ORIGINAL: Soaring I turned 63 in October, so I think I can say with some sort of age authority, that you never outgrow the fun of shifting a stick instead of the ho hum auto. Regarding drinking and eating in the car, I sip some coffee in mine, but never eat in them. Even when I am stopped. Eating in a car while driving would be akin to talking on a damn cell phone while driving. Not a real bright idea. Back in the day, you would be laughed out of the country if you drove a "sports" car with an automatic. You just didn't do it. Today, I guess all those unwritten rules have been done away with.
Yeah, no kidding. My wife and I were both shake our heads when we see a Mustang GT with an auto, Porsche with an auto, etc. We both learned on manuals so we would be able to drive any car, if needed. Another bonus to a manual: most of the people on the roads now-a-days can't drive it and that cuts down on the number of friends you have to turn down when they ask if they can borrow your car.
It's also interesting that older cars didn't have cupholders. I don't remember any cupholder in any of the cars that I owned before a bought a 93 240SX about ten years ago. I wonder if that was because everybody figured you would be driving your car not using it as a portable office/dining room.
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68 Mustang Coupe, 289 58 Chevy Apache, 235 Living together in harmony, mostly.
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Joined: 3/25/2006 From: Where I lay my head is home Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: THUMPIN455
5.When you get old or you wear out your knees a 4 speed just isnt in the cards, especially if you have a large engine with massive power and torque. The clutch needed to harness a 500ftlb @ 2500 rpm engine is enough that it can bend linkages and make your left leg larger than the right one.
Mine already need reconstructive surgery. I still won't give up my stick shifts. Not until my body can no longer hold the clutch pedal down.
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6.It doesnt matter what is better all around, because most cars are too much of a compromise to have any benefit either way. So drive what you like, and enjoy what you have. If you need an auto built so it rattles the windows and knocks your fillings lose, it can be done.
My thoughts exactly. To each their own. Some will argue autos till they are blue in the face and others will do the same for standard.
Hmmmm...nobody stated the obvious benefit of an auto. Ever try to hold or drink a cup of coffee while steering and shifting??? At my age, I'm gonna stick to an auto. lol
I'm with you man...LOL!
You hit the nail on the head when you said "At my age", LOL, how true...LOL!
I'm 44, and obviously most of these posters are young and full of excitment and energy, but believe me, when they hit my age, they are going to buy an automatic soo fast...it's not even going to be funny...LOL.
All my life until recently (when I was unable to walk for a year), I have driven only manuals, nothing but stick shifts all my life, now that I can walk again (but not with the same strength), I want NO part of stick shifts anymore, I'm so sick and tired of them, it's not even fun for me anymore, I just want to peacefully cruise, drink my coffee, talk in the cell phone, and not worry about aything else, but style and profile.
Yes, I know the youngsters love stick shifts, I did too when I was their age, but that was long ago.
Viva automatics!
Uh, I'm no youngster. I'm 37, and I don't see switching to an auto in seven years. When my grandfather died at the age of 63, his car had a 4 sp manual. I also pay attention to my driving rather than talk on a cell phone ( pet peeve of mine). Don't mean to slam you, but "I just want to peacefully cruise, drink my coffee, talk in the cell phone, and not worry about aything else, but style and profile." That says you should have somebody else driving you around. Depending on the car being driven, we're talking about 1 to 2 1/2 tons of metal ,plastic, and fuel movig at speeds of 30 mph or more. That's a lot of force and, if your not paying attention, a lot of potential death and destruction. This is a good example of the reason manual transmissions are safer. A driver of a manual transmission equipped car is generally paying closer attention to the road and the cars around them rather than just going along for the ride while the car drives itself. I'm sorry, but posts like yours frighten me.
It shouldn't frighten you, I was sideswiped once by an elderly man, I myself have NEVER hit or caused an accident...EVER...not even close...I have always had a PERFECT driving record, oh, and only two speeding tickets in my entire life, and that was when I was 19 and 22 years old respectivly.
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ORIGINAL: Cannonball888
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ORIGINAL: Soaring Back in the day, you would be laughed out of the country if you drove a "sports" car with an automatic.
Back in 1966? Nearly all 1966 Shelby 350GT-H sports cars had autos.
I still laugh at people who buy sports cars in automatic. It doesn't make sense to me. I can kinda understand the GT-H thing tho.
Galactusz, The ONLY time I have ever been hit or nearly hit is when someone next to or behind me is on a phone. I had a guy in a 92 caravan almost turn into my lane on the highway cause his cellphone was on that ear as he pulled up next to me and proceeded to attempt to pull into my lane. My GF got tapped on the bumper by some kid in a parking lot driving mommy and daddy's Navigator while on the cell with his friend. I watched a girl on her cell phone slam into another vehicle that was clearly stopped for long enough for her to stop.
I can drive and talk on the phone, but I don't. I could eat a sub while driving but I don't.
< Message edited by Clu7ch -- 12/28/2006 7:12:49 PM >
Hmmmm...nobody stated the obvious benefit of an auto. Ever try to hold or drink a cup of coffee while steering and shifting??? At my age, I'm gonna stick to an auto. lol
I'm with you man...LOL!
You hit the nail on the head when you said "At my age", LOL, how true...LOL!
I'm 44, and obviously most of these posters are young and full of excitment and energy, but believe me, when they hit my age, they are going to buy an automatic soo fast...it's not even going to be funny...LOL.
All my life until recently (when I was unable to walk for a year), I have driven only manuals, nothing but stick shifts all my life, now that I can walk again (but not with the same strength), I want NO part of stick shifts anymore, I'm so sick and tired of them, it's not even fun for me anymore, I just want to peacefully cruise, drink my coffee, talk in the cell phone, and not worry about aything else, but style and profile.
Yes, I know the youngsters love stick shifts, I did too when I was their age, but that was long ago.
Viva automatics!
I turned 63 in October, so I think I can say with some sort of age authority, that you never outgrow the fun of shifting a stick instead of the ho hum auto. Regarding drinking and eating in the car, I sip some coffee in mine, but never eat in them. Even when I am stopped. Eating in a car while driving would be akin to talking on a damn cell phone while driving. Not a real bright idea. Back in the day, you would be laughed out of the country if you drove a "sports" car with an automatic. You just didn't do it. Today, I guess all those unwritten rules have been done away with.
I guess you missed the part where I mentioned my nerve damage on both my legs...an automatic is a must for me.
Like I said, have been driving a stick my entire life until I was disabled, l learn to walk again after an entire year of intense physical therapy, plus like I said, been commuting in Northern California for over twenty years in heavy traffic with a stick, so yes, I'm sick of them already, viva los autos atomáticos.
I'm not seeing a whole lot of love for the automatics out there. Manuals are more fun? Come on, it might have something to do with the fact that normally I have a fourty ounce Pepsi in one and hand and the other hand on the wheel, but I just couldn't abide a manual transmission. All you have to do is put a pretty solid shift kit in your automatic that will allow for manual shifting and bam, best of both worlds, and no troublesome clutch to worry about! That's my 2 cents anyways.
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Joined: 3/25/2006 From: Where I lay my head is home Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: thepepsifiend
I'm not seeing a whole lot of love for the automatics out there. Manuals are more fun? Come on, it might have something to do with the fact that normally I have a fourty ounce Pepsi in one and hand and the other hand on the wheel, but I just couldn't abide a manual transmission. All you have to do is put a pretty solid shift kit in your automatic that will allow for manual shifting and bam, best of both worlds, and no troublesome clutch to worry about! That's my 2 cents anyways.
WOAH!!! Lean back Gangsta! Where the F are ya getting 40 oz Pepsi's? and if you're drinking pepsi 40oz's at a time I'm sure you spend more time in the bathroom than you would in a car learning how to drive stick.
But than you go on to say "All you have to do is put a pretty solid shift kit in your automatic that will allow for manual shifting". If you have a shift kit, you need to shift your car, therefore, you and your 40oz Pepsi wouldn't be able to drive. In that case you might as well get a manual.
You are talking about clutches like they wear out and need to be replaced every year. My step dad had a GTO (67 I wanna say) that was manual. He said he replaced his clutch (bought the car BRAND NEW off the lot) only after putting over 160K on the car. If you know what you are doing you don't wear out the clutch. I have a bigger problem wearing out the rubber pads on the pedals than anything else!
Like I said, I can drive stick and drink a coffee out of a Quick Check cup AND still have one hand on the wheel and one on the shifter!
I have an auto in the the 72 and I really wish it was a manual. I may switch over to manual at some point possibly when I build the new motor. My 02 GT is a 5 speed and I just love driving it.
It's funny looking back, I gave my Dad a fit about learning to drive in a stick. He told me if you learn to drive in a stick you will be able to drive anything. And he is right, I have driven 2 and half ton and five ton trucks in the Army and I started learning to drive bus (again while in the Army). Even after the hesitant start with driving stick I know prefer it over auto.
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Joined: 10/29/2006 Status: offline
You all are crazy. If you have a manual of course you'll defend them. If you have an auto, same. The way I see it, don't burn me for this, any good automatic is mimicing a stick shift and eliminating the weakest link ( humans). I have an AOD that I have to shift so for me I love my auto but if I had bought the car with a manual then thats what it would be.
I don't have a problem with people who drive autos, I just prefer a manual. I even agree that there are some instances where an auto is preferrable or even necessary. I do have a problem with people who think that they are perfectly safe drivers while they ignore the road and cars around them, and my mind will never be changed on that subject. I guess its time I dropped this subject. (Roars of approval from the crowd).
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68 Mustang Coupe, 289 58 Chevy Apache, 235 Living together in harmony, mostly.
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Joined: 12/28/2005 From: North Idaho Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: LCC
You all are crazy. If you have a manual of course you'll defend them. If you have an auto, same. The way I see it, don't burn me for this, any good automatic is mimicing a stick shift and eliminating the weakest link ( humans). I have an AOD that I have to shift so for me I love my auto but if I had bought the car with a manual then thats what it would be.
Not me, I had one and made the change to the other (stick baby!).
Back in my partying days i used to be able to pack and load bongs while driving a stick shift... only spilled it a couple of times... nothing like a car that reeks of used bong water.
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RE: You like a Automatic or Stick for an old mustang? - 
It doesn't make sense to me. I can kinda understand the GT-H thing tho. 
