically about the F150 that I was referring to. That's not a tangent just because it wasn't what you were discussing.

 

Don't get all snarky about it.

 

Go back. Read the original article. And it's title. "CAR" is in the title.

F150 IS a tangent.

Car buyers falling back in love with manual transmissions

 

 

 

 

And if the market changes I trust Ford will respond accordingly.

 

The F150 isn't sold in Europe, nor will it be. We're talking about F150s here, not small cars.

 

Proof that this topic is on a tangent (nothing unusual or bad for that matter), the original article was in fact about small cars, sports cars and economy cars. Cars............not trucks.

Edited May 21, 2012 by timmm55

[timmm55]

Now, where would they get this transmission from? It's not like they have a current one on the shelf they can stick in there. Unless you want to take from the Mustang and put it in the truck, which for some reason I don't think would be a good idea.

 

It wasn't that long ago they had a manual/V6. 2008. http://www.f150forum.com/f2/last-year-manual-transmission-18048/

[papilgee4evaeva]

It wasn't that long ago they had a manual/V6. 2008. http://www.f150forum...smission-18048/

 

Yes, and Mazda stopped making that transmission with the demise of the Ranger.

[NickF1011]

Open up the hood of a vintage car Nick and even you could change your plugs and water pump.

 

I could. But I can do that I my current car too. My mom couldn't. My two older brothers couldn't. My neighbor sure as heck couldn't. They would have all needed a mechanic to do it. My dad, who is even somewhat of a car guy, rarely did any of his own vehicle maintenance. You are viewing the past far too romantically. There were just as few mechanically-inclined vehicle operators then as there are now. Probably the only difference was that those who were mechanically-inclined could do more of the work themselves back then compared to now.

Edited May 21, 2012 by NickF1011

[retro-man]

I could. But I can do that I my current car too. My mom couldn't. My two older brothers couldn't. My neighbor sure as heck couldn't. They would have all needed a mechanic to do it. My dad, who is even somewhat of a car guy, rarely did any of his own vehicle maintenance. You are viewing the past far too romantically. There were just as few mechanically-inclined vehicle operators then as there are now. Probably the only difference was that those who were mechanically-inclined could do more of the work themselves back then compared to now.

It's true. My dad was pretty much a car guy too, but he had his mechanic - Clarence - who would take our cars in periodically for a tuneup or whatever, and give us a loaner (a '52 Ford, neat as a pin, with plain seat covers) for a day or two.

[akirby]

Don't get all snarky about it.

 

Go back. Read the original article. And it's title. "CAR" is in the title.

F150 IS a tangent.

Car buyers falling back in love with manual transmissions

 

Proof that this topic is on a tangent (nothing unusual or bad for that matter), the original article was in fact about small cars, sports cars and economy cars. Cars............not trucks.

 

You're the one with your panties in a wad. I didn't bring trucks into the discussion - other people did. I was responding to their posts. Go call the tangent police on them, not me.

[RichardJensen]

Boy. Looks like I missed a lot by ignoring this thread over the past few days.

 

To sum up: FB is looking at the past with rose colored glasses, and someone is upset about the topic being derailed.

 

Nothing new to report.

[SoonerLS]

You're the one with your panties in a wad. I didn't bring trucks into the discussion - other people did. I was responding to their posts. Go call the tangent police on them, not me.

Oh no you don't. If I go down, I'm taking you with me, you manual transmission hater, you!

[timmm55]

You're the one with your panties in a wad. I didn't bring trucks into the discussion - other people did. I was responding to their posts. Go call the tangent police on them, not me.

 

LOL, .......can't, I go commando.

 

I know you didn't bring it up...........I said someone. If I thought it was you I would have said you. You are the one who said "it's not about small cars" and it clearly is.

 

 

If you don't understand the distinction and the unique problems maybe you you shouldn't insult me (really ......panties in a wad?, if that isn't derogatory what is?) ......I'll put your panties where they belong. Oh wait, you don't wear panties? (Oh wait, maybe you do!) The point is as moot as trucks vs cars with manuals.

 

That's not a tangent just because it wasn't what you were discussing.

Amazing twisted logic here! You added to an already off topic conversation, so it is perfectly OK and not a tangent...........and get pi$$y about it, when it was being discussed by others. And made it about me.

 

Don't get so defensive. Usually things go off topic in 3 pages or so. But don't aide in the derailment, say you didn't and castigate me in the process. "They/someone" may have started the truck thing, but you're the one who decided it wasn't about small cars, and more about you.

Edited May 22, 2012 by timmm55

[timmm55]

It's true. My dad was pretty much a car guy too, but he had his mechanic - Clarence - who would take our cars in periodically for a tuneup or whatever, and give us a loaner (a '52 Ford, neat as a pin, with plain seat covers) for a day or two.

 

My dad had a car buddy named Clarence too. Dad was 84, nobody names their boys Clarence anymore it seems!

[mettech]

I am sure this is what the halls of Congress sounds like before the evening news..

[timmm55]

Yes, and Mazda stopped making that transmission with the demise of the Ranger.

 

So it can't be retooled for the 3.7's HP/ TQ? As much money as Ford poured into Mazda "borrowing" a version of that trans. it wouldn't be a big deal.

[RichardJensen]

Where's the volume? You don't build a transmission for a low take-rate option available only in the base trim of the F150.

[timmm55]

Where's the volume? You don't build a transmission for a low take-rate option available only in the base trim of the F150.

 

Maybe 5-10%......more since there's no Ranger manual? Honestly I doubt Ford will. It's just not in the cards. It's in the classic "Americans prefer automatics" idiom and there's nothing more American than an F150. But some people would like it!

 

But "One Ford" cars is a totally different matter.

[RichardJensen]

7.5% of the F150 is like 25k units. And I doubt the take rate would be even that high

[RichardJensen]

Also, as I'm sure others have taken pains to point out.... Shoot. I'm not even going to repeat it. It's abundantly obvious.