# Just Curious...How many of you have NEVER driven a car with a manual transmission?



## Guest (May 6, 2004)

nate said:


> Your first car?


 No, my third one. It was my first stick. My parents were and continue to be slushie drivers so the first two were slushies.

I turned 16 back in 1987. I had an '87 Escort GL (3-spd auto) then an '89 Pontiac Trans Am 5.0 (4-spd auto). I only had the TA for about a year. And, no, it didn't have a screaming chicken on the hood.


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

TD said:


> 1991. The good one.
> 
> There were no 318s in the US from either '84 or '85 until '91.


Must be 85 because I had an 84.


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## BahnBaum (Feb 25, 2004)

This is my first manual since my 1993 Nissan Sentra SE-R (which was a great car, btw).

I grew up driving manuals, but I'm finding it more difficult converting one of my kids. Son #1 drives a manual Civic, son #2 an automatic Focus ZX-3. Son #2 has no interest in learning to drive an MT, even with the resulting ability to occasionally drive my M3. Son #3 is still a year away from driving but swears he'll never drive anything but a stick. Oh well, son #2's loss. But for his own good, I'd like him to learn. (on the Civic, of course)

Alex


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

BahnBaum said:


> son #2 an automatic Focus ZX-3. Son #2 has no interest in learning to drive an MT, even with the resulting ability to occasionally drive my M3. Son #3 is still a year away from driving but swears he'll never drive anything but a stick. Oh well, son #2's loss. But for his own good, I'd like him to learn. (on the Civic, of course)
> 
> Alex


son #2 is a sissy! :neener: jk  :rofl:


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## zcasavant (Jun 26, 2002)

TD said:


> No, my third one. It was my first stick. My parents were and continue to be slushie drivers so the first two were slushies.
> 
> I turned 16 back in 1987. I had an '87 Escort GL (3-spd auto) then an '89 Pontiac Trans Am 5.0 (4-spd auto). I only had the TA for about a year. And, no, it didn't have a screaming chicken on the hood.


Sure it did. No need to lie. 
:rofl:


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## BahnBaum (Feb 25, 2004)

HW said:


> son #2 is a sissy! :neener: jk  :rofl:


No, son #2 is actually pretty cool. He just sees driving as a means to an end, and not something to be enjoyed. Must come from his mother's side of the family. 

Alex


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

atyclb said:


> I see alee has voted


Hey I've "driven" a few manual cars...


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## Melissa (Aug 9, 2002)

I have driven a manual BMW once (test-drive) and Jake taught me to drive his other truck, a manual. My first learning experience was on a 70 Beetle and it was awful. My teacher/then-boyfriend didn't help.

I admit that I'm not yet comfortable enough to go it alone, but when I get another BMW, I intend to get a manual. I am proficient with riding motorcycles so I think that with practice, I'll have no trouble adapting and mastering.

As much as I loved driving my auto bimmer, a manual will only make the drive better!


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

Kaz said:


> I learned to drive on a MT, and unlike most of my friends who learned on a MT but took the license test in a AT, I also took the test in a MT.


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

TD said:


> I turned 16 back in 1987. I had an '87 Escort GL (3-spd auto)


Damn 

Interesting that my first car was 8 years older than yours, despite our age gap. Mine was stick though.

My parents have only bought one automatic car, my sister's QX4. She learned on a stick though, and now wants to ditch the SUV.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Melissa said:


> My first learning experience was on a 70 Beetle and it was awful.


Learned to drive and took the test in an AT. My dad used to drive trucks with MT so he knew what he was doing, but mom wouldn't go near an MT to save her life, so we always had AT cars.

My first time with a stick was in a 70's bug as well. Bloody awful!!!!! That bug was in very poor condition and it was packed to the gills with stuff as a friend (it was his car) and I drove off to college one year. We had a 4 inch square tunnel through all the stuff so we could use the rear view mirror, and we were almost driving with our heads out the sun roof. I don't know how we ever made it the 400 miles and survived, especially the parts where I was driving :rofl:

Next time was in a friend's Honda Prelude on the way back from Vegas one year. He figured that out in the desert I couldn't get in to too much trouble so he let me drive and gave me some pointers.

When I finally got a car with a stick, the sales critter at the dealership spent about an hour in the car with me teaching me how to drive it. That guy really earned his commision that time! It must have been some good teaching since I had that car for almost 16 years and I was still on the original clutch with about 160K miles.

Since then, the only slushies I've driven have been rentals or other folk's cars.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

nate said:


> I genuinely feel uncomfortable driving automatics.


I'm fine with drving them, but when I first get in them, I keep reaching for the stick and the clutch pedal. It takes a bit to do the context switch back to an AT.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

nate said:


> I genuinely feel uncomfortable driving automatics.


Ja. I keep expecting them to behave like manuals.


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## Ajax (Feb 1, 2002)

HW said:


> first manual car i've ever owned and driven. couldn't even drive it out of the dealer lot.  friend drove it home for me.


That's just not right......


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## Pat2002 (Mar 27, 2004)

Wife is the real exception to your post question, she has never driven an automatic! Not even a borrowed, rental, etc. Taught her to drive on a 62 Buick Skylark V8 stick, her first car, then a 1974 BMW 2002 4 speed and she now drives a 1987 325is 5 speed. We still have both BMW's. She is scared to try an automatic when she hears about people driving thru houses, stores, etc. for hitting the gas and not the brake.
I don't intend to squash those fears.


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## cantona7 (Apr 8, 2004)

My 330Ci is the first manual car I've ever owned. In fact, prior to taking delivery of the car last Tuesday, my collective time spent driving manuals probably hovered around the 90 minute mark--at most. Learned two years ago when a buddy taught me on his VW New Beetle. That took about 30 minutes. Over the last two years, the rest of my stick driving time has been the hard way--on test drives. I count one Saab 9-3, a Honda, a Mini, a 325Ci and a 330i ZHP. That's about it. The last 10 days have been the best driving days of my life. I must say that I found hills and steep ramps a bit scary at first, but I've pretty much figured them out too--even conquered my local shopping mall garage last weekend (a major milestone for me). 

p.s. My wife's a great stick driver (she learned on a 73 Beetle)--I wanna drive like her when I grow up.


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## KevinM (May 2, 2003)

There's a great "article" from the humor paper "The Onion" about a guy who works the fact that he drives a manual transmisson into every possible conversion...it's halarious!

Having said that, although I learned to drive with an automatic (because my parents' cars were automatics) I have always purchased cars with manual transmissions - from my first Nissan Sentra all the way to my current 530. I don't feel superior, I just love to shift! In fact, the main reason I bought my first BMW (a 528) was because it was the only car in its class I could even FIND with a manual transmission available.

My wife's car is a Mercedes SUV...obviously an automatic. She gets to drive my car once a week or so and I am stuck with the SUV...I can honestly say the thing I hate about it the most is that it is an automatic. My foot keeps going for the invisible clutch!

Kevin


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

KevinM said:


> My wife's car is a Mercedes SUV...obviously an automatic. She gets to drive my car once a week or so and I am stuck with the SUV...I can honestly say the thing I hate about it the most is that it is an automatic. My foot keeps going for the invisible clutch!
> 
> Kevin


Any time I drive an automatic - like business trips and such - I spend the first day with my left foot slamming into the floorboards. freaks out co-workers. :thumbup:


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

blueguydotcom said:


> Any time I drive an automatic - like business trips and such - I spend the first day with my left foot slamming into the floorboards. freaks out co-workers. :thumbup:


yep. i always feel like i'm missing something when i drive an auto.


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## Will_325i (Jan 27, 2004)

My wife's Honda Pilot only comes in automatic. I use it to drive the family around on weekends 'cuz it hauls stuff so easily.

I love my stick shift but when driving an ultra-boring vehicle, automatic doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I think I prefer it.

NOTE: No offense to Pilot owners! 

SIDE NOTE: The Pilot's auto transmission is simply unbelievable. I can't believe something in that price range has such a smooth transmission.


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## Guest (May 7, 2004)

Will_325i said:


> My wife's Honda Pilot only comes in automatic. I use it to drive the family around on weekends 'cuz it hauls stuff so easily.
> 
> I love my stick shift but when driving an ultra-boring vehicle, automatic doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I think I prefer it.
> 
> ...


 "In that price range"?! The damn thing is expensive.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

I learned how to drive a Manual at* 10 years old* on my father's then new 1979 280ZX at a local mall ... and no this isn't a typo, I will never forget the faces of the people as I drove by them seeing this little kid driving  ... my parents beleived in teachig us to drive VERY early. At 9 I drove an Automatic . . .

My first car at 17 was Manual as well !!


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## mtbscott (Jul 16, 2003)

My father taught me how to drive manual in his 1971 Toyota Corona, our family had also had a Beetle and a Peugot? during the 60's that were manual. My first car at 16 was a Kharmann Ghia convertible with "semi-automatic," you had to shift 3 gears but no clutch (ugh!). Since that time I have owned only two automatics, a pickup truck and a Geo that was left to me when my father died. I don't have any kids of my own, but have taught several kids of friends how to drive manuals, they all think it's pretty cool. AF-RX8's story reminds me of one. One of my friend's 12 year old son had grown up in a semi-rural area and had learned to drive an old Willys jeep around the neighborhood. A few years back, I told him he could drive my Audi TT225, but he only got two chances to move out without stalling. He choked once, then was fine on the second try. We drove around his neighborhood honking at all his friends' houses so they'd see him driving the shiny red TT. What a hoot!


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## GimpyMcFarlan (Aug 13, 2002)

I learned how to drive a manual at 17. It was my first car, a 1990 civic hatchback. I'm now on my 4th MT car. I have never driven a AT car full time.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

AF-RX8 said:


> I learned how to drive a Manual at* 10 years old* on my father's then new 1979 280ZX at a local mall ... and no this isn't a typo, I will never forget the faces of the people as I drove by them seeing this little kid driving  ... my parents beleived in teachig us to drive VERY early. At 9 I drove an Automatic . . .
> 
> My first car at 17 was Manual as well !!


I learned at 10 also. I drove a 1983 Nissan Pulsar NX. Fun little car. We were at my friend's dairy farm so we had hundreds of acres to roam. Within no time we were going buckwild with the various manuals we could get our hands on. Nothing to hit but cows and fences...


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

mtbscott said:


> My first car at 16 was a Kharmann Ghia convertible with "semi-automatic," you had to shift 3 gears but no clutch (ugh!).


Nothing wrong with the old VW "Auto-Stick"... Think of it as a real early form of SMG! :rofl:


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## 3LOU5 (Jun 14, 2002)

AJAX said:


> I am not asking if you know how it works...I am asking if you have never driven one.


As far as I'm concerned, rowing through the gears is the only way to experience true driving excitement.

:thumbup:

But there are some days that I wished I had a slushie, days when I wake up after bombing down a bump run when skiing or after playing 4 sets of tennis and my legs feel like spaghetti.


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## wmndriver (Jun 3, 2003)

I learned to drive in an MGB with a stick


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## gizzy (Apr 4, 2004)

I don't even remember when I first learned to drive. I drove tractors on our farm for as long as I can remember. The first time I drove the pickup (automatic), I was about 7 or 8. At about 11 or 12, I learned how to drive stick (I don' t count the tractors as stick) in a 1947 truck with a potato bed. It had four peddles (clutch, break, gas, starter) and two gear shifts (3 reverse and 12 forward gears). Bought my first car at 16 which was an 81 Honda Accord (Stick) and started driving my grandpa's 67 Dodge pickup (Stick). At 17, I sold the Accord and bought an 88 cavalier (at parents demand) and have been drive auto's ever since. I really wanted a stick when I got the bimmer and tried to use the "Look how much we can save honey!" line with my wife but it didn't work.


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## Motown328 (Jun 4, 2003)

Pat2002 said:


> Wife is the real exception to your post question, she has never driven an automatic! She is scared to try an automatic when she hears about people driving thru houses, stores, etc. for hitting the gas and not the brake.
> I don't intend to squash those fears.


That's because those people are old and senile, not because of an automatic!!! 

I have never driven standard. My family has never had standard (since I was born) so I was never introduced to it. Besides, here in Traffic-Jam heaven, a manual would be A LOT OF FRIGGIN' WORK. Rarely is there any stretches of open road where you can just row through the gates. You would rarely be able to pass 3rd out here (that is, if you'd want to anyway?!?!!!! HAHAHA....).

Besides, I have to use my other hand for other stuff.....erm..........coffee, CDs, etc...... 

Although I think I was born for a SMG, because ever since I was little I used to turn the window handles up and down on every up and down shift of the car my parents or grandparents were driving (all autos). I still today have some of that habit left as I catch myself sometimes twisting my wrists on the steering wheels at the exact moment the engine shifts. Hahahaha...funny. I guess if I ever did switch I would have absolutely no problem with gear timing.


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## Guest (May 7, 2004)

Motown328 said:


> That's because those people are old and senile, not because of an automatic!!!
> 
> I have never driven standard. My family has never had standard (since I was born) so I was never introduced to it. Besides, here in Traffic-Jam heaven, a manual would be A LOT OF FRIGGIN' WORK. Rarely is there any stretches of open road where you can just row through the gates. You would rarely be able to pass 3rd out here (that is, if you'd want to anyway?!?!!!! HAHAHA....).
> 
> ...


 Seriously, I MUCH prefer a manual in heavy stop-and-go traffic over an automatic. IMO, an automatic is more work. With a stick, you just modulate the clutch and gas, barely moving your feet. And, in doing so, you are able to maintain a rather smooth roll. It's not the jerky gas, brake, gas, brake of an automatic.

Really.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

TD said:


> Seriously, I MUCH prefer a manual in heavy stop-and-go traffic over an automatic. IMO, an automatic is more work. With a stick, you just modulate the clutch and gas, barely moving your feet. And, in doing so, you are able to maintain a rather smooth roll. It's not the jerky gas, brake, gas, brake of an automatic.
> 
> Really.


i find 1st gear is too tall for stop-n-go and 2nd too short w/o having to slip a lot.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

TD said:


> Seriously, I MUCH prefer a manual in heavy stop-and-go traffic over an automatic. IMO, an automatic is more work. With a stick, you just modulate the clutch and gas, barely moving your feet. And, in doing so, you are able to maintain a rather smooth roll. It's not the jerky gas, brake, gas, brake of an automatic.
> 
> Really.


in heavy stop and go traffic with an automatic, there's only one pedal to modulate--the brake. You don't need to use the gas pedal.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

atyclb said:


> in heavy stop and go traffic with an automatic, there's only one pedal to modulate--the brake. You don't need to use the gas pedal.


Come on. We all know all TD is doing is justifying his high-and-mighty position to himself.

I will say I like not having to hold the brake the keep the car from rolling forward (given you're stuck on a level road) but getting on and off the brake is WAY less work than feathering the clutch.


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## SAZMan (Mar 6, 2004)

HW said:


> i find 1st gear is too tall for stop-n-go and 2nd too short w/o having to slip a lot.


OK, I need some remedial stick shift basics. What does the above statement mean exactly?


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

SAZMan said:


> OK, I need some remedial stick shift basics. What does the above statement mean exactly?


1st gear: the gearing ratio is too high and you end up w/ jerky over torqued feel. you also because 1st gear doesn't get you too far if traffic picks up a tiny bit you end up w/ someone jumping in front of you or having to move to 2nd gear
2nd gear: if you use 2nd for stop-n-go, you have do slip the clutch a great deal.

a gear somewhere in between would be better for stop-n-go traffic.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

HW, I think you have your 'tall' and 'short' switched.

'Tall' is when the reduction ratio is low, and thus engine RPM is low relative to vehicle speed. 'Short' is, obviously, the reverse condition. I assume you meant to say 1st is too short and 2nd is too tall, which is exactly the predicament I have with the (short) 3.46 rear end in my car.


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

Kaz said:


> HW, I think you have your 'tall' and 'short' switched.
> 
> 'Tall' is when the reduction ratio is low, and thus engine RPM is low relative to vehicle speed. 'Short' is, obviously, the reverse condition. I assume you meant to say 1st is too short and 2nd is too tall, which is exactly the predicament I have with the (short) 3.46 rear end in my car.


oops, got it. :thumbup:


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

atyclb said:


> in heavy stop and go traffic with an automatic, there's only one pedal to modulate--the brake. You don't need to use the gas pedal.


Good point aty ... I think 99.999% of the people in this world would agree that an Automatic in traffic is easier then a manual . . .

It's pretty much a no-brainer


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## Guest (May 7, 2004)

Bah. You just leave your feet in place and feather the clutch and gas. No moving your foot from the gas to the brake. Or, if the (auto tranny) car is the sort to pull on it's own without giving it gas, you have to constantly apply the brake to keep from running into the car in front of you. But that speed up/slow down thing always gets annoying to me very quickly. With a stick, I am able to generally maintain a rather steady (albeit very slow) speed by modulating the clutch and gas.

Nate and Hack always make this same argument (as does my wife), so it's not just me.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

TD said:


> Bah. You just leave your feet in place and feather the clutch and gas. No moving your foot from the gas to the brake. Or, if the (auto tranny) car is the sort to pull on it's own without giving it gas, you have to constantly apply the brake to keep from running into the car in front of you. But that speed up/slow down thing always gets annoying to me very quickly. With a stick, I am able to generally maintain a rather steady (albeit very slow) speed by modulating the clutch and gas.
> 
> Nate and Hack always make this same argument (as does my wife), so it's not just me.


uh ... ok, your right, it must be that everyone else is wrong


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

In stop-and-go traffic, a manual is a pain. So is an auto. Stop-and-go traffic is a pain. Since I'm used to a manual, though, my instincts are off in an auto, and it's very uncomfy. 

In creeping traffic, a manual is fine. You feather the clutch, or just creep, if it's a little faster than the 1st gear idle crawl. The eta is great for that.

IMHO, driving in traffic isn't driving, and is to be avoided at all possible costs. I'll head to the local bookstore and read and drink coffee, then go home when the traffic thins.


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## Guest (May 7, 2004)

AF-RX8 said:


> uh ... ok, your right, it must be that everyone else is wrong


 I am speaking for myself.

I genuinely think a stick is easier in traffic.

You and Kaz effectively told me I was wrong.

If it's easier for me, how am I wrong?

:slap:


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

TD said:


> I am speaking for myself.
> 
> I genuinely think a stick is easier in traffic.
> 
> ...


Because you don't know better which is why we are here to correct you


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

The Roadstergal said:


> IMHO, driving in traffic isn't driving, and is to be avoided at all possible costs. I'll head to the local bookstore and read and drink coffee, then go home when the traffic thins.


not good advice when you started out heading to work!


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## HW (Dec 24, 2001)

my nightmares are stop-n-go on a steep hill w/ a manual. really nerving even after 4 years of manual (15 years of driving)


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## mecklaiz (Mar 20, 2003)

I'm teaching my wife to drive on our 6 speed 330. She curses the manual transmission and swears she's going to get an automatic when its time to get her own car. I'm saddened by this, however, I can appreciate that for someone whom a car is a mode of transport, the more convenient the transport the better.

However, she'll never be able to say that she's NEVER driven a manual, cause gosh darn it, she's giving her driving test in one!

Z


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

AF-RX8 said:


> uh ... ok, your right, it must be that everyone else is wrong


i prefer my bmw manual in traffic to all automatics and most manuals. the bimmer you can leave in 2nd and not even touch the clutch or brake, just creep along.

hate autos in stop n go traffic. you can't get the car to creep.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

mecklaiz said:


> I'm teaching my wife to drive on our 6 speed 330. She curses the manual transmission and swears she's going to get an automatic when its time to get her own car.


Make sure you're leaving the car and just letting her drive as much as possible. It makes the learning process less stressful and more enjoyable.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

The Roadstergal said:


> In stop-and-go traffic, a manual is a pain. So is an auto. Stop-and-go traffic is a pain.
> _...snip..._
> IMHO, driving in traffic isn't driving, and is to be avoided at all possible costs.


 Exactly!!!!!! No matter what you drive, stop-n-go (or as I like to say stop-n-stop) traffic is a royal pain. I've done it with an AT and an MT, and depending on the conditions, sometimes the AT is easier and sometimes the MT is easier. But it still sucks to be there having to constantly play footsie with the pedals.


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## Guest (May 7, 2004)

blueguydotcom said:


> i prefer my bmw manual in traffic to all automatics and most manuals. the bimmer you can leave in 2nd and not even touch the clutch or brake, just creep along.
> 
> hate autos in stop n go traffic. you can't get the car to creep.


 According to Kaz and AF, you're wrong and you must just be justifying your high and mighty position to yourself.


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## mecklaiz (Mar 20, 2003)

The Roadstergal said:


> Make sure you're leaving the car and just letting her drive as much as possible. It makes the learning process less stressful and more enjoyable.


Unfortunately, she's never driven before so I'm getting to teach her the basics. So I kinda have to be there to sooth her nerves. I will leave her alone, just not yet.


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

HW said:


> my nightmares are stop-n-go on a steep hill w/ a manual. really nerving even after 4 years of manual (15 years of driving)


That is why you should use the parking brake and clutch out as you ease off the parking brake.


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

AF-RX8 said:



> uh ... ok, your right, it must be that everyone else is wrong


He is right, at least for himself and me.

Driving stick is much less stressful in traffic.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

TD said:



> I am speaking for myself.
> 
> I genuinely think a stick is easier in traffic.
> 
> ...


Because, like with pretty much everything else, insist that what it right for you is what is right for all right human beings in the universe, even if "99.999%" of thosse disagree.

If you've convinced yourself that something is better than another, fine. Saying that whatever that is is the end-all-be-all for all of humanity, which is the continual overtone you always present, is wrong.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

TD said:


> According to Kaz and AF, you're wrong and you must just be justifying your high and mighty position to yourself.


No TD, that only applies to you :rofl:


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

blueguydotcom said:


> i prefer my bmw manual in traffic to all automatics and most manuals. *the bimmer you can leave in 2nd and not even touch the clutch or brake, just creep along.*
> 
> hate autos in stop n go traffic. you can't get the car to creep.


Move North about 400 miles and try Eastbound 580 for the afternoon rush hour. On a good day I can leave it in 1st and only come to a complete stop a few times. There are very few good days.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Let's put it this way:

It's naturally easier in most generic traffic conditions to deal with an AT.

Some have chosen to make MT easier to deal with in the situations they encounter.

Sound reasonable?


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

Kaz said:


> It's naturally easier in most generic traffic conditions to deal with an AT.
> 
> Some have chosen to make MT easier to deal with in the situations they encounter.


If you're used to an AT, it feels easier in many traffic situations.
If you're used to a MT, an AT feels odd in many traffic situations.

I had an AT rental not long ago; the only situation where an it felt as normal to me was highway cruising, but driving in any other fashion meant Doing Things Differently Than I Am Used To. It's not just "one fewer pedal to worry about"; it's a different manner and behavior on the part of the car.

It's true that someone who has never driven an AT will be better off if stuck into one than someone who has never driven a MT stuck into one. But if you know how to drive both, that factor disappears.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

atyclb said:


> not good advice when you started out heading to work!


It's fine as long as I bring enough for everyone. :drink:


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## Athos (May 20, 2005)

zcasavant said:


> Sure it did. No need to lie.
> :rofl:


Awesome picture! :rofl:


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## De_UnKnOwN_1 (Mar 28, 2005)

believe it or not..i was gunna try and get my bimmer in man. but my parents drive my car alot (im 17 dont say anything...) and my mom cant drive a man.


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## msbrown (Nov 16, 2004)

hmm, it's funny. I can double-clutch a Peterbuilt, negotiate a 6-speed Ford forklift built in 1948, work the three shifters on an IH winch truck just fine (worked the oilpatch in West Texas, I did )....

but for my traffic-snarled daily commute, my Step suits me just fine. Go figure.


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## BMWenthusiast (Feb 27, 2005)

i haven't, but then again i've only been driving for like nearly 2 years, i wish i have, but only a few friends have manual, and my parents refuse to get me a manual car


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## aces219 (May 24, 2005)

I really want to learn how to drive stick, but I can't find anybody with a car who will teach me. It's not worth it to me to jump through a bunch of hoops in terms of renting or buying a stick. I sit in too much traffic for me to want to get one though, even for my Z3. Just pushing that stiff pedal for 10 hours a day on a recent roadtrip really tired out my leg.


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## jpsquared (Mar 27, 2005)

Tomorrow the wife & I get our first lessons in a stick from a local driving school. Sadly, neither one of us ever had the opportunity to even try driving one. Had to have one though...

Sometimes when driving my slushie, I'll think about shifting at the appropriate times. It's really just the kid in me fixing the baseball card in the spokes for that motorcycle sound...


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## icemanjs4 (Dec 1, 2004)

jpsquared said:


> Tomorrow the wife & I get our first lessons in a stick from a local driving school. Sadly, neither one of us ever had the opportunity to even try driving one. Had to have one though...
> 
> Sometimes when driving my slushie, I'll think about shifting at the appropriate times. It's really just the kid in me fixing the baseball card in the spokes for that motorcycle sound...


Wow, you guys have driving schools that teach on a manual? I searched out here and couln't find anything. I ended up buying a beater car for 1500.00 to learn on by myself.

When I had an automatic, I also pretended it was a manual sometimes, and tried to press in the clutch and practice where my shift points would be.


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## CJsCar (May 12, 2005)

I wasn't allowed to get my drivers license without learning first. :guitar:


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## jpsquared (Mar 27, 2005)

icemanjs4 said:


> Wow, you guys have driving schools that teach on a manual? I searched out here and couln't find anything. I ended up buying a beater car for 1500.00 to learn on by myself.
> 
> When I had an automatic, I also pretended it was a manual sometimes, and tried to press in the clutch and practice where my shift points would be.


Yeah, I got lucky and found a place - probably the only one in NJ! And not too far from home either. It was meant to be! This place uses base level Saturn Ion coupes with low horsepower & long throwing, big fat shift knobs. Very forgiving and perfect for beginners.

Warning -shameless plug inserted here: Check out http://safetyfirstdriving.com/

Any way, the lesson went really well. My confidence level is light years better than before. After just 1 lesson, it's clear that proficiency will only come with driving the car. But having the basics explained by a patient instructor was just great.

Oh yeah.. It was hilarious hearing how my wife popped the clutch and smoked the tires on her hill-start practice! 

I'm even more stoked to get my new bimmer now. Only 2 more weeks!


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## EuroRocket (Jun 26, 2005)

actually i thought learning how to drive a stick was hard but after i got behind the wheel.. had some lessons.. it was sort of easy but still need to work on it because i dont have a M/T vehicle and have to ask my brother to borrow his car once a while.


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