Hey, Help On One Question Please

Hi, I just found this newsgroup and I was hoping someone here could help me
on an age old question.
Stickshift or Automatic?

I'm going to buy a Honda Civic 04 soon and I would very much appreciate any
insight into this. One thing that keeps me from better being able to decide
my self is the plain fact that I don't know how to drive stickshift (yet).
So I wouldn't know if it would annoy me by having to constantly shift gears
from block to block. Some other factors are that I live in Washington DC
where there is virtually no open road, I'm a 20 year old college student,
and in about a week I'm going to be moving out on my own (To Silver Spring,
Still commuting to DC and back.). Also, for those who don't know, DC can
have pretty bad traffic during certain parts of the day (Rush Hour).

I don't know if I'm actually going to want to do engine modifications. And
if I ever do make egine mods it'll probably happen about 2 years down the
road (So I guess by then I could sell the automatic anyway?). I guess my
main question is, is the immediate fun really worth the trouble?

Thanks in advance for your patience and help.
-RG

 

My first seven years of driving was only on automatics, in the suburbs with a
touch of city driving here and there.

My first real boyfriend patiently taught me how to drive a manual (great test
for "boyfriend suitability" BTW), and when I bought my first car, I would only
go with a manual transmission. Why? Because it was fun, got better fuel
mileage, saved a meaningful sum of money (approx. $500 to $1000) on the initial
purchase (which was a bigger factor right out of college), and I liked feeling I
had more control over the car's correct operation.

But I haven't lived in a big city like DC in some time. I do know it is annoying
driving my manual transmission 1991 Civic when I am driving **off-highway** in a
big city's rush hour. It's not a big deal during non-rush hour or on the highway
during rush hour.

So despite your lack of experience with a manual, I think your intuition is
correct.

IIRC from my little driving in/around DC, commuting would justify a manual
transmission. Living smack dab in the middle of a large city would not,
comfort-wise.

 

I wouldn't give you a thank you for a standard transmission in city driving.

Once had to drive a VW bug in downtown Montreal (all hills and mountain) and
almost needed a new left thigh after about 2 hours of stop and go driving.
Having driven rush hour in DC, although flat terrain, I still wouldn't enjoy
driving standard there.

Come to think of it can't see any practical use for a standard nowdays, of
course I'm 62 so creature comforts are much more important to me.

Mike

 

My opinion on this is that, the modern automatic transmission is very good
at performing in the way it was designed to do so. There is very little
difference between manual and automatic transmissions in the terms of fuel
mileage. And the kicker, an automatic doesn't wear out your left knee joint
prematurely <g>.

--
Brian

http://www.cakesbydarlene.ca

http://www.accesswave.ca/~orion

 

The only way I would buy a manual trans nowdays is if I lived where there
wasn't much traffic, not many hills and it was a sports car.

Otherwise there really isn't any valid argument to purchasing a stick shift.
Like the other poster said the difference in mileage is nil and in traffic
you aren't having to do a workout by pushing in the clutch pedal all the
time. It may sound trivial but if your in traffic with a stick for any
significant amount of time then you will feel it in your muscles.

With an auto you don't have to worry about somebody stealing your car and
push starting it. You can also hook up a remote start/alarm safely with the
auto. One last thing.....you don't have to worry about not setting your
parking brake and coming out to find your car has rolled down the hill into
somebodys house, car or anything else.

 

Hi,
Real drivers drive with stick. More control.
Today's manual tranny is so GOOD.
Tony

 

I've had manuals for 20 years now, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Your more one with the vehicle. Its a little bit of work in traffic,
but I just let the cars get a little ahead of me, and go slow so I don't
have to do the stop and go so much.

I feel totally mindless when driving my wifes accord, automatic. Feel
like I'm going to fall asleep.

 

You might consider renting a car that has a manual transmission on your
next long trip or vacation. It will give you a chance to see whether you
love shifting gears or hate shifting gears. I drove a dump truck one
summer while I was in college. When I had a load of gravel, I had to shift
gears so much that my arm hurt at the end of some days. I got so sick of
changing gears that my last three cars have had automatic transmissions. I
would only have a manual trans. if I decided to rent a hot two seater
sports car.

 

Thanks to all of you that put in your two cents (Caroline, Artfulcodger,
Brian, CaptainKrunch, Tony, noway, and Jason). It was greatly appreciated. A
friend from work is slated to show me how to drive a manual soon and
hopefully, after combining all the info you guys put up with my own
experience, I'll be able to come up with a decision that I won't regret
later.

Thanks again!
-RG

 

Completely agree. If you want to have real fun with your car, gotta have
the control. Tired of waiting for the auto trans to respond when I want
it to. Not to mention auto Civic's are governed to 106mph while manual's
to go over 125mph. At least that was my experience with my 2000 and a
friends 1995 Civic.

-AGS

 

Good luck. Keep in mind that learning to drive a manual transmission isn't
terribly difficult, it just requires a bit of patience. It's my belief that
many people's difficulty in learning to drive a clutch could be partly
alleviated if they had a general understanding of the mechanics of the
process. In general terms, there's a large heavy spinning disk known as the
flywheel which always spins with the engine. Attached to that disk is the
pressure plate. This plate, along with the flywheel, have smooth friction
surfaces on them. There's a disk known as the clutch disk which is
sandwiched between the two. The pressure plate also has springs in it which
push the two friction surfaces together and keep the clutch disk from
spinning during normal driving. The clutch disk has a splined hub which is
connected to the transmission input shaft. When you need to shift, pressing
down on clutch pedal releases the pressure plate's springs such that the
clutch disk is no longer locked and the transmission is now disengaged from
the engine. This first half of the process usually isn't a problem as long
as you press the pedal all the way down. Most beginners experience problems
when they attempt to engage the clutch as they let the pedal up. Keep in
mind that you're releasing the springs of the pressure plate such that it
can now push the clutch disk back into the heavy and rapidly spinning
flywheel and thus re-engage the engine with the transmission. The smoother
this is done the better the shift will be for you. This diagram may be
helpful for visualizing the process that I've described above
http://tinyurl.com/4x4hf. Items 3, 4, and 5 are the flywheel, clutch disk,
and pressure plate respectively. For another view, also see
http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/CivicManual/pdf/12-3.pdf.

I originally learned to drive in a car with a manual transmission. All of
the cars that I've owned since have had manual transmissions and I wouldn't
want it any other way. However, automatics are good for large vehicles such
as trucks and moving vans (I once got stuck with a 20 foot rental moving van
which had a manual transmission making it very annoying to drive). They're
also good in vehicles used for towing which can put a lot of extra wear and
tear on a clutch.

Either way, whether you buy a car with an automatic or manual, it's still a
good idea to know how to drive a clutch. There may come a day when the only
vehicle available in an emergency situation is one with a manual
transmission. I've also heard of cases in which not too bright thieves
attempt to steal a car for their getaway only to discover that it has a
manual transmission and they can't drive it.

Eric

 

What a load of crap! ;^)

Real drivers use turn signals and stop at traffic lights, drive no faster
than the posted maximum speed limit. and operate their vehicles with safety
(both theirs and yours) as their first consideration.

How many of those are in this group, besides myself?

Brian

Professional driver with over a million miles, with no accidents or moving
violations.

 

Thanks Eric!
-RG

 

Stick. Learn how to drive it. Then you'll be able to drive either
manual or auto. Son was given his dad's stick shift and had a crash
course (so to speak) just before driving it from MN to AZ. He had a
lot of time to perfect his timing on the trip. My 50 cents worth.

 

Damn straight !
How hard is it to observe some basic rules of the road ?

I always signal, lane changes and turns.
Otherwise, those lights on the corners of my car are just an ugly
decoration.

Posted speed limit ? Oh, Please. Those are just suggested speed limits
anyway.
Mind you, 40km/h is a different story. I always observe that one.

 

I don't understand, why so many people say the same thing about the posted
Maximum speed limit. They are not suggested, they are the law.