Can you drive a car with a manual transmission?

[garublador]

I am not saying it's the only way, just that it's the best way.

Wouldn't that depend on the individual? It's probably right for some people but very wrong for others.

Next you'll tell me that unless I know how the electric signals flow through a guitar and amp I won't be able to play guitar.

I do have a decent grasp of all that stuff and I'm still not very good.

[ImmortalSix]

Wouldn't that depend on the individual? It's probably right for some people but very wrong for others.

You may not be this way - that's cool.

It may help someone, though, so please don't discount the method because it doesn't suit you specifically.

[Rich_T]

Oh yeah, one more thing. Learn how to downshift too. Too many just hold the clutch in and brake to a stop. Downshifting is a great thing to know how to do. Your brakes will last a lot longer too.

If you have to drive through European winters without writing off a car, you need to learn this skill.

I also had no clue that auto was so prevalent in the USA.

[ImmortalSix]

If you have to drive through European winters without writing off a car, you need to learn this skill.

I also had no clue that auto was so prevalent in the USA.

Oh yeah man, I'd say 90% to 95%, easily

Then again, most of our cars look like jellybeans covered in marshmallows wrapped in pillows


You really only find manual transmissions in half of German cars - BMW, Audi, VW - probably 20%ish of sports cars - Mustangs and the like - and a few light trucks and medium duty trucks here and there (Tacoma / Hilux, diesel pickups)

[xntrick]

Yes, and a stick is what i prefer.

[oilpit]

If it doesn't have a clutch pedal it's not a manual transmission...
Paddle/tiptronic/manual transmission that shifts automatically is a load of horse sh!t....

[ratherdashing]

If it doesn't have a clutch pedal it's not a manual transmission...
Paddle/tiptronic/manual transmission that shifts automatically is a load of horse sh!t....

Thank-you for your valuable insight.

[trevorus]

Yes, on four wheels and two. Manual is obviously the best way to drive. Not the easiest, perhaps, but the best.

Automatic transmission doesn't let you drive. It only lets you "aim."

Same here. Love my 2 wheeled manual gasoline powered rockets. Just did 100 on the way home with a 33 year old motorcycle. It's too much fun. I don't mind my automatic SUV for work, but I'd rather have a manual for regular driving.

[iismet]

Modern manual shift cars are glorified automatic transmissions. There is no challenge. I'll not waste my time.

Get yourself in an 03-04 Cobra with a TREMEC 6 speed. At full tilt down shifting you better remember quickly how it works. It is a very unforgiving box - you have to double clutch with the lever timed perfectly at the gate meaning it has to already be sitting at the gate or you will be blocked out. Then it is you and the brakes. It is as old school as it get's. It will not be a waste of time.

[The Dali]

Learned on a stick and my first three cars were manuals. My wife can't drive one so I haven't had one for a while, but I'm thinking my next car will be a standard.

[Inkstained]

Get yourself in an 03-04 Cobra with a TREMEC 6 speed. At full tilt down shifting you better remember quickly how it works. It is a very unforgiving box - you have to double clutch with the lever timed perfectly at the gate meaning it has to already be sitting at the gate or you will be blocked out. Then it is you and the brakes. It is as old school as it get's. It will not be a waste of time.

Exactly. Or drive a gated shifter in mid-Manhattan traffic for seven or so miles. You'll be focusing furiously or you'll be stalled.

[LesStrat]

Yes, and a stick is what i prefer.

This is not a secks forum!

[LesStrat]

I would suggest that I understand the mechanics better than the average driver.

It is irrelevant for most operations.

I have driven a very wide variety of motor vehicles. I have driven 3 on the tree vehicles, 5 speed manual, 4 speed manual, 3 speed stick, 3-6 speed automatics, 16 speed fwd/2 rev semi-automatic truck tractors, 10 speed manual trucks tractors, both warehouse and off-road forklifts, various boats, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, etc.

A basic knowledge of the mechanical operations of the vehicle can be helpful, but the lack thereof will not prevent safe operation. Knowledge of the physics, not so much.

[exnihilo]

If it doesn't have a clutch pedal it's not a manual transmission...
Paddle/tiptronic/manual transmission that shifts automatically is a load of horse sh!t....

True that!

cg

[Luke Duke]

2 of my 3 daily(read non-classic) drivers have standards. You get more of a connection to the machine when you are working in conjunction with it. It's just more fun IMO.

Luke

[gilaltom3]

Yes I can drive a standard. I'm not sure how well since it's been awhile, but I could get the groove back in a few minutes I think.

[Chris of Arabia]

Yes I can drive a standard. I'm not sure how well since it's been awhile, but I could get the groove back in a few minutes I think.

Yeah, you would. I have a l/h drive automatic in Saudi that I drive for 9 months of the year, and a r/h drive manual in the UK that I drive perhaps 2 months of the year. It takes me a couple of days for it to sink in that I'm even driving something different from a gearbox perspective - it just happens automatically. If I happen to be driving something that's not my own, all you need to learn is where the clutch bites and "where exactly did they put reverse in this one"...

[Jessie's ghost]

In the Beatles song, they sing "Baby you can drive my car", so it must be an automatic.

[B2D]

Just to bring y'all up to date on this, I successfully taught myself to drive a stick (with a few pointers from some friends).

In heavy traffic an automatic is nice, and the DSG Gearbox on my GTI is the best/fastest automatic box I've ever driven, but I've discovered I like driving stick and prefer it on certain cars. We have an Infiniti G35S at work that's a blast to drive with a manual.

And you're all right, every car is different. When the throws are nice and short and just click into place it's great... and then there are cars that feel like the stick is rooting around in a box of tinkertoys.

The funny thing is that now that I know what driving a manual feels like, it's made me realize how sowly some automatics shift, especially in American cars, haha.

One more life skill - check.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I can't, and its high time I learned.

I know enough to move cars around the lot at my job safely in 1st gear, but I can't drive one in traffic.

Who here knows how to drive stick well? Any pointers?

ME . . . and 100% of everyone born over here, 90% of all cars sold, including pick ups, are manual.
When you go for your drivers licence, you get it on a manual anyways, so why get an automatic at all ?

I drove an automatic for a few months (in the late-90's) and it was horrible.