I drove a stick for the first time in a dozen years last year in Germany. I missed it, but for Atlanta traffic I will stick with the automatic.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by EasyFire:
Ah the stick. So much fun to drive when you are alone & just driving. But.... No good when....
1. Your date needs attention!!!
2. You are trying to eat a hambuger
3. You are trying to keep something still in the passenger seat.
4. You want a really fast shift. New performance autos are really fast.
5. You need to call or text - gasp

If you're in a situation where you're doing a lot of shifting, you shouldn't be doing any of that crap anyway, manual or not. You're supposed to be paying attention to your driving. (Anyway, I assume you were half joking)

And stop and go traffic never bothered me. Even in a blizzard going back up Parley's Pass.

Eh, can be trying in Atlanta traffic. Plus I do not have a place to practice rolling down the window enough while drawing my gun executing a bootleggers turn all while trying to get the voice control to understand call 911 if I am shifting...

quote:

Originally posted by detroit192:

Eh, can be trying in Atlanta traffic. Plus I do not have a place to practice rolling down the window enough while drawing my gun executing a bootleggers turn all while trying to get the voice control to understand call 911 if I am shifting...

Well, you got me there. That's a pretty solid argument.

Probably said on the last stick shift thread... I like driving a stick, but there's a stop sign or traffic light about every 40 feet here and it can get tiresome.
We still have one S10 that's a stick and the first time I drove it, I was probably 15 minutes into the trip before I ever got it into 5th gear.

Just got back from Europe. Rented an Alpha with paddles. Wicked fun. One thing I noticed over the years. A manual transmission didn't make my cock bigger and the automatic didn't make it smaller.

BTW, I also no longer use a fax machine, paper checks, telegraph, or pony express.

Life changes. Technology changes. I don't ever want to see a clutch again.

It's also the car. My 2016 GTI is stick but my 2013 BMW Z4 is Auto. The BMW is still a lot of fun to drive...especially in sport + mode with the paddles. A corolla is like driving your cubicle home from work.

With an almost 90 mile round trip commute, no way I would have a manual as daily driver.

My 2017 Mustang GT has the 6 speed auto, if I want to have fun I just put it in sport/track mode and paddle shift away.

Best of both worlds and no worries about my wife destroying the clutch.

I'm a huge fan of driving a stick as well. While an automatic is much more convenient, it's just no fun. I'll also agree that waiting for an automatic to downshift sometimes truly can put you in a dangerous situation.

I have an auto in my 15 GT, but the Whipple on top of my motor displaces more than most 4 cylinder engines. Driving an auto does not make me feel like a girl even if I did get rid of my catylitic converters in to make room for an off road x pipe.

I'm with ya. Going to the dealership Sat to lease my next car. I'm getting my left knee replaced at the end of the year so automatic it is. My first & last. Gonna be a long 3 years .

quote:

Originally posted by PD:Life changes. Technology changes. I don't ever want to see a clutch again.

I'm with you there. I've owned both, but bought my Corvette with an auto. I can't argue with anyone that just enjoys shifting, but it would take a dang special individual to be able to time the shifts more efficiently than a computer.

I like automatic transmissions. Rates right up there with buying already sliced bread.

I always drove a standard until I relocated from OH to VA and started working in Northern VA and DC.

I remember reading an article a few years back that stated most people driving in the US does not even know how to operate a standard transmission.

I'm just fine with an automatic, though I wish mine (2009 Toyota Corolla with an almost anachronistic in modern times four-speed) had an additional "speed" between first and second. Other than that, it shifts as well as I can do it myself, even downshifting on steep grades.

A pretty indisputable advantage of the stick is repair costs. I've never broken an auto, but if you do, the repair cost is pretty high. Short of abuse, it's pretty hard to break a true manual. The "straight drive" is likely to need a clutch at some point, but this is still much cheaper than rebuilding an auto.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
I will never own another automatic for as long as I can help it. I just hate 'em.

I guess they're OK for the very old and crippled though....

Exactly.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
I will never own another automatic for as long as I can help it. I just hate 'em.

I guess they're OK for the very old and crippled though....

Exactly.

Next thing you know they'll be putting electric starters on the dang things. I'll NEVER give up my hand crank as long as I have arms!

I drove a 1 ton flatbed truck with a granny low 4-speed loaded with mowers through Nashville many times. I would have loved for it to be an automatic! Manuals are fine for fun cars, but for me, daily drivers or work vehicles are just much more convenient being automatics.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I absolutely hate automatics and would buy everything in manual if I had a choice, but these days you can't even buy a new truck in manual unless you want a Ram 2500/3500.

Case in point - my work car is a 2016 Chrysler 200. The car is completely ruined by the shitbox transmission. It takes what feels like an eternity to actually get into gear. When it does, it doesn't know what gear it wants to be in. The worst powertrain ever and almost scary to drive when you have to merge onto several main highways every day like I do. But it rides nice and has a decent suspension, so I think a manual transmission would help tremendously.

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
First car a 5 speed?

You must be a kid.

You mustn't remember 3 on the column.

Bob

had my learners when I was driving my Grandfathers 65 chevy pickup, 3 on the tree, thru the city, in traffic,
I was all of about 120lbs soaking wet, that truck had manual everything,,

my second vehicle was a Ford 77 model, 3 on the tree, with a worn out linkage,

nothing as fun as taking off, hit second gear, and the linkage comes undone,,

pull over, crawl under the truck and hook it back up, take off again,


replaced that with a floor shift shortly afterwards,

quote:

Originally posted by 911Boss:
With an almost 90 mile round trip commute, no way I would have a manual as daily driver.

My 2017 Mustang GT has the 6 speed auto, if I want to have fun I just put it in sport/track mode and paddle shift away.

Best of both worlds and no worries about my wife destroying the clutch.

my Cooper S has the 6 speed auto, with paddle shifts,
works great,

test drove a VW GTI with the DSG auto, very nice as well,


I can easy cruise when traffic sucks, and paddle thru the twisties when I wanna