I've got about the best compromise available: a twin clutch automatic with paddle shifters. (in my Lancer Ralliart) With mods I've got a godawful amount of horsepower, the transmission can shift faster than I can, yet I can put my kids in it and my wife can drive it.


Wow, Aussie version has nicer wheels.

I built a '27 Ford Roadster...wife demanded that I build it with Automatic transmission so she could drive it - apparently clutch pedals are like lava to her. I got a deal on a rebuilt TH350 transmission with manual shift valve body. You have to shift it throught he gears, but no clutch. Just bump the shift lever to the next gear. That was enough to piss her off, because "i don't know when to shift". Tell you what honey...when you see the valve covers (open engined car) being dented from something hitting it hard from the inside - shift gears.

She has only driven the car 3 times in the 2 years I've "finished" it. Ended up buying her a '51 Chevy with a full blown AUTOMATIC so she doesn't have to worry about it anymore.

If anybody tries to steal the roadster - they might be successful, but its going to take them a while to get up to speed. If you put it into "drive" - you're actually only putting it in 3rd.

OgreMagi: NASAM: tricycleracer: NASAM: My son just got his permit and I've been looking for a car for him. My three stipulations: $5k or less, 4 cylinder, and manual. Can't find anything anywhere.

No old GTIs or Miatas in your part of the world?

Miata isn't really an option. Rather him not have a two seater. But I can't tell you the last time I ran across a GTI.

No back seat is a good thing. Do you know what a teenage boy will want to do with a backseat?

I got laid in my 79 Fiat Spyder 2000. If there's a will, there's a way.

A standard means I don't have to share my car with others.

Sure, an automatic is okay, but it's not nearly as fun.

The only configuration my car came in is 6-speed manual. That's how you know you've found the right car, they don't even mess with automatics.

/ 263 hp, 280 lb-ft torque, 3200 lbs
// zoom zoom

My first car was an '84 Honda Accord, 3-dr hatchback. I was 6 months older than the car, but it was awesome. Near the end of its life the clutch was going, and it had some weird issue with the idle...as in it wouldn't.

The problem, as those who drive stick will know, is that whenever I pushed in the clutch, the tac would start dropping, and wouldn't stop. If you didn't give the car a little gas to keep it revving, the engine would die. So say you were in backing out of a space, at the end of teh reverse portion, you would have to push in the clutch, brake, shift into 1st, AND keep a little gas going. It required pressing all 3 pedals at once, in a pretty delicate balance.

I was the ONLY person alive who could drive that car. One day after work everyone who could drive stick took turns trying to back it out of a space, drive it in a circle around the island inthe deserted parking lot, and pull back in to the space. Nobody got past step 1.

Then I fixed the clutch and the idle issue, sold the car for $200 LESS than I had just paid to repair it, and all because I thought I wouldn't be able to afford the insurance while in college. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made.

/2nd car I owned was a 1990 VW Fox, another manual. Anyone ever drive a VW from this era where to put the car in reverse, you had to press the stick DOWN. and not down as in away from the windshield, down as in towards the ground, in the Z-axis. Those Germans are some crazy folks.

Frozboz: While our '08 manual transmission Civic is in the shop this week (cracked block, woohoo!) I rented a 2012 Fiat 500 to get to work. It has this weird shift-if-you-want-to-or-don't shift transmission. It also has a "sport" auto mode. It's like cars today try too hard, or something.

/old

FYI, your repair should be free at a dealership. If not, call your shop right now and stop the work.

This happened to my gf a few weeks ago. It turns out that a ton of Civics from around then all have engine blocks that are cracking. Honda knows it, and is avoiding a PR disaster by offering a free replacement (basically like an extended warranty on your engine for affected cars).

My gf got hers done at a local dealership, no charge, no questions asked.

Just making sure you know.

Incidentally, she also got a Fiat rental. Man, what a POS car that was.

OgreMagi: Miatas are great little cars. I'm on my second one. I convinced a friend that a Miata is the best possible choice for his teenage daughter (with the addition of a roll-bar).

My daughters first act of vehicle destruction was a Miata. Her BF's dad's car.

/notice I said 'first'

mongbiohazard: Now for all other times, or driving somewhere without much traffic, manual is definitely the way to go. Better mileage, more power, more connection with/control of the car... They're just annoying to drive in heavy traffic.

On those rare occasions when I have to deal with Chicago rush-hour traffic (which means any time from 6AM to 10PM) I've found the best way to cope with it is to keep a cushion of space in front and keep my steady speed as close to average traffic speed as possible. I don't worry about somebody pulling into the space in front of me, because I'm not going to get there faster by riding someone else's back bumper. Let the others speed up and jam on the brakes over and over. More often than not, I'll catch right up to the driver in front just as he's starting his next speed-up/slow-down cycle.

It saves me a lot of wear and tear on the car, and a lot less stress on me.

Jument: Even more stupid than this is the people who go on The Amazing Race and don't know how to drive stick.

/I know, I know, followed by people who watch The Amazing Race
//the wife likes it
///usually there is a token hottie or two
////plus the arguments are entertaining

You don't need to defend watching that show. Ain't no shame in my game. I love TAR, and I also marvel how there's at least one team every freaking year that didn't bother to learn how to drive stick shift. Last season, there was even a contestant who couldn't swim! How can you go on a show like TAR without bothering to learn to drive stick or learn to swim? Craziness! I'm surprised they haven't had a contestant yet who's afraid of flying.

SpiderQueenDemon: If anyone has time for a 'Cool Story, Sis' about stupid car mods, you can keep reading. If not, just scroll down to the next comment.

Living in Brooklyn in the mid-90s my roommate had his mid-80s Accord broken into seven times one summer. Smashed that little oddly-shaped window each time, and opened the doors from there. Very polite, as this window was the cheapest to replace. The final time it was broken into, there was nothing left to steal - the radio was long gone, the glovebox was open (showing nothing inside), even the rear seat folded down to show nothing in the trunk. So, the thieves took a Kleenex box, dumped the tissues, and (we suppose) used it to carry the cassette tapes from the next car ahead, which was smashed and had its stuff stolen.

Good times. I had a late 80s Sentra a few years later. It was hit a few times, but with a detachable-case radio and the 6-disc changer stealthily mounted under the seat, they never got much. The first time, in the winter, they broke that same small triangle-shaped window, and rolled down the driver-side main window all the way. I thought it was smashed (glass on the ground, everywhere), so I drove to the window guy in sub-freezing weather with the window simply down. When I got there, they rolled it up and all had a good laugh at my expense.

/end CSB

YouPeopleAreCrazy: OgreMagi: Miatas are great little cars. I'm on my second one. I convinced a friend that a Miata is the best possible choice for his teenage daughter (with the addition of a roll-bar).

My daughters first act of vehicle destruction was a Miata. Her BF's dad's car.

/notice I said 'first'

Some people should never be allowed to drive.

MindStalker: eas81: [2.bp.blogspot.com image 850x818] [i.imgur.com image 651x481]

I've been trying to teach my daughter to drive my manual. I'm considering buying this, the little Learners Driver magnet isn't helping to avoid the honking. BTW people are rude.....

I learned to drive on an86 chevette 5 speed. For the first few weeks I did nothing but go forward and reverse in a parking lot just to get the feel of the cluth. Kept me off the road while learning... could help

StrandedInAZ: Jument: Even more stupid than this is the people who go on The Amazing Race and don't know how to drive stick.

/I know, I know, followed by people who watch The Amazing Race
//the wife likes it
///usually there is a token hottie or two
////plus the arguments are entertaining

You don't need to defend watching that show. Ain't no shame in my game. I love TAR, and I also marvel how there's at least one team every freaking year that didn't bother to learn how to drive stick shift. Last season, there was even a contestant who couldn't swim! How can you go on a show like TAR without bothering to learn to drive stick or learn to swim? Craziness! I'm surprised they haven't had a contestant yet who's afraid of flying.

Well I'm glad I'm not alone.

I think I've seen people who could not swim at least 2 times now, maybe 3. There was one epic fail episode where a pair of black girls could not swim... I think I sprained something smacking my forehead at that one.

softshoes: shanrick: It's hard to hold your beer and work a stick shift.

No it's not.

I know, right.

vudukungfu: dahmers love zombie: I wonder if I could get a car outfitted with a 3-speed column shifter.  I could leave the keys in it all the time with zero worry.

I've had those.
It's great. Because no one can drive them anymore.
I loved it.

I can drive one that is actually still tight and works right, of course at this point even the newest 3 on the trees are so old that unless its like had a full frame off restoration those linkages are gonna be sloppy and loose (like your mom) and once they are like that the owner is pretty much the only person on the planet that can drive it.

I've always thought of the stereotypical Farker as someone who:

* drives a manual,
* drinks only microbrews, and
* runs Linux.

/1 out of 3
//long way to go to win the Fark Triple Crown

Random Anonymous Blackmail: I have owned manual and automatic transmissions and the pleasures of driving one or the other depend solely on the vehicle in which contained.

and the traffic around or lack thereof.

/FTFM
JC

tricycleracer: SpiderQueenDemon: (which is the closest thing to a CRX we could get after Cash For Clunkers gutted the market,)

One Honda CRX, a 1990, was traded in during the Cash for Clunkers program.

http://jalopnik.com/5369834/cash-for-clunker-trade+ins-gmc-vandura-t o- mercedes-380sl

That makes me feel a lot better, actually. I'd been afraid all the poor little CRXs were crushed and that was where they all went. (I anthropomorphize cars a little too much when I'm fond of them and Cash For Clunkers always struck me as a missed opportunity. Surely poor people in areas with no public transit who needed vehicles to get to work and stay off welfare would've been a better place to send those cars than the crusher.)

Of course, this probably means that they've all rusted out (rust killed two of ours,) been bought by ricers or just worn out, after all. The first CRX was 'born' a year before I was, so I'll probably have to wait until 85-92 counts as 'classic' to see an unmolested one again.

OgreMagi: Some people should never be allowed to drive.

Very very true.

maxximillian: does this story stink to anyone else? I think I'm going to call BS. Why did the owner try lifting prints on his own?

I had a friend whose car was stolen, and they found it some time later abandoned on a city street. He asked the police if they would check for prints and the cops just laughed at him.

Frustrating. Odds are, the people who did it may have already been in the database, and they could have nailed them just like that.

endosymbiont: This happened to my gf a few weeks ago. It turns out that a ton of Civics from around then all have engine blocks that are cracking. Honda knows it, and is avoiding a PR disaster by offering a free replacement (basically like an extended warranty on your engine for affected cars).

My gf got hers done at a local dealership, no charge, no questions asked.

Just making sure you know.

Hey, man, thanks. I did know about this, but thanks! I was very surprised when the dealer called me up and explained the situation. He said all 06-08s have extended warranties due to this issue.

Came for the racist comments in the article.

Leaving satisfied.

The Angry Hand of God: OgreMagi: 6 speed manual transmission, biatches.

That is what I have on my Civic Si. Absolutely love it.

That is what I have in my Tacoma 4-door. Absolutely love it!

Tears_that_smell_like_dogfood: The Angry Hand of God: OgreMagi: 6 speed manual transmission, biatches.

That is what I have on my Civic Si. Absolutely love it.

That is what I have in my Tacoma 4-door. Absolutely love it!

A Civic?

DarthBart: Cheron: dahmers love zombie: I wonder if I could get a car outfitted with a 3-speed column shifter.  I could leave the keys in it all the time with zero worry.

Three on the tree, four on the floor. buy something nice and let me know where you are parking it

My work truck has a 13 speed in it. I also get tto go fast enough to use it because I have an escort from certain govt agency. Cantsay much more than that for security reasons.

NASAM: My son just got his permit and I've been looking for a car for him. My three stipulations: $5k or less, 4 cylinder, and manual. Can't find anything anywhere.

My advice is to get him an old manual Honda Civic hatchback. Great gas mileage, few repair costs, and can carry a surprising amount of stuff.

Almost every vehicle I have owned has had a manual transmission. They're easier for me to work on plus less likely to leave you stranded when something breaks. You can drive a manual with no fluid in it and broken parts inside whereas an automatic can stop working completely because a piece of sand got inside it.

With that said, my next car will probably be an automatic. Working a clutch all these years has taken its toll and my back is getting old. Plus driving on ice/snow/hills gets annoying real fast with a manual. Besides, modern automatics shift way better than any human can do. In fact nowadays they can get better gas mileage than manuals. Used to be than manuals were almost always better.

Wellon Dowd: MindStalker: In before Manual/Automatic argument!

There is no argument. Unless you're both a spastic and an idiot, manual is better.

Better for what? It's not better for my morning commute I promise you.

Tradskinzd: dahmers love zombie: I wonder if I could get a car outfitted with a 3-speed column shifter.  I could leave the keys in it all the time with zero worry.

My '54 Plymouth Savoy has a 3-speed column shifter.

[images.classiccars.com image 700x525]

/not the actual pic
//mine is brown

I had a '49 Plymouth Special DeLuxe in the '80s and '90s. Great date car for long drives: Teach the girl how to shift, slide her over right next to you on the bench seat, and put your arm around her for the whole drive.

/finally sold it when I realized how much I hate working on cars

YouPeopleAreCrazy: OgreMagi: Miatas are great little cars. I'm on my second one. I convinced a friend that a Miata is the best possible choice for his teenage daughter (with the addition of a roll-bar).

My daughters first act of vehicle destruction was a Miata. Her BF's dad's car.

/notice I said 'first'

I'm also on my second MX5 - the first was a '93 - 5 speed stick - great mileage. The one I have now is 2005 - 6 speed stick - poor mileage - it's geared way too high. Great cars. The 93 still had the original exhaust when I sold it - the pop up headlights still worked - had a removable hard top which unfortunately would not fit the 2005.

that shiat happened to me in Oakland last year... Did I get on the news for it? no...

grumpyguru: that shiat happened to me in Oakland last year... Did I get on the news for it? no...

Did you go crying to the media, looking for your 15m?

Satan's Bunny Slippers: DarthBart: Cheron: dahmers love zombie: I wonder if I could get a car outfitted with a 3-speed column shifter.  I could leave the keys in it all the time with zero worry.

Three on the tree, four on the floor. buy something nice and let me know where you are parking it

[www.pirate4x4.com image 800x600]

Oh, this brings back memories!!!!

CSB time:

I grew up on a farm. In the fall when we weren't in school, I rode with my dad taking loads of corn to the elevator. The farm truck was a 13 speed. It. Had. A. Red. Button. Now mind you, this was '67ish, seatbelts? what seatbelts? And the cab of that old international had lots of room for a smallish 6 year old to get off the seat and stand around not doing much as we lumbered up the highway, I'd peek in the glovebox or see what was on the floor behind the seat....then one day.....I did it. Dad was just driving along, stogie clamped firmly, cup of coffee in his hand....and for no reason whatsoever, I pushed the red button down. Hilarity did NOT ensue. After the most incredible noises of grinding and scraping metal, dad did get it shifted down. There's some small measure of advantage in being daddy's favorite-I got to live. But I never EVER EVER got out of that passenger seat again as long as I rode on those trips.

My old fire dept had an assortment of trucks/transmissions. One had a 13-speed like that. One had a 3-speed transmission with a 2-speed rear end. Then the deuce has a regular H-pattern, but the high gears were in odd places. 1st was top left, 2nd was bottom left, then 3rd was bottom right, 4th was top right...3rd and 4th were completely flipped from every other H-pattern I've driven. Nobody but me really liked driving the deuce. They all wanted to drive the pumper and big tanker, both were automatics.

vodka: Plus driving on ice/snow/hills gets annoying real fast with a manual.

Hills I get, but ice and snow? I disagree. I loved my manual in the winter.

Random Anonymous Blackmail: I have owned manual and automatic transmissions and the pleasures of driving one or the other depend solely on the vehicle in which contained.

It can also depend on the driving environment. The combination of steep hills, lots of traffic lights, and heavy traffic tends to take the joy out of manual.

I don't get the complaints. I've driven manuals for 2 decades, in every kind of traffic possible. From crawling around the beltway to free flowing whatever. If you think that OMG ITS THE WORST THING EVER IN TRAFFIC then you really are just a lazy whiner. I've driven manual while having only one functional arm, the other being in cast.

I really think that manual ought to get you an insurance break. Less likely to be stolen, and the driver is far more likely to be competent AND paying attention.

Also, for snowy shiatty weather, automatics are massive fail. If you don't understand why, there's no point trying to explain.

I started at 16 with a 1972 VW Beetle that was 4-speed manual, then I got a 2001 Honda Accord coupe with a 5-speed, now I drive a 2010 Acura TSX with 6-speed manual.

Evolution of the forward gears FTW!

/Would love to drive a 3-speed on the column

OgreMagi: NASAM: tricycleracer: NASAM: My son just got his permit and I've been looking for a car for him. My three stipulations: $5k or less, 4 cylinder, and manual. Can't find anything anywhere.

No old GTIs or Miatas in your part of the world?

Miata isn't really an option. Rather him not have a two seater. But I can't tell you the last time I ran across a GTI.

No back seat is a good thing. Do you know what a teenage boy will want to do with a backseat?

The same thing a teenage boy wants to do anywhere possible?

endosymbiont: Frozboz: While our '08 manual transmission Civic is in the shop this week (cracked block, woohoo!) I rented a 2012 Fiat 500 to get to work. It has this weird shift-if-you-want-to-or-don't shift transmission. It also has a "sport" auto mode. It's like cars today try too hard, or something.

/old

FYI, your repair should be free at a dealership. If not, call your shop right now and stop the work.

This happened to my gf a few weeks ago. It turns out that a ton of Civics from around then all have engine blocks that are cracking. Honda knows it, and is avoiding a PR disaster by offering a free replacement (basically like an extended warranty on your engine for affected cars).

My gf got hers done at a local dealership, no charge, no questions asked.

Just making sure you know.

Incidentally, she also got a Fiat rental. Man, what a POS car that was.

The 500? I drove a Fiat Panda rental around in Italy (same basic platform as the 500) and I thought it was a great little car, not super zippy, but you can't expect too performance much out of a 1.1L engine.

MindStalker: dahmers love zombie: I wonder if I could get a car outfitted with a 3-speed column shifter. I could leave the keys in it all the time with zero worry.

Until the local Nursing Home escape discovers it.

Or worse

The Flexecutioner: maxximillian: does this story stink to anyone else? I think I'm going to call BS. Why did the owner try lifting prints on his own?

a little, but then i read this final line of the article:

"Randolph says he has more information to give to police, but officers haven't yet returned his calls."

that is kind of infuriating, imo. but yeah, his efforts sound douchy at the very least.

Your performance as a policeman is measured by how many cases you resolve. Attempted car jackings like this have a very low chance of finding the criminal. Knowing this I envision a scene at the police station where everyone is doing their level best not to be assigned to the "Randolph case".

I am starting to get pissed at the people behind me at long lights who beep at me. I like to put the car into neutral and take my foot off the clutch while waiting. As soon as that light turns green, people do not understand the extra 0.00000554 second delay it takes me to put my car into first and start beeping at me right away. Sorry I ruined you day because I don't drive a crappy automatic.