Why is driving stick a sign of one's manhood?

[OS]

I don't get it? I'm probably going to get a new car soon, and I can't decide between auto/stick. Was leaning towards autos cause they are easier to resell. But then you become a pansy wuss for driving an auto. I can/have driven a stick, but I'm not used to it. It does save me a thousand bucks though.

Also, people say stick is faster than auto, but is that because the transmission is truly more efficient or because of the weight savings? Like on the civic, the AT version is 50 pounds heavier than the MT, so that makes me wonder if the speed advantage is mainly because of the weight savings and not the efficiency of the gearbox.

 

[The Stigenator]

to me yes..

Edit:

I have been driving stick for years.. and therefore I prefer it. However you live in LA.. and if you can deal with bumper to bumper traffic and the constant in and out of the clutch.. well then good...

However if you cant deal with that get an automatic. If your driving mostly rush hour, you might want to consider a auto.. I can drive rushhour with stick no problems, just letting the car pull itself along in 1st gear, but the problem is if its really touch and go.. that is where I prefer auto.

Stick usualy has more control over terrain, especially things like snow and other stuff. A good auto now a days can catch up with a stick. Most sticks you can downshift and get teh additional power auto's (bad ones) hold the gear down or wont down shift unless you really put your feet on teh ground.

Personally I like stick, but I wouldnt mind an auto once in a while. Helps when you got a gf and in heavy traffic you can hold her hand, you cant on a stick..

Same goes for eating and driving, its a circus act to eat and drive on a stick.. with an auto its easy.

 

[Sluggo]

<< Also, people say stick is faster than auto >>



People also claim to have been abducted by aliens.

Buy whatever you wanna drive, quit giving a crap what other people think.

Besides everyone knows that the real sign of a man is the size of his SUV.

 

[Kjazlaw]

you get better gas mileage with a manual too. heckuva lot more fun too... driving a slushbox gets boring sometimes.

 

[Passions]

go ahead and drive auto....girrrrrly man~!~~~

 

[OS]

lol, girly man

Yeah actually this is going to be mainly a commuter car and I will be stuck in traffic ALOT I should add.

 

[Maetryx]

Maetryx here,

Men like big long sticks with knobby round ends.

 

[Moonbeam]

I'll let others be the men. I'm an automatic kind a creampuff. I use one hand for coffee and hate having to shift clutch in traffic jams on the freeway. What a MAN I am. Did you see how I closed that six foot gap that keeps opening between me and the car ahead. Ah, just to let my foot off the break a bit and let the car creep forward. It's just heaven. Besides my Rolls doesn't come with stick.

 

[WasabiCat]

maybe you should get one of those autosticks... switch between auto and manual on the fly
but it's not REAL manual.. definitely not as manly

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Stick is more fun.
You have more control when you want your car to do what you want it to do - there's always that play in the throttle vs. speed in an auto cause the drivetrain is never directly connected (unless your torque converter automatically engages for direct drive, but that's not till higher speeds, right?)...also you get better gas milage with a stick. I notice my brother's stick runs at 100-300 rpms slower than the auto I drive (90 accord vs. 92 accord) - course the engines I'm sure are a bit different...he gets a noticable amount better milage, probably anywhere from 60-100 more miles to the tank...maybe I drive harder?

 

[deejayshakur]

autosticks are gay. i tried them on my friend's 328 and TL. definitely go stick... heck, i'm even gonna teach my girl to drive it this summer. plus, the best sports cars only come in stick.

 

[OS]

Well, a civic isn't a sports car though Nor do they come in autosticks.

 

[Sluggo]

Expanding my thought a bit.

Having driven both I prefer automatics. I had a ton of fun driving my '79 Trans Am 400 4Sp many years ago, I also had my share of replacing clutches and throw-out bearings. I have lain on my back for a week with a 300lb transmission precariously balanced on a floor jack above my head, while I figured out how to get a pilot bushing out of a flywheel. I have spilled drinks in my lap, wore out my leg in traffic, spend a fortune trying to get the &quot;slop&quot; out of the shifter and even fell for the &quot;you get more control on snow and ice&quot; argument. For the record, most newer autos do start in 2nd if you put the shift lever in 2 (or offer some sort of cold weather higher gear start method.) I am still amazed at all the &quot;real men&quot; who grind the fvck out of reverse because they have not figured out that slipping the car into 1st synchronizes the gears and enables you to slip ito reverse with no grinding.

The majority of the people here preaching buy a stick dont even have a license, and have never almost pissed their pants because they were sitting in traffic after 1 too many cups of coffee, having to move their leg so much shifting. For pleasure driving, sticks are great fun, for everyday driving autos are much more convenient, and less taxing on you. And next time you happen to look at the NADA book, always remember the notation: Deduct $xxx for manual transmission.

 

[OS]

Geesh Sluggo, your post almost makes me want to finalize getting an auto

Yeah I mean I've driven a stick integra GS-R and I don't think stick is that big a plus.

 

[Cooltech2k]

I Perfer Standard... But thats cause I have more control over the vehichle &amp; For some reason I Tend to get less tickets...

 

[ThisIsMatt]

OS - so get an automatic. No biggie, I drive one every day, but I enjoy driving a stick (cruised around with a friend in his '67 Volvo today...the body is 4 different shades of primer, patched with bondo, and still covered in rust spots not fixed...some girls in Pismo Beach were yelling &quot;I love your car!!&quot; It was pretty fun...ahhh, but I digress ). I find a stick more responsive to the gas pedal, and I like having something for my left leg to do

 

[stonerdave]

ha, ditto what moonbeam said. automatics &amp; fast food are a match made in heaven.

 

[OS]

yeah probably get an auto now. I mean having a stick is great for a weekend car, but this car is the one that's going to grind out that stop and go traffic that lasts for over an hour.

 

[PCResources]

I have a tiptronic gearbox on my car, so i have a choice, and i always drive manual (it is not really manual, it is just a manual controlled automatic.. hmmm..)...

Manual is for the people who enjoy driving, automatic is for those who just want the car to get from one place to another.

Patrick

 

[atom]

I hear you. I have a manual but I don't think there has been one time I have not said &quot;What I would do for an auto tranny right now.&quot; while sitting in rush hour traffic.

 

[OS]

<< I have a tiptronic gearbox on my car >>



Which only comes on late model Porsches :Q



<< I hear you. I have a manual but I don't think there has been one time I have not said &quot;What I would do for an auto tranny right now.&quot; while sitting in rush hour traffic >>



Nail in the coffin!

 

[Thegonagle]

I prefer a stick. But I had an auto in one of my cars. It was OK most of the time. I got pretty good at controlling it with both my foot and by manually shifting it. I was only frustrated on occasion when I couldn?t make it do what I would normally do with a stick.

Manuals get better mileage and acceleration because they are more mechanically efficient. It takes several HP just to pressurize the hydraulics that run the transmission, and the drive train is not directly connected to the engine, except while cruising at a steady speed in third or fourth gear, so there is a lot of ?slippage? during normal driving.

Get what you like. I like manuals because I like the additional control and efficiency. But there?s nothing wrong if you prefer an auto for commuting.

 

[Jokeram]

What do you do with your left leg if you have an auto? I will never be able to get used to that... have always driven manuals. It gives me control over the car and the acceleration too.. more over the mileage is also a lot better. I haven't driven an automatic in a long with so can't comment on the newer ones.

I prefer a stick in rush our traffic as it gives me the control and power to dart in and out

 

[beat mania]

you don't even know what the car is doing with an automatic!

 

[PCResources]

<< Which only comes on late model Porsches >>



No, that is not correct, my tiptronic is seated in a pretty old Porche, the 959...

BUT, it can also be found in Audis....

Patrick