Driving a manual transmission.your thoughts.your experiences.

Senshi · Mar 31, 2014

I always feel ashamed when I have to say I can't drive a manual. Feel like I'm violating man code.

I will learn one day, and then I'll compensate the person who let me destroy their car figuring it out.

nuclearblast · Mar 31, 2014

Senshi said:
I always feel ashamed when I have to say I can't drive a manual. Feel like I'm violating man code.

I will learn one day, and then I'll compensate the person who let me destroy their car figuring it out.

There's nothing to be ashamed of in my opinion. Different cultures. In Europe, EU at least, if nothing changed recently, ALL the driving schools' cars are manual, and the exams are performed with manual cars too.

ouch · Mar 31, 2014

My car has paddle shifters and a continuously variable transmission. I kid you not.

Mick · Mar 31, 2014

Stick for me with 3 levers to choose from. One lever for the standard 4 speed, one lever for the high low range (any gear) the third lever is for the OD in out (for any gear)..... So I guess I drive a 16 speed manual (not counting the 3 reverse gears)... sounds odd but....

Mick · Mar 31, 2014

ouch said:
My car has paddle shifters and a continuously variable transmission. I kid you not.

Ouch wins.....

nuclearblast · Mar 31, 2014

Those Defenders are awesome! ^^ :thumbup1:

Mick · Mar 31, 2014

nuclearblast said:
Those Defenders are awesome! ^^

Pre-defender. 1974 Series III The last of the "real" Land Rovers.

nuclearblast · Mar 31, 2014

turtle said:
Pre-defender. 1974 Series III The last of the "real" Land Rovers.

Oh ... I see! Well, even better then!

August West · Mar 31, 2014

Senshi said:
I always feel ashamed when I have to say I can't drive a manual. Feel like I'm violating man code.

I will learn one day, and then I'll compensate the person who let me destroy their car figuring it out.

Find a friend who drives a manual transmission. Once he has had too much to drink, offer to drive him home in his car. It will be a bit choppy at first but after you complete the round trip you will be fairly proficient. Drunks make great instructors. This is how I learned.

Eeyore · Mar 31, 2014

nuclearblast said:
There's nothing to be ashamed of in my opinion. Different cultures. In Europe, EU at least, if nothing changed recently, ALL the driving schools' cars are manual, and the exams are performed with manual cars too.

Automatics are the exception. Mostly driven by elderly people, or those with a physical issue (like leg problems). 95% of the cars are manual here, I guess.

Edit: we did have a car manufacturer in the past, who was specialised in automatics: DAF (Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek)

Mick · Mar 31, 2014

nuclearblast said:
Oh ... I see! Well, even better then!

you should have seen it "back when"

http://www.turtle-web.com/photos/myRover/

nuclearblast · Mar 31, 2014

johant1968 said:
Automatics are the exception. Mostly driven by elderly people, or those with a physical issue (like leg problems). 95% of the cars are manual here, I guess.

Edit: we did have a car manufacturer in the past, who was specialised in automatics: DAF (Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek)

Yes, that is my understanding too.

That car looks cool. Those were your old Dutch registration plates?

nuclearblast · Mar 31, 2014

turtle said:
you should have seen it "back when"

http://www.turtle-web.com/photos/myRover/

Very impressive! That chassis looks built like a tank! :thumbup1:

Eeyore · Mar 31, 2014

Yes, these were in use before we switched to the yellow ones.

That car even has the long ago abandonded "Deel III" registration behind the mirror.

jamesspo · Mar 31, 2014

I've always owned manual transmission cars, and I love 'em. It's getting tougher to find cars in manual though here in the US..especially if you're looking for something that's not a sports car. Tiptronic and the like don't cut it for me. I want a real manual with a clutch.

dymaxion · Mar 31, 2014

I used to drive a manual until I got married. My wife had never driven a manual and was scared of the whole thing especially of rolling back into another car. For practical reasons we both have automatics now.

I enjoyed the manual especially during winter. I learned to drive manual on old farm vehicles and when the synchronizers went out on my Subaru I simply compensated by double clutching.

Unfortunately the true manual is dying. I think people need that hand free for their cell phone

Slickside · Mar 31, 2014

In the USA I can see why manual transmission vehicles are getting harder to find. Urban drivers would rather an automatic. The difference in gas mileage is minimal, and sometimes the automatic is even better. Modern automatics shift faster than a person can. There are safety systems such as ABS, VSC, and now automatic braking. These systems work better with auto transmissions. The former benefits of manual transmissions are being met, and surpassed, by the automatic. Of course, this is MHO. YMMV.

acesn8s · Mar 31, 2014

I never really understood the term "row your own" until I bought a Jeep Wrangler with a manual. :laugh:

Slash McCoy · Mar 31, 2014

Lesmore said:
I enjoy driving a vehicle with a manual transmission.

I'm older, have some knee and a right arm problem. Mostly due to aging and parts wearing out.

All my vehicles and work vehicles, from about the time I was 16 to around 31 years of age....had standard transmissions.

Since then , except for motorcycles....they've all been automatics. Others in my immediate family either prefer not to drive manuals, or don't know how to do so. Generally others in my family, don't have the interest, or the amount of experience that I have with shifting.

I would drive a standard on a regular basis if things were different. But I need to share family vehicles with others....and that's fine. We all have compromises in life.

I miss the added control of a vehicle shifting gives me in mountain and winter driving. I also just plain enjoy shifting, working the clutch. I find using a manual affords a lot of pleasure to the skill of driving.

With a manual, I recall enjoying watching and using the tachometer to keep the engine in it's power band....whether I was riding my motorcycles, driving a commercial truck at work or whipping around in my '67 Camaro RS 327 V8.

Now I know that sounds nuts to those who just like to pop a vehicle in drive...but so be it.

What about you ?

Do you drive a standard, have you, but would never drive another manual...or do you aspire to driving a manual ?

What vehicle have you had that had a standard transmission that you most enjoyed driving...and why ?

I hate automatics. It's not driving... it's just steering. Plus if your starter goes out or your batt is nearly flat, you are stranded. I miss the control. It's like shaving with a Good News instead of a straight. No skill required. Standard for me, please.

coyotewhisper · Mar 31, 2014

I like to drive a manual, I feel more in control of the car. Knees have made that impossible anymore, now just automatics.

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Driving a manual transmission.your thoughts.your experiences.

Senshi

nuclearblast

ouch

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Mick

Mick

nuclearblast

Mick

nuclearblast

August West

Eeyore

Mick

nuclearblast

nuclearblast

Eeyore

jamesspo

dymaxion

Slickside

acesn8s

Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets

coyotewhisper

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