Learned to drive on a stick and loved smashing that pedal on highway 9, 17 and the 280.
Nothing feels so good as downshifting as go into a curve and slamming it up coming out of one.
Vrooom!
A stick is fun in a sports car.
For day to day driving in rush our traffic I much prefer an automatic. Get stuck on the expressway because of a wreck and you’re hatin’ that stick and that clutch.
Who buys a 4-door Honda Accord with a stick? Nobody in their right mind.
Who buys a Corvette with an automatic? Nobody in their right mind.
Back about 1995 or so, I won a (used) car from a radio station. I had to drive to a dealership about 30 miles away to pick it up, and was dismayed to find out it was a stick.
Luckily my passenger could drive one, so he drove it home, where it sat outside my apartment for two weeks. One day I got into it, looked around and said this is ridiculous. I started it up and taught myself how to drive a stick.
I love driving them. They are definitely more fun than an auto.
since high school..and back then my Dad even told me not to buy any car with auto or he’ll disown me.
Just lost a twelve year old Toyota (through accident) with 244,000+ miles and the original clutch. It was heart breaking.
I can attest to the lack of availability of the standard transmission as I attempted to replace my totaled car. Subaru and Hyundai still offer them in their SUV lines.
Unfortunately, neither met my needs so I had to accept an automatic transmission. My left foot is still reflexively steps on the floor.
Never learned. Growing up around the hills and hollows of Western Pennsylvania they never proved to be very practical (for sure you don’t want to be sitting too close behind one at an uphill stop light).
I prefer a stick and miss it terribly. My first car, a B210, was a stick. Then two Spitfires ('71 and a '69), followed by a '85 CRX. With the exception of the 210, all were fun to drive. The only stick I never really enjoyed was dad's '89 Silverado 4WD. That thing was a beast.
I’ve always preferred manual transmissions whenever I could get one. I still am not a fan of automatics because they eventually develop and overdrive/converter/switch problem.
My last two Hondas, 2005 and 2009 were both 5 speed manuals. If they had had one on the lot like I wanted, my 2010 F-150 would have one.
I’m going to Dresden in a couple of weeks. Reserving a car on Avis, you have to go upscale to get automatic transmission- default is stick. I can’t wait, it will bring back nice memories.
Learned on an old Mack quad box. Two sticks...two hands. never forgot.
http://vodpod.com/watch/3023018-quad-box-shifting
Ruh-Roh. Just bought a manual yesterday.’05 Corolla supposed to get 41 highway.
Not good for resale, but we drive our cars into the ground.
First manual in ten years. It came back to me pretty quick.
Downside for me is that it’s much harder to eat and drive, although I usually do that on the highway.
Yup. Can’t get Mrs. Colonel or the fledglings (both girls) into it, though...
I learned to drive on both manual and automatic, but I prefer a manual. You are much more aware of your driving when you drive a manual.
It’s likely because I’m so used to a manual but there is no comparison on mountainous, winding roads. Also, I do get better mileage with a manual. Now trying to teach a daughter to drive a stick, that I could have done without.
If you work on your own car, you will quickly realize:
new clutch = $200
new automatic transmission = $1,500
I drive a stick because I’m cheap.
Back in the early 80s, the US Army realized that a small percentage of new recruits could drive stick, and that it was a waste of valuable time to train them.
At that point they made all new vehicle procurements with automatics.
And that was 30 yrs ago....
They can have my Dodge 4X4 6 speed when they remove my cold dead foot from their bloodied “clutch”.
I just bought a Kia with a six speed manual tranny. I had forgotten how much fun they can be.
I not only can drive a stick, I prefer to