Posted on 04/16/2020 7:19:43 AM PDT by C19fan
It’s also easier to drive on snow and ice with a manual
My best friend and I were sports car freaks back in the 60s and 70s. I raced SCCA and we both participated in rallye and gymkhanas in our personal cars.
One day he picked me up in his new sports car and I immediately noticed he had an automatic shift. I started razzing him about becoming an old man, and he replied:
Bill, do ya like fast cars?” I nodded yes. “Do you like beer?” I took another swig and said, “Sure do.”
He said, OK, do you like to drive fast cars while drinking beer” I had to nod yes again.
“Well, then, You need an automatic shift.”
I gave up my manual transmission when I was driving home from Calais, France to southern Netherlands. 85 mile traffic jam. Manual was NOT fun that night. 80 minute drive took me almost 7 hours.
Exactly...learned to drive on dad's Peugeor 403 sedan, four on the column, all synchro- a big deal back then, no tach learned to pay attention to sounds of engine rev, didn't take long to learn to stay on power curve, it became zen like automatic reactions...ugly as sin but a hell of alot of fun to drive on winding roads. Surprised more than a few cafe wannabe sports car drivers that wanted to show off. ;>)
I’ve had sports cars for many years. My current ride is a 370Z six-speed manual. My wife hates it. She sticks with her KIA suv while I blast around the Texas Hill Country. I’m 77 in June.
Toyota Corolla CS 6MT. Headlights suck.
Wimp
Every auto transmission is a ticking financial time bomb.
```
And that’s just the old style - the new ones (Continuously Variable Transmission) are far lighter, saving manufacturing costs, but literally use a rubber band to shift. Most say they are good for 40K miles before its shop time.
My 78 Trans Am, 76 Ventura, and my 73 240Z were 4 speed cars but most of the others have been automatics. As far as trucks and such...3 chevy trucks, my dodge 12 valve and my jeep CJ5 were also manual. Dang...I miss my 96 dodge cummins.
Back in the day...used to push my old VW bug down a long driveway to the street which was downhill...once in the street and car started rolling...jumped in car...popped clutch and on my way. Found my battery dry...put in tap water...battery worked for quite a while...Bugs were almost indestructible.
The Hyundai hybrid 6 and 7 speeds are clutchless but can operate manually 1 gear at a time....great when you want torgue to rocket your car out of an on ramp onto a highway....loads of fun. Try it with an elantra.
Now, my car has adaptive cruise control, so I hardly use the pedals anymore. I mostly push-button drive, focusing on steering.
-PJ
love manual and drove one for years until my left hip and right shoulder started hurting.
Two years of physiotherapy and other treatment where I would ask : do you think it is the manual transmission?
Everyone denied it.
When VW crushed the Golf I got an automatic Sahara. Within one month the years long issues disappeared.
Looking back I think that the people I talked to actually did not know what was involved in driving a manual transmission.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.