Posted on 07/25/2021 1:51:37 PM PDT by rktman
Manual transmission obsolete? It's still better than an automatic when it comes to lower cost to manufacture, lower cost to repair, lighter weight, greater power, more control, and better fuel economy. Yes you have to learn how to operate it but that's a plus; you have to learn how to think while driving.
Automotive manufacturers lied about how fuel efficient their automatic transmissions were in order to meet California Air Research Board (CARB) regulations but they got caught cheating. They were fuel efficient alright - when they bypassed the pollution controls. VW paid millions in fines and was forced to recall their diesel cars in particular.
Many of the newer "automatic" transmissions actually have a physical clutch plate but computer controlled shifting. Such a computer-controlled-manual trans sounds great but you can read the horror stories online about how they act up and how prohibitively expensive they are to repair.
A car with a manual transmission is harder to find due to years of false fuel economy numbers and that an increased number of vehicles are initially leased, but they can be found.
was in Advanced Placement all through school, but my Personal Typing elective class was the one
——-took a 10th typing class as a high school senior, all soph girls and Miss Spangler loved me being there. Barely typed 75 wpm and received a passing grade BUT i typed many papers and edited for others at Maryland as an undergraduate . Last century, before cut and paste. Pre-electric.
Yeah, i am a dinosaur.
Takes concentration and anticipation.
……you mean, Driving, instead of just steering and stopping.
Right. I learned with actual carriage returns. Oy!
I actually majored in Business Ed for my B.S.
True story: As a student teacher, the school system’s SUPERINTENDENT’S son was enrolled in my typing class. He was a big kid—a football player with large hands that clearly had seen some rough game time. Needless to say, typing was a struggle for him, but he worked hard and tried his best.
No one was more relieved and happier than me that he earned a C final grade in that class!! ;)
I can do all of those things. My husband is a mechanic by hobby, too. I’m not as savvy as he is, but I grew up watching my dad work on cars, so whatever I don’t know or can’t physically do, he helps me with. There’s always YouTube, too.
I learned how to cook in high school when I was home sick (most of junior/senior year) by watching the Food Network. My mom is okay at it, but she did a lot of cooking requiring canned foods like soup, and I prefer cooking from scratch. I make a mean Stroganoff.
Plus my middle school had home economics, which the boys also participated in, and my high school’s regular economics class did budgeting, check writing (which I already knew; you’d have to be an idiot), and investing (which I don’t have any urge to do thanks to a ridiculous market).
I live in the Chicagoland area.
That’s funny. You were lucky he was a hard worker and serious about getting a passing grade!
LOL it is funny now.
At the time, I wondered whether one Friday night game injury might sink my teaching career before it even started ;)
I studied high mileage driving during the 1970s oil crisis. With good anticipation and not getting upset at the jerks cutting in front of you, you can maintain a near-steady speed with hardly any braking in freeway stop-and-go or on main arterial roads between stoplights. It’s easy on you, your nerves, your car, and your passengers.
Except my Type A wife who is always urging me to close the gap.
I was told by an automotive engineer that due to economies of scale, automatics are slightly cheaper to produce now.
I still prefer manual and can’t wait to get another one.
I didn’t purchase it because it sucks.
Manual transmission obsolete? It’s still better than an automatic when it comes to lower cost to manufacture, lower cost to repair, lighter weight, greater power, more control, and better fuel economy. Yes you have to learn how to operate it but that’s a plus; you have to learn how to think while driving.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You are 100% correct T.B. Yoits, as the item you cited are all true. Sometimes simpler really is better. The biggest benefit as you also mentioned is the need to THINK while driving. Another facet, somewhat related, is riding a motorcycle (automatics haven’t destroyed that yet). Nothing can make you a better “car driver” than riding a motorcycle. Non-stop thought processing about “What is trying to kill me next and how do I avoid it?” Also, no cell phone non-sense to further distract.
“They’re called “parents”.”
Agree. My kids were taught jack regarding ‘life skills’ when in college...but they still had a set of life skills far beyond their peers.
I wonder how that happened?
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