Drove a stick shift for the first time today.

knifenut1013 said:
A manual trans is the only way to go, lots of fun to drive and is a skill everyone should know. I've been driving a manual for a little more than 15 years and that's not going to change any time soon.
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I could have written almost the exact same thing, only difference it's been about 19 years. Better control in the snow and slippery roads too.
 
I drove a stick in San Francisco, only had been driving a stick for a couple of months. It was scary, but after that, hills have not bothered me one bit.

I also learned how to shift without using the clutch. Wasn't as difficult as I thought.

Ric
 
As a kid we had a vehicle where the clutch broke. We were driving around for a few weeks where the only shifting was clutch free shifting. That was shall we say interesting in city traffic. It didn't help that the truck was twice the size of a normal car and blue. Oh the shame... :)
 
sideways said:
As a kid we had a vehicle where the clutch broke. We were driving around for a few weeks where the only shifting was clutch free shifting. That was shall we say interesting in city traffic. It didn't help that the truck was twice the size of a normal car and blue. Oh the shame... :)
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We used to call that speed shiftin' :) .
 
Brings back memories of the 68 GMC pickup with the 283 and the 4 speed floor shift. It would really go; rev her up, dump the clutch and the tires screamed like pigs. It had an Am radio and I installed an 8 track player and life couldn't have been better.
 
Drove stick for about 15 years till life (new babies and a Wife who's doesn't like manuals) forced me to upgrade from a compact with a manual to a SUV with an automatic. I miss the responsiveness and the fun of a manual in open traffic (not to mention the gas milage), but not the plantar fasciitis of going uphill in bumper to bumper traffic.
 
Driving a manual is fun! I've been at it for about 7 years now. I don't think ill ever buy a car again with an auto transmission. I don't hate them by any means, but a manual forces you to pay attention at least a fraction more than an auto. Plenty of drivers around here could use that extra bit of focus.

No hills or snow to worry about in Tampa. Just plenty of bad drivers and pedestrians who cross the street in the middle of oncoming traffic. People don't know what a crosswalk is anymore.
 
Well, I called the guy who was selling the truck and told him that I liked it. But, that it was a little out of my price range. (< At this point I thought I would be able to bow out of buying the truck because he wants too much for it. No, I had not promised to buy it.) And then he asked me what my budget is. That floored me. The problem is that he wanted $7,200 but Kelly Blue Book only puts it at $4,000-$4,500. Which is about what I would like to pay for it anyway. I guess I will just tell him that and see what he says. Though if you have any input, it would be welcome.

BTW, does anybody have some good reading or videos on driving a manual transmission?
And what do you guys and gals think about down shifting?
 
Learn by experience, you'll being doing it almost w/o thinking in no time. I do not downshift just to slow down, except in an emergency or under bad road conditions. That's what brakes are for and they are a lot easier to replace.
 
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I learned to drive on a manual. More recently, the best car I've owned was a 91 Taurus SHO with a 5-speed manual. At the time, Ford didn't have a automatic for a FWD car that could handle the SHO's torque. Helluva car!
 
Blue Sky said:
Learn by experience, you'll being doing it almost w/o thinking in no time. I do not downshift just to slow down, except in an emergency or under bad road conditions. That's what brakes are for and they are a lot easier to replace.
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Or driving in the mountains. Much safer than burning out your brakes. Clutches last a long time, at least mine have, even with all the mountain driving that I do. YMMV.
 
I am not being derogatory in any way this is just an observation on how times change. Today driving a stardard is a big deal for most younger people . When I got my license in the mid 70's in the midwest an 18 year old male who could not drive a standard His manhood was considered questionable
Just and observation on how times change
I learned to drive on a 1968 dodge powerwagon 4 doors 8ft reading utility bed 4 ton pto winch 4 speed with 225 slant six on 4 wheel drive roads
Roy
 
sodak said:
Or driving in the mountains.
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Well I could be tricksy and say that falls under "bad road conditions" but that wouldn't be entirely honest. :D

Downshifting for long/steep grades is another good example, thanks for pointing that out sodak.
 
Blue Sky said:
Learn by experience, you'll being doing it almost w/o thinking in no time. I do not downshift just to slow down, except in an emergency or under bad road conditions. That's what brakes are for and they are a lot easier to replace.
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You don't down shift on a big truck on the mountians out west you will not have brakes by the time you get to the bottom I have had the trailer brakes smoking once because I missed a gear and used the trailer brakes to slow enough to get back in gear
 
driving stick is fun. I work at a shop so they come in from time to time, each is different. A truck if by far easiest to drive. wait until you get on a hill to back up or on a hill to shift into first :-).
 
I havent owned a car that didnt have a manual gearbox (my wife did, once, for 6 weeks till it got written off in a hailstorm - she took that as a sign to buy another manual)

I have to drive an auto at work, its ok in traffic, but i find my brain switches off, driving a manual you need to keep thinking, and i find i am looking further ahead with the manual.

Also manuals are fun to drive, a perfect heel+toe downshift is a great feeling, doing it on time, and nailing the corner apex perfectly is one of the funnest things to do with you pants on, even more fun if your lookin out the side window to see where your going

I do want to have a go driving a dogbox though, left foot braking and clutchless shifting !
(A dogbox is a synchroless gearbox normally used in race or rally cars, shifts are very quick, but they can be tricky. They typically whine too as straight cut gears are used for strength)

Autos do have their place, for rock crawling or difficult 4WDriving they make sense and for towing.

But im happy to stick with my manual - driving one is instinctive for me now, i dont need to think about it.


And i have pushed the "clutch" in in an automatic car and hit the brake instead, on more than one occasion.
 
I feel there are videos of using a vehicle with a clutch. Unless it is a big truck, I wouldn't concern myself with it.

You don't use the emergency brake when pulling out unless you are in a situation where you can not drift back a few inches or you're nervous about the car behind you at a stop sign. When I learned to drive, my Dad purposely put me into those situations so I would learn. If you get a car with a stick shift, just take it to a big parking lot on a weekend and do some practicing. Not hard. You just have to get the coordination down between your two feet and of course understanding where the various gears are located of course.

Been a long time since I have experienced the "bucking".... funny. Stalling is more of an issue.

Always pull out in first gear unless it is a truck.
 
Blue Sky said:
Well I could be tricksy and say that falls under "bad road conditions" but that wouldn't be entirely honest. :D

Downshifting for long/steep grades is another good example, thanks for pointing that out sodak.
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I watched an interview many years ago with Jackie Stewart, and he was asked the question, when do you use gears v.s. brakes for stopping. His answer (with that really heavy Scottish accent) was, "Gears are for slowing, brakes are for braking." :D He was quite the character back in his heyday.
 
I sometimes miss my 5spd tacoma, but whenever I'm in heavy traffic I love my current auto tacoma. I had a manual for 10 years or so and have had my auto for two years now, there are still times when I try to push the clutch in with my left foot or reach down for the stick when I'm slowing down. I agree, learning to drive a manual should be a requirement for everybody but having said that my wife can't do it. I tried teaching her and she would get frustrated and quit within 10 mins of driving.
 
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