Who Drives a Stick Shift? Real Men!

[Bapak2ja]

this argument always makes me laugh,people think that driving a stick makes them skilled automobile drivers because they have an ability most people have lost with the change of times. For the stick drivers, how many of your vehicles have power steering , traction control,or anti lock brakes ? for those of you that do, why do you have those ? being a big manly man should surely allow you to handle that vehicle with out them.

You guys can have my man card when you take them from the m1 abrams tank operators. after all m1 abrams are automatics


lol all in good fun

LOL! Thanks for a good laugh! Well said!

 

[Bapak2ja]

Well Im a truck driver, I drive 9 speeds 10 speeds super 10 speeds 13 speeds and 18 speeds every day of the week. I honestly prefer driving a stick but my pickup truck I have now is automatic.

I can understand using an automatic after shifting all day. I have an automatic in my pick up. Sometimes you need a break. Makes drinking that last cup of coffee a lot more relaxing.

 

[Bummer]

...

Oh yea, the only one that really matters is still a manual. But I don't clutch with my foot, I clutch with my left hand. And it only has 2 wheels. And it was made in America.

So yea, now we can start talking about "manly" vehicles.

Well said.

I too, clutch with the left hand and shift with the left foot. I've been to the top of Pike's Peak, Mount Evans, and Trail Ridge Road with the wife on the back. (More than once.) My favorite road is The Beartooth Highway. They're gonna have to bury my engraved metal Man Card with me.

Hmmmmm. Think I'll ride to the gun shop today.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Man card?? I learned how to drive on a 1960 AMC Rambler manual tran. My father told us to learn on a stick and then drive the auto - when we could afford it. Next two vehicles were manuals. My present truck is an automatic.

Glad your economic situation has prospered! Those old Ramblers were runners, but I always hated the way they looked. Still, it was better than walking or riding a bike.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

In a 2x4 I prefer a stick especially in a car. In a 4x4 which my Jeep is, I prefer a automatic. I miss driving a stick.

 

[Zimm1001]

Between my wife and I we have four trucks. Last year I bought a 5 sp 4 cyl chevy colorado to drive on a daily basis for gas mileage. Just didnt' seem right driving my z71 suburban with only me in it and my little colorado gets 450 miles to the tank full. 18 gallons compared to 31 on the suburban too.

I taught my 15 year old daughter how to drive the colorado. She keeps bugging me to drive the suburban (ain't gonna happen). I keep telling her "You can't drive the suburban. You don't know HOW to drive an AUTOMATIC!" LOLOLOLOL. Atleast I thought it was funny. Her... not so much... lol

 

[ATF Consumer]

My first car was a 71 Pinto...I could shift it without even using the clutch. Now this one sits in my driveway with 6 on the floor.

 

[bobzilla]

this argument always makes me laugh,people think that driving a stick makes them skilled automobile drivers because they have an ability most people have lost with the change of times. For the stick drivers, how many of your vehicles have power steering , traction control,or anti lock brakes ? for those of you that do, why do you have those ? being a big manly man should surely allow you to handle that vehicle with out them.

You guys can have my man card when you take them from the m1 abrams tank operators. after all m1 abrams are automatics


lol all in good fun

p/s, YES.
ABS? Nope.
TCS? Nope.

P/S is nice for turning those big 275's at low speeds though I will admit. I've actually purchased mostof my vehicles because they DIDN'T contain all the nanny features I loathe.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

i currently have a 1989 mustang 5.0 5spd and a 86 camaro with 4spd auto. and i gotta say i prefer autos. Yes i do enjoy driving the stang and rowing gears, but city driving is so much better with an auto. and for all racing purposes autos are much better

flame suit on

How is it that for racing autos are better? Maybe for bracket style drag racing. But FYI two years in a row, first time out for the year I brought home the first place trophy in the Wed night Trophy race at Muncie Dragway in the street tire class, and guess what it was with a manual in a bracket race Most cars are faster with a manual as long as they have a decent driver, plus they normally get better mileage as well. Also look at any 90% or more of the cars at a road course, SCCA autocross event, or basically any racing event other than maybe drag racing. And you're gonna find manual transmissions in the cars.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

These days the only reason to get a manual is because you enjoy the experience of rowing your own gears, and who doesn't? I know I do.

But a properly designed and built auto will beat a manual in pretty much every way but fun factor. They can shift faster than any person physically can, they are to the point where they are as efficient and can achieve the same or better mileage with no detriment to performance. Also easier to tune for your power/gearing/tires with stall converters, etc.

I Know that my mustang would easily beat an identical car with equal mods and equal rear end gearing with a stick. More consistent, faster shifts, better launches, etc.

Still at times I wish my mustang was a stick shift.


Manauls would be better for most autocross type racing though.

 

[Aggar]

All my daily drivers have been auto but I learned on a 48 Willys jeep when I was about 8 and when I got my license I could drive this

It's got a sbc302 an 3 spd. It's fun but squirrelly. I figure I shift enough gears during harvest to make up for having an auto daily driver.
Heres my 10spd I drive in the fall

 

[stilllearning09]

Glad your economic situation has prospered! Those old Ramblers were runners, but I always hated the way they looked. Still, it was better than walking or riding a bike.

Oh they were ugly! I think Dad paid $250.00 for it. But, it is what we had and it ran forever. It was a work car for Dad and a good one for my brother and I to learn how to drive the stick. As for the economic situation, eh! I'm just getting lazy in my experienced years.

 

[2cool9031]

When I bought my 1979 Ford F-150 I got to choose the engine I wanted, the rearend ratio and the trans. Can't do that anymore....seems they come as package deals now. By the way, it's still sitting in the garage with less than 50,000 actual miles...never been on a snowy street.

 

[johnb62]

I have had a couple of sticks over the years. While I still like to drive them when I get a chance I still prefer an automatic for an everday driver.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

When I bought my 1979 Ford F-150 I got to choose the engine I wanted, the rearend ratio and the trans. Can't do that anymore....seems they come as package deals now. By the way, it's still sitting in the garage with less than 50,000 actual miles...never been on a snowy street.

You can pick engines and gearing in most new F-150s. No manual option though, but to be honest it would be a worthless option on the new trucks. It really wouldn't gain you anything over the 6 speed auto.

You can get the 5.0L in any model, the sixer up to XLT, and the 6.2L in lariat and higher trims. Ecoboost soon to come and should be available in pretty much any model but Raptor and Platinum.

 

[Clay]

I used to daily drive a Jeep Wrangler TJ for about 10 years that was a 4.0L w/ manual. Ill be honest, after 10 years of driving it every day, I was actually kind of sicks of driving a stick. I always looked forward to driving the wifes car

Now, Ive got a some 'toys' that I dont drive on a regular basis, and 90% of them are manuals. I love a manual in a hot rod of 4wd thats for sure, just not every day!

 

[22lr]

I prefer trucks with a Manuel, unless im plowing snow. For plowing I have one hand on the wheel, another hand on the plow remote and operating a stick on top of that is a PITA.

As for cars, it if doesn't have a V8 the manual is just a waste of time. But if your car has a V8 automatic, well now we can start questioning your manhood. If its a Pontiac V8 automatic, well you just lost your mancard, report to the salon/spa to pick up your girlhood card. If your a female, you have a little more leeway, but you still loose a lot of hotness points.

 

[RachelMarie]

Every car I have ever owned was a stick shift. I had never driven an automatic until I was 20 years old and didn't care for it. I learned to drive a stick shift at 12 years old. Would never buy an automatic.

 

[flagtag]

I once owned a VW Squareback (stationwagon) which was stick. (Man! I wish I had that back!!!) I also had a Dotsun stationwagon that was stick. It was ok, but still, it was not the VW.
Both helped me to learn to drive simi's.

(If anyone knows of anyone who has a VW Squareback for sale cheap, please let me know. (Manual tranny, please)

 

[Rookie]

I had a jeep that was a manual until I yanked it out and put an auto in. Why? Rock crawling is hard enough without an auto. Sadly i had to sell it...