Do you/can you drive a manual?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

On 10/26/2019 at 2:00 PM, Ithanul said:

Holy moly, bet that is interesting.  Most I done is four on tree.  Was not aware there was even a five on tree.

It was on a small (IH) International Harvester cab-over semi my employer used for hauling street light poles. IH was notrious for being bastard machines since they didn't make their own running gear. This one had a 223" Ford six, I don't remember the make of the 5 speed main tranny (I'm guessing a Clark, and the auxiliary was 4 speed Brown/Lipe; I don't remember who made the rear axel but it was probably a Spicer. Interesting doesn't even begin to describe how tricky the main was to shift since the linkge was worn out. The brownie wasn't much easier to shift.

[Tonberry]

I drive my 1991 BMW 318i E30 M40 daily. It's not in a good condition, but It does the job fine. So I think I can drive a manual.. 

[SenKa]

On 10/26/2019 at 5:00 PM, Ithanul said:

Yep.  I can on average get 22-25mpg out of my automatic V6 Tacoma SR5 in a city.  Highway I can average around 26-28mpg.  Now if I baby the crap out of it.  I got as high as 30mpg on highway with that truck.  My fav thing is when I get to drive my Mom's automatic Optima.  Highest I got out of it is 40mpg on highway.  Of course, my nutty self manage to get 70mpg out of a LS650 Suzuki Motorcycle.  Though, I put that more on the fact that I don't weigh enough to bother the motorcycle.

I get ~20-22 out of my '97 Tacoma base model (4Cyl, 5Spd Manual). Thats mixed, though mostly heavy traffic with small jaunts of 60MPH highway. I didn't know the SR5's were that good!

[Zando_]

I wish I knew how to drive stick, but sadly I do not . Never had access to a manual to learn on, only one my dad has had while I've been old enough to drive is his '88 Mustang GT 5.0, and he didn't want me to learn on that (my mum still illegally taught my older brother on it though, lmao). Thus I've only ever and only can drive autos. Was hunting a stick hatchback as a potential new car, but ended up buying my dad's truck off him instead and that's an auto as well. 

[Founders]

2 hours ago, Zando Bob said:

I wish I knew how to drive stick, but sadly I do not . Never had access to a manual to learn on, only one my dad has had while I've been old enough to drive is his '88 Mustang GT 5.0, and he didn't want me to learn on that (my mum still illegally taught my older brother on it though, lmao). Thus I've only ever and only can drive autos. Was hunting a stick hatchback as a potential new car, but ended up buying my dad's truck off him instead and that's an auto as well. 

Hey better late than never, go for it!

[Ithanul]

7 hours ago, SenKa said:

I get ~20-22 out of my '97 Tacoma base model (4Cyl, 5Spd Manual). Thats mixed, though mostly heavy traffic with small jaunts of 60MPH highway. I didn't know the SR5's were that good!

It is a newer model, the 2017 SR5 V6 automatic with tow package.  Even my cousin with an older 2nd gen Tacoma (his is around an earlier 2000s model) gets a tad jelly over the gas mileage I get with mine.  The gas mileage probably comes from the redone motor which is an simulated Atkinson motor and has the Toyota's D-4S system which allows it to switch from port injection to direct injection based on driving conditions.  Compare to my Nissian Frontier NISMO, it does response a tad different, but I find it enjoyable even when I take it down a red muddy clay dirt road.

 

Still saving some dough on the side to get the OVTune for it.  :3

[Tog Driver]

On 10/25/2019 at 10:20 AM, Lady Fitzgerald said:

especially if driving large trucks (try driving a large truck with a five speed main and a four speed auxiliary box; splitting each gear on the main three ways with the auxiliary gets old in a hurry

I know someone who is always pretending to shift twin stick, driving an automatic, will reach both hands to the nothing in the middle and starts pretending to move sticks around, Driving a manual they will shift like it should be done with one hand, and reach the other hand into the middle and move it around as if there is another shifter. They're talking about getting a 6+4.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

7 minutes ago, Tog Driver said:

I know someone who is always pretending to shift twin stick, driving an automatic, will reach both hands to the nothing in the middle and starts pretending to move sticks around, Driving a manual they will shift like it should be done with one hand, and reach the other hand into the middle and move it around as if there is another shifter. They're talking about getting a 6+4.

I remember driving 2 speed slush pump Clark forklifts at work and, by juggling the throttle and shift lever, I could make them sound like 4 speeds. I blew a few minds before people figured out what I was doing.

[Tog Driver]

1 minute ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

I remember driving 2 speed slush pump Clark forklifts at work and, by juggling the throttle and shift lever, I could make them sound like 4 speeds. I blew a few minds before people figured out what I was doing.

That sounds hilarious.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Just now, Tog Driver said:

That sounds hilarious.

The looks on my coworkers' faces was.

[AdamxM07]

On 10/24/2019 at 6:23 PM, WereCatf said:

Automatic transmission never got much wind under its wings over here. Almost every car is manual, just like they should be.

Where I'm from it's kind of half and half, some people do some people don't, just depends on the vehicle that was avaible to learn on how to drive. 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

1 hour ago, MrMlee42 said:

Where I'm from it's kind of half and half, some people do some people don't, just depends on the vehicle that was avaible to learn on how to drive. 

Daddy first taught me how to drive on an automatic then taught me how to drive a stick on his '66 F100 with three on the tree (no syncro in first so I learned how to double clutch to be able to downshift into first while moving without shucking gear teeth).

[DankDipstick]

I can drive a manual, says so on my drivers license. But in reality, i only drive automatics(newer cars)

[The_Prycer]

My primary transport is a motorcycle, so yes.

 

 

[Clarkius]

My previous car was a manual Mazda 3, and I enjoyed driving it a lot more than my current Focus, but as long as it gets me from A to B I'm not too picky 

[Kawaii Koneko]

I love driving a manual but my Lexus LS430 only came in automatic. I guess that is okay for the type of car it is. I'm looking at options for a more fun and engaging vehicle with a manual to drive possibly as a summer only car, depending on what I pick. Depending on the car, it will be my secondary, summer, or split between the Lexus. It really depends. I really want a convertible so I would store that during the winter but if I got something fun with awd, I might drive it in the winter as well.

 

[Kisai]

On 10/28/2019 at 10:11 AM, Zando Bob said:

I wish I knew how to drive stick, but sadly I do not . Never had access to a manual to learn on, only one my dad has had while I've been old enough to drive is his '88 Mustang GT 5.0, and he didn't want me to learn on that (my mum still illegally taught my older brother on it though, lmao). Thus I've only ever and only can drive autos. Was hunting a stick hatchback as a potential new car, but ended up buying my dad's truck off him instead and that's an auto as well. 

 

Stick-shift vehicles are more likely to be trucks or luxury cars, and even then luxury cars veer towards tiptronic style, which is basically just an automatic with the ability to tell it to shift up or down at will (eg sport mode) it's not the same at all. My moms Ford Fusion has one of these and she's never used it because she doesn't know how to engage or disingage it.

 

If you want an actual manual transmission vehicle that behaves like one, you might be out of luck if you don't live in truck-country (eg Alberta, Rural BC, Eastern Washington, etc), as cities typically don't sell manual transmission vehicles because they stuck to do stop-and-go traffic with.

 

I actually learned on a both an automatic and a manual transmission, and I still hate driving a manual transmission over an automatic. Sure it might be more fun, but only if you live in an area where "more fun" is possible. In a city, particularly a mountainous one, manual transmissions are just accidents waiting to happen, since stopping and starting on a hill is difficult (I used to have to use inertia to escape the drive way in the winter because the unpaved drive way had a steep grade off the paved road. It was very difficult to hold it at the end of the drive way without it rolling back.)

[PlayStation 2]

3 minutes ago, Kisai said:

 

Stick-shift vehicles are more likely to be trucks or luxury cars, and even then luxury cars veer towards tiptronic style, which is basically just an automatic with the ability to tell it to shift up or down at will (eg sport mode) it's not the same at all. My moms Ford Fusion has one of these and she's never used it because she doesn't know how to engage or disingage it.

...huh? Outside of Acuras and the Cadillac CTS-V, I almost never see sticks on luxury cars. Seems like it'd be counterintuitive in most luxury cars unless they serve a purpose in driving experience.

[Zando_]

2 minutes ago, Kisai said:

 

Stick-shift vehicles are more likely to be trucks or luxury cars, and even then luxury cars veer towards tiptronic style, which is basically just an automatic with the ability to tell it to shift up or down at will (eg sport mode) it's not the same at all. My moms Ford Fusion has one of these and she's never used it because she doesn't know how to engage or disingage it.

 

If you want an actual manual transmission vehicle that behaves like one, you might be out of luck if you don't live in truck-country (eg Alberta, Rural BC, Eastern Washington, etc), as cities typically don't sell manual transmission vehicles because they stuck to do stop-and-go traffic with.

 

I actually learned on a both an automatic and a manual transmission, and I still hate driving a manual transmission over an automatic. Sure it might be more fun, but only if you live in an area where "more fun" is possible. In a city, particularly a mountainous one, manual transmissions are just accidents waiting to happen, since stopping and starting on a hill is difficult (I used to have to use inertia to escape the drive way in the winter because the unpaved drive way had a steep grade off the paved road. It was very difficult to hold it at the end of the drive way without it rolling back.)

Yeah from what I've seen/heard they can be spooki in heavy traffic or on hills. My dad has never had issues but then he's very very good at driving stick, my mum has has an almost rollback a few times on some hills IIRC. And a coworker who drives stick says they're hell in rush hour traffic.

I do drive a truck, but that lad is an auto (2002 F-150). As for getting my hands on a manual, I see a decent few smol hatchbacks with them, and ofc older cars (which I also happen to like). This truck will likely last me a good while though (I plan to just replace stuff till the frame/body is so shit it's no longer worth it, which will be a damn good while since it's in great condition) so I'll be on auto for the foreseeable future. Don't have the budget or space for a second car either. 

[bimmerman]

Outside of the learning period it's cakewalk to drive manuals on hills and in inclement weather.

 

I have zero issue driving manual in SF (aka, hill city) nor back home in the mountains in snow in CO. Once you learn where the friction point is, and how to engage/release smoothly and quickly, it's easy. You just need to learn to be comfortable with the roll back and to gain the experience to gauge how far it'll roll before it's an issue. With practice you can get that roll back to be a couple inches without abusing the clutch, it's really not hard once you've learned.

 

Or, you can cheat with the handbrake, and many newer cars have a hill-hold feature as well.

 

Until I started riding my bike instead, I dealt with bay area rush hour traffic (read: BAD) just fine in both a twitchy racecar and in my non-racecars. It requires you to spend a modicum more effort and attention but is hardly a dealbreaker IMO-- you can creep just fine in a manual without roasting the clutch, it just takes practice. Automatic is certainly nicer for a commuting appliance but why buy a commuting appliance in the first place? Buy something entertaining.

 

I should probably also say I'm so used to driving manual that when I DO drive an auto (rental, friends car, etc) I have to spend a LOT of mental energy reminding myself to not put the clutch in, because the left one is now the brake pedal. Driving manual is second nature to me in that I don't have to think about it, driving automatics is the exact opposite.

[Kawaii Koneko]

1 hour ago, handymanshandle said:

...huh? Outside of Acuras and the Cadillac CTS-V, I almost never see sticks on luxury cars. Seems like it'd be counterintuitive in most luxury cars unless they serve a purpose in driving experience.

Yeah, they exist. They were typical in sport sedans and sport cars (obviously). Even normal non sport models offered them and less so from the full size although there were some such as V6 IIRC 7 Series offered manual into the mid, maybe even late 90's. I'm not sure if they appeared later then that. Many BMWs came with manual, ranging from things like the Z cars to the 5 Series. It wasn't just the M versions either. All those qualify as luxury unless of course you are talking about a stripped down special version or something along those lines. Even today you can buy certain Porches with a manual and I know the first generation Cayenne offered one in the lower engine spec. Manual Mercedes diesels used to be very common and petrol engines even had manuals in the E and C class I believe. I think there were only like one or two models ever offered with manuals that were AMG variants though. The Audi A4 and S4 performance variant offered manuals until a generation or two again IIRC. Some Lexus models such as the SC300, IS300, IS250, and the ES300 offered manuals. The Jaguar F-Type is one that comes to mind as well.

 

There are actually more than one may think but they are becoming very uncommon in new vehicles.

[bimmerman]

When I bought my SS the dealer had ordered a batch of 40 cars for that month, all with the no-cost-option manual. After three years of selling the SS sedan they had realized that despite the hills and the traffic in the bay area the only sales success with the SS was to cater to car enthusiasts who wanted a manual, rwd, v8 sedan. The dealer simply stopped ordering automatic variants to sit on the lot as customers who wanted manuals weren't going to settle, and non-enthusiasts weren't willing to put up with the abysmal fuel economy.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

6 hours ago, bimmerman said:

many newer cars have a hill-hold feature as well.

Hill holders have been around for a long time. Studebaker had them back in the fifties but they never caught on because they were trouble prone. I always just used my right foot on the brake to hold the vehicle on the hill while holding in the clutch, then, when time to go, just released the brake and quickly hit the go pedal while slipping the clutch. It's a bit of a juggling act but it can be learned.

 

I know some people who use the parking brake for a hill holder. I've tried it but it just felt too awkward. It works better with air brakes but I never bothered when driving a truck with air brakes since they have a slight lag when releasing, making the clutch, brake, and go pedal juggling act a bit easier.

[Drak3]

I can, but I hate driving manuals. I find them to be tedious as all fuck.

[bimmerman]

45 minutes ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

Hill holders have been around for a long time. Studebaker had them back in the fifties but they never caught on because they were trouble prone. I always just used my right foot on the brake to hold the vehicle on the hill while holding in the clutch, then, when time to go, just released the brake and quickly hit the go pedal while slipping the clutch. It's a bit of a juggling act but it can be learned.

 

I know some people who use the parking brake for a hill holder. I've tried it but it just felt too awkward. It works better with air brakes but I never bothered when driving a truck with air brakes since they have a slight lag when releasing, making the clutch, brake, and go pedal juggling act a bit easier.

Yep, agreed on all points (minus trucks, because zero experience). My 90s subaru had a hill holder while my folks' 04 and 07 outbacks didn't. The SS does (and doesn't have a handbrake lever). My E36s don't. it's a crapshoot, and I just do what you do-- get good smooth and fast at balancing three pedals on a hill. It's just something that needs practicing.