Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 12:16:55 -0500 From: "Walt Kienzle" <wkienzlenopsam.net> Subject: Re: GM to increase SAAB lineup
"Mark Gerritsma" <nl.autonopsamtmfweb.nld> wrote in message news:v9lotirs826g60nopsam.supernews.com... > Walt Kienzle <wkienzlenopsam.net> schreef: > > > The actual overall statistics indicate that 80% of the US drivers > > claim that they can't drive stick shift. To me that indicates that > > only 20% of the people licensed to drive actually know how to do so. > > Which doesn't surprise me, considering practically everybody in the US > learns to drive in an automatic. You really need to get the > interaction between the gas and the clutch right, otherwise you're in > for a bumpy ride. > In Holland almost everybody learn how to drive in a stick-shift in the > first place. The exceptions who do take their driving test in an > automatic get a restricted license only, limiting them to automatics > the first two years (not 100% sure on the period) they own their > license. It once was like that here too. My father tells about when he came to the US and got his license in the 1950's. The examiner told him that anybody expecting to pass the exam would need to take the test with a stick shift car. By the time the 1960's arrived, that wasn't a requirement anymore. The only people with a restricted license limiting them to automatics here are handicapped people. > > > In the US, GM makes very few cars available with stick shift. > > Generally only the cheapest or fastest cars have stick shift, and > > when it is offered, you typically limit your engine choice to only > > one (the lowest horsepower one on cheap cars, or the highest > > horsepower one on fast cars). Pontiac, the alleged "performance" > > division of GM only offers their two smallest cars with stick shift > > and then only with 4 cyl. engines. In the larger cars, 6 cyl. > > engines, or supercharged models automatic is all that is available. > > Chrysler recommends their automatic "Auto-stick" when anyone asks > > about the available of stick shift. I consider that to be bull- > > shift. > > I guess this is mainly caused by the difference in the way cars are > sold. Whereas in Europe the majority of cars is built as ordered by > the customer, resulting in delivery times, in the US cars are mostly > bought like a supermarket item. You can buy the items available at the > dealer and take them home instantly. > So as a dealership you want to have cars in stock the people actually > want to buy, and because 80% doesn't know how to drive a > stick-shift... I guess you get the idea. You have it exactly correct. But it isn't only that car dealers don't stock stick shift cars when they are available because people don't buy them, some people that need a car in a hurry don't buy stick shift because it isn't immediately available. That, and the expense of complying with government regulations for an additional power train type, discourage car manufactures from equipping cars with stick shift. Walt > > Mark > >
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