Who still drives a stick in 2025?

[Too many Kubotas]

True. But unfortunately it wasn't a work truck.

Pulling a 28' pup converted to a toy hauler isn't exactly work for a Class 8 tractor.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

'09 Scion xB 5-speed, the car I bought off my brothers estate.

I didn't want it originally but my 2nd son's wife divorced him leaving him with literally only the clothes he owned - everything was in daddy's name as both their credit ratings were trash, so I had to get something he could use to drive to work.

Now, he's almost back on his feet and I'm using it since it's not too bad on gas.

You can actually get two 55 gallon drums in the back of this (rear seats down and empty of course).

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ very versatile in a small footprint… my neighbor has one and it’s been super dependable…

 

[WinterDeere]

You can actually get two 55 gallon drums in the back of this (rear seats down and empty of course).

There has to be a good back-story to that sentence, as this is just not "common knowledge".

 

[Oaktree]

It's one more step toward disposable vehicles completely unserviceable by the owner.

And yet modern vehicles last much longer and require less maintenance than ever. What's the median age of vehicles on the road today, 12.5 years +/-?

 

[Oaktree]

Bring back the VW Bug. 38 Miles per gallon and you could fix it without a computer.

And you never went anywhere in one without tools, a set of coveralls and at the very least a spare belt.

 

[Oaktree]

I regret selling my Pete, so I'm getting another one - also with an 18-speed.

Which makes me wonder, of those who really want stick shifts how many would like a non-syncro version?

Curiously, why did almost no one offer syncros in first gear until well into the 70s?

 

[Oaktree]

'09 Scion xB 5-speed, the car I bought off my brothers estate.

I didn't want it originally but my 2nd son's wife divorced him leaving him with literally only the clothes he owned - everything was in daddy's name as both their credit ratings were trash, so I had to get something he could use to drive to work.

Now, he's almost back on his feet and I'm using it since it's not too bad on gas.

You can actually get two 55 gallon drums in the back of this (rear seats down and empty of course).

You'd see them all over the place maybe 20 years ago. Guess they didn't stand up very well because by the early teens they were all gone. I thought they looked like a kleenex box on wheels.

 

[KennyG]

Curiously, why did almost no one offer syncros in first gear until well into the 70s?

I'm going way back in the memory hole, so this may not be 100% accurate, but as I recall, synchros worked on pairs of gears, so when they were added to 3 speeds, they worked on 2nd and 3rd. Four speed auto transmissions (neglecting the truck "granny" four speeds) were fully synchronized when they were modernized. The modern 5, 6, and 7 speed manuals are different designs, so I don't think the synchros work the same way.

Does anyone remember a three speed with low synchros? Feel free to correct me on this.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

And yet modern vehicles last much longer and require less maintenance than ever. What's the median age of vehicles on the road today, 12.5 years +/-?

I agree that the average vehicle lasts far longer now than in the "good old days " but when that period of parts and specialty tool support ends there is no way for an average back yard mechanic to keep them going. Up until the mid 80s everything on a car was essentially rebuildable, even things like an ignition module could be retrofitted with a different part or replaced with points. Once an ecm or body control module goes and isn't available that car is done.

 

[ultrarunner]

I agree that the average vehicle lasts far longer now than in the "good old days " but when that period of parts and specialty tool support ends there is no way for an average back yard mechanic to keep them going. Up until the mid 80s everything on a car was essentially rebuildable, even things like an ignition module could be retrofitted with a different part or replaced with points. Once an ecm or body control module goes and isn't available that car is done.

Often just airbag deployment is enough to total a car and then add smog parts may no longer available for your 1976 car and your car isn’t a car anymore… just a pile of parts.

 

[sd455dan]

And you never went anywhere in one without tools, a set of coveralls and at the very least a spare belt.

Always with a copy of John Muir's book "How to keep your Volkswagen Alive a

Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot"​

fun and entertaining to read as well

 

[TMGT]

Often just airbag deployment is enough to total a car and then add smog parts may no longer available for your 1976 car and your car isn’t a car anymore… just a pile of parts.

Depends on which state, after 25years they don't require emissions testing.

 

[TMGT]

I agree that the average vehicle lasts far longer now than in the "good old days " but when that period of parts and specialty tool support ends there is no way for an average back yard mechanic to keep them going. Up until the mid 80s everything on a car was essentially rebuildable, even things like an ignition module could be retrofitted with a different part or replaced with points. Once an ecm or body control module goes and isn't available that car is done.

There are a lot of aftermarket companies rebuilding electronics for nla parts.
At least for more popular models that have a following.

 

[jyoutz]

I agree that the average vehicle lasts far longer now than in the "good old days " but when that period of parts and specialty tool support ends there is no way for an average back yard mechanic to keep them going. Up until the mid 80s everything on a car was essentially rebuildable, even things like an ignition module could be retrofitted with a different part or replaced with points. Once an ecm or body control module goes and isn't available that car is done.

That car isn’t done. Certified shops fix them every day. Can you point to a case where modules aren’t available for modern vehicles?

 

[Hay Dude]

I agree that the average vehicle lasts far longer now than in the "good old days " but when that period of parts and specialty tool support ends there is no way for an average back yard mechanic to keep them going. Up until the mid 80s everything on a car was essentially rebuildable, even things like an ignition module could be retrofitted with a different part or replaced with points. Once an ecm or body control module goes and isn't available that car is done.

And it’s not just cars, either. We had a 15 year old Bosch dishwasher (supposedly best dishwasher made) go down and the motherboard or main circuit board was no longer available.
Hello $1,500 for a new dishwasher. If the motherboard was still available, it would have been a few hundred.

I used to own a 2000 Case-IH 270 Magnum farm tractor. Great tractor, but the electric over hydraulic rear spool valves were no longer made as of years ago. All old stock and most boneyard tractors spools are gone. So if you drop a spool valve, you are SOL, unless you want to spend a lot more and retrofit new ones.

 

[Oaktree]

I used to own a 2000 Case-IH 270 Magnum farm tractor. Great tractor, but the electric over hydraulic rear spool valves were no longer made as of years ago. All old stock and most boneyard tractors spools are gone. So if you drop a spool valve, you are SOL, unless you want to spend a lot more and retrofit new ones.

I don't know how popular this tractor was, but it's not reasonable to expect parts (especially oddball/proprietary ones like you describe) to be available forever. Goes with the territory if you want to keep old equipment running. Always been that way.

 

[Hay Dude]

I don't know how popular this tractor was, but it's not reasonable to expect parts (especially oddball/proprietary ones like you describe) to be available forever. Goes with the territory if you want to keep old equipment running. Always been that way.

Magnums were very popular. Tractor was built in ‘99 or 2000. They quit making the spools by 2015.
Thats unreasonable. A 15 year old tractor is not “old”.

 

[ultrarunner]

Depends on which state, after 25years they don't require emissions testing.

California 1976 and newer…

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't know how popular this tractor was, but it's not reasonable to expect parts (especially oddball/proprietary ones like you describe) to be available forever. Goes with the territory if you want to keep old equipment running. Always been that way.

That’s the odd thing in that say for a Model T or Model A Ford total recreation are possible from new engine blocks to complete bodies… no electronics though…