Can You Drive a Manual Transmission?

Me too. But I ain't above driving a manual transmission.

 

Oh mine laid all the rubber you cared to lay. The STS Northstar comes on like gangbusters.

 

Well I would love to see that.... They (at least most) already have 8 bangers if you're into the classics (70's)...

Back when I was young and stupid I raced many caddy's... My Caprice police package blew the Caddy's out of the water - well I destroyed many cars when I would drag race them....

 

I don't know. I can ride a motorcycle. Would that help me?

 

Caddy finally came out with a speed car. Mine tops at 150 mph I believe.

 

I've had past Stick Shift cars, and loved them much .....until I hit the traffic jam. Those are tough.

 

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Caddy's had a speed car for decades. The Allante was a world class sports car and even the Biarrittz could get up there. American luxury cars were always known for being powerful, though the handling wasn't good.

 

I drive a 6 speed manual; wouldn't have it any other way. I feel it gives you more control over the vehicle, especially when driving in the snow which we get a fair amount of during the winter months. I rarely ever have to use the brakes when going down a hill in the snow or when coming to a stop sign or traffic light, instead doing a steady down shift to first gear. My last vehicle had close to 100,000 miles on it and I only replaced the pads at 65,000 miles.

 

It was exactly that that made me go automatic - such a traffic jam it was . . . I must've depressed the clutch pedal literally hundreds of times before getting back on an open road.

 

I prefer a manual transmission over an Automatic transmission, an Automatic adds more heat to the engine and is more failure prone as opposed to a manual transmission, also, in slippery conditions, a manual transmission provides better handling as you can downshift and regain Control and you can roll start a manual transmission if your battery is dead.

I was in a Foreign country at a car wash, there was a Peugeot with a column shift manual transmission, the car wash people couldn't drive it, I offered to move it around, and parked it for them, as thanks, they washed and detailed my car free of charge.

I always preferred manual transmissions over Automatics.

 

Cadillac had garbage models too, the Northstar for instance, handling can easily be improved by upgrading front end components, hence why I like Camaro, the poor man's Sport car, you can improve handling to a great degree rather inexpensively.

 

The only problem is the STS Northstar engine is a disposable engine, once it overheats, thats it !
It can't be repaired, I am not too fond of it's FWD transmission either.

 

In the UK people are seen as 2nd class drivers if they can only drive an automatic. We even have an "automatic only" driving test.

Automatics are shocking for a number of reasons, the biggest one being cornering.

 

Downshifting without rev-matching is hard on the clutch and causes drive line shock. Your brake pads will last longer, but I'm curious how long your clutch lasted?

 

If it has a clutch and you have to shift gears manually, then yes it is similar. The only differences are the pedal and shifter placement.

 

Also, being stuck on a hill at a red light with a car right on your rear bumper.

 

I've never had to, but if someone was that close, I'd use the handbrake. For some reason, the times when someone does pull right up behind me on a steep hill are the times when I roll back the least.

 

Yes !

A well adjusted E-Brake the hand type or the hold button on Air Brake trucks is important to stop from rolling back into some idiot that hugs your rear bumper, you apply the Brake and release it once you are in low gear and letting off the clutch, it takes a bit of finesse to not stall out a gasoline engine, a Diesel fares better low end torque as far as not stalling out in low RPMs.

Sometimes I adjust my route and travel times to avoid hills and other traffic situations whenever at all possible.

 

I have learned that, when driving in heavy traffic, not driving exactly as I would in an automatic helps a TON. Instead of creeping up six feet whenever the person in front of me rolls forward, I just sit there in neutral with my foot off the clutch. When traffic does start to roll, I idle along in 1st or 2nd until everyone in front of me stops, then I pull up to a stop right behind the person in front of me. If you try to roll forward short distances whenever the person in front of you does, and when you lunge forward (instead of slowly idling forward) once traffic does start to move, you'll tire of driving a manual much more quickly because you'll end up using the clutch far too much!

 

My last jeep was a 2011 which I traded in for a 2015. No clutch issues with that model which had close to 60k mileage. I've been driving Jeeps since 1980 and only with the first CJ-7 did I ever have to have the clutch replaced. I think a lot of it has to do with technique (I slowly let the clutch out while down shifting) which for me i've mastered and hence, no clutch issues.

 

I learned to drive a 1932 Dodge truck that had a reverse lever. What fun.

 

I drive one everyday, even in traffic. I wish my other vehicle had a manual, as well (would be tough in certain offroad environments, though).

 

I found that by leaving a space cushion between me and the vehicle in front of me by several car lengths, that I can creep forward slowly, so if there are vehicles behind me, I have room to move forward, makes things easier.

 

I first learned how to drive with a manual tranny when I was 14 years old.I have had various trucks and cars with a manual tranny over the years My current truck has a manual tranny,and when pulling my boat,i do like having a manual better. now with that said,i'm having trouble with my left knee,and will be getting a new truck next spring. It will have a auto tranny in it.

 

Then, yes, I can drive a manual transmission. Cool. I didn't know that about myself.