Why Would I Ever Want to Drive a Stick Shift? (Page 3)

[YHL6965]

Manual gear boxes are less expensive and less likely to break than automatic. In France, it's quite the opposite : most cars are manual and few are automatic. Also, by choosin when to shift, you can either benefit power, or lessen the gas consommation.

[Dale1982]

You can't roll out of gear on an automatic can you? I like pressing the clutch down and just rolling. No engine breaking

[YHL6965]

@Dale1982 What? I don't understand what you're trying to say.

[Dale1982]

You let the clutch out when your cruising and disengage the engine from the transmission then your just rolling like a go-kart. The weight of the engine and it's slower revs naturally slow down the car, it's called engine breaking. Only thing slows you is apart from brakes is air resistance and frictional resistance from the ground

[YHL6965]

@Dale1982 Oh I see. I wouldn't try this while driving, but I guess it's easier to push your car if it broke.

[Cosytoasty]

I don't think many people here have driven new automatics.

BMW/Mercedes have 8/9 speed autos which blow anything manual out of the water in terms of shift speed and fuel economy. There is ZERO reason to drive a manual car anymore.

[jaydtre]

They're just fun to drive in my opinion, except in traffic lol. I had a similar experience as you did when I was first taught how to drive a manual. My dad picked me up from work one night and told me to drive us back home. I thought he had lost his mind because I still wasn't very good at it, not to mention I had to drive on the interstate. I didn't cave under pressure and drove the best I had ever done getting us home all in one piece.

[ThisDudeHere]

Traffic is no longer a problem in newer manual cars. It's enough to just put it in first or second gear and the engine moves the car forward without having to press the gas pedal.

[MsMusic]

Oh wow I didn't realize it was that difficult for some people. I've been driving a bit, started learning stick a few weeks ago and it just came naturally to me.

[Anonymous]

Wow this truly is the generation of useless pussies.

[MackFreeze]

I think it is a good skill to have. You never know when that skill come in handy. I think being flexible is a good trait. Being good at many things than limiting yourself.

[ShaneMcFly79]

That was sweet and touching. You are so right about the traffic. And with the dual clutch system (automatic) in all the high performance cars now... it's actually difficult to get a standard vehicle now. That was a well written and compelling article. Kudos; ))

[xHeyUx]

On the open road or on a track, - manual transmission is fun! I'm city stop and go traffic or successive stoplights in the hills, I'll take an automatic transmission any day of the week.

[Prof_Don]

Outside of the occasional need to drive a stick shift car... buying and driving your own personal stick shift car is overrated. The novelty wears out fast here in southern California (where traffic gets constantly congested).

[CollieWinters]

Some countries only have stick shift cars, or at least a majority of stick cars. Especially in Europe. It'd be a good skill to have if you're planning to rent a car in one of those countries

[badboy666]

After you get comfortable, stick shifts are a lot more fun to drive.

And knowing how to use one gives you a slight edge of you want to borrow or steal someone's car.

Pretty much a lost art though now.

[jacquesvol]

I've used both intensively: 3 speed stick shifts, 4 speed stickshifts, a 5 speed stickshift, a continuously variable auto , a 4 speed auto and now a 7 speed auto.
I liked all of them.

[anewgirl]

I don't like manuals either. Automatic for me always even though I know it's good to know how to drive a stick.

[Mr1derful]

Its a good skill to know just incase. It's a lot of fun outside of the city. Back roads and 4wd drives in the country And is so much better and easier.

[douride2]

Your right in today's world there isn't really much of a need to know how to drive a stick. I drive a stick at work & will never buy another of my own.

[FatherJack]

Here in the UK , nearly all cars ( & driving licences ) are manual gear change.

[ariadneR]

well you may travel to another country and all they have are manual drives. What will you do then?

[myTake Owner]

The same thing I do now, order a cab/Uber/friends drive/take public transpo... but this is no different from what I do if I'm traveling locally without my car, as in I flew into town to visit a friend.

I mean, if I moved to a foreign land, I would 100% basically be forced to learn and most likely would have to buy a manual car, but for now, I'm in the US, and it's a non-issue.

[RationalMale]

My dad tried teaching my older brother to drive stick when the time for a license came. It ended a few weeks later with my brother saying "I'd rather try to fight a bear with a rock."

[datgirl]

I'll stick to an automatic. I have no idea how to drive a stick and while it'd be nice to know how to.. i would probably end up causing a lot of accidents instead.