I read an article at least a year ago that said the manual gearbox is doomed and will cease production before long. I can’t see it happening for 5-10 years at least.

Took my car into Audi for MOT and a repair to the sunroof blind and several new cars in the showroom were manual. There was an S3 and a Q3 with manual gearboxes and outside was a used R8 manual.

I really like the DSG gearbox and the courtesy car I had in January for nearly 2 weeks made me want it over a manual. There were times however, on the open road, when I was a bit bored so tried both the paddle shift and just knocking the stick back and forth. I found neither of these involving and wished I was back with the manual gearbox.

The majority of my driving does suit the DSG gearbox more so I think I’d opt for it next time. So why is the manual gearbox still going strong? Is it the simplicity and relatively low cost if it fails? Still popular with small cars? LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

You can get more ratios from an auto box, 9 speeds are becoming common, the DSG and manual box that uses gear wheels will also disappear as 6 speed seem to be the limit. The box needs to be sequential with indicators otherwise the average driver won't realise which gear they are in assuming a box with more gears than 6 is practical, an auto will just find the ideal gear. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

auto boxes are now so much better than manuals, and add in that diesel auto's don't need a rubbish DMF to reduce vibrations they are more reliable now than ever.

However with the onset of electric cars then gearboxes will need to change as well.

I drove a McLaren MP4 flappy paddle auto (3.8 V8 petrol I believe) and a BMW i8 flappy paddle auto (hybrid 1.5 petrol AWD)

The BMW was truly outstanding even though it was the lesser car on paper.

The gear changes were smooth, responsive and very different to the gear changes on the McLaren. Maybe it was do with hybrid power gears vs pure petrol power gears ???

Mmm
The last manual I had (FL1) needed two clutches, and was overdue it's third when I disposed of the car (2.5 years old) at 120k miles. They would have cost £1k in 2001 had I taken them to a garage - it's a pig of a job on the driveway.

The FL2 was on the original gearbox at 185k miles, and would probably have lasted 250k. But lets say 200k for an auto box, that's 4 manual clutches at £1k each and 4 lots of downtime. Auto box every time. Yes you could play with the gears in the FL2, but I usually got bored long before the journey ended.

Then again off-road in a manual without a low ratio gearbox does take finesse - something I don't have, or want - sounds too girly  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

So with all that taken into account, back to my last paragraph why is the manual not showing any signs of being killed off yet?

On a side note, has there ever been an automatic Defender? It is apparently the king when it comes to off roading and manages to be so despite the apparent disadvantage of a manual.

I’m currently intrigued by an A3 etron at Derby Audi which is of course automatic. I just need an excuse to fork out for it less than a year since buying my TFSI A3 and I really can’t find any justification  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Wanting it is justification in my book I have the same dilemma although I hate my CRV. I prefer manuals but I am coming around to autos. I didn't like the FL2 auto I had but loved the BMW 325 auto. See if they would let you take it for an extended test drive and then decide if you can live with it.

Andy131 wrote:

Mmm
The last manual I had (FL1) needed two clutches, and was overdue it's third when I disposed of the car (2.5 years old) at 120k miles.

I can only think that is down to driving style I'm afraid... I had a FL1 new in 2002 & when it got written off in 2014 it had done 195,000 miles & was still on the original clutch. Journeys varied from stop start rush hour town driving, country lanes, motorways & even off road use.

That said, I have been driving a D4 auto for the last 2 1/2 years & don't think I would go back to a manual for my everyday car again. The Mrs has a manual FL2 & she is also saying that her next car will be manual. As for my 110 DCPU, that's manual but in the back of my mind is an idea that involves a 3.9 V8 & auto gearbox...

LR are/were offering a Defender with V8 and auto box -£150k, before you raid the piggy bank it's a limited supply and all have been allocated.

My driving style could be at best described as unsympathetic, probably brutal, so autos are the best bet.
But I did get 150k out of the Octavias clutch, difference is I didn't take it offroad.

I do remember driving the second FL1 for over 5 hours in first gear in temperatures of 43C+
In Morocco, offroad again, it was the BMW engine auto version, the car kept trying to go into 3rd, which caused the coolant temperature to climb into the red and cut the air-conditioning, on that box you could manually select 1st and 2nd and it would stay where it was told.

I'll be honest that car was damn near bullet proof, a very hard act to follow, the FL2 did exactly the same -only better, no wonder the Ewok was such a let down. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

After years of manual gearboxes, I have, thanks to my FL2s become an Autobox convert.
An autobox suits both the FL2 and my driving styles.

The Future ---
I think the BMW i8 set up is very good, a smallish highly tuned engine (with auto box) on one axle, and an electric motor (with 2 speed gearbox) on the other. As pointed out by RogB above, the electric motor smooths out the gaps as the autobox changes gear.

I tried similar a few years ago in a Hybrid Peugeot 3008, it had a diesel engine, with a rubbish robotised gearbox at the front, and an electric motor on the rear axle. Despite the gearbox the transmission seemed very smooth and responsive. I nearly bought one instead of my first FL2 (stopped by a dodgy salesman).

http://overdrive.in/news-cars-auto/feature...explained/ FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)