When was the last time you drove Auto?

Mike_AR · Post by **Mike_AR** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:03 pm

It's been awhile since I've last driven an auto. It's definitely a weird feeling to go back to an auto and that's saying a lot since my first car was an auto. It's interesting how quickly I've gotten used to driving a manual. I get so bored when driving an auto now. All I do in an auto is sit, steer, and daydream.

ucfchickity · Post by **ucfchickity** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:05 pm

Nychold wrote:
zender05 wrote:
ucfchickity wrote:I usually only drive auto when my roomie ends up having a little too much to drink. I don't usually drink when I go out, so I almost always end up being the DD, and she drives an auto. It's bizarre; I never realize how used to shifting I am until I put her car in D and that's the end of it. Or I go for the clutch and nothing's there.
It even more bizarre when you go for the clutch and the brake pedal is there. I did that once a few years ago...wow...hehe...abs definitely works.
I did that in my tC by accident too.

LOL! I've never hit the brake like I'd hit the clutch in her auto... usually I just try to tuck my left leg back closer to the seat and not use it. The same way, sometimes I have to drive with both hands on the wheel because if I drive with a hand on the gearshift in her auto, the temptation to shift is too great. Once I accidentally shifted us into neutral on the way home one night. It was funny, but I don't want repeats.

Paolo300zx · Post by **Paolo300zx** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:15 pm

my battery died due to corrosion last night before my flight school

i had to take the big orange Murano (or as i like to call it "The Pumpkin" instead of the Z. I drive my moms murano every couple of days or so. I think autos are fine. You can still drive them just as hard... i just prefer the good ol' 5 speed.

tobigooddog · Post by **tobigooddog** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:23 pm

yesterday

chrono · Post by **chrono** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:29 pm

OMG... A standard shift forum, and the majority of the voters are driving an auto every day... Just thinking about the statistics in the real world makes me cry.

zender05 · Post by **zender05** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:29 pm

ucfchickity wrote:
Nychold wrote:
zender05 wrote: It even more bizarre when you go for the clutch and the brake pedal is there. I did that once a few years ago...wow...hehe...abs definitely works.
I did that in my tC by accident too.
LOL! I've never hit the brake like I'd hit the clutch in her auto... usually I just try to tuck my left leg back closer to the seat and not use it. The same way, sometimes I have to drive with both hands on the wheel because if I drive with a hand on the gearshift in her auto, the temptation to shift is too great. Once I accidentally shifted us into neutral on the way home one night. It was funny, but I don't want repeats.

hehe...yeah, i hit the brake prettyyy hard lol. Now i'm teaching myself left-foot braking...it's quite interesting. Impractical in a 3 pedal car, but since I have the camry, it's fun to mess with weight tranfer a bit more. Might come in handy in the future.

By the way, has anybody ever had friends that leave their knee when 5th is? I usually slam their knee...(if they're guys) hehe

ucfchickity · Post by **ucfchickity** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 2:37 pm

I've never whacked a knee, though I have knocked my friend's hands in either 3rd or 5th if they're messing with my iPod or the CD deck. Most often, I end up elbowing people when I shift to fourth - if they've got their arm on my center console while I'm shifting, they get jabbed.

ra64t · Post by **ra64t** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:28 pm

chrono wrote:OMG... A standard shift forum, and the majority of the voters are driving an auto every day... Just thinking about the statistics in the real world makes me cry.

yeah, whats up with this??

I drive my moms auto occasionally, last time was a few weeks ago...

magnus_1986 · Post by **magnus_1986** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:35 pm

Never been tainted

Mike_AR · Post by **Mike_AR** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:13 pm

ra64t wrote:
chrono wrote:OMG... A standard shift forum, and the majority of the voters are driving an auto every day... Just thinking about the statistics in the real world makes me cry.
yeah, whats up with this??

I drive my moms auto occasionally, last time was a few weeks ago...

I was disappointed in the poll stats too. I believe most people on this forum are from North America and it's sad that manuals aren't that common here. Everyone here has easy access to an auto car even if they drive a manual because their friends and family would have autos. It would explain the poll results. Also there is no reason to start a manual forum if just about everyone drives a manual.

So I'm curious. How common are manual cars in other countries? I know that SteveUK has stated his answer for his country but I'm curious about worldwide manual owners.

ra64t · Post by **ra64t** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:55 pm

What I find real interesting is that it seems to imply that given the choice to drive manual or auto everyday, many of us will choose auto!

Its like people want to have a manual, but want to have the option of driving auto as well.

My friend had similar logic, he said he wants to learn manual, but does not want to get a stick shift himself b/c he doesn't want to get stuck driving it everyday in stop and go traffic.

ucfchickity · Post by **ucfchickity** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:04 pm

My dad always says he hates driving manual in traffic, but it doesn't really bother me all that much. Once I learned the trick of, say, drinking or snacking in between shifts, it was simple. Sometimes the stop-and-go when I can't get out of 1st can get annoying, but it annoyed me in an auto, too. I can easily see myself driving manual for a very long time.

Mike_AR · Post by **Mike_AR** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:37 pm

ucfchickity wrote:My dad always says he hates driving manual in traffic, but it doesn't really bother me all that much.

I believe that's the number 1 reason for most drivers who convert back to auto. I think the problem is that people who started out in an auto are driving their manuals with auto habits.

For example, in heavy traffic auto drives always move forward as quickly and as soon as possible. From what I've experience it's better to wait for the front car to move forward enough so that by the time you inch forward at idle speed the car in front has already moved again. If you time it right you don't ever have to clutch in. You have to experiment with the right amount of spacing because too much space and cars will cut in front of you.

Driving a stick requires different techniques than driving an auto. People can't carry over their bad auto habits when driving a manual. I admit I did that for awhile before I figured out that driving a manual is like learning to drive all over again. Anticipation versus reactive driving is just another difference. I think the mistake is that some people expect their manual cars to behave like their auto cars and don't adjust to the differences. Once you do it's not really a big deal. Even hill starts are nothing once you have mastered it.

gage · Post by **gage** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:40 pm

I put down every day because I dont drive the GTO (M6) every day, and the Sebring is auto.

I wish it was a standard but its all good, I wouldn't trade it in before its time just based on transmission choice.

ucfchickity · Post by **ucfchickity** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:45 pm

Mike_AR wrote:I believe that's the number 1 reason for most drivers who convert back to auto. I think the problem is that people who started out in an auto are driving their manuals with auto habits.

For example, in heavy traffic auto drives always move forward as quickly and as soon as possible. From what I've experience it's better to wait for the front car to move forward enough so that by the time you inch forward at idle speed the car in front has already moved again. If you time it right you don't ever have to clutch in. You have to experiment with the right amount of spacing because too much space and cars will cut in front of you.

Driving a stick requires different techniques than driving an auto. People can't carry over their bad auto habits when driving a manual. I admit I did that for awhile before I figured out that driving a manual is like learning to drive all over again. Anticipation versus reactive driving is just another difference. I think the mistake is that some people expect their manual cars to behave like their auto cars and don't adjust to the differences. Once you do it's not really a big deal. Even hill starts are nothing once you have mastered it.

I think people who don't like manual driving are just inherently lazy, especially if they have the opportunity (or have to for work, etc) drive auto on a regular basis - sort of a 'see what they're missing' kind of thing. I started out on an auto and only got a manual because my first car got totaled thanks to an idiot on a cell phone, but once I got comfortable driving it, I really enjoyed it. My first few weeks in it were nerve-wracking (considering I only had a 30 minute lesson on how to drive it and the rest was up to me), but I don't think I'll ever go back.

I'm still a little wary on hill starts, but only in wet weather or when someone crawls up my back end - but even then, actually pulling it off isn't a problem, it's just a lingering mental thing. But yeah, I did the same - I tried to drive my manual like an auto and it just didn't work. But once I learned all the little quirks and things of my car, everything kind of clicked into place.

StandardShift.com

When was the last time you drove Auto?

How long since you drove an automatic?