I have an airhead BMW and Honda (motorcycles) both still require using a clutch.
Full TXT:
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My Husband’s true love aka his 1998 Corvette has a stick. I’ll take it out for a spin once in awhile just to keep my stick skills up to speed.
Learned, somewhat, when I was knee high to a tadpole. My grandfather let me “drive” the hay truck while he was loading bales. Course it was more steering than shifting as he put it in granny one and instructed me to steer er straight. Sure miss my Grandpa.
A car with a manual trans has no real expiration date. A car with an auto trans WILL blow up at some point and require a $3,$4,$5K rebuild.
My first car was an MGB and I ordered it new. My dad had to drive it home for me, then teach me how to drive it. 😃
What a fun car that was!
The issue is a horse and cart dilemma. Why make cars for a small market of 18% and of that less want a standard.
I always preferred a standard, much nicer to drive at higher rpm’s when necessary.
I learned how to use a stick shift on a 1965 VW Bug - best way to learn. If you messed up switching gears it would stall, LOL.
And an even more lost, a rollstart with a dead battery.
4 of my kids so far know. 2 boys & 2 girls.
My summer and winter commuter cars are both manuals. My truck and the family van are automatics only because manuals are simply not available for those vehicles.