Do men feel less macho if they don't drive a stick shift?

[JO3]

Originally Posted by Lucid4000

Don't ask me why but when I got married thats when I got my first manual. And I love it. My wife hates it but thats fine with me. I also live in NYC so I know a few things about sitting in traffic and have to tell ya never bothered me once.

I think you answered your own question. You obviously got the manual so that you could have one thing that your woman couldn't get her hands on in your new "shared" life together Good move

[N1]

Before you begin

Know your way around. A manual transmission demands that the driver shift the gears instead of the engine. Most cars have four or five forward speeds, as well as reverse. In order to master the process, you need to know the following:

The clutch pedal is located at the far left and is used when moving up or down from one gear to another. The clutch is disengaged when the pedal is pushed to the floor.

Neutral is not a gear; actually, it is the absence of gear. When the engine is running in neutral, you can rev up the engine, but you won't go anywhere. You'll also be able to wiggle the shifter back and forth - which you can't do when engaged in any gear.

For most cars, second gear is the workhorse. It will get you up (and down) steep hills as well as through congested downtown.

Reverse gear is somewhat different from the others: it's got more range than, say, first gear, but doesn't like going for too long or too fast. So, don't back up around the block to pass the time.

The gas pedal (at far right) works with the gears to give the engine power at different levels. As mentioned before, if you press on the gas pedal while out of gear, you will only rev the car up: this is how 50's hot-rodders showed their toughness. But if you over-accelerate with the clutch partially engaged, you'll eventually wear it out.

Step 1: Learn the Gears

Learn the location of and feel of passing through the gears. First learn to shift the gears without the car running (pushing the clutch in each time). Then, from the passenger seat, try it with someone else driving the car and operating the clutch. Be sure to place the stick all the way into gear--until it won't go any more--but don't force it. If you stop halfway, you will hear an incredibly unpleasant grinding sound which means your car is not in gear.

Eventually, you will know when to shift by feel, but early on you'll have to act deliberately. Even if you've never been in a car before, you can tell when a car is in the appropriate gear: the car's not making a coughing and chugging sound (gear too high) but it's not making a high-revving sound either (gear too low). If you have a tachometer, shift around "3" (3000 rpm) on each gear or every 15 miles per hour (1st gear 1-15, 2nd 15-30, 3rd 30-45, etc.). This is only a general rule, of course, and higher powered autos will deviate from this. Shift before you hear that loud revving sound.


Step 2: Start it up

Put the car in neutral before starting, or you will jump ahead. Keep in mind that most new cars will not start without the clutch pressed down. Leave the shifter into neutral while the car warms up. Alternately, start the car in gear with the clutch pedal pushed to the floor, then shift into neutral, release the clutch pedal, and let the car warm up.


Step 3: Protect the clutch, yourself and the car

The clutch is the mechanism that allows the gears to transition back and forth smoothly. If you pull the car in or out of gear without using the clutch, or release the clutch only halfway into gear, you will hear an amazingly unpleasant sound. Avoid this.

It's difficult to avoid some sort of wear and tear on the clutch when learning how to drive a stick shift. If you go slowly at first and pay close attention, you can feel (in your feet) where the clutch engages and disengages. If you learn that well, you'll put less strain on your car. You'll also be able to drive any stick shift more smoothly from the get-go.

Avoid needless acceleration when the clutch is partially engaged. When at a stoplight, don't get in the habit of holding the clutch in for more than a few seconds or you will have other problems down the line. Instead, put the car in neutral while stopped for any period of time.

Popping the clutch: Invariably, you will miss your gear (or release the clutch too quickly) and the car will lurch ahead. Often at the outset, you will pop the clutch too quickly and stall the car. Don't worry, it happens to everyone. Just get those exercises out of the way before you find yourself in bumper-to-bumper traffic. .


Step 4: Find the G spot

Here we are at the most important junction of the stick shift world: the door to acceleration. Driving a stick shift is all about that magical place where the clutch comes up and the gas pedal goes down. It's that seamless place where the gears are shifted and the car accelerates. Let's take first to second on a flat road as an example: First gear going steady, clutch in as you come off the gas quickly, then off the clutch slowly while pressing in the gas.

That place in the middle where the clutch pedal is to the floor and you're off the gas is where you take the shifter from first to second. Get those feet and hands used to working together.

Here we go once more:

* Revving high (around 3000 rpms or at 15 mph).
* Clutch in and gas off.
* Move the shifter smoothly from first to second.
* Slowly off the clutch while pushing on the gas.
* Completely let your foot off the clutch and gas it up.
* Same time next gear!



Step 5: Now try downshifting

Downshifting is the act of moving appropriately to lower gears while slowing down. This is the essential difference between the operation of an automatic transmission and one of manual persuasion: downshifting not only helps you slow the car, but it also puts you in the right gear for the speed. Downshifting is your friend - especially in bad weather or on hills, where immediate braking can be dangerous.

Keep in mind that you may shift down only one gear or simply apply the brakes. Again, knowing your range in each gear will help determine what's needed.

While downshifting, move from clutch to brake while in gear. This will help you slow down without revving too high between gears.

If you are driving 45 mph in fourth gear and come upon a stop sign ahead:

* Push in the clutch and shift down to third while using the brake.
* Let the clutch out slowly to avoid high revs.
* Next, do it again into second before you stop.
* Don't downshift into first!



Step 6: Learn the subtleties of reverse

Be very careful in backing up. The reverse gear is very quick and can jump out at you. To get into reverse, sometimes you need to run the shifter through the other gears first with the clutch in.

The clutch is key while going in reverse. Since reverse is so quick, let out the clutch slowly and push it back in while using the brake if necessary; you will likely be able to back out of any spot with this simple measure.


Step 7: Win the hill challenge

Find a hill with little traffic. Use your emergency brake when coming to a stop. When the light turns green to go, shift into first, start to accelerate slowly as you release the clutch pedal, then release the emergency brake just as you feel the car engage the gear. This way you are using the brake to keep you from rolling back. If you stall, put on your brake and start again.


Step 8: Remember the parking brake

It is important to note that the emergency brake is very important when parking a stick shift car, because there exists no "park" gear to keep the car from rolling. Some rely only on the pull-up emergency brake, usually sufficient in most situations. But for extra safety, leave the car in gear AND use the emergency brake.


Step 9: Practice these scenarios

In the neighborhood, 25 mph: Start, 1st gear, change to second gear, run either high rpm in second gear or low rpm in third. Sometimes run high to low second gear depending on speed.

On the highway: High rpm in third or fourth onto the highway at the appropriate speed, then fifth gear (if available).

Going down a steep hill: Keep the car in a gear that will aid the braking process, the engine sounds like it's working but not screeching. You may press the clutch in and out to further complement your braking.

Lessons for stick auto.

For virtually all you M/T aficionados out there, (I was one once), you will eventually come to the day when you are tired of shifting and you'll love having an A/T. This will happen to you whether you think it will or not. Trust me, it's part of life's curve.

[N1]

The left leg becomes smaller. I wont go that way. But nevertheless in the future they will destroy all the pleasure of driving so i enjoy it while i can. In EU 99 % is stick i.e manual and the gear boxes dont have any problem , when we see automatic we wonder if theres anybody who knows how to fix it. But sequential gears its great.

[Alfredo79]

I think that stick is better than auto because the auto makes you feal like a girl and an old girl at that!! I leaned to drive stick on a 91 318is and once you drive bmw there is no more satisfation in another car than bmw... ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE BABY!!!

[nmulax]

Could I opt for an automatic at some point in my life? Sure... but for now, I want nothing but a mt. I also think a lot has to do with the vehicle. For instance, I feel wierd driving a truck/suv that's not an automatic; just as I feel odd driving a sporty car that's not a stick.

I also prefer the stick because of the rush-hour commute. I know this sounds odd... why would I want to do the 1st, 2nd, stop, 1st, stop, 1st, 2nd row on the way home each day. But after a long day at work, rowing through the gears forces me to be involved and aware of what I'm doing. With an automatic, I have a tendancy to just zone out and lose focus on what I'm doing.

[foofighter]

it's really interesting because in europe even though auto and dsg and smg is available for a lot of these cars...the majority of the euros row their own gears...i wonder why that is? Cost?

[Oz]

Originally Posted by foofighter

it's really interesting because in europe even though auto and dsg and smg is available for a lot of these cars...the majority of the euros row their own gears...i wonder why that is? Cost?

I think that's a big reason because manuals are also cheaper to maintain.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by CMD

For virtually all you M/T aficionados out there, (I was one once), you will eventually come to the day when you are tired of shifting and you'll love having an A/T. This will happen to you whether you think it will or not. Trust me, it's part of life's curve.

Not Hans Stuck Jr.

[e90rocks]

So your is your new avatar the Netherlands football emblem? Very nice.
OK, back to the topic.

Let me ask stick-ers this. If automatic or steptronic became so good that there was no difference in performance at all, and cost the same, would you abandon the stick, or remain loyal?

(I type this question using my Windows driven PC, though I know MAC has been superior for as long as I have been using computers...and that's since DOS. I always liked being able to "get under the hood" computer wise...)

[BMW F22]

Originally Posted by e90rocks

So your is your new avatar the Netherlands football emblem? Very nice.
OK, back to the topic.

Let me ask stick-ers this. If automatic or steptronic became so good that there was no difference in performance at all, and cost the same, would you abandon the stick, or remain loyal?

(I type this question using my Windows driven PC, though I know MAC has been superior for as long as I have been using computers...and that's since DOS. I always liked being able to "get under the hood" computer wise...)

Not really a stick guy (lots of traffic around here). But I dont think there's anything that coul really replace the stick. Even with steptronic all you do is push forward and pull back on the handle. That's no fun at all.

[ALPINE6SPD]

not again with this.
I like stick because it is more fun to me than an auto. If a car only comes in Auto then I will not buy it. Its as simple as that for me.

[TwiBlueG35]

Oh no stick shift car for me. I am too lazy to even learn it. I wish I can find a beautiful girl who can, then I can pull her hand onto my "stick".

[NaTuReB0Y]

my dad says that we shouldn't get MT because we don't live in a 3rd world country anymore....

[Asiann]

I have both so not a issue. I prefer a stick though.

[a_moux]

The funny thing, when I was buying my e90 in Chicago there wasn't a single manual 325i available in the Chicagoland area, which has around 5 bmw dealerships. The dealer said that manuals in a metro area are very uncommon and that I was the first one who actually wanted one. So I had to wait about 4 days for the car to get shipped from elsewhere. But to aswer your question, I'd probably feel less of a man if I didn't know how to drive stick especially if your gf does. That's just me though.

[Sedan_Clan]

..Nope! But I do feel less connected............and to some degree, a lesser amount of control.

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

my dad says that we shouldn't get MT because we don't live in a 3rd world country anymore....

You do actually and I don't

[whippersnapper]

this discussion is only possible in the US, so seems real dumb to the rest of us. I didn't drive an automatic until after I'd been driving for 10 years. I take pride in the actions of driving or riding well and to me that means a manual transmission. You don't see much interest in automatic tranmission for motorcycles because they are many steps more visceral again than cars

I always laugh when I see these "will the car stall if I lift off on the freeway" threads because the whole idea of someone truely not knowing the answer to that question is so foreign to me.

[gdnyc]

I've been driving a manual for about 7 years now. If I can avoid it, I will never buy another automatic again. The reason I learned to drive a manual, was so that I wouldn't be limited to driving automatics.
I live in NYC and used to work in Northern NJ. Let me tell you the Cross Bronx Expressway and the GWB during rush hour is bumoer to bumper. I had no problem with a manual.
Having more control of the car is also a benefit.
It's not about being more macho or impressing your local car club. It's about being able to do it. The majority of the rest of the world knows how. Why can't we?

[gdnyc]

Originally Posted by e90rocks

So your is your new avatar the Netherlands football emblem? Very nice.
OK, back to the topic.

Let me ask stick-ers this. If automatic or steptronic became so good that there was no difference in performance at all, and cost the same, would you abandon the stick, or remain loyal?

(I type this question using my Windows driven PC, though I know MAC has been superior for as long as I have been using computers...and that's since DOS. I always liked being able to "get under the hood" computer wise...)

Nope, you need a clutch to get the full effect. I would remain loyal

[whippersnapper]

The essence of it is whether you consider a car a transport mode or you enjoy driving for the sake of it.

I'm driving an auto G35 right now and the auto is annoying the hell out of me, but I don't use the semi-manual mode because it is the worst of both worlds. It is neither less effort like full auto nor satisfying becuase I'm in control (because I'm not).