Stick or Automatic?

[Naismith]

You're all full of macho crap, the "it's more manly to drive a stick, automatic is for girlies."
You don't get up to change channels on the TV, you press remote (if you can find it, otherwise that is what wives are for). Nobody goes down by the riverside to wash their clothes on a rock. We don't keep a cow in the shed to milk anymore, we get our milk from the supermarket. So why make things more difficult by insisting on a manual gear shift. Once you have sat in London traffic for 3 hours stop start with a heavy clutch you would give your enormously enlarged leg thigh for an automatic!
And before you girlies get all pedantic and outraged, I jest.......

 

[kilo delta]

Once you have sat in London traffic for 3 hours stop start with a heavy clutch you would give your enormously enlarged leg thigh for an automatic!

However...if you regularly drive on non congested B roads a manual is much more fun closely followed by the paddle shift gearbox ;p

 

[PRB]

Learned to drive with an automatic, then wanted to know how to drive a manual, so I went out and bought one, without ever having driven one. That was kind of dumb... Took me two hours to get back home from 30 miles away in city traffic. Once I figured it out I liked it, and drove a stick for the next two decades. Now I have an automatic again. A 4-wheel drive automatic Jeep, if you can believe it. I'll never go to Heaven with that on my record, I know... Oh yeah, the vote. I voted automatic. Ten years ago I would have voted manual. I'm over it.

 

[andersel]

I learned to drive in my Dad's '65 VW bus. Enough said. I drove manuals for a long time, but in 1988 I lost my left leg (BK) and from that point forward I kind of automatically had to ghange my ways. All moot at this point. My eyesight has so deteriorated that all I drive now are my feet. So I guess it's back to manuals.

LA

 

[mmann]

Trivia. Saab 96's manual tranny lever was mounted next to steering wheel.

Yes, I remember that! My second car was a Saab 96 with manual (three-cylinder two-stroke engine). I was living in southern Ontario at the time and had to go to Buffalo, NY to get parts as there were no dealers in Canada at that time.

I have owned vehicles with both kinds of transmissions, the imports generally with manuals and the domestic vehicles generally had automatics (with exceptions on both sides).

Regards, Mike Mann

 

[robert41]

I learned to drive with a stick and clutch. Up until last year, Ive had a stick shift for about 20 years. Now with all the traffic and stop lights, I got me an automatic.

 

[magoo]

Pickup trux with autobox, old MG with stick & eeelectrik overdrive.

 

[EasyEd]

Hey All

I really miss 3 (or 4) on the tree.

Neither me nor my wife have ever owned an automatic. Never intend to.

-Ed-

 

[jbtate]

Learned to shift on my Grandfolk's 1930's era Avery tractor, with twin hand lever brakes -- that was fun headed downhill toward the lake.
First drove on roads sitting on Granddad's lap in their automatic shift 1948 Packard.
Mechanic Grandfather then fixed up a 1950's era Studebaker pickup for the cousins to drive around the farm, much like a present day 4 wheeler. Manual column 3 speed.
First car was a great little Simca 4 speed shift. Hitting McNee hill on the way to High School -- second gear and floor it.
Had two crap era manual 4 Mustangs in the '70's and '80's, but had some good times with them.
Presently still driving my 1985 Volkswagen GTI 5 speed manual. Nothing like manual when negotiating an entrance lane/ramp.
Edit -- though given this is a flight sim site, I usually fly sims with automatic mixture control, so that might indicate some evolution of circumstance.

 

[Bushpounder]

It depends on the car and the power. Today's performance automatics with paddles can outshift any manual tranny. Some automatics are up to 7+ speeds, not the 2-3 that existed only a few years back. I have two cars, one with a 5 spd. man. and one an automatic. In heavy traffic, I prefer the automatic. On backroads and the like, the 5 speed.

My car:

View attachment 39230


Don

 

[Ferry_vO]

Stick shift for me, until I can buy a good 'paddle shift' car.

BTW:

I like the more precise momentum control, like being stopped at an uphill stoplight and not have to hold the brakes.

Best way to wreck your clutch..

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Why, stick of course. Both the family car and the oldtimer

View attachment 39231

View attachment 39232

 

[grunau_baby]

Most of the automatic gearboxes simply don´t suit my driving, they are too economic and sluggish or too eager. I just like to have the feeling of a direct controle on my engine and driving which only a stick gives me. However I also did drives some very crisp automatic transmissions, too lately (BMW5). But since I am a very "passionate" driver, I still prefer the "feeling" of "Stirring my gasoline" myself!

Plus a stick is much nicer when being in the mood for some playing! I think OBIO has made the same experiences here;-)))

Alex

 

[b52bob]

Learned to drive in a Morgan, stick of course. Also raced motorcycles and really got used to the manual. Due to a bum shoulder, now have an auto. I do miss the manual though and really prefer it.

Bob

 

[TeaSea]

Seriously this time, I'm like Bushpounder....depends on the car/truck, depends on the driving.

I've owned and driven both all my life, on the floor or the "tree" and am equally comfortable in both.

Paid for is still best though......

 

[TuFun]

My first time driving a stick was in High School drivers training. Ford station wagon with 3 speed on the column.

Then I bought a 69 Fiat Spider, twin cam, aluminum head, four wheel disc brakes, with a aluminum 5 speed trans... all that in 1969! I miss that car.

Currently driving a 82 Capri RS 5.0... with Ford Racing T-5, my drifting car.

 

[Jagdflieger]

M-35

Ahh yes. Great photos of the old M-35 2 & 1/2 (Duece and a Half) ton truck. 6 cylinder-turbo-charged diesel engine, 6 X 6 drive, 5 speed manual with a low range that you could use while at speed. It gave you 10 speeds forward and 2 reverse speeds. A good driver could really get that machine going on the Autobahn and it also had tremendous off road ability if you knew how to operate that transmission.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Ahh yes. Great photos of the old M-35 2 & 1/2 (Duece and a Half) ton truck. 6 cylinder-turbo-charged diesel engine, 6 X 6 drive, 5 speed manual with a low range that you could use while at speed. It gave you 10 speeds forward and 2 reverse speeds. A good driver could really get that machine going on the Autobahn and it also had tremendous off road ability if you knew how to operate that transmission.

Thanks
I love to drive that truck. Split shifting, double clutching, even gear floating... I regularly take it to France (where the photos were taken above) to go offroading with it. That thing really teaches you to properly use a manual transmission.
Ever heard that whine of its turbo? There is no muffler on that 465 cui engine and the whine and noise makes your hair stand up!
But that's no machine for the autobahn, though. Can't get much past 55mph...

Cheers,
Mark

 

[TuFun]

Drove a WC55 (M6 Fargo) for awhile with a Dodge straight six flathead. Friend and I would race each other, talk about going no where quick! We had 12 WC55 in the compound.

 

[wiltzei]

Yes, I remember that! My second car was a Saab 96 with manual (three-cylinder two-stroke engine)...

Regards, Mike Mann

Legendary.

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