Yeah I love owning an old car. I know it's a cliche, but you CAN actually work on them. It's OBDII, but other than that, as simple as it gets. I plan to hold onto it indefinitely.
Mine doesn't even have a radio or A/C anymore.
I have saved a couple of thousand in the last three years doing work on my 95 Saturn, Yay YouTube! Water pump, upper motor mount, belt tensioner and belt, and front Struts. Tranny was doing some weirdness. Old mechanic I know said to change the tranny filter and just the little amount of fluid that you lose taking the filter off. He said if you see any kinds of material chunks your losing your clutch, didn't see any. My Tire Kingdom guys, who have been very good to me, didn't want me to do it. Bad Ju Ju they said.
Well, about 500 miles later and neither issue has reappeared, (Didn't want to up-shift to 3rd when hot and seem like a little clutch slippage)
So far, so good.
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#4505210 - 01/28/2001:58 AMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
I've never owned a car with a manual but I've driven tons of them - and I'm on my eighth motorcycle, and I'm real sick of shifting those in town.
I'd never willingly choose a manual for a daily driver. But if I were doing anything on a track (or buying a supercar I could never afford) then manual all the way.
#4505244 - 01/28/2011:46 AMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
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Reading this entire thread has confirmed what I've always known about my car preferences. My car is purely used as a practical appliance to get me from point A to point B. The only driving I actually ENJOY is the driving I do in my PC racing sims.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4505252 - 01/28/2012:23 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 24,027oldgrognard Administrator
Panzer, we need to get you out of Miami and up-state for a while. An afternoon in either my Jag or Maserati would change your opinion.
Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4505253 - 01/28/2012:38 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
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Originally Posted by oldgrognard
Panzer, we need to get you out of Miami and up-state for a while. An afternoon in either my Jag or Maserati would change your opinion.
+1
I have no doubt that I would enjoy driving if I lived in a much less populated area.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4505260 - 01/28/2001:17 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 3,748RedOneAlpha
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RedOneAlpha
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LEGE
Yeah, FL is flat land ( I know ) so not to many curves. I live in the north of Spain now, a very mountain terrain heavy area with curves everywhere. In a enviroment like that, a automatic shift suffers alot, so best to go manual, most EU cars have manual shifts because of that.
Manual shift is not so good when your older, having to clutch with your feet is a bit of a pain. When we moved here to Spain my dad did buy a automatic shift BMW because he had issues with his leg.
But as for the driving experience overall, manual shift is alot of fun, automatic is boring...
Last edited by Red2112; 01/28/2001:21 PM.
Win10 Pro(x64), i7 8700k @ 4.7Ghz, 32GB ram DDR4, Sapphire Pulse AMD RX 6700 12GB, M.2 PCIe NVMe (x2) 480GB + 960GB, 447GB SSD´s, Samsung G6 32" , Logitech G13, G502, Warthog HOTAS, CH Pedals, Simagic Alpha Mini, and Formula Extreme FX, DC Simracing DC1 pedals, GT Omega ART cockpit, TrackIR 5.0. AUDIO: Aiyima A07 Max, Topping E50 and L50 stack, Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 , and Shennheiser HD 560s. DAP: Hiby R3, Hiby Seeds, and iBasso IT01, Sharp MD-MT 80H Minidisc.
#4505263 - 01/28/2001:54 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: RedOneAlpha]
Yeah, FL is flat land ( I know ) so not to many curves. I live in the north of Spain now, a very mountain terrain heavy area with curves everywhere. In a enviroment like that, a automatic shift suffers alot, so best to go manual, most EU cars have manual shifts because of that.
Manual shift is not so good when your older, having to clutch with your feet is a bit of a pain. When we moved here to Spain my dad did buy a automatic shift BMW because he had issues with his leg.
But as for the driving experience overall, manual shift is alot of fun, automatic is boring...
Reminds me of when dad had to go take his old timer driving test. He overheard one tester talking to another tester who had just returned from the driving test of an old timer. He had to fail the person because as the person had to lift his right leg off the gas peddle and over to the brake pedal.
There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB. The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed. There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4505265 - 01/28/2002:38 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: KraziKanuK]
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,961arthur666
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Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
Reminds me of when dad had to go take his old timer driving test. He overheard one tester talking to another tester who had just returned from the driving test of an old timer. He had to fail the person because as the person had to lift his right leg off the gas peddle and over to the brake pedal.
That sucks. There's always left foot braking though. I know they tell you not to. But it's a good skill for performance, edge-of-traction driving that also helped me out for day-to-day driving at one point. I didn't do it on the street until my right foot was in a cast. The said "no driving". For 2 months! I had no problem using the big gas pedal in my truck with the cast, but they were worried about braking, understandably. But I'm pretty comfortable using my left foot, even in a manual.
I still don't do it under normal conditions, but this guy makes some good points:
Originally Posted by Red2112
Yeah, FL is flat land ( I know ) so not to many curves. I live in the north of Spain now, a very mountain terrain heavy area with curves everywhere. In a enviroment like that, a automatic shift suffers alot, so best to go manual,...
...unless you don't know what you're doing! A friend was following me thru the mountains of NC several years ago. We were both in manual cars. We were driving up a steep, long hill, and I noticed she had fallen way behind, and a line of cars was behind her. She was driving a Mazda 626 with a V6, so should have had plenty of power. I pulled over to wait for her at the next gas station. "What's wrong with your car???!!!" She replied "Nothing, just a steep hill I guess. I mean, I had it in 5th gear and everything." I tried to tell her to try a lower gear, but she wasn't having it. Paraphrasing: "5th gear is the strongest gear, why would you use a LOWER gear going up a steep hill?" That poor car.
Last edited by arthur666; 01/28/2002:49 PM.
System Vitals: Intel i5 9600, RTX2060, 16GB DDR3000(OC), Win10 Home 64bit, Saitek X-52, Logitech G27 Current Sims: MSFS2020, Assetto Corsa, StrikeFighters2, IL2:BoS etc, Arma3, American Truck Simulator, SnowRunner
#4505267 - 01/28/2002:40 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
Reading this entire thread has confirmed what I've always known about my car preferences. My car is purely used as a practical appliance to get me from point A to point B. The only driving I actually ENJOY is the driving I do in my PC racing sims.
Why not try racing for real?
#4505268 - 01/28/2002:46 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: arthur666]
Reminds me of when dad had to go take his old timer driving test. He overheard one tester talking to another tester who had just returned from the driving test of an old timer. He had to fail the person because as the person had to lift his right leg off the gas peddle and over to the brake pedal.
That sucks. There's always left foot braking though. I know they tell you not to. But it's a good skill for performance, edge-of-traction driving that also helped me out for day-to-day driving at one point. I didn't do it on the street until my right foot was in a cast. The said "no driving". For 2 months! I had no problem using the big gas pedal in my truck with the cast, but they were worried about braking, understandably. But I'm pretty comfortable using my left foot, even in a manual.
I still don't do it under normal conditions, but this guy makes some good points:
Got a nasty gash on my right leg and went to the hospital to get it fixed up. They also said don't drive but I was 100 miles from home. Lucky it was an auto so used the left leg. Felt strange.
There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB. The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed. There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4505270 - 01/28/2003:04 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: Mr_Blastman]
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
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PanzerMeyer
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Originally Posted by Mr_Blastman
Why not try racing for real?
Because I don't want to take on the unnecessary risk to my health/well being and because I don't want to spend the money for a car that I could actually race in!
In this case, simulation is good enough for me.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4505271 - 01/28/2003:09 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: PanzerMeyer]
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,961arthur666
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arthur666
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by Mr_Blastman
Why not try racing for real?
Because I don't want to take on the unnecessary risk to my health/well being and because I don't want to spend the money for a car that I could actually race in!
In this case, simulation is good enough for me.
Really, a good sim is pretty darn close! I would add that I feel safer on the track than I do on I-40. Everyone is experienced, paying attention. Not on a phone or eating a bagel. And I'm not racing, just driving, having fun.
Last edited by arthur666; 01/28/2003:10 PM.
System Vitals: Intel i5 9600, RTX2060, 16GB DDR3000(OC), Win10 Home 64bit, Saitek X-52, Logitech G27 Current Sims: MSFS2020, Assetto Corsa, StrikeFighters2, IL2:BoS etc, Arma3, American Truck Simulator, SnowRunner
#4505293 - 01/28/2004:26 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: arthur666]
Joined: Jun 2017 Posts: 3,748RedOneAlpha
Senior Member
RedOneAlpha
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Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,748
LEGE
Originally Posted by arthur666
Originally Posted by KraziKanuK
Reminds me of when dad had to go take his old timer driving test. He overheard one tester talking to another tester who had just returned from the driving test of an old timer. He had to fail the person because as the person had to lift his right leg off the gas peddle and over to the brake pedal.
That sucks. There's always left foot braking though. I know they tell you not to. But it's a good skill for performance, edge-of-traction driving that also helped me out for day-to-day driving at one point. I didn't do it on the street until my right foot was in a cast. The said "no driving". For 2 months! I had no problem using the big gas pedal in my truck with the cast, but they were worried about braking, understandably. But I'm pretty comfortable using my left foot, even in a manual.
Originally Posted by Red2112
Yeah, FL is flat land ( I know ) so not to many curves. I live in the north of Spain now, a very mountain terrain heavy area with curves everywhere. In a enviroment like that, a automatic shift suffers alot, so best to go manual,...
...unless you don't know what you're doing! A friend was following me thru the mountains of NC several years ago. We were both in manual cars. We were driving up a steep, long hill, and I noticed she had fallen way behind, and a line of cars was behind her. She was driving a Mazda 626 with a V6, so should have had plenty of power. I pulled over to wait for her at the next gas station. "What's wrong with your car???!!!" She replied "Nothing, just a steep hill I guess. I mean, I had it in 5th gear and everything." I tried to tell her to try a lower gear, but she wasn't having it. Paraphrasing: "5th gear is the strongest gear, why would you use a LOWER gear going up a steep hill?" That poor car.
Oviously you have to know what your doing, especially in manual shift. Also need to know your engine capabilities. I know a few that will shift without a clutch! Your gear box wont last for long though...
Red
Win10 Pro(x64), i7 8700k @ 4.7Ghz, 32GB ram DDR4, Sapphire Pulse AMD RX 6700 12GB, M.2 PCIe NVMe (x2) 480GB + 960GB, 447GB SSD´s, Samsung G6 32" , Logitech G13, G502, Warthog HOTAS, CH Pedals, Simagic Alpha Mini, and Formula Extreme FX, DC Simracing DC1 pedals, GT Omega ART cockpit, TrackIR 5.0. AUDIO: Aiyima A07 Max, Topping E50 and L50 stack, Polk Audio Signature Elite ES20 , and Shennheiser HD 560s. DAP: Hiby R3, Hiby Seeds, and iBasso IT01, Sharp MD-MT 80H Minidisc.
#4505369 - 01/29/2004:08 AMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: RedOneAlpha]
I know a few that will shift without a clutch! Your gear box wont last for long though...
Red
That's actually something I always teach people on motorcycles. I've had two clutch cables break on me - only because I've done a ton of riding on a ton of bikes over 30+ years, I don't have any inherent distrust of motorcycle clutch cables over it...
Obviously learning this "skill" isn't about actually driving, just to get stopped. Unless you're on the superslab and it's 40 or who knows how many miles to the next town, yeah you'll go ahead and bang the gears a tiny bit then rather than immediately stop!
#4505370 - 01/29/2004:50 AMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: Zamzow]
I know a few that will shift without a clutch! Your gear box wont last for long though...
Red
That's actually something I always teach people on motorcycles. I've had two clutch cables break on me - only because I've done a ton of riding on a ton of bikes over 30+ years, I don't have any inherent distrust of motorcycle clutch cables over it...
Obviously learning this "skill" isn't about actually driving, just to get stopped. Unless you're on the superslab and it's 40 or who knows how many miles to the next town, yeah you'll go ahead and bang the gears a tiny bit then rather than immediately stop!
Speed Shifting without the clutch is an art form. Learned with a 72 Pinto wagon. Could hit every gear without a clutch. Took it to my 64 Chevy 3/4 ton with 3 on the tree to the same. After learning what happens when you glaze a Clutch plate. And all the work to fix is left up you. You learn Quick. Loved it when we could could work on them this wa First car was a 61 Buick Lesabre with a 401 V8 and 2 speed slush box early auto tranny.
Guy I used to work with had a spinal injury that affected his legs and how he used them, he had an automatic Ford Escort but the pedals were swapped around so he used his left foot for the accelerator/gas and brake. Drove the car a few times it was "interesting"
Originally Posted by Red2112
Yeah, FL is flat land ( I know ) so not to many curves. I live in the north of Spain now, a very mountain terrain heavy area with curves everywhere. In a enviroment like that, a automatic shift suffers alot, so best to go manual, most EU cars have manual shifts because of that.
Manual shift is not so good when your older, having to clutch with your feet is a bit of a pain. When we moved here to Spain my dad did buy a automatic shift BMW because he had issues with his leg.
But as for the driving experience overall, manual shift is alot of fun, automatic is boring...
Yep the roads in Northern Spain are quite interesting And you can have fun in an automatic too
The good thing about the Dynae 6, or the Citroen 2cv was that they were very hard to tilt (turn over). It was like driving a boat!
Alot of fun!
Well it depends with a boat.
There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB. The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed. There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4505433 - 01/29/2004:15 PMRe: Anyone still driving a manual transmission car
[Re: oldgrognard]
Almost everything I owned before I got married had a manual transmission in it. I still had several stick shift cars after the nuptuals (1995 Cherokee, 1985 RX-7 GSL-SE-that was a fun car, 1990 Ford Ranger) but for the last 10 years I had gotten away from the left foot mafia for a while until recently.
I had decided that I was going to get something to drive around that was a little 'sportier' than a 2005 F350 Diesel. I loved the truck but parking was a hassle with it being a long bed, 4x4, quad cab truck, it wasn't great on mileage and I was putting more miles on her than I wanted, especially since I want to use this truck to pull my car hauler, not to drive to work every day. I had puttered around in a 2010 Cobalt that I let my son drive in college but it was cramped and uncomfortable and dammit, I didn't want to be cramped and uncomfortable anymore.
I went to the VW dealership one day and was rooting around looking at the Golf SportsWagens and I asked the dealer if he had one with a stick in it. He said no, unfortunately. I asked him if he had anything with a manual transmission and his eyes lit up.
He showed me this 2019 VW Jetta GLI 35th Anniversary Edition with the 6 speed manual. I'd heard of the GTI but never knew a sedan version existed. Same engine (actually at the GTI specs now, earlier ones had a little bit lower HP output and had to be tuned to be the same as the GTI), transmission, differental and the same architecture as the GTI but with a trunk. The brakes are actually off of the GTI R model so the thing is quick, stops well and shift wonderfully.
I took it for a drive and was hooked. My wife was dubious. She knows how to drive a stick but hadn't done it in at least 15 years. She stalled it a couple of times but go the hang of it pretty quick although she doesn't like driving a stick shift anymore. She was surprised my 52 year old arse wanted something like this but I like the car, a lot.