Do you drive a stick shift car?

[Nodak]

I'll second the proper tires comment; they are crucial to being able to get around on snow and ice. The first 4x4 I owned had very hard Firestone tires on it and it was hopeless on ice. New tires transformed it into a very good winter vehicle.

[ls99]

Ditto on the winter tires. I run Graspics in winter. My Jag is useless in snow without them, the open differential does not help at all. With the good winter tires it is very usable even with auto trans.

Looking at the Citroen hand cranking. Successful but terrible technique. Thumbs need to be on the same side of crank handle as all the other fingers, and pull against compression upwards, using legs for extra oomph. If engine backfires, dude will be with sore or at worst without thumbs.

I have gotten lazy, I'll stick with automatics from here on. Unless I find something really enticing. Jaguars have a slick J gate shifter, for selecting gears, use it a lot in mountainous drive.

Some said to use brakes instead of downshifting, arguing that brakes are cheaper than transmissions. At 210000 miles on original auto tranny I do not find it a very good argument.

Did same routine with a Mercedes 450, which I sold at around 240000 miles, a with the original auto tranny in good shape. Both cars have ZF transmissions.

Same for pickup truck with manual transmission, that went to around 180000 miles on original clutch.

Don't miss having to apply clutch.

[cantlogin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls99 ... Looking at the Citroen hand cranking. Successful but terrible technique. Thumbs need to be on the same side of crank handle as all the other fingers, and pull against compression upwards, using legs for extra oomph. If engine backfires, dude will be with sore or at worst without thumbs...

I'm glad you mentioned that. I winced when I watched the video but I was too lazy to write a critique and description of the proper technique.

[Koolau]

Just a quick note regarding driving AT cars on ice/snow - not that I worry about such things any more. I've found that putting an AT car into "2" or whatever is the "gear" below drive often locks the trans in a higher gear. This lowers the torque to the wheels and often allows for an "escape" from a stopped car on ice. Not all cars lock into the higher gear, but many do. Worth trying if you are ever stuck and the tires want to spin even when just putting the car in gear.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls99 Looking at the Citroen hand cranking. Successful but terrible technique. Thumbs need to be on the same side of crank handle as all the other fingers, and pull against compression upwards, using legs for extra oomph. If engine backfires, dude will be with sore or at worst without thumbs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cantlogin I'm glad you mentioned that. I winced when I watched the video but I was too lazy to write a critique and description of the proper technique.

So, I guess that if and when I buy a 2CV to tour Europe, I better insist on it having a working starter.

But wait, don't I already dream of a plan to tour Europe in an RV?

So many things to do, so little money (and life left) ...

[WhoDaresWins]

Heck, when you fellows began talking about hand crank cars, I thought you were talking about Ford model T's or model A's. I didn't think any of you were THAT old. My Dad(who would be 106 in July of this year) talked about hand cranks and rumble seats, but I am relieved that you are referring to a fairly recent Citroen.

[cantlogin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins Heck, when you fellows began talking about hand crank cars, I thought you were talking about Ford model T's or model A's. I didn't think any of you were THAT old. My Dad(who would be 106 in July of this year) talked about hand cranks and rumble seats, but I am relieved that you are referring to a fairly recent Citroen.

I have personal experience with hand cranking a 1959 MGA and I'm less than 100.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins Heck, when you fellows began talking about hand crank cars, I thought you were talking about Ford model T's or model A's. I didn't think any of you were THAT old. My Dad(who would be 106 in July of this year) talked about hand cranks and rumble seats, but I am relieved that you are referring to a fairly recent Citroen.

I am sure I wouldn't be cranking anything when I am 100. I would just be cranky.

Wait! I am already cranky, as DW often tells me. And I don't expect to live to 100 anyway. 70 maybe.

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer 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.

I just came back from a road trip and I am revising my statement about the tiptronic (semi-auto) transmission on the Camry. The full Automatic transmission is really ideal at low speed and in the city. But the 4th and 5th gears are particularly short and by the time you reach 65-70, you are left with zero pickup power (even if you floor it) which sucks big time when you have to pass someone on the highway. The I4 engine on the Camry is really quite powerful but the full auto transmission seriously holds it back at high speeds. The semi-auto option, on the other end, really unlocks the engine's true power on highways and in the mountains. The tiptronic transmission took a bit of getting used to, but it was well worth learning how to use it. I am sold.

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki Just remembering - most of my cars were prone to dead or dieing batteries or starters - many is the car that got push started or pull started (dope on a rope) so I could go off to work. Remember an old Mustang that got parked with a sensitivity to slope and possible blocking traffic whenever I stopped. Open door, key on, shoulder to the A pillar, PUUUUUUSH, leap in, grab second, start? repeat as necessary.

Yep - 1954 Chevy suburban in Littleton CO in the 70's. The plant had a few 'sloped' parking lots and I carried a rock to put under a wheel while at work.

heh heh heh -

[yakers]

My DW's first car,an MGA, had a hand crank as well as a regular starter. She said the big guys at college would start her car when the Lucas electrical electric system inevitably failed.

[Dawg52]

In high school I drove a 1960 VW with stick shift. No gas gauge, had to check with a dip stick. He didn't mind checking it for me though. I also had a 1980 Mazda rx7 with stick shift. And a 1985 Honda Accord with stick. Been automatic ever since.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 In high school I drove a 1960 VW with stick shift.

I only drove a real VW bug once. While the gear shift and clutch pedal might have looked like any other car with a manual transmission, that sloppy linkage to the tranny (somewhere way back there) and the mechanical (not hydraulic) clutch caused it to shift like nothing else I've ever driven.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem I only drove a real VW bug once. While the gear shift and clutch pedal might have looked like any other car with a manual transmission, that sloppy linkage to the tranny (somewhere way back there) and the mechanical (not hydraulic) clutch caused it to shift like nothing else I've ever driven.

Ah, then you must have missed out on the experience of driving the 1988 Yugo... or maybe you didn't really "miss" anything.

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakers My DW's first car,an MGA, had a hand crank as well as a regular starter. She said the big guys at college would start her car when the Lucas electrical electric system inevitably failed.

Ah, Lucas Electrics.

The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark."

Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.

[tinlizzy]

Ha, ha, ha - my package car is a manual transmission and for the first 9 years I drove one that was not only a manual but it didn't have power steering - ugh.

My personal vehicle is an automatic.

[packrat44]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westernskies Real men are secure enough to have their gears shifted for them.....

Virtually all of my cars and trucks are/were manual transmissions. However, when I was young I did have a 1940 Ford coupe with a modified Chevy engine that had a "semi-automatic transmission". My girl friend use to sit so close to me she would have to operate the floor shifter while I operated the clutch pedal.

[rescueme]

Came across this article that "proves" a manual transmission can keep you safe:

Pa. police say robbers' carjacking attempt foiled by manual transmission - mcall.com

[Leonidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by packrat44 Virtually all of my cars and trucks are/were manual transmissions. However, when I was young I did have a 1940 Ford coupe with a modified Chevy engine that had a "semi-automatic transmission". My girl friend use to sit so close to me she would have to operate the floor shifter while I operated the clutch pedal.

Wow, that brought back some memories.

[Nodak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Paquette Ah, Lucas Electrics. The Lucas motto: "Get home before dark." Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.

\
Lucas, also known as "The Prince if Darkness"