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Can you drive a stick shift car?
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Ah ok, I was unsure off the top of my head.
Yes, a DCT might make a car like a ZR1 slightly faster, but will remove 100% of the fun.
Thread revival time!
So, unfortunately, I drive stick now (my parents car...), which pretty much means that when I move and buy a car I'm not going to settle for an automatic. I've been spoiled getting to drive a manual. Driving stick is just way too fun, especially out in the country. Maybe I just need to move to a big trafficky city to break me of my love for stick...
Nah!
So, unfortunately, I drive stick now (my parents car...), which pretty much means that when I move and buy a car I'm not going to settle for an automatic. I've been spoiled getting to drive a manual. Driving stick is just way too fun, especially out in the country. Maybe I just need to move to a big trafficky city to break me of my love for stick...
Nah!
Thread revival time!
So, unfortunately, I drive stick now (my parents car...), which pretty much means that when I move and buy a car I'm not going to settle for an automatic. I've been spoiled getting to drive a manual. Driving stick is just way too fun, especially out in the country. Maybe I just need to move to a big trafficky city to break me of my love for stick...
Nah!
NYC to Long Island during rush hour, 1 day.
I can drive it, not very well. My friend taught me in his car. I have no desire to have a manual car, shifting would be too annoying.
I always knew how, but I've been buying automatic cars for a pretty long time. I might go back because right now I want a manual BMW because I'm pretty sure Mercedes, the preferred brand of Steve Jobs, has no manual offerings. Besides, Steve had a BMW bike before. This minivan is good for hauling but without kids it's useless to drive someting with 2 rear screens and a blu ray player so it's going in storage all the way up in WA at my mom's place when the BMW is mine because i only have one parking spot.
Learnt and passed my test with a manual Ford but haven't driven one in a decade.
Tried to help my gf park her manual bmw recently but kept stalling. Felt like an emasculated idiot and just handed the keys back to her and offered to direct her instead.
Tried to help my gf park her manual bmw recently but kept stalling. Felt like an emasculated idiot and just handed the keys back to her and offered to direct her instead.
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Driving stick is just way too fun, especially out in the country. Maybe I just need to move to a big trafficky city to break me of my love for stick...
Nah!
Yeah, or commute traffic or a city like SF. Personally, I want nothing to do with manual transmission anymore, not even if I owned a performance car.
I'm surprised no car company has made a dual-clutch automated manual that instead of something like paddle shifters uses a regular H-pattern shifter that simply needs no clutch to operate with a dedicated spot (with a push on the handle or whatever) for "automatic" mode when you don't feel like shifting.
In other words, instead of tap shifting a paddle, you would just select whatever gear you want directly like a regular manual using the traditional manual H-pattern. You just wouldn't need a clutch to do so. And because it is a computer controlled system, it could still run in automatic in traffic jams or whatever/whenever you don't feel like shifting for some reason. Ultimately, it would feel more like a true manual (i.e. I don't like sequential paddle shifting much personally) and yet still offer automatic modes for "those kind of days."
Personally, losing the clutch would still fee a beat like cheating, but I'd be a hell of a lot happier with say a Dodge Charger that had an H-shift selector than a a paddle shifter even if I couldn't get a full manual (you can't right now). Similarly, Mitsubishi stopped offering true manuals on their Lancer Evolutions, so why don't they offer a H-stick selector as an option for those that would still like to row through the gears, at least. Tapping through just isn't the same.
In other words, instead of tap shifting a paddle, you would just select whatever gear you want directly like a regular manual using the traditional manual H-pattern. You just wouldn't need a clutch to do so. And because it is a computer controlled system, it could still run in automatic in traffic jams or whatever/whenever you don't feel like shifting for some reason. Ultimately, it would feel more like a true manual (i.e. I don't like sequential paddle shifting much personally) and yet still offer automatic modes for "those kind of days."
Personally, losing the clutch would still fee a beat like cheating, but I'd be a hell of a lot happier with say a Dodge Charger that had an H-shift selector than a a paddle shifter even if I couldn't get a full manual (you can't right now). Similarly, Mitsubishi stopped offering true manuals on their Lancer Evolutions, so why don't they offer a H-stick selector as an option for those that would still like to row through the gears, at least. Tapping through just isn't the same.
I don't have driving experience with the double clutch systems, but as far as I know, they are essentially sequential gear boxes, like in motorcycles. So when you change gears, you can only switch to the next higher/lower gear. On the other hand, in a classic manual car gear box, once you have disengaged one gear, you can choose any of the other gears. In principle, you could go directly from 1st to 6th in a manual car, completely bypassing the 4 stages between.
This is not possible with a sequential gear box, so having a up/down paddle system is natural choice in this case. If you were installing a H-scheme stick, your gearbox still would need to cycle through all the gears between.
Back in my day's of learning, they only had sticks! I prefer one, but don't drive at the moment on medical advice, but that may change...If I do get the okay, It'll be an auto due to my legs, but the fuel figures these day's aren't too bad...used to be that the old auto's wouldn't pass a gas station.
This. The only benefit it would give you is not having to hit the paddle multiple times. If you were to shift from 6th to 3rd, it would still have to go through 5th and 4th.
Also, DCTs are lightning quick on shifts because they can anticipate what gear you're going in to next and have that gear ready to go on the other clutch. If you're accelerating in 3rd gear, it can safely assume you're going to 4th next and have it engaged, so when it upshifts, it only has to switch switch power to the other clutch. If you had the ability to go directly from 3rd to 5th, the shift would be a lot slower, because one clutch operates the odd numbered gears and another the evens. So that clutch would have to disengage 3rd and engage 5th. You're really losing the benefit of the DCT.
I don't have much DCT driving experience, just a short test drive around the block in a DSG-equipped VW GTI years ago before I bought a manual GTI, but from what I've heard, DCTs are great when you do what they think you're going to do. But they can be a bit sluggish on the shifts when you go to a gear it's not anticipating. It might still be faster than your average driver in a manual, or a traditional auto. But if you have a transmission that can shift in a fraction of the time it takes to blink your eye, might as well use it to it's full potential, right?
Learned on a manual and first 3 cars I owned were stick shift. Sadly, the transition to married/family life eliminated this option as my wife hates using a manual. Also, here in the US, the stick shift is going the way of the dodo and is now rarely even an option on new cars--definitely not on larger SUVs and minivans (need 3 rows for the kids ).
).
Learned to drive manual in valet parking many years ago. Yup, that's what valets do sometimes, don't give them your car!
My first car was an auto (not by choice) but after that all have been manual from 1998 on. I don't do automatic. It just puts me to sleep. Plus I tend to buy sporty cars. In fact, out of last 3 cars I had 2 were never offered with automatic and one is rare with it.
My first car was an auto (not by choice) but after that all have been manual from 1998 on. I don't do automatic. It just puts me to sleep. Plus I tend to buy sporty cars. In fact, out of last 3 cars I had 2 were never offered with automatic and one is rare with it.
Crazy that so many of our American friends have only driven automatic automobiles (cars over this side of the pond)
The only time I've driven autos is holiday rentals when a manual wasn't available. So much more engaging driving a manual, although cruise control is nice when on a long motorway journey.
Remember going for the door handle a few times when I first got my Lancia Delta (LHD) but it doesn't take long to get used too!
The only time I've driven autos is holiday rentals when a manual wasn't available. So much more engaging driving a manual, although cruise control is nice when on a long motorway journey.
Remember going for the door handle a few times when I first got my Lancia Delta (LHD) but it doesn't take long to get used too!
Crazy that so many of our American friends have only driven automatic automobiles (cars over this side of the pond)
The only time I've driven autos is holiday rentals when a manual wasn't available. So much more engaging driving a manual, although cruise control is nice when on a long motorway journey.
Remember going for the door handle a few times when I first got my Lancia Delta (LHD) but it doesn't take long to get used too!
Manuals can be equipped with cruise control. Sure, it's not going to accelerate you from 25mph to 70mph like it could in an auto, but it works great if you just need to maintain highway speeds. The manual VW GTI I used to own had cruise control and the MT Subaru WRX I just ordered will have it.
I was going to say that I can as well, until I saw the second post. Guess I can add another shift type to the list, non-synchronous transmissions. Over the past ten+ years I've been helping my grandfather with farm work. He has this really nice old Oliver 550 with a non-synchronous manual transmission with 6 forward and two reverse gears. The thing is geared by design so that you can always start out in any gear. The manual even strictly states to never shift while in motion. My grandfather was never one to read manuals. He says "It shifts just like an old Ford model AA. You have to match the revs." Because of that, I can now match the revs on a farm tractor (not easy with its simple throttle control, but at least it has a tachometer) and shift on the fly and presumably drive a Ford model AA. I had better not regret this in 30 years time after I inherit that tractor and its 80 year old transmission needs rebuilt...
That's actually what I meant! I've got it on my manual Volvo V70 and it's great on the motorway with the cruise control set.
I was taught how to drive on a stick when I was 14. I'm not sure I could still do it. I think it would definitely take some training and patience...
And a few burned clutches. LOL
And a few burned clutches. LOL