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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Car Talk / 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars (5097 Views)
Notable Differences Between Manual Cars And Automatic Cars / 5 Things You Shouldn’t Do When Driving A Manual Car. / How Hard Is It To Drive A Manual Car In Lagos (2) (3) (4)
20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 12:04pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
Do you remember when you first learned how to drive stick shift? We sure do! It was a magical time, coupled with a moment of triumph when you realized that you could hop in and take off. Do you remember practicing at every stop, priding yourself on a flawless, smooth start? Do you remember how it felt while accelerating hard to throw it into 3rd and feel the speed gather around you? The fact is, if you ever learned how to drive stick, you have experienced these sublime memories 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars 1) So You Know How to Do It When Abroad If you’re reading this and you’re in North America, driving a manual is weird. But in most countries, it’s commonplace. If your own car is a manual, driving abroad is the same. Even if the car is right-hand drive, the gearbox and pedal setup are the exact same. Plus, if you ever run The Amazing Race, you’ll be prepared. No losing the million bucks just because you can’t get into first gear. 2) Better Fuel Economy You get better MPG’s simply by driving a stick. The transmission weighs less (weight savings = fuel savings), you go into neutral between shifts (little fuel used), and you can coast to stops. 3) The Self-Starting Car! Have a weak battery and don’t want to replace it?? No problem! Just park atop a hill and give the car a rolling start. Then pop it into gear and kablamo, your car runs! Just remember to always park on top of a hill. P.S. this will get old quickly so buy a new battery. I hear Costco batteries are fantastic. 4) Keeps You from Dying You’re feet move and your arms move so you don’t get cramped up and develop blood clots and die. Okay, that’s a little extreme. But honestly, it’s good to keep your limbs from going limp. 5) Cheaper to Buy We all know most people looooovvvveee paying for convenience. So people will pay out the nose for an automatic. Luckily for us, that makes manuals cheaper. Thousands cheaper if you’re buying a new vehicle. Don’t do that though. But on the secondhand market, there’s still a difference in price. 6) Cheaper to Maintain Oh, how I enjoy saving money. A manual transmission not only takes less fluid, it doesn’t require an expensive gasket and filter kit. It’s also easier to replace the fluid in a stick. So, this is a big win-win as tranny fluid can be freaking expensive. The fluid for my car was $12/quart (after price shopping, of course). The car needed 6 of them! It was stupid because the car takes 5.1 quarts. Dang you, Mitsubishi! 7) Repairs are Cheaper A manual transmission is cheaper to build, thus cheaper to fix. I can pull the manual transmission out of my car in an afternoon. Can’t say that about an auto. Less time = less money. Also, a replacement transmission if needed will be way less. Car is Faster With an automatic, there’s a huge loss in power when converting the energy to an auto tranny. So while the engine is the same between a manual and auto, a manual will give you more power. By driving a manual, the ‘15% rule’ is usually used. A manual will net you 15% more horsepower than an auto. 9) Thieves Get Confused Because manuals aren’t commonplace anymore, young thieves don’t know how to drive them. Heck, most people in America don’t know how. They’ll either pass or try to drive your car, fail, and run away. 10) Sticks are Cool! Driving a stick shift is cool! It’s an acquired skill. Some people use techniques such as ‘heel toeing‘ and really make shifting into an art. Anyone can drive an auto. Which, funny enough, I guess in Britain the only people who drive auto’s are the disabled and the elderly. Makes sense. 11) For Fun! Drifting your car is so much easier. By increasing power, reducing weight, you selecting the gear instead of a computer… it is a lot more fun to drive. 12) No One Wants to Borrow Your Car Remember when I said thieves don’t know how to drive a manual? Well if some bum wants to borrow your car, you don’t have to say no, just tell them it’s a manual. I used this trick just a few weeks ago. I didn’t have to tell this guy ‘no’, I just had to say, “It’s a manual… so…” 13) Engine Braking If you need to stop quickly, downshift while hitting the brakes. This will slow you down much faster than just hitting the brakes like in an auto. Safety, first! I mean… 13th. 14) Develop a Skill Some people take great pride in driving a manual. After all, it is a skill. Anytime I can add a skill to my portfolio, it’s a good day. 15) Longer Transmission Life Generally speaking, the life of a manual transmission is greater than that of an auto. Most autos seem to go out before 200k. 16) Safer, Easier Mountain Driving When you drive an auto through the mountains, it has a hard time understanding what gear is appropriate. How my mountain driving goes in an auto: “You’re failing at life, auto transmission. You don’t know when to shift! You don’t have eyes! You just shifted and there’s a big mountain ahead. What now, gearbox! You’re torturing yourself! Time to downshift, once again!” Yeah, I get bored sometimes when I drive… Even with the ‘overdrive off’ button most auto’s have, your auto still goes through hell trying to guess the appropriate gear. In a manual car, you can see what’s down the road and shift appropriately. When an auto shifts up and down over and over, it’s decreasing its life. It’s committing slowly killing itself. No fun. Plus, engine braking is really helpful when descending a mountain. Overheating your brakes in an auto is dangerous and expensive. 17) No Computer Telling You It Knows Better (Forget you, HAL!) I used to drive my parents’ old Oldsmobile 98 as my beater car. It was so annoying because a lot of speed limits in Nebraska are 45 mph. The car was an auto. It shifted into top gear at 46mph. So either I could speed or I could force a downshift by driving 45 mph and burn a lot of fuel being on the top of the rev limit. Not cool, auto. 18) Respect When you do take the car to the shop, the employees will know you probably sought out a manual. It shows you care about what you drive. They will probably have more respect for you and the car. 19) No Sleepy After you drive a stick for awhile, it’s just as easy as an auto. But it still requires movement. Therefore, it’s harder to fall asleep while driving. But this of course doesn’t apply to highway driving since you’ll just remain in top gear. 20) Patience, Young Grasshopper You may consider this a negative but I assure you it’s a positive! Driving a stick teaches you patience! Since they are more rare, you have to spend more time looking for one. I looked at dozens of Eclipses online before I found my manual. So of course I knew the market up-down-left-right! But keep in mind, I used the ‘use patience, not time‘ strategy so it’s not like I wasted countless hours searching for my princess. Her name is Izzy, btw. I’ll write a post about my ninja-like negotiating tactics in the future. Actually, they’re more grandma-like… I’ll explain later. In all fairness, I thought I would compile a list of why automatic transmissions are better. But that was hard. All I could think of is an auto is the ‘easier’ alternative. But then again, who wants to go through life doing things just because they are easy? http://firstquarterfinance.com/manual-cars/ 1 Like
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Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by redvektor(m): 12:06pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
f 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by ayogabriel: 12:09pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
Haa too long a list. I still love manual, sha 5 Likes 1 Share
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Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by agoadiv(m): 12:11pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
I reject this IJN AMEN 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by marshalcarter: 12:13pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
OP....I need a car of 30 or 40k Maybe...starlet or corolla |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 12:48pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
ayogabriel: Do you remember when you first learned how to drive stick shift? We sure do! It was a magical time, coupled with a moment of triumph when you realized that you could hop in and take off. Do you remember practicing at every stop, priding yourself on a flawless, smooth start? Do you remember how it felt while accelerating hard to throw it into 3rd and feel the speed gather around you? The fact is, if you ever learned how to drive stick, you have experienced these sublime memories 2 Likes |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 12:49pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
marshalcarter: BUY VW BETTLE 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by uboma(m): 1:03pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
I agree with your points except that of number 8 @op. Some automatic cars these days runs faster than their counter-parts. 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by edward1984(m): 1:19pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
Nice Thread 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by ogawisdom(m): 2:38pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
Op at least u put source this time around |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by Nobody: 3:38pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
uboma:He is saying that the manual of the same car is faster than the auto and I agree with it. 4 Likes |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by ayogabriel: 3:57pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
tonychristopher: Bro your head is there, people that learnt with manual are better drivers. Fighting with clush, to moving and manipulating the trottle to have a smooth takeoff was hell but after mastering it, it became an art, it wasn't for boys, manual is like keeping beards, patience, persistent, caution, not also forgetting the side mirrors to worry about. I didn't taste automatic for 4 yrs I started driving, Manual is still the best. 2 Likes |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by marshalcarter: 4:43pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
tonychristopher:Na so you hate me reach |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by uboma(m): 5:04pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
chibabe3: That statement is partially true |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 7:19pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
ogawisdom: at least I am learning well lol where is Siena my man ..I hope he will agree with me here ..I admire his submission though |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 7:20pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
uboma:tell us your view on the partiality |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by cardoctor(m): 8:00pm On Jul 10, 2015 |
Aside from a stick shift car being cheaper to buy and maintain, its the real driver's car. It engages you in every way. More fun, if you have plenty of power under the hood to play with. Car-Doctor |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by YoungHustler: 4:12am On Jul 11, 2015 |
Just learnt something new today |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by Lagusta(m): 5:46am On Jul 11, 2015 |
I'm really missing my manual shit.... |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by luvinhubby(m): 6:50am On Jul 11, 2015 |
agoadiv:For what nahh ?? |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by Nobody: 1:51pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
A manual gearbox will always be my choice. More fun, more engaging, more challenging. I feel more "connected" to the car, and the road. Of course, in some models, manuals don't exist. My 2006 Audi A8 4.2 V8 TDI Quattro is a 6-speed Tiptronic, it can be driven in manual mode, but without a clutch pedal to make your feet dance to, it's not the same. It is worth noting though, that some of today's automatics, especially the twin-clutch variety ARE quicker than the manual in the SAME car, and better on fuel too. These are not enough to move me from the MANUAL camp, where I shall remain. Both my project Audi's will be running purpose-built 6-speed manual gearboxes. 4 Likes 1 Share |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by Exqwizit(m): 2:17pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
When you drive a manual gear car, you know wht it means to be in ABSULUTE control! |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 4:00pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
Siena: I drive a Benz lately and its automatic and to be honest the taking off is a bit sluggish but if it's picks its faster and I notice that Benz auto gear selection is faster than that of automatic in jap I think if I had that c class compressor in stick drive a whole lot would be achieved ...but I give it to Benz in handling this is more reason speedsters and race cars come in manual transmission I love this submission 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 4:02pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
Exqwizit: in automatic the car drives you in manual you drive the car that's just the way it is 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by 9icetoo(m): 5:00pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
tonychristopher:Did you read Sienas bit on dual clutch trans being faster and more economical than manuals? Do you think a jap equipped with a dual clutch auto setup will not dust that your benz? Do you know that auto makers employ certain gear ratios to achieve certain objectives. Some gears are geared for fuel economy while some are geared for performance while others are geared for towing. In drag racing, where the driver has no time to change gears, automatics win all the time. Automatics have come a long way. They are no longer the slush boxes my father warned me against. |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 5:16pm On Jul 11, 2015 |
9icetoo: I did and I own a manual and auto so I try to a bit of comparison and I think your apt but personally speaking stick is it |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by DuchessLily(f): 3:54pm On Jul 12, 2015 |
@OP it seems u don't stay in Lagos, PH or area with a lot of traffic jam 1 Like |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by Nobody: 7:00pm On Jul 14, 2015 |
DuchessLily: Lily, Lagos and Port Harcourt are not the only cities in the world, with dense traffic. 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by DuchessLily(f): 7:06pm On Jul 14, 2015 |
Siena: I Knw that sir, the reason I wrote "......or area with a lot of traffic jam" 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 9:05pm On Jul 14, 2015 |
DuchessLily: driving manual in traffic isn't stressful all you have to do is learn how to engage your gear 1 and use clutch ...if your car is in the right gear it moves without the engine been revved and that is talent my darling ..it takes years if expertise I am even teaching my 10yr old how to drive auto ....but manual is sweet only if you understand it it's like making love to a lady ..you have to understand how and where to touch her so is manual ..you have to know how to engage and disengage the gears |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by eherbal(m): 10:39pm On Jul 14, 2015 |
The edge my Honda Bullet 1.8 litre engine has over other 2.0 automatic brand is the ability to rev the manual gear Up to 75kmph on 2nd gear. You need to feel The power. It's unexplainable.! I've taken out corollas, camrys, especially the legendary pencil light ,easily, easily in traffics and drag races. Some peeps back out cause they can't risk burning their auto gear box which cost an arm and a testicle #teamstickforlife |
Re: 20 Reasons We Should All Drive Manual Cars by tonychristopher: 12:40am On Jul 15, 2015 |
eherbal: when I specify that manual is my thing ... people will feel I am odd but u proved me that I am not what of engine breaking 1 Like |
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