YACT: Drove a manual car properly for the first time today!

[Xyclone]

I drove my friend's Mini Cooper S after school today, and because of its very heavy flywheel, it was extremely easy to drive stick. My takeoffs were sometimes as smooth as a manual, and I never stalled. It's surprisingly easy and extremely fun! Then he taught me heel-to-toe downshifting and all that, and that wasn't as easy as I thought. Anyways, I definitely want my next car to be a stick!

 

[DainBramaged]

Manuals are fun. :thumbsup:

 

[Heisenberg]

No offense to the OP, but I just don't get the manual transmission worship that seems to go on here. Manuals are better suited for some things, autos for others. I've gotten equal amounts of fun out of each.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
No offense to the OP, but I just don't get the manual transmission worship that seems to go on here. Manuals are better suited for some things, autos for others. I've gotten equal amounts of fun out of each.

I agree.

 

[paulxcook]

I drive an auto because I had to buy a car fast and it was the best deal. If I was driving the car I wanted, it'd be a manual. It just feels more fun to drive, almost like a game while you travel. I prefer automatics in trucks, though.

 

[Jawo]

Manuals used to be cheaper...and thus more people got them. Now they are more expensive b/c of lower production....hard to find a manual these days (a reason why mazdas rock!)

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

You learned to drive stick today, and then rev matching with heel and toe in the same day? Take it slow and do it properly, too many idiots running around burning their clutches because they didn't give themselves a chance to learn how to properly drive a car with a manual transmission.

If you want to see if you really learned how to shift into gear properly, push the clutch in, put the shifter in first, and try getting the car in motion without using the gas pedal. If you can do this, you know what you're doing.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Jawo
Manuals used to be cheaper...and thus more people got them. Now they are more expensive b/c of lower production....hard to find a manual these days (a reason why mazdas rock!)

How does this relate to Mazda's? I took a friend to a Mazda lot the other day, and besides the Miata and RX8, they didn't have a single manual transmission on the lot for the Mazda 3 or 6.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
No offense to the OP, but I just don't get the manual transmission worship that seems to go on here. Manuals are better suited for some things, autos for others. I've gotten equal amounts of fun out of each.

A lot of people just want to jump on a bandwagon, but some truly just want a manual transmission. Maybe it's just me, but I literally feel like I'm going to fall asleep in an automatic, not to mention I just want the control of a manual.

 

[Dunbar]

I drove a BMW 335 6-speed today, now that is a fun car.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
You learned to drive stick today, and then rev matching with heel and toe in the same day? Take it slow and do it properly, too many idiots running around burning their clutches because they didn't give themselves a chance to learn how to properly drive a car with a manual transmission.

If you want to see if you really learned how to shift into gear properly, push the clutch in, put the shifter in first, and try getting the car in motion without using the gas pedal. If you can do this, you know what you're doing.

Agreed. I don't see anyone properly heel/toeing and revmatching after learning manual the same day.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg
No offense to the OP, but I just don't get the manual transmission worship that seems to go on here. Manuals are better suited for some things, autos for others. I've gotten equal amounts of fun out of each.

Some people enjoy it more than others. And then there is those that just like manuals for the same reason they hate Sony, Walmart, MS, etc. Bandwagon phenomenon.

 

[SampSon]

heel-toe driving on the streets is for people who want to think they are a racecar driver, but are really just rocking an econobox.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Dunbar
I drove a BMW 335 6-speed today, now that is a fun car.

335xi? The twin turboed model?

I've been trying to find one of these locally - have found a model of it with an automatic transmission, but that doesn't interest me.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
You learned to drive stick today, and then rev matching with heel and toe in the same day? Take it slow and do it properly, too many idiots running around burning their clutches because they didn't give themselves a chance to learn how to properly drive a car with a manual transmission.

If you want to see if you really learned how to shift into gear properly, push the clutch in, put the shifter in first, and try getting the car in motion without using the gas pedal. If you can do this, you know what you're doing.

Some cars don't have enough torque to be able to do that. For example, my corolla wants to stall, only for a split second though. It is still more than possible, just does not feel/sound good when doing it.

 

[PingSpike]

Driving our automatic is kind of weird for me because I don't really know what to do with my right hand and left foot.

So now I dangle my leg out the window and fire a rifle through the sun roof while driving.

Ok, so I made that last part up. Our car doesn't have a sun roof.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: SampSon
heel-toe driving on the streets is for people who want to think they are a racecar driver, but are really just rocking an econobox.

Works well for hills too when you don't want to e-brake.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: SampSon
heel-toe driving on the streets is for people who want to think they are a racecar driver, but are really just rocking an econobox.

Works well for hills too when you don't want to e-brake.

After I became adept at a stick, I have not had the need even on the steepest hill.

 

[Ophir]

Originally posted by: PingSpike
Driving our automatic is kind of weird for me because I don't really know what to do with my right hand and left foot.

So now I dangle my leg out the window and fire a rifle through the sun roof while driving.

Ok, so I made that last part up. Our car doesn't have a sun roof.

Yeah. The worst is when you go to brake and your left foot instinctively looks for a pedal to mash. It once caught the brake and we slammed to a stop. The left foot only knows to go straight to the floor. Since then I always keep it on the dead pedal, though it doesn't seem to happen anymore.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: mariok2006

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
You learned to drive stick today, and then rev matching with heel and toe in the same day? Take it slow and do it properly, too many idiots running around burning their clutches because they didn't give themselves a chance to learn how to properly drive a car with a manual transmission.

If you want to see if you really learned how to shift into gear properly, push the clutch in, put the shifter in first, and try getting the car in motion without using the gas pedal. If you can do this, you know what you're doing.

Some cars don't have enough torque to be able to do that. For example, my corolla wants to stall, only for a split second though. It is still more than possible, just does not feel/sound good when doing it.

My 91 Accord does it just fine even with 187k miles, not exactly a torque monster.

 

[everman]

Fun until you hit stop-and-go traffic for a hour.

 

[RGN]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
If you want to see if you really learned how to shift into gear properly, push the clutch in, put the shifter in first, and try getting the car in motion without using the gas pedal. If you can do this, you know what you're doing.

I have a car that can't be done in. Lightened flywheel's are a bitch.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: SampSon
heel-toe driving on the streets is for people who want to think they are a racecar driver, but are really just rocking an econobox.

Works well for hills too when you don't want to e-brake.

You shouldn't need to do either on any hill unless it's a car you're not familiar with.

 

[Twista]

Originally posted by: Xyclone
I drove my friend's Mini Cooper S after school today, and because of its very heavy flywheel, it was extremely easy to drive stick. My takeoffs were sometimes as smooth as a manual, and I never stalled. It's surprisingly easy and extremely fun! Then he taught me heel-to-toe downshifting and all that, and that wasn't as easy as I thought. Anyways, I definitely want my next car to be a stick!

flywheel??? You mean his clutch lol???

Anyways congrats.


For a Daily driver ill get an automatic. For a sporty car like my car ill stick with the 5spd manual.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: SampSon
heel-toe driving on the streets is for people who want to think they are a racecar driver, but are really just rocking an econobox.

Works well for hills too when you don't want to e-brake.

You shouldn't need to do either on any hill unless it's a car you're not familiar with.

I'm not good enough yet to not need it.