What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?

[DKaz]

Automatics make driving seem like such a tedious chore. With a manual, it makes driving fun.

[treehouse]

Automatics make driving seem like such a tedious chore. With a manual, it makes driving fun.

I agree.

I took the opportunity to drive my friends 2001 dodge neon with an automatic. This is the first automatic ive tried driving since i got my car LOL the first thing i did when i got in was slam my left foot into the floorboard looking for the clutch i got a good laugh out of that and was surprised at how disconnected i felt from the car while driving.

Ill never go back to auto.

[FDSpirit]

The transformation is complete!

[Charles421]

I was staying at my aunt and uncle's house for a few weeks. They had two cars, one auto and one standard. One day my uncle needed the auto car, so my aunt taught me how to drive the standard. Didn't know a damn thing about transmissions mechanically at that time.

Soon as I was taught, I promised myself my next car would be a standard. I'm very happy that is now a reality.

[theholycow]

I was staying at my aunt and uncle's house

[Rope-Pusher]

I drove a slushbox vehicle the otter day. It was simply wunnnerful. I hardly had anything to do. I loved not having to be the boss so much that I just had to tweet to all my friends about how much fun I was having. It even felt safe to be looking at the phone instead of the road. I wanna do it again and again and again and again and again and againa and again and againa nd again a ndgaina nddagainan dgainand againandagainand againandagainandagainandagainadnagainaandddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

[LaterDaze]

Growing up I always played the Cruis'n USA arcade games whenever we went out for dinner etc. My friends would select automatic, and I always felt the need to show them up on manual. Now we drive real cars and the same logic applies.

[AHTOXA]

Rope, you need to distance yourself from the crack pipe. Haha.

[Squint]

My parents had an old '83 Volvo diesel sedan that they owned for years until when I had my permit, they sold it to one of my classmates who had something happen to his car (can't quite remember what...). Didn't really pay much attention before, but late college and post college, I got into Top Gear (Brit version) and had a roommate who got a manual car. My finace (then) and wife (now) had/has a manual so I stole it from her for a few days every now and then, taught myself to drive it with some minor directions from her, stumbled upon this site whilst searching for tips. I decided I liked driving so much that I should be more involved all the time...

It's funny how some people drive them. My wife does everything completely by feel, she has no idea what a friction point is, or how a manual transmission works, she just knows what feels right on the car. I am the complete opposite in that I want to know everything there is to know about how it works, cause then I know what I did when I just shook the car to death or rev-matched or engine braked down a hill.

[Rope-Pusher]

Birds don't know how they fly, they just know how to fly.

[RITmusic2k]

rope-pusher! I didn't know you moonlighted as an orthodontist

[Rope-Pusher]

rope-pusher! I didn't know you moonlighted as an orthodontist

No, an Ornithropterist!

My friends call me "Icky"

[RITmusic2k]

I want an ornithopter.

[tankinbeans]

Automatics make driving seem like such a tedious chore. With a manual, it makes driving fun.

I took the opportunity to drive my friends 2001 dodge neon with an automatic. This is the first automatic ive tried driving since i got my car LOL the first thing i did when i got in was slam my left foot into the floorboard looking for the clutch i got a good laugh out of that and was surprised at how disconnected i felt from the car while driving.

Ill never go back to auto.

This same thing happened to me about a month ago. I haven't been driving a manual for very long, but I had to take my mom's Focus to get the oil-changed and the first thing I did was feel for the clutch so I could start the thing. Then I floored the brake a few times thinking it was time to shift. Whiplash.

Now to respond to the original question: What influenced your interest in manual transmissions.

My dad had always been a fairly stingy person and didn't want to spend more on a car than was absolutely necessary. He drives it to and from work and occasionally up to my grandmother's and so doesn't expect much out of it. As such he doesn't care about things like sunroofs, power windows or locks, and because manuals are cheaper, and he refuses to buy used, he always bought them. I always watched him shifting through the gears and paid attention, when I was able, to the clutch action. This always sort of fascinated me.

Now, this will probably sound sexist, and I want to let you know that I am anything but sexist, I had always thought that men drove manuals and women drove autos. My mom drove an auto and my dad drove a manual. I never knew any women who drove manuals, I now know there are many women who drive manuals, and thought that I would never earn my "man-card" if I didn't learn to drive a manual. I know this sounds stupid and I'll admit that myself here and now.

So a couple years ago my buddy took my out in his Mustang GT, very tough clutch, and gave me a crash course in driving. That was honestly terrifying because he had me enter the freeway and his directions were, "get her up to speed in second and then start shifting." Long story short I "forgot" where third was, panicked, and dropped it back in first, at 70 mph. I freaked because I didn't want to screw his car up, all he said was, "don't panic, shift through your gears and move on." After that, I got back on the horse and continued to learn, when he had time to take me out.

Also, I like being able to get into the power band if I'm trying to get up to speed quickly, instead of hoping and praying that the auto will respond in time. The other day I hit the freeway in 3rd because I was stuck behind a couple people who felt that making it to the freeway, during non-rush hours, at 30 mph was reasonable and prudent. I figured if I hit the freeway at 30 in even 4th gear I would be asking for trouble. Saved my hide I tell you.

[theholycow]

When I was a child I thought the same about men=manual women=auto. I also thought women drove cars and men drove trucks (except that men drove Camaros), women ate white bread and men ate wheat bread, and who knows what else.

Sounds like a really awesome friend who doesn't even wince when you manage to get his car into 1st at 70.

I hope I never drive a slushbox that fails to downshift immediately when necessary...my difficulty has always been preventing downshifts, I like to lay on it and use some torque without going "VROOOM!".