anyone else try out a manual and not like it?

You might find it enjoyable after a while, you might not. I have an 03 F150 with a manual, and sometimes I wish it was an automatic. But there are benefits to driving a manual over an automatic. The first is that they tend to be easier and cheaper to maintain than an automatic. The second being is that if your battery is dead, you can push it or have it roll down a hill and it'll start up after a short distance.

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DJScaryTerry@reddit

It's an old truck, they weren't the most satisfying thing to drive in a manual. That said, give it a little time.

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MultipleOrgasmDonor@reddit

OP picked the worst category of vehicle to have in a manual lol

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overindulgent@reddit

Manual ford ranger are one of the easiest and most forgiving manual vehicles out there.

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nullpassword@reddit

Eh, I had an s10 with a manual... Only issue was it didn't even have a tach.

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morganlandt@reddit

That double blink up shift light at redline and the needle disappearing after 85mph on my 91 with the 4.3 are what I remember, I loved that truck!

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MultipleOrgasmDonor@reddit

Neither did my ranger but honestly it doesn’t really matter when you’re used to driving stick and it’s not a performance vehicle

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jckipps@reddit

I don't see why. Manuals and pickups go together like mustard and hotdogs.

I'm not a sports-car guy. If I had a car and a truck, and could put a manual in only one of them, it'd be the truck.

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MultipleOrgasmDonor@reddit

There’s not really anything wrong with a manual truck. Plenty of benefits. But if you’ve never driven manual before and want to experience the fun of it, there are much better options

I don’t blame OP for saying his manual ranger ‘feels like work’ to drive (and no shade, I’ve literally owned the exact same truck)

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jckipps@reddit

I agree, if you're going after 'the fun of it.'

But to me, the real thrill of a manual is the feeling of control -- both control over how the vehicle drives, and control over the mechanical upkeep of the vehicle. The manual transmission helps with both.

If I'm driving a car, it's simply to get from point A to B. The car is boring, and I don't care. But I enjoy driving older pickups and vans. Those make me feel more alive.

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SOLE_SIR_VIBER@reddit

My S10 begs to differ, spin tires all day every day.

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Emergency-Poem-8963@reddit

I used to plow snow in a manual. Best GD way to drive. Although that attitude may have come from driving in empty lots covered in snow in the middle of the night and whipping shitties every chance I got

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3dprintedthingies@reddit

Take that back. a t5 in an S10 is an absolute dream to drive around.

It's arguably the only manual I'd like to drive in the city. Nice and lite clutch that has the perfect throw and feel and the shifter is just perfect. Minimal box of marbles feel with minimal effort.

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Healthy-Theme8261@reddit

Once you figure it out you'll love it it's easier than you think

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binchbunches@reddit

Nope Autos are lame and lifeless

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the_couch_monster@reddit

My preference is manual. Maybe I’m just old but I loved driving stick!!

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WizeAdz@reddit

I used to prefer manuals, but then the technology got better.

Automatics from the 1980s and 1990s didn’t drive as smoothly or as consistently or as efficiently as I do. I don’t know why anyone put up with them.

Modern automatics (and eCVTs) with good PCM programming drive at least well as I do.

But these days, EVs don’t even have a transmission — no-shifting, no problems, great NVH! Weeeee!

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Glazing555@reddit

Same. I prefer manuals

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Minuuven@reddit

Me too, it's very seldom I get stuck in snow or mud.

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YozaSkywalker@reddit

I've driven a 97 ranger with the manual, it's a pretty awful experience. An actual sports car or sedan will be much less shitty

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Spring__Warrior@reddit

driving a manual well is a skill that takes a long time to learn. Like any skill you get better with time/practice and that process is satisfying

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comfy_rope@reddit

It takes years to REALLY get it to go smoothly. After a while, you’ll get there and also have a feel for any other stick shift you may run across

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BarnBuiltBeaters@reddit

Learning manual sucks honestly. You have to think about every shift, releasing the clutch/gas systematically, and worrying about rolling back on hills. Eventually it becomes natural. You'll know EXACTLY where the clutch starts to bite, you wont worry about hills, and you naturally shift just listening to the engine. Its a hassle at first but then becomes pretty satisfying. That being said, traffic still sucks regardless of how good you get!

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pickandpray@reddit

Nah, you'll love it. Give it some time.

I taught my 3 kids to drive stick, every time they broke down crying, thinking they are not capable of driving stick.

Each of them are fantastic drivers now.

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E8282@reddit

Obviously sell the truck and get a manual miat.

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aringa@reddit

I'd love to have that truck.

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Metaldoorknob@reddit

Send me that truck for 2k instant buy lol

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PoopSmith87@reddit

It definitely takes some practice. After like a month I was hooked, manual driving is therapeutic.

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allenrfe@reddit

When I was young automatics sucks and you needed a manual to get any power. Now automatics are better than manuals. I dont get why people want to go back to manuals? To.me its as bad as the CVTs that have a fake manuals mode. Both systems are there to make the driver think they are having fun, while making the cars slower, and get worse gas mileage.

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Virginia_Hall@reddit

After a while, shifting it will become almost...

automatic ;-)

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th3l33tbmc@reddit

Take your upvote and get out.

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Beautiful_Ad_4813@reddit

Angry upvote for the dad joke 🤣

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Snurgisdr@reddit

It depends on what kind of driving you do. It's never going to be fun in stop-and-go traffic.

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lunchbox651@reddit

Manual isn't for everyone. If you don't like it, try DSG/DCT or stick to Auto. No harm in preferring a transmission type.

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potato_potahhhtoe@reddit

Manual trucks are great for learning. Not packed with much fun though lol.

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SeasonalBlackout@reddit

Some manuals are a lot more enjoyable than others. The Civic Type-R has a divine manual transmission (for example) that's a pleasure to use. A 97 Ford Ranger transmission is probably pretty beat up and not nearly as smooth or enjoyable to row.

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All_who_wander1@reddit

Is the manual transmission in the type R different than the Civic si or is it just the same transmission paired with a more powerful engine?

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T00fastt@reddit

If you dont find it fun, there is no reason to drive a manual

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montanatr@reddit

I worked for a Saab dealer 2000 - Death. When Saab came out with the V6 9-3 in 2006. I thought they felt terrible with a manual. The Turbo X clutch was tricky from a stop. I still work on them on occasion and they don’t seem as bad now.

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IndicationCurrent869@reddit

Right, how did people ever drive this way? And don't even try bumper to bumper traffic or driving up hills. It's why so many old people have a worn out left knees.

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Hoopajoops@reddit

When you're first learning it feels like a lot of work but when you get used to it then it's just second nature and you don't even think about it

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LivingGhost371@reddit

The car my father gifted me was a manual. While I didn't hate driving it I saw no reason to get a manual when it came time to pick out my own car.

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Wonderful_Setting_29@reddit

Youre still new to it. It becomes second nature.

I think part of the issue here is that you have a 30 year old truck (not hating, i had a b2300 up until last year). Its not going to be engaging and fun to drive. The transmission wouldn't help that. You have a simple work truck and its great for that. You wouldn't judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree.

If you want a fun and engaging manual, get an s2000. But just about any manual transmission Honda, Porsche or even Miata will quickly change your mind.

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dildozer10@reddit

I’ve been driving manuals since I was 12 (I learned on farm trucks and tractors). You just get used to it. Newer manuals are easier to drive, the only time I don’t like driving my 6 speed mustang, is when I’m in heavy traffic.

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ricacardo@reddit

Pdk time boi

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Cpolo88@reddit

2018 Jeep Wrangler. What a terrible shifter. Clutch was lightish but had no feeling. I can see why many people buy their jeeps automatic.

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Old-Figure922@reddit

Only manual I ever tried and didn’t like was a 2010-ish Civic Si. And that was because the rev hang was so ungodly bad lol

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Smooth_Discussion367@reddit

Did the previous owner do the maintenance both on the shifter and the actual transmission? You'd be surprised how well and likeable a properly cared for manual can be.

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Firedcylinder@reddit

Maybe at the other end of the spectrum, but I was very disappointed in the clutch feel of the 3rd generation Mazda 3. The pedal was so light I felt like I was going to smash my foot through the floorboard.

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3012487@reddit

No

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MaddieBre@reddit

I drive a 95 manual everyday, it’s a geo tracker so def not something sporty. I barely think about it anymore.

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EchoesFromWithin@reddit

found myself really into older trucks lately.

97 ford ranger

I just died a little on the inside.

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Aloha-Eh@reddit

I always loved driving a manual. It took decades, but I got over it. Especially in stop and go traffic commuting.

If I want to "shift" them I still can. I just rarely want to.

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Civil_Ride9221@reddit

Unless it’s a sporty car I see no reason to have manual. Both my vehicles use a clutch and I can’t imagine finding any joy in shifting a 1997 truck

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Rough_Cancel7265@reddit

I never got into them. Owned 3 for 3 years total, short of a track day I drove them in every situation I really could. And just found it to be another thing to do while driving. On road trips they didn't matter, day to day they faded into the background, traffic they became tedious.

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PinkGreen666@reddit

What were your 3 cars?

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According-Still-3000@reddit

Yea only certain peoples drive manual lol

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PinkGreen666@reddit

To be honest, you have to pay yourself on the back a little bit and have a little ego about it to really enjoy driving stick. Part of the fun is that it’s special and cool in the US. For the rest of the world a manual car is just a car.

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My_friends_are_toys@reddit

I grew up with a manual and had one up until 2009 when I bought a CVT. My knee couldn't handle SF's hills. I had been driving a CVT Lancer and then later a Giulia and I tell you, nothing beats the 8sp ZF transmission in it Smooth, precise shifting.

Recently I picked up a 5sp RSX for my kid and had driven that a few times. I even considered picking up new manual integra...but driving the RSX around...I realized I didn't miss the manual. My knee wasn't hurting but it was the constantly having to clutch this clutch that. Holding it at the light, mis shifting...dropping down to 2nd from 5th or going to 5th instead of 3rd.

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C10Goon@reddit

I have both and enjoy them both pending the driving situation. Old car has a three on the tree. Old panel wagon with an auto I wish was a stick. Off road rig with a manual and twin stick; daily 87 K5 is auto and tow rig is auto. A manual is also a good theft deterrent since it has become a dying art.

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quik916@reddit

I drive 80k miles a year in an 18 speed manual... after a while you just dont even think about it.its just "the way" driving and automatic is strange for me and im constantly reaching for the non existent shifter when im in an auto lol!!

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Milkweedhugger@reddit

I love manual Rangers! We have three of them, plus a manual Explorer.

Early 4cyl Rangers (2.3/2.5) with a manual transmission can be kinda blah. They don’t have much power, and shifting can feel…anticlimactic. Keeping it tuned up, with a fresh air filter can give it a teeny bit more pep. They also like to rev, so don’t be afraid to keep it in gear a bit longer. And definitely don’t put big tires on it.

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dodadoler@reddit

Hard to drink a coffee & shift on hills

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jav2n202@reddit

I mean old trucks aren’t the most fun period. Try a manual sports car and you’ll probably understand faster

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fasta_guy88@reddit

Give yourself some time. At Least 3 months. After a year, you will only remember you are driving a manual when you are waiting for a light on a hill.

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JollyGreenGigantor@reddit

Exactly. Once you actually get it, it's second nature like walking. You don't think about your foot steps any more than you'll think about using two feet to drive. You really shouldn't be expending any mental energy to shifting once you get the habit of it all

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grod1227@reddit

I have 2 manual cars and 2 bikes. It’s the way to go.

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Grreatdog@reddit

I'm thinking your biggest issue is that Rangers shift like a 58 Farmall tractor.

If you drove an old Ford three speed with a Hurst floor shifter you would think it was a race car instead of a battered old F-100

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OutinDaBarn@reddit

1997 older? My '66 C10 with the 3 on the tree is giggling.

A manual does take a little getting use to.

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jrileyy229@reddit

It was never supposed to be fun... Who told you that?

It's an old pickup, it's cheap transportation with some functional practicality. 2k if it's remotely decent shape is a good deal. Might be able to make money on it..

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Intelligent-Salt-362@reddit

Once you get used to it it becomes second nature and you’ll hardly have to think about it. When I had my last manual it got to the point that I break down a Dutch, break up bud, and roll a blunt while driving. This was often on back roads or on the highway where I could generally get into a gear (3rd or 5th) and maintain speed while steering with my knees, but even having to change speeds, switch lanes, or stop/start, was manageable. It gets easier either way practice, but it is both an acquired skill and taste.

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tsrubrats@reddit

I drove a late 90s Tacoma with a manual and it was not fun, but I did get used to it. Since then I’ve had sporty manual cars and I love them. Old trucks are kind of cumbersome in general

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dordofthelings@reddit

Driving a vehicle with a manual transmission outside of a city is fun. Driving a manual in a city is not fun, it's a pain in the ...

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Money-Mud912@reddit

You should just sell me that ranger and buy an automatic.

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Beautiful_Ad_4813@reddit

Some cars I’ve driven with a stick sucked ass.

Some were great and loved it

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Any_Web_1784@reddit

Most days i prefer my manuals, shitty stop and go traffic days i prefer my automatics. Left calf starts looking like my right forearm from all the extensive use in stop and go traffic

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drallafi@reddit

It's one of those things...

You may not be enjoying it now, but 20 years from now you will have fond memories of shifting in this truck.

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Stunning_building_33@reddit

I started driving in a manual, was not a fan. I probably won't do it again.

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eugenesbluegenes@reddit

It'll get easier for sure, but I don't know about more fun really. It's an old truck, not a miata.

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ParticularWhole9433@reddit

my 2000 tundra is an old truck but I find it fun to drive, with the shifter increasing that fun. shifts are long but smooth, clutch is heavy but linear. with the v6 it still has enough power to easily break the rear tires loose, not that i want to, but it is fun to ride that edge. it's not sports car type fun but it is a type of fun I appreciate more as I get older...precision engineering, linear feel, enjoyable engine note vs pure speed/g-force.

by contrast, my old dodge with the v10 from the viper, and a stick, was not that fun to drive, despite having twice the power. clutch and shifter were both a bit vague and the truck itself was much heavier. I had bigger more offroad type tires on the dodge, too.

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Maynard_002000@reddit

So I’ve driven manual transmissions since I got my licenses in 1994. I love them and have owned 4 and driven several more.

The most unpleasant manual transmission vehicle I ever drove was my girlfriend’s 97 Ford Ranger. I remember it being a sloppy mess and just unpleasant to drive. Very clunky and just not a satisfying driving experience. It’s the only manual vehicle that I really didn’t enjoy driving.

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BuyLandcruiser@reddit

I’ve owned a ton of manuals but for the most part I truthfully enjoy auto more. Currently daily a manual. Depends on the car though. The vehicle you drove I prefer in automatic lol

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deadly_wobbygong@reddit

I got my first automatic at 45, it took a while to get used to.

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Minuuven@reddit

You need to practice more. It will become almost as natural ad driving an automatic.

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LankyJeep@reddit

A truck transmission is vastly different to a sports car transmission

Personally I enjoy driving old trucks with manuals, but it’s definitely an acquired taste for some

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reidft@reddit

Every car is different when it comes to manual. What's comfortable in one is hell in another. Try out different models to see if one fits before giving up. It may also come with time. First few times I drove a 6sp 350z I absolutely hated every second of it and was going to go back to my 5sp Probe, but after a week or so I got the hang of how the car drives and enjoy it

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HazyBlue-LazyBlue@reddit

I don't mind manuals, but if you're towing and going thru even the slightest hills for 12 hours, they are a pain. Honestly, even without towing, having to down shift/upshift continually for hours on end is exhausting.

I'll stick with my autos....

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thinkdifferentpad@reddit

Not all manuals are created equal, I’ve driven some really clicky on point ones, some that feel like rubber bands on the clutch engagement, to the point where it’s better to drive automatic than a stick shift. The Civic Si has great clutch feel, and with auto revv match it’s great for beginners.

Try out a few vehicles, don’t let one or two discourage you, once you find one you like you’ll fall in love with it. Driving manual is great for driver engagement and staying alert of your surroundings.

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RobertForTheWin@reddit

You are definitely just being impatient, but that is totally normal. Everyone hates driving manual for the first two weeks because your brain is working overtime just to keep the car from stalling.

A 1997 Ford Ranger is also a "truck manual," which means the shifts are long, the clutch might feel a bit stiff, and it is not exactly a precision instrument. It is very different from learning on a Miata or a Civic. It feels like work because you haven't developed the muscle memory yet.

Give it at least a month of daily driving. Eventually, your left leg and right hand will just do the work without you even thinking about it. You will reach a point where you do not even realize you are shifting, and that is when it actually becomes fun and rewarding.

Also, a 97 Ranger with 100k miles for $2,000 is an absolute steal in today's market. If you sell it now because you are frustrated, you will probably regret it later when you realize how reliable and cheap that truck is to maintain. Stick with it until it becomes second nature, and if you still hate it in 30 days, then sell it. But I bet you will change your mind by then.

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spec_bjdm@reddit

Opposite. I dislike almost anything automatic.

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AdditionSelect7250@reddit

I've driven manuals on and off for 30+ years, it's not for everyone, some folk never get the hang of it and others don't know any different!