{"id":32357,"date":"2022-12-28T06:25:35","date_gmt":"2022-12-27T22:25:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carsome.my\/news\/item\/buying-a-manual-car-in-malaysia"},"modified":"2023-05-03T16:52:13","modified_gmt":"2023-05-03T08:52:13","slug":"buying-a-manual-car-in-malaysia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carsome.my\/news\/item\/buying-a-manual-car-in-malaysia","title":{"rendered":"The Slow And Painful Extinction of the Manual Car in Malaysia"},"content":{"rendered":"

McDonald\u2019s or Burger King? Hawaiian or Pepperoni? The eternal debate of automatic vs manual transmissions is still popular among the car community. We all know that manuals are a dying breed; what was once found in entry-level cars is slowly being phased out for the CVT transmission. Let\u2019s face it \u2013 manual transmissions will go extinct, but they won\u2019t be meeting the undertaker just yet. The stick shift still has one more thread keeping it alive \u2013 car enthusiasts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"TheI like a good manual car too. In fact, I would love to look forward to buying one just to relearn the stick shift again. However, buying a brand-new one may be a bit of a challenge. Take a look at all the car brands we have available in Msia, how many of them are offering a model with a manual gearbox from an official dealer? Fewer than eight. What about buying an old one? Older cars are too risky and a hassle to restore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The closest we can get to a reliable and relatively new stick shift car is a recond Toyota GT86\/Subaru BRZ, and even then, these cars still cost us a pretty penny. One cannot deny that driving in Malaysia is a pain in the butt with the number of traffic jams we deal with on a daily basis. To the brave few who still drive a manual in these jams, we salute your left leg for your bravery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YZBHolhCV5U<\/p>\n

I still remember following the release of the fifth-generation Toyota Supra. Back then, internet sleuths around the world started frothing at their mouths upon finding Toyota did not offer a manual transmission, not <\/span>until years later<\/span><\/a>. But can you blame Toyota\/BMW\u2019s decision to do so?<\/span><\/p>\n

Read More: <\/span>Auto Versus Manual Transmissions: Here\u2019s All You Need to Know<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Where Have All The Manual Transmission Cars Gone?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Nobody buys them anymore. Even if a model is offered in manual, people would tend to flock to the automatic one. When the said model is discontinued for a newer generation without it, the keyboard warriors who did not contribute to the sales start complaining, and the cycle continues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"PoorPart of the reason why car brands hesitate to offer a manual car nowadays is poor sales. Generating hype on the internet is one thing, but how many of these internet sleuths would put their money down at the dealer? You want more car brands to offer a manual car? Then start putting your money where your mouth is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"BMWAnother answer, however, is thanks to the advancements in automatic transmission technology in cars today. In the olden days, manual transmissions are bought by the poor while automatics are for the rich due to their prices. Nowadays, the masses could only afford a CVT-powered economy car, while the stick can only be found in high-end performance cars like BMW, Porsche, and Aston Martin which have full intent on keeping the spirit of a manual car alive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You could argue that what little manual transmission cars that are still offered today are significantly cheaper than their automatic counterparts, yet why aren\u2019t people buying them?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Many Still Drive a Manual Car Today?<\/span><\/h2>\n

We tried contacting several car brands including Toyota, Perodua, Proton, and Mazda to get information regarding the sales of manual transmissions but all we got was just crickets. So, to further investigate these numbers, we turned to our colleagues at CARSOME instead. Out of 43 responses, here\u2019s what we found.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Results<\/span><\/h3>\n

15 out of 43 responses (34.9%) still drive one. While these are still good numbers, only nine out of the 15 respondents still drive them on a daily basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the reasons why they still stick with a manual:<\/span><\/p>\n