Advantages to driving stick

[fake]

So I've been learning to drive stick and am getting good at it, don't stall much at all anymore Can you guys give me some advantages to driving stick for all this added effort ?

btw i'm doing this so I can hopefully inherit a nice bmw soon

 

[beer]

Your 0-100 times would be much faster.

 

[virusag13]

easier to burn out
more fun in the snow and ice
don't get bored while driving
keeps your mind on the task at hand (driving)
harder to drink and drive because of the required thought
faster xcelleration
cool gear shifters

 

[randomlinh]

feel of the car.

 

[Killbat]

Call it the difference between WindowsME (slushbox) and a UNIX prompt (stick).

 

[urameatball]

mileage

 

[fake]

<< Call it the difference between WindowsME (slushbox) and a UNIX prompt (stick). >>



Now *that* I understand !! heh

One thing I've noticed though, traffic (Silicon Valley .. alot of it) will be a bitch with all the stop and go movement

 

[Stifko]

downshifting to 3rd and accelerating through a familiar curve

 

[The Stigenator]

virusag13 you pretty much said it all
however a stick allows a little more control on hills and when required in dire times.

some low end cars (dodge neon does it) it waits long down when you want instant power, pushing the pedal to the metal gives it a few seconds before it moves down.

 

[fake]

Cool. So those of you who do drive stick .. do you ever think about it or is it automatic (heh)?? I've been practicing for like two weeks every night and I'm hoping for a point where I don't even think about when to downshift, etc.

 

[gooseman]

When your battery is dead you can still start it by getting a little shove on a downhill slope while holding the clutch in with the car in 2nd gear and then letting it out and it will start for you.

 

[virusag13]

It is automatic. You wont even need a tac or the speedometer after a while. You will know when to shift by the sound the engine makes and the road conditions/environment. If you drive alot it will take about 6 months before that kicks in though.

It is also nice when you are driving and you downshift into another gear for more power and hear the engines rpm's fire up! (like on a hill or taking a corner like stifko mentioned).

 

[Soybomb]

After a while you forget it and it becomes habit, just liks turn signals for some of us hehe.

main benifits:
more powerful since it wastes less power than an auto
better fuel economy
perhaps more fun on the open road (sucks more in town though)
and you have some good compression braking for off-roading

 

[virusag13]

lol at gooseman, always helped a friend with a little corrolla do that, we always laughed our asses off as would run to get into the car.

 

[Whisper]

Stick shift is also a great way to flirt, heh.

Girl: &quot;Oh, this is a manual? Cool...I've never learned how to drive stick.&quot;
Guy: &quot;It's not that hard...want to shift for me and see what it's like?&quot;
Girl: &quot;Sure&quot;

Instant skin contact, woo.

The only bad things about manual: traffic (foot cramps...bah) and steep hills (people that pull up too close behind you on inclinations...bah). But yes, it does become automatic after a while. They key component to driving a manual well is really confidence...which comes with practice. If you keep thinking about stalling, you'll stall. But if you're at home with the clutch, then you'll be fine. Just keep up the practice

 

[The Stigenator]

A tip though, for starting on a slope, pull handbrake, put in first gear, release clutch as the car seems to move release handbrake and acclerate. THat is the easiest way to start on a slope.
Going down hill say in low gears and no need to hit the brake since it will limit itself by engine rpm.

though auto's are nice in heavy bumper to bumper traffic. But I will take stick anyday. plus you can always tune your car to pull itself in first if necessary and only have to hit the clutch when needed.

 

[Sluggo]

After driving a stick for awhile, its second nature, you never really even have to think about the when, why,how of shifting.

After learning it, you can hop in any stick and take to it in about 2 minutes.

You become a Master of stick driving when you can plow through all the gears forward and backwards not using the clutch. If you can do this from a slight roll about 2MPH up through top gear and back down through the gears to about 2 MPH again then pushing in the clutch to stop, you are a stick shifting Guru

 

[jeffrey]

I've never owned an automatic and they feel &quot;funny&quot; now. I mean you stop at a light and have to make sure you don't let off of the break or it will start to drive forward for you. Whoaaaah, automatics are SCARY!!!!

 

[Plantanthera]

engine braking &amp; clutch is cheaper than tranmission.

 

[The Stigenator]

actually doing a partial clutch can spoil some clutches. I sometimes put my car into reverse at low speed (below 5 mph) and vice versa.

 

[allmotor]

2 words: down shift!

 

[fake]

<< You become a Master of stick driving when you can plow through all the gears forward and backwards not using the clutch. If you can do this from a slight roll about 2MPH up through top gear and back down through the gears to about 2 MPH again then pushing in the clutch to stop, you are a stick shifting Guru >>



How the hell do you do that heh? I always release the clutch all the way.. my left calf is cramped right now

 

[goodoptics]

keep your left leg from degenerating faster than your right one

 

[enginjon]

For me, driving a stick is so much more fun. You have so much more control, and can put the power to the wheels when you want it without hesitation. It really makes the whole driving experience more exciting. It is also good that it keeps you from spacing out, cause you got to pay extra attention. You can also shift in a way to conserve gas. It even extra special if you are in a sporty car, or something with a big engine. It's the only realy way to drive. *Girls like big sticks*

 

[Peetoeng]

<<

<< You become a Master of stick driving when you can plow through all the gears forward and backwards not using the clutch. If you can do this from a slight roll about 2MPH up through top gear and back down through the gears to about 2 MPH again then pushing in the clutch to stop, you are a stick shifting Guru >>



How the hell do you do that heh? I always release the clutch all the way.. my left calf is cramped right now >>



You gotta have the feel for this one; it'd take a lot of practice and perhaps cost you a clutch. It is basically to shift at the time when the gears are in sync, bypassing the function of clutch and synchronizer.