Do you drive a stick shift car?

[Westernskies]

2 autos (daily drivers) and 1 stick in this household - who would a want a Z3 roadster with an automatic?

[ls99]

For many years all my transports had stick, originally learned to drive a Russian built Volga with three on the column. Now all wheels are auto trans since selling my 79 Chevy truck. That had a granny gear. Great for pulling stumps.

While thinking of cars, recall getting off the research ship in Cape Town, Africa. Rented an Opel kadett. About ten minutes after leaving the rental place got pulled over by Cape Town's finest, for an illegal right turn. He asked for my license, showed him my NY issued, license. He looking at me quizzically asks , how long have I been driving. I said about ten minutes. Rolled his eyes, and said, do pay a little more attention to the traffic signs. No ticket.

Oh yeah, the stick shift was on the left, and they did drive on the left.

A day or two later driving through the national park, came up on a bunch of baboons. Noisy buggers they are. Buddy wanted pictures so we stopped. A few came up to the car, showed their fangs. Huge. One got up on the hood and started pulling on the wipers. No amount of shooing wold get this sucker off. So got up to about 40 Mph. Jammed on the brakes, he went a$$ over tea kettle flying. The rest of the clan was keen on taking revenge, so we took off in a cloud of dust. Luckily the wiper blades stayed on the car.

[cantlogin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa I enjoy looking at my average and instantaneous gas mileage, having owned a Prius, where I learned a few mileage tricks. With a stick shift it's all about RPMs. With some effort and mixed driving, I am squeezing about 38 mpg from my new Scion xD. Without paying close attention, it's about 34 mpg. You can literally see the mileage drop if you rev up to the power band (a high-ish 3500 rpm in this vehicle). Shift in the 1600-1800 range and it just sips gas.

I learned the same lesson with my Mini. I also learned that I could have just as much fun challenging myself to maximize the mileage numbers as I used to by driving as fast as I could. Two year running average: 42mpg.

Quote:

Originally Posted by F4mandolin Talk about things like pedals on the wrong side...here in the UK they put bicycle brakes in reverse to the US. Back brake is on left, front brake on the right. This has evidentely caused several Americans to bite the dust when braking hard with what they thought was the back brake...

I reversed the brakes on my bicycle to be consistent with right hand braking on motorcycles

[FinanceDude]

heck, I took my driver's test in a STICK, a Gremlin with a 3 speed on the floor...........

Stick shift cars I've owned:

67 Chevelle SS 396 HO Convertible
79 L82 Corvette Convertible
84 Fiero GT
78 Toyota Corolla
85 Subaru GL-10
94 Firebird
00 M3

[Texas Proud]

I have a manual... and two with autos...


One of the problems with the young uns is they just don't know... my mother was traveling overseas and was with some 20 something lawyer... asked her if she wanted to go to "X"... that if she did and she drove my mom would pay for the rental car... to make this short... the guy asked her if she could drive 'stick'... she said "YES".... so they get out to the car and the lady gets in... and asks my mother 'what is this other pedal for?'... Seems 'stick' means the shifter on the floor and not on the tree... she was not even aware of 'manual' cars...


I like my 6 sp TL... but would hate it if I had to drive stop and go to work.. now that I do not work downtown I do not have to worry...

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantlogin ... I reversed the brakes on my bicycle to be consistent with right hand braking on motorcycles

Ah yes - memories of coming from my old 57' Triumph 650 bike to my brother's something or other Japanese dirt bike - and launching over the handlebars when my clutch grab locked the front tire.

Was nothing but manual transmissions till my latest car (with the brief exception of a $100 horrible urine yellow AMC product decades ago) - have to admit that hill stops and traffic congestion are way simpler now - just sit,steer, and press the go/no go pedals. Lazy non-thinking driver time in my car means that now when having to wake up and drive in my gal's BMW 325i manual I'm guilty of slamming the brakes when going back to the auto and thinking its shift time.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo You kids have a lot to learn...

How come this suicide knob is not white with a naked girl painted on it? And where is the leopardskin wrap on the steering wheel?

Ha

[Bimmerbill]

My F-250 Diesel is a 6-speed manual, but I just sold it.
My BMW 530 is a manual, and it's fun to row thru the gears.
The Honda Pilot was not available with a manual, so had to get an automatic.

I find manuals most helpful in snow/ice conditions. You can downshift and not have to worry about braking and causing a skid.

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kumquat Mustang GT - manual (who buys an auto here)

Exactly. If you want to drive an auto, it must be a rental ...

[cantlogin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha How come this suicide knob is not white with a naked girl painted on it? And where is the leopardskin wrap on the steering wheel? Ha

I have a blue one on my tractor

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmerbill I find manuals most helpful in snow/ice conditions. You can downshift and not have to worry about braking and causing a skid.

Can you help me understand your reasoning? If I use my brakes, then the needed deceleration is provided by friction at all four tires. If I downshift, I need to generate the same deceleration using just the rubber/road junction at my drive wheels (which, in most cases, is just two tires). Seems I'd be better off using the brakes, since they'd be less likely to lock up a tire. In addition, I might have the benefit of any ABS system, (somewhat useful on ice, not so much on snow, sometimes), which I wouldn't get if I downshift.

On the LBYM side--downshifting to slow down as a routine habit is expensive. A brake job is a LOT cheaper than replacing a clutch.

[Orchidflower]

Always drove a stick until I bought this last new Camry. I love sticks and say, "Bring them back!" I hate automatics, but have no desire to own another truck which I understand still have sticks. Automatics, no! Sticks, YES!

[scrinch]

I drive a 1998 4-cyl 5-spd Dodge Dakota. Gonna replace it soon with a 6-cyl auto trans Tacoma for a better towing capacity. Then I'll have to find something else for my left leg to do while the rest of me is driving.

[FIREd]

When we bought our new toy (2010 Mazda Miata), we decided that nothing but stick shift would do.

I can drive the Camry either with full automatic transmission and semi-automatic transmission (manual gear shifting but no clutch). The semi-auto option is just too weird, I keep wanting to press a pedal with my left foot when I change gear.

Like Martha, I learned to drive on a tractor: a 1963 McCormick Farmall...

[cantlogin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem Can you help me understand your reasoning? If I use my brakes, then the needed deceleration is provided by friction at all four tires. If I downshift, I need to generate the same deceleration using just the rubber/road junction at my drive wheels (which, in most cases, is just two tires). Seems I'd be better off using the brakes, since they'd be less likely to lock up a tire. In addition, I might have the benefit of any ABS system, (somewhat useful on ice, not so much on snow, sometimes), which I wouldn't get if I downshift. On the LBYM side--downshifting to slow down as a routine habit is expensive. A brake job is a LOT cheaper than replacing a clutch.

Your thinking is correct Sam.

[73ss454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude heck, I took my driver's test in a STICK, a Gremlin with a 3 speed on the floor........... Stick shift cars I've owned: 67 Chevelle SS 396 HO Convertible 79 L82 Corvette Convertible 84 Fiero GT 78 Toyota Corolla 85 Subaru GL-10 94 Firebird 00 M3

OK, in 1967 you could get 3 different 396's in the SS, 325HP, 350HP or the 375HP which they only made 612 of. May I ask what a 396 HO is?

[Fireup2020]

Dad taught me how to drive a stick (at age 13) - I kept getting in trouble during "formal" driver's ed (age 15.5) - had a problem keeping BOTH hands on wheel and reaching for the stick & clutch! Have driven both off and on over the years - always nice to visit parents & drive mom's current sporty car with a stick shift! Fun!! My first duty driver experience (USN - taking us to the shipyard to do work) I nearly threw my passengers (fellow welders) through the windshield of the duty truck as I stomped on the brake reaching for the clutch! Took a while to live that one down! Men continue to be impressed with my handling of a manual transmission vehicle! Not enough people know how to drive a real car! I am more picky about other vehicle amenities, so I have the dealer find me a car with what I am really concerned with. Hard to find a standard in vehicles other than sporty cars or trucks.

[F4mandolin]

Hmmm, got me thinking about how many of each I have had. Sticks won out by one. Kind of in order...
Chevy Nova Auto
Ford Cortina (US spec) Stick
Datsun Pickup Stick
Nissan Pickup Stick
Austin Metro Stick
Mini Clubman Stick
Olds Cutless Supreme Auto
Honda Accord Stick
Buick Skyhawk Auto
Chevy Venture Van Auto
Toyota Lite Ace van Auto
Toyota Windom Auto
Honda Jazz Stick

[Koolau]

Several comments (probably driving a stick shift with a cigarette) made me think of a story my dad told me. Dad's been gone over 20 years, so hadn't thought of this in years. Dad lost all 4 fingers on his left hand while diving off a moving train (yes, he was a hobo - a proud name to be called in the '30s). First time he went for a drivers license after that, it was decided he needed to prove he could drive with his "disability". You had to know my dad, but here's what he did. At that time, he was driving a model T with 4 (maybe 3) on the floor. He got into the car with the evaluator and lit up a cigarette. For the entire test, he steered with his "disabled" hand, shifted gears with his right foot - and smoked that cigarette with his right hand. He passed the test.

[saluki9]

It's stick only for me on my two cars, my wife has an auto. I can't stand driving cars with automatic transmissions.