Die hard Manual guys get in here!

[bluebeastsrt]

You joke . . .

I know when I first got my driver's license (Massachusetts), there was a restriction code limiting the license holder to driving only vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. It seems to still be on the books.

http://www.education4drivers.com/massachusetts/drivers-license-restrictions.htm


Norm

That's weird. Here in jersey they give us a licsense. Say OH you have a mustang? And then point us to the nearest crowd! And say...HAVE AT EM!

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[Stormtrooper5.0]

Easy to do in a slow car ;) had to ;) hahah

Rofl good...was drunk, it was raining and we were on the hwy, I'd have been sliding.
Luckily we just found a dark street and finished up

Road head becomes a problem unless you're on a road trip as well.

Rofl yea she tried but I didn't let her, impossible with MT while moving. I used to get it in my 2002 AT Camry though.

 

[Long Run Nick]

Sorry to add a comment after all that stuff that just preceded my post. My 2016 ECB manual is in the shop- evaporater after only 5,000 miles. Been driving my wife's BMW- 328 auto. Pretty peppy in sport mode, but I miss rowing the gears. I have never owned a auto car for myself. At 73, I tried an auto Mustang, couldn't do it. Luckily my knees are still in good shape, even after running over 86,000 miles since 4/76.

 

[kluke15]

got my first manual car and fell in love with it, then i sold it for an auto, missed my manual a day and a half later. had the auto until i could afford another stick and as soon as i could got another manual. as soon as you get in the auto you will want the manual back

 

[Maggneto]

I drove manual cars (Porsche, Audi, VW) for nearly 20 years and switched to Auto a few years ago because the wife doesn't drive manuals. For the first year it was really awkward but eventually I came to appreciate the Auto with manual shift. The 6, 8 speed Automatic with paddle shifters are pretty awesome but it really depends on personal preference and driving circumstances. I worked in NYC and commuted in a Porsche and it really sucked driving a manual.

 

[kn7671]

Late to the thread, and maybe already said, but here's my input and experiences learned from 30 years of driving and owning 12-Mustangs and 30-cars overall:

- Automatic are quicker, well almost always when the number of gears in the Auto are equal to or higher than the manual

- Financial Risk # 1 - Buying a manual car could be a financial risk if you injure your a leg, knee, foot, or hip and can't drive your manual transmission vehicle for an extended amount of time, don't have access to another vehicle, don't have a job that allows you to work from home, funds to rent alternate transportation, etc...

- Financial Risk # 2- When you own a manual transmission equipped vehicle, you should have access to funds/money to pay for a new clutch, driveshaft, rear axle, or transmission repair in the event warranty denies your warranty claim for abuse. Nothing like having a car you still have to pay for but can't drive.

- Fuel Mileage: always higher with an Auto when the number of gears in the Auto are equal to or higher than the manual

- Manual's are harder on the entire driveline and possibly the engine for any number of accidental things, but more so from hard driving, drag racing, or over revving the engine. Stock clutches and transmission don't work very well either when people Tune the engine and push the engine to 1000 rpms higher than stock.

- Manual equipped car have less warranty coverage, as the dealerships will almost always tell you the car was abused when you have a driveline issue, which means Ford and the dealerships pocket more money from the sale of a manual equipped car even though they are $1000 less than an auto car

- More wrecks happen in Mustang's equipped with manual transmissions, for various reasons. Just think about all those Car with Coffee videos. Almost every Mustang that loses control and wrecks is a manual.

- Manual equipped Mustangs will always be worth less money during trade-in.

- If you commute in heavy traffic, most people will grow tired of a manual, unless you are young and/or healthy, this may not be a problem.

- If you have a significant other in your life, ensure they can drive a manual too, as there will almost always be a time or two this could become an inconvenience.

- Manual's can be more fun under the right circumstances and definitely give the driver a more engaged experience.

 

[croyde]

While I was waiting for my manual GT to make it out of the US and across the pond to the UK my dealer offered me a drive of their auto demo as I hadn't even seen let alone driven an S550.

I was really disappointed. It felt boring and made me think that I had made a big mistake.

That all changed when my manual turned up

 

[Norm Peterson]

That's weird. Here in jersey they give us a licsense. Say OH you have a mustang? And then point us to the nearest crowd! And say...HAVE AT EM!

It was probably seen as erring on the side of caution. When I first got my license, manual transmissions with 1st gear synchronized were the exceptions. Meaning that there was a little more to deal with in very low speed traffic situations, and that a reasonable decision was made to allow people to first learn how to deal with the rest of what goes into driving first and add the MT skill later. Essentially, that two step process was the way my wife got fully up to speed with her driving. Got her first license in VA in the AT Dodge we had at the time, and a year or so later started picking up how to drive stick in the Pinto we then had as well. I think my son actually took his road test here in NJ on a MT car - that the car he drove had a centrally mounted P-brake lever had something to do with this being allowed.

One of the MT skills required of me to pass was to make a 3-point turn on a hill without touching either curb in the process or rolling back. Take that, Hill Start Assistance!


Norm

 

[LarsenGrind]

Its funny reading this thread from Denmark, Europe. Most cars (guess high 90'es procent) here are MT's. Unless you're disabled or something alike you can only get a licence in a MT car. Since its so standard, its just that. Standard. Never heard anybody complain about it, beeing hard in slow trafic. Guess its all about what people are used to. I allways saw the Auto as a bit of exotic feature, still do to some degree.
Only Autos I've driven are two Mustangs on roadtrip vacays in Cali, Arizona and Nevada. Oh yeah, and the one I testdrove before ordering my MT. No MT GT a my dealer. Luckily someone on this great forum, offered me to come try his 15 MT GT. Felt so at home in the driverseat.

 

[croyde]

Same in the UK. You learn and take your test in a manual then you can drive both but if you learn and take your test in an auto then you can only drive autos.

First time I ever drove an auto after passing my test in 1982 was 10 years later on a road trip across California, Nevada and Arizona. It was a 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and then for one day only as a special treat for my 30th birthday.

A 1972 Mustang 5.0 'vert whilst staying in LA.

 

[Asharus]

north america is probably the only place where there are more manuals than autos.

 

[HeelToeHero]

north america is probably the only place where there are more manuals than autos.

I think you have that backwards...

 

[Asharus]

Yep, whoops

 

[LICobra]

Autos have come a long way in the last 20 years and now it looks like they may be converting this die hard manual guy and I am wondering if I am alone or if there is anyone else out there in the same boat.

I consider myself a die hard manual guy. I really don't care how many gears an automatic has and if there faster in straight line acceleration. I've always liked driving a manual, heavy traffic is just something that goes with the territory, along with heel and toe through the curves and speed shifting through a quarter mile...so I have fun with the advantages and don't mind the disadvantages. As far as I'm concerned your alone...

 

[bluebeastsrt]

It's amusing how serious you guys take this stuff. Buy what you like. End thread.

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