Learning to drive in the US
Oct 10th 2013, 4:42 am
#106
Lost in BE Cyberspace
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Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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Re: Learning to drive in the US
My wallet does. Sorry about the correction, my brain won't let me not do it. I hope you understand ...
I went through this argument with myself eight years ago when I started driving here in an automatic. A manual gearbox is great fun on winding country back-roads with a 60 mph speed limit, lots of challenging corners, no stop lights and few traffic cops.
We don't have those where I live. The roads that do carry a 55+ limit are either big dual carriageways, interstates or otherwise relatively straight semi-rural roads where in a manual gearbox all I'd be doing was getting into 5th and leaving it there until I got to a red light or my exit. Any other driving I do is on in-town (slow) roads or a lot of stop/start driving. It just doesn't seem worth going after a manual gearbox anymore since I'd not get the chance to really enjoy it.
I went through this argument with myself eight years ago when I started driving here in an automatic. A manual gearbox is great fun on winding country back-roads with a 60 mph speed limit, lots of challenging corners, no stop lights and few traffic cops.
We don't have those where I live. The roads that do carry a 55+ limit are either big dual carriageways, interstates or otherwise relatively straight semi-rural roads where in a manual gearbox all I'd be doing was getting into 5th and leaving it there until I got to a red light or my exit. Any other driving I do is on in-town (slow) roads or a lot of stop/start driving. It just doesn't seem worth going after a manual gearbox anymore since I'd not get the chance to really enjoy it.
Oct 10th 2013, 4:45 am
#107
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Learning to drive in the US
I never thought of that. I only put 13,000 miles on the one car I owned in the UK so the clutch (or any other part for that matter) never became an issue. I'll hit 100K on this one before the end of the year right enough and the gearbox hasn't gone bad yet.
Oct 10th 2013, 4:45 am
#108
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 341
Re: Learning to drive in the US
Indeed, if you want to go somewhere get yourself an auto.
If you want to drive somewhere get a manual.
I have a few cars and the two manuals clock up 5 times the mileage that the 3 autos do.
this may well change once I'm in the US more than the UK though.
Pet hate: anyone doing something other than driving while meant to be driving (I'll excuse having a drink occasionally, talking to passengers and listening to music are also excused, as is shouting at idjuts
).
If you want to drive somewhere get a manual.
I have a few cars and the two manuals clock up 5 times the mileage that the 3 autos do.
this may well change once I'm in the US more than the UK though.
Pet hate: anyone doing something other than driving while meant to be driving (I'll excuse having a drink occasionally, talking to passengers and listening to music are also excused, as is shouting at idjuts
).
Oct 10th 2013, 4:46 am
#109
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Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Monterey, CA
Posts: 2,554
Re: Learning to drive in the US
LOL, no that was my bad for leaving off the "?".
See even on straight roads, I couldn't brim myself to drive an auto. My mind goes back to the countless hire cars I've had out here, all automatics, all kick down as soon as I came to any sort of gradient where the engine started screaming, yet no a lot happened. Even now, my commute to work takes me along hwy 1 where there is a 1/2 mile hill to contend with. Cars that were following closely behind start to fall back, cars in front drop from 70, to 65, to 60, to 55....... It's hilarious. I say long live the manual!!!! That said, I'll probably end up with an automatic after another few years of living here LOL
See even on straight roads, I couldn't brim myself to drive an auto. My mind goes back to the countless hire cars I've had out here, all automatics, all kick down as soon as I came to any sort of gradient where the engine started screaming, yet no a lot happened. Even now, my commute to work takes me along hwy 1 where there is a 1/2 mile hill to contend with. Cars that were following closely behind start to fall back, cars in front drop from 70, to 65, to 60, to 55....... It's hilarious. I say long live the manual!!!! That said, I'll probably end up with an automatic after another few years of living here LOL
Oct 10th 2013, 4:50 am
#110
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Posts: 551
Re: Learning to drive in the US
I just found driving an automatic to be utterly soulless. It's basically like driving a go-kart everywhere, it was just a functional activity, driving with an automatic. With a manual I actively enjoy driving.
The fact that my manual was considerably cheaper to buy was also a bonus.
The fact that my manual was considerably cheaper to buy was also a bonus.
Oct 10th 2013, 4:59 am
#111
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 341
Re: Learning to drive in the US
Maybe try a good auto.
Some are good enough to not do any of those things.
Although I'm going to sound like a Honda freak again (cos I am).
My old auto (that the old bean uses) doesn't do any of those horrible things and is a damn fine drive when you cba to stir the cogs.
Our RL is auto/semi-auto/paddle, possibly the worst of all worlds but actually I was surprised how much I like it. Especially on 500 mile highway slogs.
300bhp and a boot full of torque with the 4wd probably helps.
Only issue I found was it only just winning the fight with a pheasant at a reasonable speed. But I can't blame that on the auto 'box.
Yes autos do tend to last a long time, they are designed to hopefully. But when they fail they cost a lot more than a simple clutch swap. And they are inherently more likely to fail, clutches wear out for the most part rather than fail. And of course as they get more complex, more things to go wrong.
Some are good enough to not do any of those things.
Although I'm going to sound like a Honda freak again (cos I am).
My old auto (that the old bean uses) doesn't do any of those horrible things and is a damn fine drive when you cba to stir the cogs.
Our RL is auto/semi-auto/paddle, possibly the worst of all worlds but actually I was surprised how much I like it. Especially on 500 mile highway slogs.
300bhp and a boot full of torque with the 4wd probably helps.
Only issue I found was it only just winning the fight with a pheasant at a reasonable speed. But I can't blame that on the auto 'box.
Yes autos do tend to last a long time, they are designed to hopefully. But when they fail they cost a lot more than a simple clutch swap. And they are inherently more likely to fail, clutches wear out for the most part rather than fail. And of course as they get more complex, more things to go wrong.
Oct 10th 2013, 5:02 am
#112
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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Re: Learning to drive in the US
I just found driving an automatic to be utterly soulless. It's basically like driving a go-kart everywhere, it was just a functional activity, driving with an automatic. With a manual I actively enjoy driving.
The fact that my manual was considerably cheaper to buy was also a bonus.
The fact that my manual was considerably cheaper to buy was also a bonus.
Oct 10th 2013, 5:07 am
#113
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Posts: 551
Re: Learning to drive in the US
I suspect as we get older, everything used to be better in the good ol' days. 
Oct 10th 2013, 5:14 am
#115
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Posts: 341
Re: Learning to drive in the US
Oct 10th 2013, 5:16 am
#116
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Posts: 341
Re: Learning to drive in the US
Shirley the inside lane is always the one nearest the kerb/path, furthest from the opposite lane.
Oct 10th 2013, 5:19 am
#117
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Oct 10th 2013, 5:20 am
#118
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
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Oct 10th 2013, 5:24 am
#119
Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,049
Re: Learning to drive in the US
Yes, and agreed.
Regards, JEff
Regards, JEff
As far as fuel efficiency goes?
With computer controlled automatic transmission - no question, there is little or no advantage for manual anymore. I suspect most people will choose it because they are used to it, or because they feel it's more enjoyable though, than for MPG.
With computer controlled automatic transmission - no question, there is little or no advantage for manual anymore. I suspect most people will choose it because they are used to it, or because they feel it's more enjoyable though, than for MPG.
Oct 10th 2013, 5:25 am
#120
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