I absolutely love to drive a manual. I've only done 110k miles in the past 7 years of having of license but I'd say 3/4 of them were done in a manual.
I absolutely love to drive a manual. I've only done 110k miles in the past 7 years of having of license but I'd say 3/4 of them were done in a manual.
I would consider that a pretty decent amount of driving myself, but I know some people manage to put that on a car in just a few years. I had my license for a few years and decided I wanted a stick shift, before I knew how to drive one. My dad and uncle knew though. I saved my money and bought a used 5 speed 2001 Saturn SC2. My dad drove it home, and they both helped teach me to drive it. I have never turned back, and I still own that car 10 years later.
My very first car was a stick shift. I figured learning to drive a manual in a sense was like learning to ride a bike, something you'll never forget but may get a little rusty at when time spent away from the practice. Valuable knowledge that could someday come in handy. I think everybody should at least try to learn how to drive a manual.
My very first car was a stick shift. I figured learning to drive a manual in a sense was like learning to ride a bike, something you'll never forget but may get a little rusty at when time spent away from the practice. Valuable knowledge that could someday come in handy. I think everybody should at least try to learn how to drive a manual.
My first car was a hand-me-down, I don't know that I would have had the forethought to get one right away anyway though. I would agree with the usefulness aspect, but it seems that manual transmissions aren't even commonly offered as an option anymore, when automatics used to be an optional upgrade. I still agree with the idea that everyone should learn though, if only just to understand how much gas they're wasting for no reason with their bizarre acceleration/general driving habits.
Whenever I have to drive somebody else's car I'm sort of in the inverse scenario, where I go something like, "Oh god, there's no clutch. What do I do with my left foot?" and reach out for the shifter that's obviously not where it should be, and certainly isn't going to move where I want it to if I do find it.
I've had the occasional slip-up when pulling out of the driveway in an automatic where I'll slam on the brakes with my left foot thinking it's the clutch. My left foot gets lonely and my mind starts to wander off when driving an automatic.
Dude, this is weird. This is the second time in a couple of days that someone has created a thread on a topic that I was thinking about that day.
In the US, most cars are automatics. I think for ease of use and convenience this is ok, but I think I would have more fun driving a manual. I have only driven a manual four or five times though. I'm sure by the time I get around to having a manual, it will be illegal to drive cars at all because they'll all be autonomous.
Dude, this is weird. This is the second time in a couple of days that someone has created a thread on a topic that I was thinking about that day.
In the US, most cars are automatics. I think for ease of use and convenience this is ok, but I think I would have more fun driving a manual. I have only driven a manual four or five times though. I'm sure by the time I get around to having a manual, it will be illegal to drive cars at all because they'll all be autonomous.
Oh man. Driving the stick is the best. I have been thinking of getting an older stick wrangler to drive on the weekends. Waiting until I pay off my current car first.
Oh man. Driving the stick is the best. I have been thinking of getting an older stick wrangler to drive on the weekends. Waiting until I pay off my current car first.
I have always thought a Wrangler would be fun, that gas mileage though.
It's very satisfying driving a manual. Both of my cars have been true old four-on-the-floor specimens. There's just something deeply connecting driving a manual.
That said, it's not as much fun in traffic jams, and especially when driving in other countries, when renting a car, I generally go automatic. Much less to worry about.
Haven't driven a car for years now though - I couldn't justify keeping one anymore.
I prefer an automatic.
I never use public transport or walk anywhere either. I cycle everywhere.It's very satisfying driving a manual. Both of my cars have been true old four-on-the-floor specimens. There's just something deeply connecting driving a manual.
That said, it's not as much fun in traffic jams, and especially when driving in other countries, when renting a car, I generally go automatic. Much less to worry about.
Haven't driven a car for years now though - I couldn't justify keeping one anymore.
I adore that in Europe, you guys have decent enough mass transit and things close enough to be able to just walk.
Whenever I travel outside of the U.S. I always get very used to that, since nothing in the U.S. is ever conveniently close. (Maybe more so on the East Coast.)
and lack of any appreciable elevation
Speaking of hills, I would actually prefer a (diesel) manual when driving on very hilly terrain.
Stalled traffic is a pain in a manual. Have only driven manuals in my life, but wouldn't mind automatic aka driving on easy mode.Speaking of hills, I would actually prefer a (diesel) manual when driving on very hilly terrain.
For example, in stalled traffic facing uphill?
It's very satisfying driving a manual. Both of my cars have been true old four-on-the-floor specimens. There's just something deeply connecting driving a manual.
That said, it's not as much fun in traffic jams, and especially when driving in other countries, when renting a car, I generally go automatic. Much less to worry about.
Haven't driven a car for years now though - I couldn't justify keeping one anymore.
Logitech G27 more real than driving that car.
Chevy thought in their infinite wisdom,
I have never even had a pleasure of driving a 4 speed before.
Wher eI lived in the UK, I had to cycle up a really steep road to get to university. It was steep enough that I would dismount to do it. It's not so bad if it's just one street you have to hike up, but more than that and it becomes somewhat futile, I'd think xD .
and lack of any appreciable elevation
This is the big thing. Hills are killer, and you quickly realize that stretches that seemed "flat" in a car are far from it in reality (says someone who has lived the majority of his life in the foothills of the Appalachians).
Great example. Will there also be landmines and toddlers running in between cars?Speaking of hills, I would actually prefer a (diesel) manual when driving on very hilly terrain.
For example, in stalled traffic facing uphill?
You all know that I am really old. 2 of the cars that I drove regularly when I started were my grandparents' Chevrolet Bel Airs, first a 1957 with a 6 cylinder and "3 on the tree" and then, not long afterwards, they traded for a 1966 with a small V-8 and the 2-speed "Powerglide" automatic. That thing would do 60 mph in first gear!
I also drove a couple of "4 on the tree" cars, early-1960s Mercedes and Wolselys as I recall, both well worn with a lot of mileage. Finding the middle column of gears in there was like using a combination of dowsing and clairvoyance.
Great example. Will there also be landmines and toddlers running in between cars?
I feel like people make way too big of a deal about it sometimes. People are definitely crossing the line when they get to the point of saying stuff like "I can't drive anything without three pedals". I know a couple of people that say that kind of thing. I drive a normal soccer mom SUV most of the time, and drive my manual sports car maybe a quarter of the time. Most of the time I'm doing normal city/town driving where there's no way I could possibly drive the way I want to drive my faster car.
Landmines are banned in Soshlist Yurop, but toddlers are still legal.Great example. Will there also be landmines and toddlers running in between cars?
Well, of course. Isn't that already part of your daily commute?
..... All automatics without relatively big engines that I have even ridden in have had heart attacks going up major hills (I'm talking like 60+ degree incline behemoths) .....
Sorry for being a smart arse, but 60 degree would mean an incline of 173 percent!
I think the record for vehicles with tires is held by the Unimog with around 110 percent (= 47.4 degrees).
I think you mean 60 percent (= 31 degrees), which is still impressive, considering that the steepest road in the world (according to the Guinness book of records) is 37.5 percent (= 20.5 degrees).
Having worked in surveying and civil engineering, I can say that slopes and grades can be very deceptive.
Most ordinary vehicles cannot enter or exit a driveway that is 1:4 because the "breakover" is so great that the frame hangs on the ground.
The basic point stands, however. For most of the past 25 years I have driven 4-cylinder Toyota Camrys with automatics, and while they are plenty peppy on regular roads, they really struggle on steep slopes.
I feel like people make way too big of a deal about it sometimes. People are definitely crossing the line when they get to the point of saying stuff like "I can't drive anything without three pedals". I know a couple of people that say that kind of thing. I drive a normal soccer mom SUV most of the time, and drive my manual sports car maybe a quarter of the time. Most of the time I'm doing normal city/town driving where there's no way I could possibly drive the way I want to drive my faster car.from my experience, i drive a manual car all day everyday (and a fairly old one at that still 5 speeds though) but before this one i drove an automatic, and the transition is hard, and now 2 years later when i try to drive my mother's automatic i nearly crash it because there is a brake instead of the clutch pedal on the left, so what i am saying is if you drive both regularly it isn't hard to switch but when you get used to one or the other it takes quite a bit and i see why peoples would not want to drive automatic when they are used to manuals.
30 degrees is nothing here though.Then your area should apply for a Guinness record.
I agree, surely that can't be :p . Almost everyone heavily overestimates slope. 30 is barely even passable on foot. They give out warning signs from 7% on.30 degrees is nothing here though.Then your area should apply for a Guinness record.
I agree, surely that can't be :p . Almost everyone heavily overestimates slope. 30 is barely even passable on foot. They give out warning signs from 7% on.
Baldwin Street in Dunedin, NZ has a roughly 30% incline and was previous world holder. For reference:Show Image(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Baldwinstreet.jpg)
Because each gear pair has a clutch, switching from one gear to another with the LST simply requires simultaneously opening and closing the respective clutches. It’s like a dual-clutch that never has to predict which gear comes next; it’s ready for whatever the driver wants. Koenigsegg calls this ultimate power on demand, or UPOD. The goal is to put you in the optimum gear for acceleration without hesitation.
UPOD works by giving the driver two shifting options. Pull the paddle shifter back one notch, and you shift one gear. Pull it all the way back, and the LST downshifts to the ideal gear for maximum acceleration. It works with upshifts as well, putting you into the highest gear possible without bogging down the engine. A console-mounted shift lever performs a similar function.
It depends on the character of the vehicle. Manual transmission can be fun, but also frustrating when badly implemented (speaking from experience - the fun one in my example is an Italian hot hatch and it would greatly suck with automatic.)
For luxury vehicles on the other hand I prefer automatic, greatly calms down the experience unless you cross the Alps all the time. :D
And let's not forget paddle shifters and dual- and multi-clutch transmissions, where you also have a degree of manual control. Did not have a chance to try that yet. Would it not be fun to try Koenigsegg's Light Speed Transmission with Ultimate Power On Demand?QuoteBecause each gear pair has a clutch, switching from one gear to another with the LST simply requires simultaneously opening and closing the respective clutches. It’s like a dual-clutch that never has to predict which gear comes next; it’s ready for whatever the driver wants. Koenigsegg calls this ultimate power on demand, or UPOD. The goal is to put you in the optimum gear for acceleration without hesitation.
UPOD works by giving the driver two shifting options. Pull the paddle shifter back one notch, and you shift one gear. Pull it all the way back, and the LST downshifts to the ideal gear for maximum acceleration. It works with upshifts as well, putting you into the highest gear possible without bogging down the engine. A console-mounted shift lever performs a similar function.source: www.roadandtrack.com
Are there any paddle shifters that work in conjunction with a clutch pedal?