I read on this forum all the time about people changing from auto to manual transmission. I see this as a good thing, but wonder where all the manual transmissions are coming from. Surely there cannot have been many manuals sold from new - I would guess about 10% or less. What is it with them? Do they crash a lot more often than autos?

It seems to me as if there is a real push to go manual. Or is it that all the really keen enthusiasts log on to this site.

i went manual because my auto was slowly dying, and where i live, it was actually cheaper to go manual then get my auto recoed. its a lot nicer to drive, and im a 90% grandpa driver. if going to a 5 speed tippy was cheap enough i would have gone that way instead.

I did the change over also because my auto was on the way out and for the money, the manual was the far more attractive option.

...It seems to me as if there is a real push to go manual. Or is it that all the really keen enthusiasts log on to this site.
I think you'll find it's a mixture.
Some who are members of this sight and are aware of the option, will pick a manual conversion over an Auto rebuild/changeover - simply based on cost savings.
Others will pick the Manual conversion (either while the Auto is still good or when she dies) simply for the performance and enthusiast driving improvements.
...and some will be a mix of the two.

Yeah I did it for the drive. They didnt make any manual sportswagons so it was my only option really.
And I think the amount sold as manuals was closer to 20 percent or something, I know it wasnt that low despite urban myths

I see this as a good thing, but wonder where all the manual transmissions are coming from. Surely there cannot have been many manuals sold from new
I think it would have to do with the fact that Magnas are worth bugger-all at the moment - it wouldn't take much of a crash to write one off. So even though manuals made up the minority of Magna sales new, there are more wrecks to pick manuals from than in the past.

To answer your question yes there were few manuals sold, but when you add up production numbers as a couple of hundred thousand and take say 15% - You're left with like 30,000+ available cars. That's almost as many manual magna's as 380's as a whole, and 380s are rather common to see on the road right?

Most of the conversions come from tired old TE-TF's with bad paint fade that just end up in wreckers as a car with no paint isn't worth anything.

i got a hole man wagon for 250 last week that why i am doing it and you could not buy a verada in a man from the new

i have 2 manuals - stock th sports and modified tj sports. i also have a stock tj sports 5 speed auto which i prefer for daily driving. if you have the 5 speed auto there is really no need to go manual unless you are doing some type of racing. don't like the 4 speed auto much. recommend if you want manual sell your auto and buy a manual as the conversion cost is a waste of money your never recover

recommend if you want manual sell your auto and buy a manual as the conversion cost is a waste of money your never recover

There are probably 2 main reasons why people do manual conversions.

1 : Auto gearbox has bitten the dust and the owner isn't prepared to pay the $2500-3000 plus for a reco box to be fitted

2 : Found the car they wanted but it was an auto.

I guess it depends on how much you're paying for a manual conversion and the installation.
I'm lucky that i have a great circle of friends that all pitch in and help for things like engine conversions, manual conversions etc. so the costs are extremely minimal.

i have 2 manuals - stock th sports and modified tj sports. i also have a stock tj sports 5 speed auto which i prefer for daily driving. if you have the 5 speed auto there is really no need to go manual unless you are doing some type of racing. don't like the 4 speed auto much. recommend if you want manual sell your auto and buy a manual as the conversion cost is a waste of money your never recover

Ummm so you can provide some basis behind your comment, or should I say behind all your comments.

If you want manual, yes, sell your car you have most likely spend many months looking for in the first place and then many $$ modifying just to save a few $$ in labour and gear box costs, I can see the logic behind that.....not......

As Caz stated, the 2 main reasons is a dead auto or want to get a particular car but is an auto. Personally I hate the 5sp auto., my TE has one and is about to go back to 4sp auto soon. I have to leave as an auto as will be the loan car sooner or later. 5sp auto changes into 5th way too soon and when you hit the smallest hill you are straining to get up the hill, I have found the car uses more fuel around town with the 5sp auto than with the 4sp auto

5sp auto changes into 5th way too soon and when you hit the smallest hill you are straining to get up the hill, I have found the car uses more fuel around town with the 5sp auto than with the 4sp auto

I can agree with this point, it was what I was saying in another thread on fuel consumption. Hence why I drive the 5 sp in tippy mode to keep it out of 5th as there is no need for it.