Stick shift drivers.

[briancl]

Originally Posted by montecristo#4

This is a remarkable poll. As a whole we are way out of the range of normal on this issue. Maybe it's because most of us are control freaks -- the way we drive, the way we dress, etc.

We enjoy the finer things in life. Automobiles, clothing, dining, home theater/audio equipment, etc. Some accept more mediocrity in their lives than others.

 

[Panerai118]

I actually prefer manual over auto. I currently have a auto ( they didn't offer manual at the time of purchase) and I am happy with it. If I were to buy a new car, I would probably go back to manual.

 

[muelleran]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Recently someone told me that most driving schools do not teach a manual transmission even upon request. It's up to your racy but likeable Uncle Ernie at the family reunion.

In Germany it is almost the other way around, because if you pass your driver's examination in an automatic transmission car it will say on your license that you are only allowed to drive such cars.

 

[caelte]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

You haven't lived till you've learned to drive a crash-box pre-1920 car smoothly.

I had a MG TF for awhile with no syncro.I learned to double clutch.
I had the clutch cable snap once and had to drive it without being able to release the clutch. It can be done.

Unless it is a sports car,I prefer an auto.

 

[muelleran]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I've never driven farm equipment or a large truck before, however, for certain English cars, you have to double declutch.

After I got my license I drove my mother's car. In these days she had this fine specimen:

An Autobianchi.

The double declutching helped sometimes, plus I liked the sound of it.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Panerai118

I actually prefer manual over auto. I currently have a auto ( they didn't offer manual at the time of purchase) and I am happy with it. If I were to buy a new car, I would probably go back to manual.
I thought that was your vintage Austin Mini Cooper.

 

[Pink22m]

The car I learned manual in:

1989 Honda Accord LX sedan
226,000 miles
purchased: October 1988

Parents about ready to donate it...

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by muelleran

In Germany it is almost the other way around, because if you pass your driver's examination in an automatic transmission car it will say on your license that you are only allowed to drive such cars.
yeah most of Australia is like that too (varies state-to-state) but I had an ex gf 10 years or so ago having to be retested for her 'manual license' so she could drive my car

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by m@T

yeah most of Australia is like that too (varies state-to-state) but I had an ex gf 10 years or so ago having to be retested for her 'manual license' so she could drive my car
In Cyprus all driving tests are done on manual transmission cars (usually diesels). As far as I know you can only get a license if you drive a manual. My late Honda Civic was an automatic but not intentionally. My current car, the Celica, is manual, a huge improvement even though Toyota still needs to learn how to make smooth shifting gearboxes.

 

[tundrafour]

I've driven a manual transmission Nissan Sentra for about four years now. It was frustrating, embarrassing, and probably pretty dangerous learning to drive stick, but I'd never want to go back to an automatic now.

Parallel parking on steep Seattle hills is kind of a pain with a stick shift, though.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by skalogre

In Cyprus all driving tests are done on manual transmission cars (usually diesels). As far as I know you can only get a license if you drive a manual. My late Honda Civic was an automatic but not intentionally. My current car, the Celica, is manual, a huge improvement even though Toyota still needs to learn how to make smooth shifting gearboxes.
I've driven a manual Toyota before and the gearbox was indeed really bad.

 

[Oldboy]

For those who haven't learned stickshift, what would you do in the event of an emergency where for whatever reason you HAD to drive a manual? Not highly likely, but you never know.

Anyway, I learned to drive stick with a 4-speed '70 Datsun 240z. So much fun!

 

[Demeter]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

You haven't lived till you've learned to drive a crash-box pre-1920 car smoothly.

Given the chance, I'd be all over that.

 

[Demeter]

Originally Posted by caelte

I had a MG TF for awhile with no syncro.I learned to double clutch.
I had the clutch cable snap once and had to drive it without being able to release the clutch. It can be done.

Unless it is a sports car,I prefer an auto.

Mark, how the heck does that work?

I had something similar happen - the throttle link was jammed while I was on the highway. This was an old banger (my first car, just after high school) so it was bound to break down sooner or later, I just didn't expect that to happen.

So I had to drive while the throttle was jammed, trying to prevent the engine from over-revving and blowing up. It's not hard to do on the highway, but eventually you have to slow down. Sure enough with my luck there was a police stop checking for seatbelts at the onramp. At a stop sign. Try explaining a cop why you're revving at 6000 at a stop sign.

 

[briancl]

Originally Posted by meaculpa

Mark, how the heck does that work?
You can move a car in and out of gear without a clutch at a certain rpm. You have to listen/feel for it. I used to do it all the time on my old beater pickup I drove in college.

A friend of mine fused his clutch to flywheel a few weeks ago at a track day on his 6 speed M3 (the hydraulic clutch fluid is actually brake fluid on that car.. how absurd). He had to really wrestle with the thing to limp home, but he drove it back 200 miles and then to the dealership the next day all without using the clutch pedal.