Stick shift anyone?

[MRFREEZE57]

That is the one thing I miss from my old 64 F250 I sold when buying the Ram was 3 pedals on the floor. It is almost impossible to find a stick shift on a half ton class truck any more.

 

[BlackGold6.4]

I taught my son and daughter how to drive a manual when they got their license. They both had and preferred them for many years, now harder to find them so they have automatics now. My daughters car gave out on her and one of her uncles gave her a car to use and it just so happened to be a manual but that wasn't a problem because she knew how to drive it. It's like riding a bike, once you learn how to ride you'll never forget. Point is you should know how to drive one just in case, you never know when it comes in handy!

Right on .. I have done the same with my boys.. and one of my boys taught my wife so he could get dropped off with his stick car (Dart).. so now were all in the know.

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

Watching the auctions on TV, the manual cars always command a higher price.
It's the 'get one before they're all gone' mentality.

They are the one's I would bid on.

 

[metalchewy]

Until I got my current RAM, we didn't have any automatic vehicles that lived here. Had it been offered, my truck would be a manual as well.

My old Dart is a A833 4 speed. The wife's Challenger is M6 Tremec. The Mustang and Ranger before these were manuals.

My kids learned on a stick first. Then chose whether to get an auto or not.

 

[RLJ10X]

The automated manuals in the semi’s stink out loud. But I drove a Mac with a true automatic. It was nice. However I am not sure it would last like The Eaton fuller that has 1,200,000 miles on it in my work Mac.

 

[Docwagon1776]

With the automatic transmissions that you can shift manually nowadays, unless it's a classic why even bother with a clutch. A person can't shift faster than an automatic. They don't even offer a stick in the new Corvette.

A person can't drive faster than a computer, either. The absolute fastest car would have a sensor to read the tree and would optimize the launch and run in real time way better than any human could. Do you want a car you set the button to "on" and then just ride out the race? If you do, that's ok. Like a roller coaster, you get inside then have no control over it but it's still fun for the people who like roller coasters.

I don't want to be a passenger in my car, even if the computer is better at it. I like the fun of being in control, of not letting the computer decide to shift, of mastering the skills needed to maintain traction, etc and know I did it. I may lose to a human/computer hybrid by a few tenths or a few lengths, but I had fun doing it my way.

 

[PoMansRam]

The automated manuals in the semi’s stink out loud. But I drove a Mac with a true automatic. It was nice. However I am not sure it would last like The Eaton fuller that has 1,200,000 miles on it in my work Mac.

They're brutal, but getting marginally better I'm told. I'm not a professional driver, but shuttle them around the plant since part of my job is loading tankers. They'll get into a flashing check engine light mode and totally shut down after 30sec of driving. It's awesome going around a turn and loosing power steering w/ 80K lbs. Our drivers get stuck due to break downs all the time.

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

A person can't drive faster than a computer, either. The absolute fastest car would have a sensor to read the tree and would optimize the launch and run in real time way better than any human could. Do you want a car you set the button to "on" and then just ride out the race? If you do, that's ok. Like a roller coaster, you get inside then have no control over it but it's still fun for the people who like roller coasters.

I don't want to be a passenger in my car, even if the computer is better at it. I like the fun of being in control, of not letting the computer decide to shift, of mastering the skills needed to maintain traction, etc and know I did it. I may lose to a human/computer hybrid by a few tenths or a few lengths, but I had fun doing it my way.

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[tidefan1967]

I don’t think my knees could handle a manual but my mind is still willing……..

 

[Jeepwalker]

When I grew up it seemed we had every kind of shifting control system that was out there. From different tractor shifting systems, machinery (hydraulics - foot or hand controls), 3-spd on the tree, 4-spds, 5-spds, automatics (column), automatics on the floor, motorcycles, ATV's, ...I'm probably leaving something out. And me or my brother or dad would jump from one vehicle/machine to another constantly to move this tractor around, or that machine, or inch the truck, skid or tractor closer ...or whatever it took to do what we were doing.

It was amazing how a person could jump from one vehicle (or machine) to another and instantly adapt to it's shifting system w/o giving it any thought. Even to this day I can pretty much get into any vehicle and just go. Even British vehicles where the wheel (and shifter) is on the other side (from driving in RHD countries). Yeah, I miss those days. I wonder if the high fuel prices might increase (if even a little) manual transmission popularity??

I'm sure many of you have similar experiences...

 

[NJMOPAR]

The Chrysler push-button automatic.
The 3 on the floor too (saw a few backwards launches with that one!)

 

[Jeepwalker]

The Chrysler push-button automatic.

LOL ...there's one I haven't experienced!!

 

[392DevilDog]

Why my 99 V10 with NV4500HD will never be sold. We also have a 2006 Kia Sorento with a manual. Taught the girls to drive it. My son(8) wants nothing but a manual.

I was really hoping @BlackGold6.4 was gonna get that G56 to work.

We just test drove 4 Jeeps with a stick shift...man do they shift nice and easy.

I sure do miss my Power Ram 150 and 250...both with the 4spd manual.

I have been thinking about how to get one from Mexico with the manual...but I just do not got the money.

Wishing my V10 wasn't all the way at my Dad's...i sure would like to row some gears. Maybe I will take the Kia for a ride...lol

 

[crash68]

A person can't drive faster than a computer, either. The absolute fastest car would have a sensor to read the tree and would optimize the launch and run in real time way better than any human could. Do you want a car you set the button to "on" and then just ride out the race? If you do, that's ok. Like a roller coaster, you get inside then have no control over it but it's still fun for the people who like roller coasters.

I don't want to be a passenger in my car, even if the computer is better at it. I like the fun of being in control, of not letting the computer decide to shift, of mastering the skills needed to maintain traction, etc and know I did it. I may lose to a human/computer hybrid by a few tenths or a few lengths, but I had fun doing it my way.

You missed the point about manually shifted automatic transmissions. Not even Tesla has figured out autonomous driving yet.
Let's go hit a road course and see how fun slapping gears around along with stomping a clutch is in and out of every corner along with going through traffic. Up/Down at your finger tips with shifts under full power and you still need to know when and how to work the gas/brake along with hitting the shifts. Other than NASCAR why do you think all the road race cars have moved away from manuals...oh yeah there's no advantage with them.

 

[Docwagon1776]

You missed the point about manually shifted automatic transmissions. Not even Tesla has figured out autonomous driving yet.
Let's go hit a road course and see how fun slapping gears around along with stomping a clutch is in and out of every corner along with going through traffic. Up/Down at your finger tips with shifts under full power and you still need to know when and how to work the gas/brake along with hitting the shifts. Other than NASCAR why do you think all the road race cars have moved away from manuals...oh yeah there's no advantage with them.

Didn't miss anything. I guarantee you Tesla or many others could do automated drag racing, which from the context of my post is easy to figure out what I meant (tree?) and since that's where tenths of a second matter. Way simpler than cross country driving with real traffic, etc...but tenths don't matter there.

Manual shifting autos still don't let you have the control a clutch does. How do you "slip" a manually controlled automatic?

I already conceded the computer is "better" at performance. My point was that manuals win at fun for those of us who like them.

 

[Wild one]

Not going to disagree with you on the newer automatics being better but my older cars with a 4 speed, I watched more automatics fail so many times while my 4 speed went on and on and I never lift on a shift. I also know that automatics are faster especially now and I would never think I can out shift them. Have to say that I felt better shifting my old cars drag racing and still being able to run fairly consistent times than drag racing now and my vehicle running even more consistent because of computers. Now you can run down the track with your arm out the window and changing the radio station while being more consistent, not because I'm a better driver but because of computers. People do a lot better at the drag strip now days because of their cars, not them. Guess I just feel better making my vehicle do good because I know how to drive it instead of it driving me! I don't want a manual just for racing, they are just more fun to drive IMO. Guess you could call me a control freak! LOL

I've never blown up a beefed up Turbo 400 / C6 or 727,lol

 

[Fediej]

I've went the other way,i've replaced more Muncie's / T-10's etc., with automatics,and have always went faster. The old school muscle car manual transmissions with a Hurst shifter were killers on the shoulder after a day at the dragstrip,and would never live with my style of driving/racing,which is never lift on the shift,. I blew up more 4 speeds / clutches and driveline components with a manual then i ever did with an automatic

Sounds less like a transmission weakness and more like operator error. ;-)

You missed the point about manually shifted automatic transmissions. Not even Tesla has figured out autonomous driving yet.
Let's go hit a road course and see how fun slapping gears around along with stomping a clutch is in and out of every corner along with going through traffic. Up/Down at your finger tips with shifts under full power and you still need to know when and how to work the gas/brake along with hitting the shifts. Other than NASCAR why do you think all the road race cars have moved away from manuals...oh yeah there's no advantage with them.

"Manually shifting" an automatic is nothing like driving a true manual gearbox. Unless you're talking about Dual Clutch systems with the flappy paddles, and even then it's a stretch to compare. And making a car faster by having a computer do the work does not necessarily make the driving experience better. Some of us truly like the connection that a clutch pedal and gear lever gives us to the vehicle. And stop-n-go traffic has never bothered me, not even when driving through the Chicago loop in my old 10 speed Freightliner. But I'm fully aware that I have the minority opinion, the majority of drivers are in no way enthusiasts and have readily embraced the dumbing down of vehicle operation.

 

[RLJ10X]

Automatics have no soul.

 

[Wild one]

Sounds less like a transmission weakness and more like operator error. ;-)

I'm guessing all your experience is over the road. With your comments i'm betting you've never made a pass down a dragstrip,and don't realize the differances in shifting an over the road truck,compared to a manually shifted dragstrip toy,lol. Apparently you've never drove an automatic toy that'll break the tires free at 60 mph,now that's fun and spirited driving

 

[Fediej]

I'm guessing all your experience is over the road. With your comments i'm betting you've never made a pass down a dragstrip,and don't realize the differances in shifting an over the road truck,compared to a manually shifted dragstrip toy,lol. Apparently you've never drove an automatic toy that'll break the tires free at 60 mph,now that's fun and spirited driving

1. I know that losing traction is typically something that will cost you the race, so why would you want that to happen? 2. If you have enough power to break the tires free with an auto, you can do it with a manual as well. To each their own. The strip is fine for a few seconds but for me real racing has curves. :-D