This is for Tokyo Slim (but not the iPod part):

[A Y]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

My drive pleasure is not really derived from speed, rather by moving in and out of traffic past those who could not even weave in and out of traffic without crashing into a tree (or another car).

I think you're digging a deeper hole with every minute. You weave in and out of traffic? That's very antisocial and dangerous.

--Andre

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by briancl

i dont get how my comparison is flawed. the rental cars i drive are what make up at least 50% of whats on the road (i made that up, but its a best guesstimate). i will be more specific... i get camry's and taurus's and f150's and explorer's and grand prix's. there.. that alone has got to be a third of all cars on the road... not to mention all the other misc cars/trucks/suv's ive had as rentals. my comparison is fine.. as the sample is quite varied and covers a large portion of the american driving population.

as to your question.. i own and daily drive a 2005 subaru sti. i've done medium level suspension mods (replace lots of rubber bushings, stiffer springs, stiffer sway bars, billet aluminum strut top mounts, etc) which greatly improve the handling (i.e. turn-in and neutrality on the race track, as well as progressive breakaway and predictability) and ride quality (i.e., this car shouldn't be soft. stock, i felt the car oscillated at speed far too much. now its actually more comfortable, even if that sounds counterintuitive).

You are comparing a Ford F150 to a Subaru STi...if that's not an unfair comparison, I don't know what is. Also, on a STi the stick available is better than the auto. However, if you take a car that has a DSG, like the new VW GTI, well then that's a whole different ball of wax. The DSG is going to be faster than the manual, and will get better gas mileage.

Personally, my main reasons for not getting the shifter was its feel combined with the offset of the gauges. Secondly, traffic ended up playing part of the decision, but not a large part.

Jon.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

I think you're digging a deeper hole with every minute. You weave in and out of traffic? That's very antisocial and dangerous.

--Andre

You don't live in SoFLA. Drive here with the century-old drivers who drive like ****, can't see, and go ½ of the speed limit and then we'll talk.

Jon.

 

[Brian SD]

Man, you people that can afford your STis and S2ks and MX-5s drive me nuts. I wish I could say that I have was born on stick, but I wasn't as I've been driving hand-me-down Civics for the 5 years I've had my license. I'm still not a very good stick driver on my friends' machines (subpar at best) as I don't get the opportunity to do it much. However, the noticeable difference to me is that the stick shift creates some sort of medium for unworldy communication between driver, car and road. All of the sudden it's important to feel how your car is running and how the road is shaped, and that makes driving an enjoyable experience, and not tedious transportation.

I can't stand seeing expensive cars with automatic transmissions - why would you get so much money put into your engineering and design and then make it completely meaningless? Why does it matter what's under the hood if the only thing you feel from is it a pull into your seat when you mash the pedal? I see guys driving their BMW slushbox 5-series around and I wonder if it even matters to them what they're driving. Maybe they only do it for the 1-second gratification of a head-turn from passers-by?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

You don't live in SoFLA. Drive here with the century-old drivers who drive like ****, can't see, and go ½ of the speed limit and then we'll talk.

Jon.


I can't stand automatics. I drive up and down the hills of San Francisco in a six speed. There an't be any harder place to drive a stick in the US, but I manage and I am not even a car guy.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I can't stand automatics. I drive up and down the hills of San Francisco in a six speed. There an't be any harder place to drive a stick in the US, but I manage and I am not even a car guy.

I like my CVT for everyday. But, if I could have a weekend car it would be as smooth shifting 6-speed (the Porsche 911 Turbo's ****** comes to mind).

Jon.

 

[A Y]

CVTs are OK, but does Audi/VW still do that thing where they make the CVT simulate a normal gearbox? That is, the engine revs up to shift points, and revs down on upshifts? They originally held the engine at one RPM (most efficient or most powerful or something) and let the CVT do its thing, but testers didn't like how the car sounded with the engine held at constant RPM, and so they simulated a normal gearbox. I can only shake my head.

I've read a story about Williams testing a CVT for F1, and running the engine at the power peak RPM. It apparently worked, but they thought fans would get sick of just hearing one engine note, and it was banned anyway (don't know why).

--Andre

 

[Oddly Familiar]

I love my auto Camry, but I also drive my Dad's five speed truck. Both are fun, but I definately prefer the Camry. Manuals are what I learned to drive on, so it isn't hard at all, but I guess I'm just lazy and seek that isolation from the road that my camry gives me. Although, the truck is extremely fun on windy roads. It's all depends on your mood. You can't honestly tell me you have never sat in traffic in a manual and said to yourself "Man, I wish I had an automiatic transmission.", can you?

 

[briancl]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

Also, on a STi the stick available is better than the auto.

there is no auto offered on the STi. 6 speed manual is all you get.

 

[SGladwell]

Originally Posted by Oddly Familiar

You can't honestly tell me you have never sat in traffic in a manual and said to yourself "Man, I wish I had an automiatic transmission.", can you?

Yes.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by briancl

there is no auto offered on the STi. 6 speed manual is all you get.

Sorry, I meant the auto in the Impreza range.

Jon.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

CVTs are OK, but does Audi/VW still do that thing where they make the CVT simulate a normal gearbox? That is, the engine revs up to shift points, and revs down on upshifts? They originally held the engine at one RPM (most efficient or most powerful or something) and let the CVT do its thing, but testers didn't like how the car sounded with the engine held at constant RPM, and so they simulated a normal gearbox. I can only shake my head.

I've read a story about Williams testing a CVT for F1, and running the engine at the power peak RPM. It apparently worked, but they thought fans would get sick of just hearing one engine note, and it was banned anyway (don't know why).

--Andre

It doesn't stay at one RPM, in D mode it shifts like a CVT should, moving slightly to get the best engine power from at that particular speed, thus it moves less than 1K RPMS either up or down. In S mode it drives like a high-revving auto, always moving the needle as close to redline as it can.

Jon.

 

[A Y]

Originally Posted by Oddly Familiar

You can't honestly tell me you have never sat in traffic in a manual and said to yourself "Man, I wish I had an automiatic transmission.", can you?

Yes. I've thought lots of other things, but never that.

--Andre

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Andre Yew

Yes. I've thought lots of other things, but never that.

--Andre
ditto. love manual driving - and never lamented being clutchenabled

 

[briancl]

Originally Posted by Oddly Familiar

You can't honestly tell me you have never sat in traffic in a manual and said to yourself "Man, I wish I had an automiatic transmission.", can you?

actually, this reminds me of my college roommate. he was new to driving manual, and also just started going to grad school at UCLA... and we all know the problems with LA traffic. he mentioned that his left leg kept getting tired while driving around LA. when i was visiting, i noticed he was sitting too far back. i told him to move his seat up so that his wrists can rest comfortably on the top of the steering wheel with a little bend at the elbow... that brought him much closer to the correct driving position, and his left leg was bent more as opposed to being straight out... so that he could apply pressure to the clutch with less effort....

he no longer has the tired left leg problems.

correct driving position does wonders for driving fatigue.

that said, i've got a pretty stiff clutch pedal on my car, and i drive through plenty of traffic... and i never think that i need a different car.