Standard vs Automatic car

[BlondGirl]

One thing I have noticed, is that most new SUV's a 4x4 trucks have automatics with electronic or ful time four wheel drive. It's like the makers don't think we know how to drive them..

Most US folks cant! My forty year old ex never learned to drive a standard for example. Who is more in the right age market for such a "toy" if not him? (Yes, he is planning on buying just such an item when he loses his Tercel. LOL)

Now my 9 year old, on the other hand, has already learned to drive a stick. He is not great yet, but when he is having a frusterating day and is feeling low, there is nothing that soars his self-esteem than to cruise around the church parking lot in my truck.

 

[Silverlily]

I can drive both, but prefer an automatic.

There is a theory that manuals are faster, but I have lost to very few. It'a still more the driver than the car. As for "not driving my car myself", I can reprogram the shift points in my car to suit my drving style.

 

[Svedish_Chef]

I can drive both, but prefer an automatic.

There is a theory that manuals are faster, but I have lost to very few. It'a still more the driver than the car. As for "not driving my car myself", I can reprogram the shift points in my car to suit my drving style.

OOOHHH I want what she's got.

Its a beast I can tell.

Does that come with a tiptronic transmission too?

 

[Irish_Rover]

ive actively driven 3 manuals and an automatic.
Automatics have a very small market in ireland because people prefer smaller cars, most of which are aimed at european markets, the larger cars which were designed for american markets come with automatics as standard in most cases. Personally, I hate automatics, there much more inflexible and uninvolving to drive, and they usually have less horses under the bonnet and poorer economy. To tell you the truth, I think both of the systems are going to become obsolete. When I was buying my new car, i test drove a version with a robotized manual gearbox, similar to the versions that they used on F1 cars. they are operated using paddles behind the steering wheel and in the place of the standard gear stick there was a manual/automatic toggle. this system allows the driver to select whether he wants to choose manual or automatic change while on the go, while actually improving the fuel economy, by still using the standard manual gears, and by changing them with optimum efficiency, never minding the fact that its more fun this way.

 

[SexySlut2]

I have tried and tried to learn how to drive a standard and it just doesn't work! I'll stick to my automatics!!!

 

[zantac666]

It is easier for me to drive a automatic with the problem i have with my neck then a stick which i can drive.

 

[Allison484]

I drive an automatic now but I learned to drive, lo these many years ago, on a stick shift in the floor Volkswagen, before there was an automatic option on them.

Allison

 

[Morwen]

...

 

[APhil]

Stick it to me....

What do most automatic drivers do (if they know what to do) when they need to climb a steep hill?

They *downshift*.

I like my stick because I don't have to worry about overusing the brake, I just *downshift* and let the clutch out slowly.