What's your car?

[Mischief007]

That is a very good looking body kit .

By the way, I have joined www.shiftyworld.com .

I only drive manuals but the lack of manuals in North America is really limiting the choices around here.

 

[No Boss]

That is a very good looking body kit .

By the way, I have joined www.shiftyworld.com .

I only drive manuals but the lack of manuals in North America is really limiting the choices around here.

since when does someone have to pay to join a forum?

 

[Mischief007]

That is a very good looking body kit .

By the way, I have joined www.shiftyworld.com .

I only drive manuals but the lack of manuals in North America is really limiting the choices around here.

since when does someone have to pay to join a forum?

I didn't pay.

 

[No Boss]

That is a very good looking body kit .

By the way, I have joined www.shiftyworld.com .

I only drive manuals but the lack of manuals in North America is really limiting the choices around here.

since when does someone have to pay to join a forum?

I didn't pay.

really? I coulda sworn I saw somthing say "Join Now for a year at a special $19.95 one time fee"

 

[Mischief007]

It says there is a fee but it isn't really. Membership is free.

 

[BlaRo]

It says there is a fee but it isn't really. Membership is free.

Just curious, what's the point of joining? Free stuff? BBQs?

 

[Mischief007]

They just started out. Basically they are out there to "hopefully" influence more car makers to make more manual transmission cars. We know that it is declining.

 

[NAIDANAC A]

Is your Alero a manual? I love driving the manuals...just scares me when on a steep hill and stopped. My dad is considering getting a CTS, Lucrene, or Aura and I keep telling him to just get the six speed manual on the Aura...the Flappy paddles on that are terrible. to shift up you have to use your thumbs, to shift down you click like normal paddles. Absolute rubbish.

 

[Mischief007]

^ Yes it is . I will only drive manuals. To tell you the truth, I barely roll backwards on a hill plus some of these newer cars are coming with a hill control mechanism.

I prefer a manual. I have one problem though because I seem to hold gears for way too long...:lol:. It is fun. I always have fun while driving.

 

[NAIDANAC A]

Lol my dad was getting angry because I do not shift out of first quick enough. I shift at about 3800RPM and he does it at about 2800-3000. The gas mileage is brutal. But so fun.

Im a nooby at manuals so thats why big hills scare me. But I think my first car will be a manual. Hopefully a Colbalt SS Supercharged.

Autos bug me. That is why I hate the SLR... sorry SLR dude. I just can't stand to see a supercar being driven by Paris Hilton. If it was a manual she wouldn't know how. She barely knows how to open the doors :lol:

 

[Top Geek]

.just scares me when on a steep hill and stopped.

It's really not scary at all. It's quite easy to start up-hill without rolling back more than an inch or two once you're used to the way your car responds. Otherwise, there's an easy solution: pull the handbrake up when you're stopped (and, obviously, put it in neutral or leave the clutch pedal in). When it's time to go, start slowly until you feel the clutch beginning to pull, then release the handbrake. It's a lot easier than it sounds, and it's especially easy with a front-wheel-drive car.

Or, if you're really good and have money to burn, you can just hold it on an up-hill by riding the clutch

Anyway, I have a 1995 Nissan 240SX. I just got it about two weeks ago. Good power, rear-wheel-drive, and I get 40 MPG on the highway!

I will only drive manuals.

Same here. Automatics are for wimps (and they are SOOOO boring). It's so much better having more control over your car.

plus some of these newer cars are coming with a hill control mechanism.

Bah, that's for mere mortals!

Im a nooby at manuals so thats why big hills scare me. But I think my first car will be a manual.

Go for it, you'll be glad you did.

Hopefully a Colbalt SS Supercharged.

Fun car, but for the price, I think one can do better. I would look for something like a used Subaru Impreza. More power, all-wheel-drive, no torque steer, a lot less understeer, and so forth. Plus you'd get Japanese build and mechanical quality. Just my opinion

Lol my dad was getting angry because I do not shift out of first quick enough. I shift at about 3800RPM and he does it at about 2800-3000.

What kind of car?

Autos bug me. That is why I hate the SLR... sorry SLR dude. I just can't stand to see a supercar being driven by Paris Hilton.

Makes me wonder why it hasn't been moved the bottom of Top Gear's cool wall :lol:

If it was a manual she wouldn't know how. She barely knows how to open the doors

Heh, you gotta point. An "automatic supercar" isn't really a supercar.

I only drive manuals but the lack of manuals in North America is really limiting the choices around here.

That frustrates me too - there are just too many fat, old, and lazy slobs who shouldn't be driving in the first place. Maybe we can get the government to require manual transmissions by telling them it increases fuel economy and driver awareness 'Cause if you can't drive a manual, then you just can't drive.

 

[AxlxA]

guys, you guys dont know the definition of "no manuals available" until you've visited CALIFORNIA.

I say about 90% of californians drive an auto. the 10% drive manuals because
1) they're a ricer
2) they're a ricer's father
3) they are Jay Leno.

 

[Mischief007]

My dad does the handbrake thing. He used it a lot when we were in Europe. I only use it if I am parked tightly.

On another note, lots of NA manufacturers are dropping V6 cars with manuals...don't know why. This is also why I'm looking at picking up an old car.

 

[Steve Levin]

I drive a Chrysler 300C. SRT-8, of course. While I do miss a true sequential gearbox (I had a 2003 MR2 Spyder before this) with the torque of the V8 you don't miss the sharpness of the gear changes so much. Besides, for the most part, all you need is 2nd and perhaps a little 3rd -- although 3rd will send you into license-threatening speeds very quickly.

While the lightweight shifter kart was fun (before that, I had a 2001 Saleen-modified Mustang), the truth is...it's just a lot of fun with a musclecar. Hammond was right. They are deeply visceral machines.

Steve

 

[Benson]

I've had an E28 520i since March of this year...
Will probably drive it through the winter until january/february and then try to sell it...

I wish I would have waited another like 2 weeks to find a model in proper condition which looks good as well...
And I don't have the money to fix and restore it properly...
But you learn from experiences, right?

http://img264.imageshack.**/img264/8748/dsc26302qd.th.jpg http://img264.imageshack.**/img264/2626/dsc26176gr.th.jpg http://img264.imageshack.**/img264/3963/dsc26253kx.th.jpg http://img264.imageshack.**/img264/1915/dsc26335zd.th.jpg

 

[DJ]

My dad does the handbrake thing. He used it a lot when we were in Europe. I only use it if I am parked tightly.

Not using the handbrake on the hill burns the clutch. With the proper use of handbrake it's possible to start moving the same way you do on flat surface.

This is the WRONG way:

When it's time to go, start slowly until you feel the clutch beginning to pull, then release the handbrake.

You shouldn't feel the car pulling while the handbrake is pulled up. It's all about the timing: ideally, you release the handbrake in the very same moment your clutch starts to grab.

Difficult to explain, easy to demonstrate

BTW, it's easier to do with a diesel engine ... Petrol engine needs more RPM to start moving gently.

 

[D-Fence]

Not using the handbrake on the hill burns the clutch

something like that happened to me once...i had a problem with the pressure unit of the clutch, so it didn?t really grip. i had to go 2km with a smoking clutch to my garage :/ hate that smell so much


But starting on a hill is so easy.

Allright, assuming your car is stopped, your foot is on the brakes, your in neutral

first step: pull handbrake
second step: release brake (not handbrake!)
third step: clutch, first gear, keep clutch pressed
fourth step: slowly release the clutch and rev the engine up a little bit (A LITTLE BIT!)
fifth step: As soon as the car moves in the suspension (fwd cars will go down in the rear suspension) slowly release the handbrake. if you don?t move forward, release clutch a little bit more and giv more revs.

sounds more complicated than it is i managed to do it on the first time

when your trained, step four & five happen simultaniously, so you don?t feel it moving in the suspension, because you release the handbrake when you release the clutc, your clutch survives . but as a "how to for beginners" this should do

 

[BlaRo]

Cool car there Benson. 8)

 

[CyberMonkey]

Huh, starting the car with te clutch or with the handbrake wears the clutch just the same. In both ways you have to carefully depress your clutch until the car starts moving. Weather you use your handbrake or brake pedal for it doesn't really make a difference.

It's weird that in our driving lessons, we are taught it with the clutch, but my parents learned it with the handbrake.

 

[DJ]

^ I've had this argument several times already. Conclusion of each and every one of them: the difference is small (same argue negligible), yes, but DOES exist.

It's that part of the second the clutch is slipping and you're still stationary (because you have the brake pedal pressed). This happens if you don't use the handbrake or if you use it poorly (same effect, the clutch is slipping but you're keeping the car stationary by not releasing the handbrake).

Proper starting with the handbrake eliminates that part of the second. The moment clutch grabs, you start moving.