Save the Manuals!!!

[SLCraig]

I have owned a lot of cars and every single one has had three pedals.

I have recently been out with my folks test driving cars, and although I like the cars they are looking at enough that I would want them too, most models they looked at aren't even available with 3 pedals and I'm just too set on that at this point in my life. I can't give in.

It doesn't help that my Civic SI has one of the best transmissions I have ever driven let alone owned. It makes me love my car if nothing else. It is that good.

Save the manuals indeed. I "liked" that page on Facebook some years ago. I getting more involved honestly, it is that important to me.

 

[moklock]

I have become lazy in recent years with my AT GMC pickup. Used to drive an MT Saturn all the time and still wish I kept it sometimes but Auto is just so easy to drive everyday.

Had a Geo Tracker in high school as crude driving as they are ive found myself trolling craigslist thinking id like a MT Tracker as my next beater\toy sometime.

 

[Merkava_4]

Did you guys see the kitty cat at the end of the video?

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig

It doesn't help that my Civic SI has one of the best transmissions I have ever driven let alone owned. It makes me love my car if nothing else. It is that good.


Never drove an SI, but is it the same 5spd as my wife's 2001 Civic LX? I never warmed up to that setup. The trans was fine, but I hated the engine--gutless off idle.

I question if our Camry will go the distance. Second gear tends to "crash" into engagement. My wife doesn't notice it, so I don't say anything. Very clunky transmission, with a vague clutch (which she has noticed too).

My Jetta though, hands down, best stick I've driven thus far. Reasonable power off-idle, pulls to redline. First is geared low enough to crawl in traffic (vast majority of time), light clutch with repeatable engagement, slides into gear without effort. I find it a joy to drive.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: moklock
Had a Geo Tracker in high school as crude driving as they are ive found myself trolling craigslist thinking id like a MT Tracker as my next beater\toy sometime.


Crude can be fun. Not something to take long trips in, but rewarding in its own right.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: supton

I question if our Camry will go the distance. Second gear tends to "crash" into engagement. My wife doesn't notice it, so I don't say anything. Very clunky transmission, with a vague clutch (which she has noticed too).



Have you tried switching gear oil to synthetic?...it can help the shifting become smoother.

 

[supton]

No, maybe this summer I will change the fluid in it.

 

[Vikas]

I always save the manuals in the glove box. Sometimes, I even take the shrink-wrap off them and read at my leisure too.









You meant something else??

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: shDK
I,'Ve never had a non manual car. For some reason I think a manual gearbox is a big part of the whole joy of driving. Automatic is for the lazy driver. Or taxi drivers


You live in Europe. 99% of cars there are manual.. Did you even have a choice when you bought your car?

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Even with all these supposed "advantages" these still don't offer the control that a true manual does, and of course when those
modern computerized auto 9 speed transmissions need repair, you are going to be raped on the costs.


A good automatic will give you all the control a manual will minus the ability to rev it from a stop and dump the clutch. If you're not into burnouts that's a non-issue.

Broken manual gearboxes generally aren't cheap to repair either, and typically need clutch replacements every so often that increases their ownership costs.

I love driving cars equipped with manual gearboxes, and it certainly is my preference, but we should try to be fair here.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
minus the ability to rev it from a stop and dump the clutch.

Some autos will let you rev up before taking off, too.

 

[supton]

Can you force an automatic to upshift? I haven't had one yet that will do that.

I'm also not convinced that a clutch won't go the distance, at least not in the general case; and in other threads we talk about having to rebuild automatics, as they too are wear items.

Can feather the clutch for gentle takeoffs in the snow, skip shift too.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: supton
Can you force an automatic to upshift?

If it's a DSG (or similar), you can.

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: supton
Can you force an automatic to upshift? I haven't had one yet that will do that.


Go for a drive in your Camry and play around in 'S' mode. It offers you a fair amount of control in what is quite possibly one of the least sporty cars you can buy.

 

[sw99]

Love my F250 with the ZF6 Manual. Getting ready to install a short shift kit and a fresh fluid change.

I was recently entertaining the thought of buying a 2014 gasser truck. The only manual option was the Ram 2500/3500 with the Cummings. Ford and Government Motors does not even offer the manual as an option.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
Originally Posted By: supton
Can you force an automatic to upshift? I haven't had one yet that will do that.


Go for a drive in your Camry and play around in 'S' mode. It offers you a fair amount of control in what is quite possibly one of the least sporty cars you can buy.


My Camry is stickshift, so it's always in sport mode.

I had a rental Camry, same year, but an automatic, and it would not upshift on command. Neither will my Tundra. It just stops the transmission from being in a gear above the one indicated.

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: supton
My Camry is stickshift, so it's always in sport mode.

I had a rental Camry, same year, but an automatic, and it would not upshift on command. Neither will my Tundra. It just stops the transmission from being in a gear above the one indicated.


Well yeah, you pull the "-" as many times as needed so that the number indicates the gear that you're in. From there if you want to upshift you hit "+" again. If the upshift won't drop the revs to below idle it'll upshift for you. It's just a more elegant way of doing what you've been able to do with automatics that allow you to turn off the overdrive or force it into "1" or "2."

Note that I never claimed it was perfect. But it grants a surprisingly amount of control for such a pedestrian car (besides, it's such a snoozer I seriously doubt a manual would help). It's not as good as one that you'd find in a real sports car, but it'll hold a gear at high revs through a corner if you want it to.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: supton
No, maybe this summer I will change the fluid in it.


Recommendation...
Red Line (50304) MT-90 75W-90 GL-4

 

[buster]

The paddle shifters on the new Mazda 3 are apparently pretty good.

 

[JTK]

I'm pretty sure as long as vehicles are powered by fossil fuel burning piston engines, a manual gear box will still be an option.

Like said, I do see CVTs taking over the too many speed automatic segment, and for good reason too IMO.