i have driven manuals for most of my adult life....with the excepton in the 80,s when i drove a Pontiac Fiero for a few years.....i always enjoyed driving a stick....unfortunately in the next couple of years they will be obsolete and my next car will be an automatic,,,,ggrrr
How many of you still drive a manual?
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That's hard to do.
I learned it at racing school many years ago.
But road cars the pedals are too far apart in the Acura I had
One more manual driver here. All I've ever owned. I currently have two 10-year old small hatchbacks. Both manual. Taught my kids ONLY on manuals. My daughter now loves to show off to potential partners her driving prowess! I also have a 1970s convertible with a "CHOKE" to start which is better than ANY theft deterrent on the market!
But I have to admit... now that I'm in my 50s, and still dealing with Toronto traffic; driving a very comfortable, modern suspension automatic is so much better for the blood pressure! And yes... go shopping for a new car with a standard. You'll search a LOT! VW / Subies / Honda only offer them in the "R" trims it seems.
But I have to admit... now that I'm in my 50s, and still dealing with Toronto traffic; driving a very comfortable, modern suspension automatic is so much better for the blood pressure! And yes... go shopping for a new car with a standard. You'll search a LOT! VW / Subies / Honda only offer them in the "R" trims it seems.
I don’t own a manual but my neighbour at my trailer does. I’m much better at backing his boat trailer in the launch so I often have to drive his car in the summer. Which is nice because I do like a manual but like others have said, for my own personal driving I would rather just drive freely. So I get to have a little fun in the summer with his car and drive my regular car the rest of the time. It's kinda of the best of both worlds
Drove manual’s for years and still prefer it to an auto. Then I blew my knees. Auto’s now for this old gear head, another kick in the ass from old age
Heal and toe is imperative for smooth downshifts (matchings revs) when you're racing or doing track days. I've had at least 10 different manual transmission cars over the years and I've never had a problem with the pedals being too far apart. You sometimes have to put your foot on a fair bit of an angle to do it, but it can be it done.
The poll tells me the automatic drivers decided to skip this thread 
I drove manual for over 20 years but for the past 14 its been automatic Occasionally use the paddle shifters.
Back in the day in Manitoba if you didn't pass your driving test in a car with a manual transmission your driver licence was restricted to vehicles with automatics.
Is that the case in Ontario?
Interestingly, when I moved to Quebec from Manitoba the Quebec licence they gave me allowed me to drive all motorcycles, though I had never passed a motorcycle driving test. When I moved to Ontario that same right was transferred to my Ontario licence. Are specific tests required for new drivers in Ontario to be able to drive motorcycles? Are there motor displacement restrictions?
Is that the case in Ontario?
Interestingly, when I moved to Quebec from Manitoba the Quebec licence they gave me allowed me to drive all motorcycles, though I had never passed a motorcycle driving test. When I moved to Ontario that same right was transferred to my Ontario licence. Are specific tests required for new drivers in Ontario to be able to drive motorcycles? Are there motor displacement restrictions?
If you learned to drive on a manual transmission car, but after that almost always drove automatics, you could get a bit rusty.
On my second honeymoon we went to Monaco, where I rented a BMW 320i convertible with a stick shift. I was quite rusty and jerky for the first few days, so I bought my wife some "Nausacalm", which I guess was the European equivalent of Gravol. It helped a bit with her car-sickness.
But when we drove the beautiful winding road from Monaco to St. Tropez along the mountainsides next to the Mediterranean, at one point I glanced at my wife to see how she was enjoying the stunning views. She was fast asleep...
On my second honeymoon we went to Monaco, where I rented a BMW 320i convertible with a stick shift. I was quite rusty and jerky for the first few days, so I bought my wife some "Nausacalm", which I guess was the European equivalent of Gravol. It helped a bit with her car-sickness.
But when we drove the beautiful winding road from Monaco to St. Tropez along the mountainsides next to the Mediterranean, at one point I glanced at my wife to see how she was enjoying the stunning views. She was fast asleep...
There was something wrong with that clutch if it was that heavy.
Either the pressure plate was worn out, or the clutch fork / release bearing was improperly installed.
I always assumed it was that heavy to be able to apply enough pressure to the clutch so it wouldn't slip under the enormous torque of that 454 V8 engine.
But I'm not a car mechanic...
Thought the same thing. No way the results are representative of the general population. Either the auto drivers sat it out, or there is some correlation between manual drivers and tetb members.The poll tells me the automatic drivers decided to skip this thread
There's clearly a correlation between being cool enough to drive standard and being cool enough to hang with young pussy.
I had a manual for 25 years and I was the one who drove it the most. . Automatics are available in europe for car rentals but not usually the bottom tier/least expensive cars/smaller cars. I should be driving one again in the fall on a trip in europe. Can't wait. As many posters have said, manuals on new cars in Canada are rare things.
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My last standard shift car was traded in the mid ‘80’s. Total pain in the ass in bumper to bumper commuter traffic. I scratch my shift itch with my motorcycle, which is an even bigger pain in the ass in stop and go, but even more fun on the open road.
