What influenced your interest in manual transmissions?

[gburn]

As to what got me interested in driving a manual car, it was one of those life skills I decided I needed to learn to do. I got an 08 Civic Si last year and am enjoying driving, learning the skills, and being very connected to the car. I had driven a 98 Buick Regal (automatic) for twelve years, and although there was a lot to like about it, in the end, it was just something to sit in while going from here to there.

[ManualShifterMz3s]

What influenced your earliest interest in manual transmissions?

For me it was SIMPLE, I was bored of 'shifting' my automatic from d1, d2, d3, etc and.... went and bought a new car Mazda3 not long after.

I was even stalling coming from the dealer, but never once regretted it...

[chelsear513]

My older brother influenced me. He told me lots of awesome things about driving m/t cars. But years ago, traffic is not that terrible and you can get by without having to attend too much to your cellphone.

[Incendium]

Drove an auto for a while, got bored of it and bought the car I've wanted since a kid (the 'stang) how I wanted it (manual) when I was financially able. Haven't looked back since.

[Ryan]

I became interested sort of on accident haha. I was looking for a car when I turned 16 and one of my father's co-workers was selling his isuzu rodeo dirt cheap. I didn't even want it because I was looking for a car not a truck/suv and didn't want a standard either way. My father pretty much told me "Either I'll buy that truck for you (because it was a great price) or you can find whatever you want and pay for it yourself." Needless to say I took the rodeo and I'm so happy I did because it was what got me into driving manual. If I didn't I probably be driving some lame auto right now and would have no clue what im missing out on.

[ElectroGhandi]

I have a Rodeo too. They're great trucks. What year is yours?

[towid]

I got interested in manual transmission when I saw no one in my community drives a stick shift.. NO ONE. it is as if it is a quality that very few people posses. That is the main reason for my love towards stick shift.

Also, if you are stuck somewhere and the only way to get out of there is driving a stick shift, then what you do? it is just another skill ( like playing guitar or piano or cooking ) that helps you to stand out of the crowd and say " Look I can drive a stick shift " .

[Squint]

I got interested in manual transmission when I saw no one in my community drives a stick shift.. NO ONE. it is as if it is a quality that very few people posses. That is the main reason for my love towards stick shift.

Out of curiosity, how big is your community? It'd be more impressive for you if it was, say, New York City (obviously not true), but I'm just wondering how many people you're talking about.

[Shadow]

I got interested in manual transmission when I saw no one in my community drives a stick shift.. NO ONE. it is as if it is a quality that very few people posses. That is the main reason for my love towards stick shift.

Out of curiosity, how big is your community? It'd be more impressive for you if it was, say, New York City (obviously not true), but I'm just wondering how many people you're talking about.

I've actually been very surprised with the amount of people around me who currently drive manuals transmission vehicles. My neighbor drives an Audi A4 (which is automatic), but her daughter just got a 2011 328i with a stick and her boyfriend has a 2010 335i which is also a stick. My neighbor across the street has a really nice 2011 M3 with the Competition pkg and it's also a stick. My neighbor down the road has a stick shift Altima, but he's looking to trade it in on a new Maxima, which of course isn't offered with a stick. At work I have several co-workers who drive stick. A few Mustangs, BMW's, and even a new VW CC, all with sticks. Even an older guy with a nice black S2000...they're everywhere!

[towid]

I got interested in manual transmission when I saw no one in my community drives a stick shift.. NO ONE. it is as if it is a quality that very few people posses. That is the main reason for my love towards stick shift.

Out of curiosity, how big is your community? It'd be more impressive for you if it was, say, New York City (obviously not true), but I'm just wondering how many people you're talking about.

200, no stick shift

[tankinbeans]

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!".

Thank you, again, Mr. Cow, for helping me not feel so stupid about an idiotic thought process. I've been slacking and haven't visited the SS in awhile since I secretly have an extreme hatred of computers and most things they stand for.

Yep, my friend is pretty awesome. He abused that transmission more than I could ever dream of: keeping the gas floored while shifting, burnouts, and any number of things I can't even fathom right now. He keeps trying to get me to learn how to burn out in my car, but I honestly don't think it's possible and the fact that it is "wrong-wheel drive" (according to the blowhards on other sites I frequent).

On a side note, I've gotten myself to the point where I'm only killing my little Banshee periodically and it is no longer a regular occurrence. Although, I still have my bad weeks where I kill it more frequently; luckily there's generally no traffic when I do it. I'm still trying to work up the nerve to try to teach myself rev-matching, because that's a skill I would like to have eventually. My issue is that the only time I'm really downshifting is if I'm having to slow down for reduced traffic speed and I generally over-blip the throttle and rocket forward (and I don't feel I have the necessary coordination to try the heel-toe thing). I'm also still working on smoothing out my shifts especially from 1-2.

[FDSpirit]

Don't over analyze your driving. That's when stuff starts getting really bad.

[theholycow]

^what he said. Also, "wrong wheel drive" makes burnouts easier, less impressive, and equally abusive.

[aussie_eagle2512]

I think what influenced me was just that I like to understand machines I am using. Its the same with computers, I built this computer and do my own hardware installations. Of course cars are far more complex especially nowdays and the manual transmission gives me that control over things without getting overly technical (although I check tyres weekly and top up my own oil and washer water reservoir too). I am also a slow learner though so it took me several years to finally get my manual license (had a auto-only one for part of my 3 year probationary period). However, I then decided I wanted to learn RoadRanger trucks (non-synchro gearbox, compulsory double-clutching and rev-matching), so first got a medium truck license (synchro) and upgraded to heavy truck license with no transmission restriction (all buses/coaches and trucks except semi-trailers).

[ClutchDisc]

I got into driving a stick because I would ride with my dad in his 5-speed F-150. I would think "Wow this is a lot more fun to ride in than an automatic!"