06-18-2019, 08:07 AM
(06-18-2019, 05:30 AM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: I have never owned an automatic car, but manuals are getting harder to find. My cousin had to special order a BMW 4-series coupe to get a manual, four months for delivery. My boss found a used 4-series in manual, and was engaged in a bidding war for it. A good friend wanted a 2018 Ecoboost Mustang convertible with a manual. Six month delivery. All US manuals have had the clutch-only start for years now as well.
My current Fiesta better last a long time...
I worked at Disneyland in the 80s. There was a fleet of service trucks roaming the parking lot, guided by spotters in towers with a complete view of the lot. Among other things, they were looking for guests with hoods up. There had been several instances where a good Samaritan would try to help jump-start someone else's dead car. Two cars, nose-to-nose, cabled up, usually with someone standing between them. If one car was a manual, and the engine was started in gear without the clutch in, wham, bad day for the guy between the cars, and we sue Disney as it was on their property. The service trucks would try to get there to help before someone might hurt themselves.
2019 Kia Soul base model, 1.6 liter, 6 speed manual, no remote door operation, but cruise control can be added for ~$70 in Kia parts.