Question Of The Day, Friday, May 3

I learned to drive on a stick shift, and I believe the first car we had had a manual shift. But since then, I've always had automatic; they are so much easier to drive and smoother, too. It's a good thing, too, as my spinal injuries caused my left foot to drop and I cannot use it to drive.

My son likes a stick shift and waited months for a used BMW with a stick shift and navigation. Evidently, this has to be custom made because BMW doesn't usually include navigation on a stick shift.

I learned on an 8N Ford tractor ( double clutch, anyone?), followed by a series of stick-shift vehicles. My first car had a manual tranny, and I loved it, but now just trying to find another is an exercise in futility.

I learned to drive on, and have only driven, automatic.

mightyboosh said:

Now ya talking! cars yeah!
It's more than the opposite over here, the tradition being stick except for posh cars.
I now have an auto and it's fantastic due to being a modern one with seamless changes. I also have the option of paddle shifts on the steering wheel and sequential shifts using the auto control stick. So, three ways to get the gears changed.

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Modern on your side of the pond, perhaps, but over here, Buick had such a transmission in 1958. It was called the Dynaflow, and I helped to overhaul one after the owner accidentally hit reverse- at 60mph.

My husband drives stick, and prefers stick. I never learned how growing up. Having said that when it was time to replace one of our vehicles, we got a really good deal on a stick so we purchased it. So far I've had one lesson, and did really well. I'm not quite comfortable driving it on the road yet though. But I do have to get by butt in gear (no pun intended) and get comfortable driving it, because there are times when my hubby needs the vehicle that I usually drive.

I have driven a manual car and a manual truck exactly one time each. Technically, I have done it successfully in the past. Do I want to? No. Not at all. I like to drive with both hands on the wheel at 10 and 2.

Also, I do not know if I could manage a clutch anymore since my left leg is not completely operational. I cannot push a bike pedal at physical therapy with it, so a clutch is likely out of the question.

My first car was a stick. Also, my father's car was a stick and that's the car I learned on. I have had several other cars that were stick shift. I like them very much. With practice, they can be driven very smoothly. Gas mileage is better too. The one I have now is automatic, but that model is not available with manual transmission. It has been 4-5 years since I have driven a stick.

My first car had a four-on-the-floor, and I've loved manual transmissions ever since! I thought it made driving on the freeways so much easier for stuff like having to make a sudden lane change, etc.

Unfortunately, years of wear and tear on my left knee eventually got the better of me, which my orthopedic surgeon jokingly referred to as 'clutch-itis.' Two surgeries later, I finally gave up on my beloved 5-speed manual transmission, and got an automatic. It's been a few years, but every now and then after I've had to suddenly throw on the brakes, I still catch myself reaching for a phantom stick shift to try to shift into first before I go again.

My car has the paddle shifts and I've never used them. DH has but I have no intention.

Back when I was learning to drive my family had an extended size van that was older than I was and had little to no power steering. And my mother's stick-shift mazda. Driving lessons ended in tears. Eventually my mothers friend from work offered to teach me to drive. She has a very calm "chill" personality. It was very generous of her because she was only 22 and had just graduated college and bought her first brand new car.

So I'll just be over here with my automatics; not getting to drive performance sports cars.

Stick. It pays to learn, in an emergency it might be the only vehicle available.

My only car so far is automatic but I learned on a manual car and I can drive one if I have to. But honestly as long as you get how the transmission works so you don't ruin it, automatic is better. At least I don't have to deal with the clutch on the famous Istanbul traffic.

Winchester said:

Good morning! And Happy Friday!

I saw a blurb on tv the other night where only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick-shift. Only 5% of all vehicles sold in the US have a manual transmission. I don't know; I rather find that sad. I guess it's because I enjoy driving stick so much. That's part of the reason I kept Clarence; he's got a stick and I've always loved tooling around town with him. It's a little difficult to find a car anymore that's got a manual tranny.

Do you know how to operate a manual transmission? Do you have a vehicle with a stick-shift? Why or why not?

As I said, Clarence has a stick. Our Tucson is automatic. Rick's Tundra is automatic.

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I do not drive.

Count said:

My only car so far is automatic but I learned on a manual car and I can drive one if I have to. But honestly as long as you get how the transmission works so you don't ruin it, automatic is better. At least I don't have to deal with the clutch on the famous Istanbul traffic.

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Bad thing is when the clutch goes out. That's almost as bad as losing your brakes.
If the clutch ever feels spongy or not right, mechanic now.

I learned to drive in a little VW bug with a stick.Loved that car!But I am spoiled and love my car with an automatic.Hubby's truck is a standard,and I could manage to drive it if I had to,but hopefully I never have to.

I learned to drive on automatic and although I would have liked to learn on stick I never did. I guess it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks!

I've seen the fancy cars with paddle shifting and all that, but I don't know why. I only shift from park to drive and back again (and reverse when necessary) . OK, I use low gear for getting out of snow but otherwise nope. So what are they for?

cheeser said:

I thought it made driving on the freeways so much easier for stuff like having to make a sudden lane change, etc.

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I'm curious! How is it easier?

1 bruce 1 said:

Stick. It pays to learn, in an emergency it might be the only vehicle available.

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Any tips for finding one to learn on?

Willowy said:

I'm curious! How is it easier?

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Well, I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but with a manual transmission, you just have more of a connection with your car. After you've been driving one for a while, you know how much power you need to do certain things, and which gear works best for that sort of thing at any given moment. And if you forget, it's like your car talks to you to remind you what you need to do.

For me, I find that sometimes it helps to downshift to make lane changes. That way I have exactly the amount of power I need at that particular moment to take advantage of a window of opportunity. In an automatic, it seems like my car decides to change gears at the most inopportune time, and I feel like I'm going to get run over!

Plus I like being able to downshift for climbing, or when I have to go through water. I've never had a manual transmission car stall out on me when it would start raining on me while I was stuck in traffic, and the water would suddenly start to rise like crazy. Automatic transmissions haven't always been as forgiving.

Most of all, I just loved the Zen-like feeling of driving a stick shift on an open road. Alas, my knee didn't like driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic that's par for the course in our area.

I had never thought of it for lane changes but there are things that a stick shift is better for it. I have had much better luck rocking out when I get stuck with a stick shift. I also go through brakes faster with an automatic. When it's a planned stop with a stick shift I would downshift to slow down before using the brakes.

Count said:

But honestly as long as you get how the transmission works so you don't ruin it, automatic is better.

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I wonder if it's the transmission that I ruined in my friend's stick shift. Is it expensive to fix? Because she never drove that car again, it just sat out in in her yard. It was a nice little black sports car too.

The one time I attempted to learn to drive a manual transmission I drove the car into the unfinished curb in a housing development that was being built.

The car wasn't mine. It was my good friends, brand new, convertible Fiat. Why he thought it was a good idea to teach me on THAT car is beyond me.

Needless to say I was scared from the experience and never attempted again. Luckily, we remained friends and he lied to his parents how it happened LOL.