Stick Shifts

[GearheadGrrrl]

I learned the E-brake on an upgrade trick in truck driving school four decades ago, still use it. But it's getting hard to find manuals to practice on- When I bought a new TDI in '13 it would have cost me more to get a manual because they're in demand. Automatics have taken over the car market except for econoboxes and a few sports cars, the new full size pickups are automatic only, and the automatic share of the tractor trailer market is nearing 50%. Is nothing sacred?

[charlie b]

I was totally against automatics until the wife got her Mini.  The only thing I insisted on was the paddle shifter.

Then I drove it.  Paddles were great.  Good control of upshift and down shift.  But...the automatic shifted better than I could.  In sport mode it upshifted precisely at redline EVERY time (not like me  :)  ).  And downshifts were just as perfect, even when setting up for a corner.  Pretty soon I just ignored the paddles and never used them.

I would also love to have the dual clutch tranny from Honda on my Goose.  If  I ever get another bike it will probably befitted with one.  And, yes, I like ABS and many of the other gizmos out there.

What I don't like are the all-in-one computers that will shut down the entire system if a sensor is out of whack.  Yes, I'd rather have a completely separate computer for engine, trans, interior, etc.  And a bypass when something like a door is left open (or kickstand switch is bad).

[SteveAZ]

Hell, I even look forward to San Francisco trips, where the hills are so steep at the stop sign, you can't even see the road ahead!

Good story that brings back memories. My future ex wife and I were in San Francisco in the early 90's visiting her sister back in the days when my hair was a lot longer and my life a whole bunch wilder. The future ex and I had been dating a very short time at that point. We all ended up out one night and both of the girls got far too happy to drive and I was used to being the mostly sober designated driver when the two of them were together. We were out in her sisters car, a mid 80s Sentra with a 5 speed and optional engine package that was actually a blast to drive. At steep intersections when no one was around, I took to rolling back and forth doing the (idiotic) clutch/gas/clutch thing and both girls would laugh hysterically due to their "enhanced" states of mind. It was working them into a state of euphoria. It had been a crazy night and perverse (and totally not going to happen)  thoughts of doing the sister thing when we got back to the house on oak street were rolling through my 22 year old mind....until my ex,  mid belly laugh, jettisoned the pizza slices we'd stopped for on the way home. Diabolical plan foiled, replaced by the new job of cleaning out the car.

That car was serious fun to drive in the city though. Quick, light weight and manual trans. She ended up hitting close to 200k miles with it as well in spite of my clutch abuse.

[lorazepam]

I have a 2007 Focus with a real clutch and 5 speed transmission. It actually has a key to start it as well. I am going to hang on to it and my 2004 Blazer as long as possible, I do not want all the electronics that come on newer cars. Too much to go wrong.

[GearheadGrrrl]

Being a Ford stockholder, I looked at Foci too before buying the VW Golf Variant TDI. Was near impossible to find a manual Focus, finally found one in Fargo for $15k. Despite having a manual, it still had power windows... Ya can't win!

[PJPR01]

Seems like a number of us enjoy VW TDI's...I just picked up a 6 speed manual Passat 2014 TDI SE in January and loving getting 42 mpg on average since then...absolutely insane to get 700 miles out of a tank!  Shit, I could drive from Houston to El Paso literally on one tank!  Smooth as silk, clutch is soooo soft, very different from the 911...both are fun to drive in their own way!

[PJPR01]

Seems like a number of us enjoy VW TDI's...I just picked up a 6 speed manual Passat 2014 TDI SE with only 6000 miles on it in January and loving getting 42 mpg on average since then...absolutely insane to get 700 miles out of a tank!  Shit, I could drive from Houston to El Paso literally on one tank!  Smooth as silk, clutch is soooo soft, very different from the 911...both are fun to drive in their own way!