Can you drive a vehicle with a manual transmission?

[BubsFinn]

I can drive a car with manual transmission, but I haven’t in many years. My dad taught me to drive in his Porsche 924. The clutch on that thing was tighter than a drum. I practically had to stand on it.
I drove a Blazer with a stick for a long time, but since moving to Dallas, it made more sense to drive an automatic. The wear and tear on a clutch is brutal in this kind of traffic.

 

[abby97]

No, that's why I've never been on the Amazing Race.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

My parents bought a manual transmission Plymouth Bobcat when I was in high school so out of practicality I quickly learned to drive on its manual transmission.

I’ve never owned a manual transmission car since but have borrowed and rented a few over the ensuing 45 years or so and every time it takes less than a minute or two to settle back into the peculiarities of each one. It’s truly like riding a bike IMO. If you’re renting a vehicle in Europe it’s difficult to get an automatic transmission vehicle and when you do you’ll pay a steep premium for the privilege.

 

[ButtersHawk]

I might be an oddball but I only drove a 6 speed twice until I got my CDL. When I got that I learned on a 10 speed

 

[gohawks50]

Owned and drove manual transmission vehicles from 1983-2009. Loved driving them except on certain entrance ramps where I'd have to go really slow around a curve and then quickly accelerate in order to merge onto the interstate. I really hated the I80 east bound entrance ramp at 72nd street in Omaha.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Got my first car in 1991. Pretty much always had at least one car with a manual.

I enjoy trying out different cars. My JK Jeep Wrangler is the most difficult super long throws and not smooth at all.

I had a little Chevy that didn’t even require the use of the gas pedal to get it moving. Just let the clutch out slow and it would go. Great car to learn in.

I have driving V8 Mustangs and Camaros also. Put one of those in second gear and stomp on it and let the good times roll.

Drove somebody’s VW. The shifter and throws were so small it felt fake. Very smooth.

Rented a uhaul once that was a manual. The stick was over two feet long and it was so old the transmission would fall out of first gear from the weight of the stick. The uhaul employee said “you are not taking that out of town are you?” lol

Seems crazy the newest sports cars often don’t have a manual option. Where is the fun in that ?

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Yes. First car was a 79 mustang manual. Second was an RX-7 manual.

Don’t have one now. Would like to buy a weekender car with one again. They were fun.

 

[TailgateTom]

My first car was a little 5 speed S-10. Had a lot of fun in that truck! Ironically, my oldest recently purchased an old 5 speed Ranger from the City to beat the piss out of. Had my truck in the shop last week and drove that little Ranger for a couple days. Didn't kill it once!

Edit: You can't hardly find manual transmissions anymore. Why is that?

 

[hawkirugged17]

 

[goldmom]

The way traffic has increased here in FL (and around the country really) driving a manual transmission would be a very big PITA for most of us.

 

[ConvenientParking]

And if you can, do you? My dad is a car guy, so I learned when I was 14 to drive a stick. And I've had a manual vehicle most of the time ever since. There's a certain satisfaction to be found in rowing your own gears.

No, but I know a lot of people who can and based on knowing them I think I could mostly figure it out within an hour. For example, I know you're supposed to turn your wheel toward/away from curb when you park on a hill because of parking gear/brake issue even though I don't understand it. Kinda how I feel about semiauto rifles too.

 

[ISUBryceC]

I have owned two vehicles with a stick so I’ve driven them plenty. I can’t imagine wanting to ever drive one again. But if I never had to drive again at all I’d love it. Bring on the self driving vehicles.

 

[ISUBryceC]

Of course. And I've taught everyone in my household. It's an important skill if for nothing more than to understand how a car / drive train work. I own a lot of vehicles - three of which are manuals. It's getting harder and harder to come by for new ones though. A shame.

Honest question why is it important?

 

[ConvenientParking]

I have owned two vehicles with a stick so I’ve driven them plenty. I can’t imagine wanting to ever drive one again. But if I never had to drive again at all I’d love it. Bring on the self driving vehicles.

Same reason we teach cursive still? Some of these nerds are going to be studying the ancient scribbles one day soon.

 

[ISUBryceC]

Same reason we teach cursive still? Some of these nerds are going to be studying the ancient scribbles one day soon.

We don’t teach cursive in my kids’ schools.

 

[ConvenientParking]

We don’t teach cursive in my kids’ schools.

Got me there. I got nothing for you

 

[Hawki97]

Honest question why is it important?

Because I believe it’s important to have a basic understanding of how the things you use everyday in the world around you work. Manually engaging a clutch and shifting through the gears enables that over a mindless automatic. To what extent could be argued but IMHO it gets the mind turning which is a good thing .

I understand those that are fine being blissfully unaware though.

 

[FormerlyCyberCy]

I learned to shift a motorcycle as a kid and it completely translated to a car. I taught my wife in the Hilton Colosseum parking lot and she prefers a manual transmission, although both our vehicles are now automatic.

We have had a total of eight manual transmission vehicles. Three Volkswagens (1969 fastback and two Passats), three Chevys (Nova, Camaro, Citation), a Grand Am, and an F-150.

Manual transmissions are great at keeping your brain focused on driving. The new CVT transmissions are more efficient than manuals, so no gas saving advantage to buying one. They are getting hard to come by and even harder to sell.

 

[ISUBryceC]

Because I believe it’s important to have a basic understanding of how the things you use everyday in the world around you work. Manually engaging a clutch and shifting through the gears enables that over a mindless automatic. To what extent could be argued but IMHO it gets the mind turning which is a good thing .

I understand those that are fine being blissfully unaware though.

I guess if I’m being honest I don’t really know how transmissions work at all even having driven manuals. I mean I understand gears shifting but what that is doing I really can’t say.

Plus with EV’s it’s possible my kids may never drive a vehicle that shifts, which is kind of crazy when you think about it.

 

[Rifler]

Every vehicle I've owned except for one has been manual, and the two vehicles I currently drive are both manual,.. In the process of looking at new wheels and I can see that I'm probably going to have to switch gears on that approach,.. Manual transmissions are hard to find anymore.

 

[billanole]

.

My first experience driving a manual transmission was during my 2nd year at FSU; I'd taken a knee to the face in a collision in an IM soccer game, had a couple of loose teeth that needed a root canal, and the oral surgeon was on the far side of town from campus. I didn't have a car, the guy who was supposed to bring me no-showed, and I happened to catch a fraternity brother on the way to class. He tossed me the keys to his sports car, and off I went.
As my fellow Noles can attest, Tally is not a good place to learn how to drive a stick; it's damn hilly. I had the misfortune to have to stop at the redlight at the corner of Tennessee & Bronough (by the old, round Holiday Inn - the steepest hill on that stretch of road)...then have a $%^!%^$$^ TalTran Bus come right up behind me, pulling up close because obviously anyone in that sports car was coming off the light quick. I stalled it out a couple of times, then damn near got whiplash as I finally got going. Was far more careful the rest of the way to slow down & time lights to avoid stopping.
By the time I got there I'd gotten the hang of it, and hauled ass on the way home, face still numb from novacaine & high on painkillers. Not sure why the doctors office let me drive, nor why Chuck let me drive his damn car knowing I was going for a root canal.
First car I bought after college was a stick, a Subaru XT Turbo coupe; loved driving it & taught my now-wife how to drive a manual with it. That's the last manual vehicle I've owned.

That’s the spirit! Sea is a man of many adventures.