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Comment by dmortin | Hacker News Reader

> Look at the European market: manual gears everywhere

Automatic is more expensive. If they had the same price tag then most people would buy automatic in Europe too, because it's more convenient.

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If that were the case, you would see most high end cars in France with automatic transmission. It's not the case here. People are quite attached to their manual gear.

Automatic transmission is also seen as more boring, and while professional drivers can get away with using them many people consider you a lesser driver if you don't drive manual.

For the record, I just had a look at the local second-hand market; cars with automatic transmission are cheaper and more available, while the demand for cars with manual transmission is higher.

Interesting - I (British, living in another country in Europe) have just bought a new automatic car, but if I were buying used I would most likely only buy manual because the maintenance and replacement parts for an auto will likely cost much more, and a used car would more likely need these sooner - and be less likely to be covered by any warranty.

These are of course my perceptions; maybe they're correct, maybe not, but I do think it's a common way of thinking.

Obviuosly, some people prefer that (and I guess high end car users like going fast and doing the switching up manually), but others don't. Most people who use their cars mostly in the city where the traffic is often slow, you drive in stop-and-go traffic would prefer automatic to constantly switching up and down.

I am one of them.

I can still start my engine if the battery is dead.

When I rent cars in Europe, I usually get 50/50 manual/automatic.

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