Going from an automatic to a manual

[Poot]

I do like a manual. I am a control freak and need to tell my car what to do. It's the only way we'll get on I'm afraid

My dad drove an automatic for a couple of years and then switched back to manual. it was comical and yet disturbing to see a man who's been driving for 43 years crunching the gears and stalling at traffic lights.

But he remembered very quickly what he was supposed to do. Within a week or two he was fine, and I'm sure you will be too, moomoo.

 

[8ball]

I do like a manual. I am a control freak and need to tell my car what to do. It's the only way we'll get on I'm afraid

Thing is, with a manual you're giving your car so many ways to talk back to you, too. It doesn't want to be contrained by automatic transmission, it's like trying to have sex wearing radiation suits - nothing comes through but the bare necessities for getting the job done.

Possible worst analogy ever, there - I'm a wee bit drunk . .

 

[moomoo]

I do like a manual. I am a control freak and need to tell my car what to do. It's the only way we'll get on I'm afraid

My dad drove an automatic for a couple of years and then switched back to manual. it was comical and yet disturbing to see a man who's been driving for 43 years crunching the gears and stalling at traffic lights.

But he remembered very quickly what he was supposed to do. Within a week or two he was fine, and I'm sure you will be too, moomoo.

Thanks Poot, but this is the bit I don't understand!

In an auto you start and stop and control the speed with the accelerator and the brake. Job done.

Why is there a need to tell a car what to do? I really can't understand how people prefer a manual! Perhaps it will all become clear in time..........

I do know I am thick about this (and surprisingly enough, I am actually a safe driver) but I really, really don't understand the mechanics of it all.

I've never understood peoples problems with hill starts - you do exactly the same thing as you do for any other start.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That one sentence has really gone a long way to curing my fear of hills!


I've gone out in it as much as possible this weekend (ignoring my lovely auto sat out the front) and it is getting easier.

 

[subversplat]

Might as well be driving without a license.

Well perhaps not quite that drastic. There are mitigating circumstances in ignorance, despite what the justice system would have you believe

 

[Poot]

Thing is, with a manual you're giving your car so many ways to talk back to you, too. It doesn't want to be contrained by automatic transmission, it's like trying to have sex wearing radiation suits - nothing comes through but the bare necessities for getting the job done.

Possible worst analogy ever, there - I'm a wee bit drunk . .

I'll remember that next time I have a gearstick in my hand

How did we bring this perfectly innocent thread down to this level?

 

[Poot]

Thanks Poot, but this is the bit I don't understand!

In an auto you start and stop and control the speed with the accelerator and the brake. Job done.

Why is there a need to tell a car what to do? I really can't understand how people prefer a manual! Perhaps it will all become clear in time..........

I do know I am thick about this (and surprisingly enough, I am actually a safe driver) but I really, really don't understand the mechanics of it all.

In my case it's partly ignorance and partly a trust issue. I don't understand how a car works really. Therefore, I can't trust that it's doing what it should be doing unless I am at least a bit responsible for its actions.

I've also never driven an automatic. I might like one if I tried it. but then I'd never go back to driving a manual.

 

[8ball]

In an auto you start and stop and control the speed with the accelerator and the brake. Job done.

Why is there a need to tell a car what to do? I really can't understand how people prefer a manual! Perhaps it will all become clear in time..........

In time you will learn to understand such concepts as controlling torque with gear ratios to adjust your entry to corners, and the arts of steering with the brake and throttle.

But that is for another time, young Padawan . .

 

[moomoo]

In time you will learn to understand such concepts as controlling torque with gear ratios to adjust your entry to corners, and the arts of steering with the brake and throttle.

But that is for another time, young Padawan . .

*Swaps car for a bicycle with a basket*

 

[8ball]

Well you only need that stuff if you want to go a bit fast.

Bizarrely enough - I don't even drive.

I like cars but live in a city and don't need one.

 

[Peaglenut]

My Lovely dodgem

I love my dodgem! It knows when to do stuff when I dont (all that gear changing malarky). All I really need to do is indicate and point it in the right direction. It's fab .............and it's red

 

[bigbry]

I love holding my car on the biting point on a hill - creeping forwards on a hill in slow moving traffic without bothering the handbrake is one of my favourite things in driving.

QUOTE]
I wouldn't think your clutch lasts very long if you do that - use the brake - brakes are far cheaper to replace than a clutch.

Same with people who change 'down' through the gear box to slow down - it's alright for the race track but in normal driving it's not bnecessary and again brakes are cheaper than a new clutch and/or gearbox.

 

[twistedAM]

I wouldn't think your clutch lasts very long if you do that - use the brake - brakes are far cheaper to replace than a clutch.

Same with people who change 'down' through the gear box to slow down - it's alright for the race track but in normal driving it's not bnecessary and again brakes are cheaper than a new clutch and/or gearbox.

hell yeah...i drove automatics for about six years in the states and then came back here and couldn't afford a decent auto (i will not be seen in a Panda or KA etc) and though I would still prefer an auto I'm dealing with my Caddy fine. But one day my boss was in the car and he took the piss cos I didn't change down.
I thought it was ust logical to drift up to a red light in say third and then change down to first before the light goes red.
Thnaks for confirming i was right alll along.


And Moo Moo ...don't worry. I have a manual and live in the hilliest part of london. I picked it up after a day and I think it makes you a better driver doing hill starts and such. You'll be fine in a day or so and look back on this thread with a

 

[johnnymarrsbars]

i dont like the idea of automatics, even though i've never driven one. i like changing gear and being in total control of the vehicle.