Save the Manuals!

[Beeblebrox237]

Lol, all you have to do is put your money where you mouth is, and buy a new car from a dealer and spec a manual.. everything else is just a fart in a paper bag (my analogy for actionless keyboard warriors)

How about learn to drive stick? It's a start, so few teens learn to do it these days. I myself am not at the point of car ownership yet, but I can drive a stick, for the most part. I need practice with a few things, but I'm already ahead of most people.

 

[Crisp]

How about learn to drive stick? It's a start, so few teens learn to do it these days. I myself am not at the point of car ownership yet, but I can drive a stick, for the most part. I need practice with a few things, but I'm already ahead of most people.

If you can get the car moving period your ahead of most people.

 

[homeforsummer]

my dad's car has paddle shifters with a single clutch, and imo, it’s not quite there yet (ML63 '12)

An ML 63 is a torque-converter auto, not a single-clutch automated manual. Huge difference. If it's a '12 car, a seven-speed. Other 7-speed AMG Mercs at the moment use a twin-clutch system, and the only vehicle in the Daimler group that uses a single-clutch automated manual with paddleshift is the smart fortwo.

 

[hawkeye122]

^Car Journalist-ed. What up?

 

[Conza]

An ML 63 is a torque-converter auto, not a single-clutch automated manual. Huge difference. If it's a '12 car, a seven-speed. Other 7-speed AMG Mercs at the moment use a twin-clutch system, and the only vehicle in the Daimler group that uses a single-clutch automated manual with paddleshift is the smart fortwo.

Good to know thanks, so it's really an auto that I can choose which gear I want, even if it isn't lightning fast. Apparently a double clutch couldn't handle the torque from the 5.5l engine, can you tell me if that's true, or if it isn't, why the car is the way is it?

 

[homeforsummer]

Torque could be part of it, as could the 4WD drivetrain. Might just be an engineering reason they can't put a dual-clutch in there.

That, and a proper torque converter is still smoother in some situations than a dual-clutch, so it suits the character of a big car like that better. AMG badge or not people are less likely to drive an ML in the same way they might a C or E class, so a wafty-smooth auto is better than a lightning-quick dual-clutch.

 

[Tahli462]

Our Empire is getting stronger!

 

[oopssorryy]

Sorry about this....
*Begin rant:

So I have figured out a part of the auto take over today. I was talking to a good friend of mine who is in the market for a used car. His reason for not shopping for a manual (he can drive one) is that he has a harder time multitasking. When I drive an auto I have always been bored out of my mind, but I never really do much other than drive. Now a days most people are playing on there phones, GPS, or a variety of other gadgets inside the car. I was told this was hard enough to do with out having to control the trans.

People just don't respect driving anymore, they are unfocused and doing other things as they do it. While a bit dangerous, it's also leading to people becoming more and more lazy while driving, which is helped by autos. I am not saying people don't txt, or screw around while driving a stick, I am simply saying it's much easier to do in an auto. In the age of "I must update my status every 5 seconds" this is a must have. We drivers who want to enjoy our driving experience, want to become a part of the machine we are controlling, are the 1%. Sure, many auto's and semi auto's are faster, but having fun isn't all about speed. It's about the feel of the clutch as it bites, and knowledge that it's up to you to do it right. When driving for fun every shift becomes a point of pride won or lost.

So everyone go and teach! If you have a manual and know someone who want to learn, be there teacher. While many teens these days don't care about cars, the ones that do are surrounded by autos. Most who want to learn have not manual around them to learn with. If we get them before they start screwing off while driving, maybe, just maybe, we can continue the life of the manual transmission, by making the new driving generation excited about driving.

*End rant

 

[LancerEvo7]

I got my license today and I'm going to have my friend teach me to drive stick ASAP.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Our Empire is getting stronger!

Actually, totally read it in this guys voice....

Sorry about this....
*Begin rant:

So I have figured out a part of the auto take over today. I was talking to a good friend of mine who is in the market for a used car. His reason for not shopping for a manual (he can drive one) is that he has a harder time multitasking. When I drive an auto I have always been bored out of my mind, but I never really do much other than drive. Now a days most people are playing on there phones, GPS, or a variety of other gadgets inside the car. I was told this was hard enough to do with out having to control the trans.

People just don't respect driving anymore, they are unfocused and doing other things as they do it. While a bit dangerous, it's also leading to people becoming more and more lazy while driving, which is helped by autos. I am not saying people don't txt, or screw around while driving a stick, I am simply saying it's much easier to do in an auto. In the age of "I must update my status every 5 seconds" this is a must have. We drivers who want to enjoy our driving experience, want to become a part of the machine we are controlling, are the 1%. Sure, many auto's and semi auto's are faster, but having fun isn't all about speed. It's about the feel of the clutch as it bites, and knowledge that it's up to you to do it right. When driving for fun every shift becomes a point of pride won or lost.

So everyone go and teach! If you have a manual and know someone who want to learn, be there teacher. While many teens these days don't care about cars, the ones that do are surrounded by autos. Most who want to learn have not manual around them to learn with. If we get them before they start screwing off while driving, maybe, just maybe, we can continue the life of the manual transmission, by making the new driving generation excited about driving.

*End rant

People like that shouldn't get a license at all, let alone get taught to drive stick. If you're that stupid you get distracted by Facebook every 5 seconds then you shouldn't get a license at all. Do you friends a favour, if you're teaching them to drive, manual or auto, and they reach for their phone, slap 'em and say "yo momma so fat, when she pregnant whit chu, her flab dun starved yo brain of oxygen".. or something.

.. anyway, whilst your preaching to them about the merits of manual, make sure they get the chance to drive a half decent auto too, then let them make up there own minds?

 

[hawkeye122]

I can drive my car, with a Soda in hand(No cupholder), shift, and steer (No powersteering) and not die. I dont see whats so hard about that.

Its one thing to have your phone buzz, you take it off the console real quick and see the "Hey, hurry up Bro!" message. Then you put it back down and keep driving.

Manuals are perfect for competent adolescent males. Today, the girl in Sports Medicine
"So yeah, I want to learn how to drive a stick, but my dad wont take tome off work."
Boom. What up, date to the Homecoming dance?

 

[Joey D]

So I have figured out a part of the auto take over today. I was talking to a good friend of mine who is in the market for a used car. His reason for not shopping for a manual (he can drive one) is that he has a harder time multitasking. When I drive an auto I have always been bored out of my mind, but I never really do much other than drive. Now a days most people are playing on there phones, GPS, or a variety of other gadgets inside the car. I was told this was hard enough to do with out having to control the trans.

Once you get the car into the gear you need to cruise along with there's no difference from a manual to an auto. Have you ever really driven for any extended length of time? I drove down south an pretty much was on the highway for 9-ish hours straight, it was long, it was boring and wouldn't have made any difference if I'd been doing the drive in a manual.

Hell, I drove around tonight in a manual for about an hour down some back roads and pretty much left the car in 5th the entire time except for a few stop signs.

And if you need a manual to take away from being a distracted driver, you shouldn't be driving in the first place.

 

[oopssorryy]

The only one I taught wanted to learn, and I took the battery out of her phone. I tell them all they should try, its a good skill to at least have in case of emergancy. It seems like a lot of people are scared to drive stick because it's "complicated".

I mostly drive in towns, or very hilly back roads, so I shift a lot, but on highways you are right, you just pop it in 5-6 and you can do what ever you want.

 

[Crisp]

I can drive my car, with a Soda in hand(No cupholder), shift, and steer (No powersteering) and not die. I dont see whats so hard about that.

Its one thing to have your phone buzz, you take it off the console real quick and see the "Hey, hurry up Bro!" message. Then you put it back down and keep driving.

Manuals are perfect for competent adolescent males. Today, the girl in Sports Medicine
"So yeah, I want to learn how to drive a stick, but my dad wont take tome off work."
Boom. What up, date to the Homecoming dance?

Dude the last time I went to Sonic I got a Large milkshake and couldn't finish it because I was full so put it in between my legs in the 944 since that is an 80's European car (no cupholders) and didn't spill a drop. I got close a few times when I had to push the clutch in fast like downshifting from 5th to 4th to go up a hill. But. Winning still none the less. 👍

 

[hawkeye122]

I held it in my right hand with my index finger and thumb (My hands are pretty big..), and then shifted with my palm and other fingers.

 

[niky]

You haven't truly multi-tasked until you've tried to change into your sports gear (jeans and shirt off... shorts and jersey on), while eating McDonald's take-out (in a car with no cupholders) while driving a stick.

Not that you should attempt to do so on public roads while speeding to your next game...

-

Save the manuals. Eliminate the clutch. every time I drive home, I short-shift 1st-2nd-3rd without using it.




Really... all those mad 'leet clutch ninjas are simply denying the awful truth. The clutch is a crutch for those who can't drive dogboxes.

 

[kikie]

When I read the title it thought it was about "instruction" car manuals, hehe.

 

[ilikewaffles11]

I was practicing pulling away from a stop on a hill yesterday. I kept letting the clutch out to fast and not giving it enough has. Did that a few times and then I actually pulled away a few times.

 

[Clark]

As the whole difference between manual 'boxes in the UK and the US still baffles me, what gearbox does a normal supermini, such as a Jazz/Fit or Fiesta come with as standard?

 

[Joey D]

As the whole difference between manual 'boxes in the UK and the US still baffles me, what gearbox does a normal supermini, such as a Jazz/Fit or Fiesta come with as standard?

Depends on the car, seems like a lot of them come with CVT's.

 

[homeforsummer]

As the whole difference between manual 'boxes in the UK and the US still baffles me, what gearbox does a normal supermini, such as a Jazz/Fit or Fiesta come with as standard?

Still manual, but many people spend extra to get the automatic. Though manual sales are actually rising a little in the U.S, as people aren't as willing to spend another $1k on a $11k econobox just to get an automatic. Recession does that sometimes.

 

[Clark]

It then doesn't make sense when car makesdoes different gearbox choices across the pond. Like the E60 M5 being offered a with a manual...

...in the US. :S

 

[MatskiMonk]

It then doesn't make sense when car makesdoes different gearbox choices across the pond. Like the E60 M5 being offered a with a manual...

...in the US. :S

Europeans wouldn't have put up with the poor execution of the E60 M5 MT.. IIRC it was the gearbox out of the E39 M5 that they used? Anyway, I seem to recall it wasn't all that great.

 

[Clark]

Guess I just like the idea of that car with a manual.

At least if you have a enough money you can 'fix' them. There's companies that 'downgrade' E46 CSLs to manuals.

A manual 458 would be something aswell.

 

[Joey D]

Guess I just like the idea of that car with a manual.

At least if you have a enough money you can 'fix' them. There's companies that 'downgrade' E46 CSLs to manuals.

A manual 458 would be something aswell.

No one buys those cars with a manual though though. If there was a demand for manual Ferraris you better believe they'd make them. It cost millions to develop a transmission and if you aren't going to get a return on it why bother? I think McLaren (the GTP member, not the company) has posted some figures before that show this.

The people who like manual super cars are the ones that can't afford them in the first place.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

No one buys those cars with a manual though though. If there was a demand for manual Ferraris you better believe they'd make them. It cost millions to develop a transmission and if you aren't going to get a return on it why bother? I think McLaren (the GTP member, not the company) has posted some figures before that show this.

The people who like manual super cars are the ones that can't afford them in the first place.

Sadly, this is true. everyday petrolheads like us love manual transmissions, but the rich people who can afford a Ferrari 458 want to feel like they're in an F1 car. I wouldn't be surprised if a large portion of American 458 buyers can't drive stick, meaning that they would order the 'automatic' anyway.

 

[Danoff]

The people who like manual super cars are the ones that can't afford them in the first place.

Yes and....

The people who think that super cars should have manual transmission would change their mind immediately if they actually got in one and drove it. It would ruin the whole experience! The Ferrari 458 is a friggin race car, that's why people love it, and that's why they have lighting quick gear changes that deliver perfect performance every time.

the rich people who can afford a Ferrari 458 want to feel like they're in an F1 car.

...and why the hell not?

 

[Takumi Fujiwara]

Dude the last time I went to Sonic I got a Large milkshake and couldn't finish it because I was full so put it in between my legs in the 944 since that is an 80's European car (no cupholders) and didn't spill a drop. I got close a few times when I had to push the clutch in fast like downshifting from 5th to 4th to go up a hill. But. Winning still none the less. 👍

Tip for cars with no cupholders - get a big roll of duct tape and keep it in the back. When you have a drink, you can put the roll flat on the passenger side floor and use the hole in the middle as a cupholder.

 

[hawkeye122]

Tip for cars with no cupholders - get a big roll of duct tape and keep it in the back. When you have a drink, you can put the roll flat on the passenger side floor and use the hole in the middle as a cupholder.

Oh. My. Gosh. You are a genius.

 

[Joey D]

Sadly, this is true. everyday petrolheads like us love manual transmissions, but the rich people who can afford a Ferrari 458 want to feel like they're in an F1 car. I wouldn't be surprised if a large portion of American 458 buyers can't drive stick, meaning that they would order the 'automatic' anyway.

I consider myself an "everyday petrolhead" and I don't love the manual transmission. Sure it works well in my racecar, but that's a racecar and even then if a double clutch setup would have been cheap I would have easily gone with that over a manual.

And as Danoff said, why in the world wouldn't you want to feel like you're in an F1 car?