Only one of the daughters can drive this. Guess she'll get it when I die. It'll probably be illegal to own by then.I have an airhead BMW and Honda (motorcycles) both still require using a clutch.
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When my son was in the Navy, the carrier had stopped in a port in Spain where they spent a few days.
Some sailors needed to be picked up at a location and couldn’t get a ride or taxi. All that was on the ship was an old, white, van, stick-shift.
He knew how after purchasing a Mustang with one, so he was the only one that could drive it. They went to go pick them up and he earned and an extra day off.
Uh, automatic transmissions are the exception rather than the rule in Europe and Latin America - which is the main thing I hate about traveling to those regions. Stick shift is sooooooo 100 years ago.
I bought an automatic. I kept wanting to shift. I didn’t care for manual in stop and go traffic.
Took some practice but finally got the clutch feel just right on my pickup truck so as not to have to use the brake while waiting uphill for the local red light to change. Just ease the clutch up while in first. That was about 40 years ago, though.
Switched to automatic shift cars when I used to have to commute for an hour each way in heavy traffic.
Every time I rent a car in Europe, I reserve a stick, but the sales person at the check-in desk always tries to “upgrade” me to an auto because Americans “don’t know how to drive a stick.” I learned to drive on a Chevy Nova four speed on the column (3 forward and reverse) and a McCormick tractor, and followed that with a stick Jeep (several), Datsun 240Z, and VW Quantum, among others. Unfortunately, very few luxury models in the USA come in a stick these days. But nothing beats a stick when driving in the Scottish Highlands, Western Ireland, or the hills in Southern Italy.
My parents didn’t like automatics, so all of us kids learned to drive and took our driving tests on stick shifts.
I still feel like I have more control of the car with a stick, although I have an automatic now.
Only one of the daughters can drive this. Guess she'll get it when I die. It'll probably be illegal to own by then.My wife of 41 years and I both were confirmed manual shifters until 2 things happened. First, I developed a severe lower back/sciatic nerve problem that made clutching too painful. Second, the city in which we both worked became so populous that driving a manual shift in that awful traffic was just too much. Automatics now deliver as good or better gas mileage, so I’m OK with them. There are days and certain roads where I do miss winding the daylights out of an engine with a 5 speed manual, though. (Sigh....)
Less chance of getting vehicle stolen.
Drove a stick shift for 38 years until I purchased my first auto in 2013..........
The thing is that you never forget how to drive a stick either....
I have always preferred driving a Manual. Well, I drove Semis for years, full time in the Army, part time for years. I mostly worked in an office, but I had to moonlight. I gave that up for good around 1996. The State took away my CDL years later because I never bothered to get a DOT Physical any more.
I ran into a Driver several weeks ago who I used to supervise. He was waiting to unload his trailer. I asked him about the latest equipment. He showed me his Cab. I was stunned to learn that his truck was an Automatic. It just seemed so unnatural.
It is pretty bad when they have to dumb down the transmissions for Drivers, but complicate things for the Mechanics.
There is no control in such a vehicle. Most of the towns around here disallow the usage of Jake Brakes. Cops will pull you over and give you a ticket if they witness you using one.
No wonder they want Driverless Vehicles as people are too stupid to handle the traditional stuff.
My first car a1953 Chevrolet Bel-Air with “three on the tree.” I always preferred MTs. My wife has 04 Honda Element with an A.T. and I have a 05 with a manual, both have about 135K miles. She is on her fourth set of brakes mine with the manual still has the original pads. Manual transmission are great if you live in the mountains or drive in mud or snow.
Plus it decreases your chance of your car being stolen.
Two-factor authentication for automobiles. Never had anything but manuals until my wife let my 2015 Jeep Wrangler roll away and totaled it. She’s not allowed to drive my Shelby.
Its the easiest thing in the world.
Just need a big Cat motor and an 18 speed.
I drive a 05 Audi A-4 with a 6 speed manual, love it.
I grew up watching my dad drive a TransAm, so it wasn’t hard for me to pick it up in my friend’s Probe on the first try.
However, when I did get to drive the TransAm, even with the seat full-forward, I was barely tapping the clutch; and in boots that give me 3 full inches no less.
I had an auto-manual Mazda 3 for awhile, and while not quite the same, it was great being able to start in second gear in winter.
Practice at a stop sign on an incline and you’ll get it.
