The death of the stick shift?
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The death of the stick shift.
In 2014, it looks like a shift from manual to automatic driving machines has truly taken effect. Dealerships say they are selling more automatic cars than ever before.
BMW of Bakersfield Sales Manager Mohsen Vaziri stated the ratio for car sales are "about 98% automatic and about maybe 1% or 2% on the stick shift."
Bakersfield residents say the next generation isn't bothering to learn how to drive manual transmission cars, hammering in a nail to the coffin.
"The whole hassle of switching gears, it would kind of get tiring after a while, and old," Bellman Marcos Rangel said.
Akal Driving School does not offer lessons for stick shift drivers, saying it is safer to teach in an automatic car.
"These automatic cars are equipped with brakes and gas pedals on the passenger side as well, so it will help the instructor control the car if the student does something wrong," Babandeep Singh said.
Singh also said they hardly ever get customers who ask to learn how to drive a stick shift car.
Local valets noticed a difference in how many automatic cars they see. "Not a lot, I would say 2 out of every 15 cars," Cameron Carrillo said.
While the demand for automatic vehicles is higher compared to stick shift, dealerships like BMW, say they can't keep them on the lot.
"Normally we have one or two in stock but there are so many enthusiasts out there that come out here and they see a car, stick shift, they'll purchase it," Vaziri said.
Vaziri said it could also take a couple months to special order a stick shift vehicle.
So the question, is the stick shift dying out? BMW says not for the 'true driver'. Other men 23abc spoke with agreed, saying there are people out there who enjoy driving manual cars and will continue to buy them.
source: Dealerships say 98% of cars sold are automatic, only 2% stick shift - 23ABC News
source #2 (Canadian) https://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/death-stick-shift-115538896.html
......................................
Personally, I hate driving Automatics.. 2 out of my 3 cars are Stick Shifts.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The death of the stick shift.
In 2014, it looks like a shift from manual to automatic driving machines has truly taken effect. Dealerships say they are selling more automatic cars than ever before.
BMW of Bakersfield Sales Manager Mohsen Vaziri stated the ratio for car sales are "about 98% automatic and about maybe 1% or 2% on the stick shift."
Bakersfield residents say the next generation isn't bothering to learn how to drive manual transmission cars, hammering in a nail to the coffin.
"The whole hassle of switching gears, it would kind of get tiring after a while, and old," Bellman Marcos Rangel said.
Akal Driving School does not offer lessons for stick shift drivers, saying it is safer to teach in an automatic car.
"These automatic cars are equipped with brakes and gas pedals on the passenger side as well, so it will help the instructor control the car if the student does something wrong," Babandeep Singh said.
Singh also said they hardly ever get customers who ask to learn how to drive a stick shift car.
Local valets noticed a difference in how many automatic cars they see. "Not a lot, I would say 2 out of every 15 cars," Cameron Carrillo said.
While the demand for automatic vehicles is higher compared to stick shift, dealerships like BMW, say they can't keep them on the lot.
"Normally we have one or two in stock but there are so many enthusiasts out there that come out here and they see a car, stick shift, they'll purchase it," Vaziri said.
Vaziri said it could also take a couple months to special order a stick shift vehicle.
So the question, is the stick shift dying out? BMW says not for the 'true driver'. Other men 23abc spoke with agreed, saying there are people out there who enjoy driving manual cars and will continue to buy them.
source: Dealerships say 98% of cars sold are automatic, only 2% stick shift - 23ABC News
source #2 (Canadian) https://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/death-stick-shift-115538896.html
......................................
Personally, I hate driving Automatics.. 2 out of my 3 cars are Stick Shifts.