While there are still some affordable manual cars you can buy new, cars equipped with manual transmissions remain a very small percentage of the total market. If you drive one, know that starting out in second gear in a manual transmission is generally a very bad idea, mostly because it will cause additional clutch wear on the vehicle. That’s why drivers should use the first gear to start out in the vast majority of situations.

But there is one situation in which starting out in second gear is the right choice for numerous reasons, as explained by Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained. This would be when you are starting out on a downward incline, when the car will naturally accelerate down the hill as you release the parking brake. Once the car starts to accelerate as it rolls down the hill, you can engage second gear while the car is in motion. The vehicle’s momentum going down the hill helps you reach a speed at which you would normally be shifting into second gear anyway, so there is no additional wear on your clutch’s friction surfaces.

There is another set of driving circumstances in which you might be tempted to start in second gear, and that is starting on a slippery surface like snow or ice. But as Fenske explains in the same video, this will cause additional clutch wear and should be avoided.

There are surely manual cars that leave their automatic counterparts in the dust, but the real reason manual transmissions are disappearing from so many vehicles is that automatic transmissions deliver better fuel economy. This is partly thanks to automatic transmissions’ additional gear ratios, some of which can have eight, nine, or even 10 speeds. Another solution is the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which has no traditional fixed gears and achieves high fuel efficiency by constantly adjusting to keep the engine in its most efficient RPM band. Manufacturers want the highest possible fuel economy figures for their vehicles, so they have switched to automatic transmissions to achieve them. Even so, manual transmissions are still popular in Europe. 

There are other good reasons to drive a manual transmission, even though manuals account for only 0.7% of all new cars sold last year, according to Motor1.com data. Driving a stick is a more hands-on experience, involving you much more deeply in the act of driving. You have direct control over which gear the car is in and how much to accelerate within that gear. You also decide exactly when to shift down and when to shift up, something that an automatic does without your intervention. It’s a much more involving experience.

That being said, driving a manual transmission is definitely not for everyone. Beginners and those easily overwhelmed by the mechanics of driving may be better off first learning the rules of the road in an automatic transmission-equipped vehicle. Then they can drive a manual if they so choose.