[Black Smoke Trail]

After waiting for a 2009 E SC manual transmission I was told was "on order" for over 4 months. The dealer finally told me the remainder of Honda's 2009 E production was stopped and that no manual transmissions were tenatively being built for the 2010 production run.

My BS detector of course immediately pegged the meter to FULL.

Unfortunately this among MANY other things are symptoms of the dumbing down of AmeriKa. Most Honda dealers loath the idea of a manual transmission vehicle on their lot with the exception of the Civic Si perhaps because they DO NOT sell, and when they finally do sell, they sell for below cost or barely at cost.

It amazes me how few people can drive a manual shift vehicle. In my humble 2 cents worth of opinion, NO driver's license should be issued to ANYONE unless they can demonstrate FULL proficiency driving a manual shift transmission with perhaps the exception of disabled drivers.

Driving a stick shift is NOT rocket science. I taught my wife to drive a Dodge 2500 4x4 long bed Cummins diesel 6 speed NV5600 manual shift. I even have my daughter semi trained on my Cummins diesel 6 speed manual.

I just don't like the automatic due to much higher brake wear, poorer reliability and longevity, HUGELY poor driving characteristics on the road, snow & ice, and NO engine braking capability among a number of other things.

I would LOVE to see Honda build a 3.3 liter turbo charged, intercooled Cummins diesel E hybrid with a manual shift 6 speed transmission or even just a diesel only option. I get 20 to 26 mpg driving a 7700 lb. Dodge pickup. Imagine what kind of mileage a diesel E would get???

Anyhow, I have rambled far enough off topic. Back to manual transmissions. ;-)

 

[Black Smoke Trail]

I neglected to mention that the dealers here in Tennessee tell me that most of the manual shift transmssion equipped cars get allocated to the New England/Northeast area's of the US and other states that have a true 4 seasons and significant snow fall. They do sell much better in these areas. In Tennessee (the meth head state), almost no dealer carries an manual shift.

 

[Black Smoke Trail]

Here's one in Reno, NV. Bill Pearce Honda. Where you located?


I did a autotrader search, 100 mile range from my N.Calif location. It's the ONLY 1 out there. Extremely rare.


http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...=&doors=&car_year=2009&max_price=&cardist=100

Thanks for link. I have found a number of used manual transmission E's. The problem is that the prices being asked for them are far too high as is the mileage. I just cannot see paying $9,000 to $12,000 for an E with 120,000 miles on it. Even some 2007 manual transmission E's I found were approaching $20,000.

I am my E SC through the USAA car buyers service so I got the E SC for $22,848. I just cannot see or justify buying a used vehicle upside down in the vehicle's value. I can do that buying a new vehicle and at least have a warranty.