Death of Manual Transmission ETA????

[bvibert]

I learned to drive in a 1990 S10 Blazer with a 5 speed, and a little bit with a Subaru of some sort (also a stick). Aside from the driver's ed car I was several years into my driving career before I ever drove an automatic. I even took my driving test with the Blazer.

 

[bvibert]

I always wanted to try driving a 3 om the tree, just to see what it was like.

 

[wa-loaf]

Was the GMC a 3 on the tree? Buddy of mine had an old pick up with such a stick and man was it weird to drive.

My buddy had a 3-in-the-tree mid '70s Dodge pickup. Thing was awesome.

This was 3 on the floor. Just an old truck my dad picked up for hauling shit around, but often ended up being the car I was allowed to drive. lol

I drove a couple (borrowed) three on the trees, different but you got used to it pretty quick.

 

[xwhaler]

I remember growing up my dad would brag about his brake pads would last him 100,000 miles because he would use engine breaking so much. QUOTE]

:smile:
I have 105k currently on my Toyota Tacoma 5 spd pickup on the original pads. My mechanic friend who services our vehicles is impressed how much life there still is to them as well. I hardly drive it anymore now with 3 vehicles but it was my daily highway commuter for 3+ yrs and lots of ski trips on wknds.
Downshifting and letting the engine do the braking is definately key.

 

[bigbog]

Life must suck if you have to live with that every day.

...And in the NE there are more drivers that absolutely LUV to ride a slower vehicle's(in their mind) bumper....

 

[jaja111]

I thought VW was considering bringing over a Tiguan in a diesel?

Its here. I keep walking by one at a local dealership and all I can think each time I see it is Volswagen Cayenne. I have no idea how much it costs, but it appears ungodly expensive and way over the top.

I always wanted a Honda Element with a diesel. Europe has CRV's with diesels, WTF?

 

[wa-loaf]

Its here. I keep walking by one at a local dealership and all I can think each time I see it is Volswagen Cayenne. I have no idea how much it costs, but it appears ungodly expensive and way over the top.

I always wanted a Honda Element with a diesel. Europe has CRV's with diesels, WTF?

That's the Tuareg, which shares a lot with the Cayenne. Tiguan is the smaller SUV.

 

[deadheadskier]

Wonder if an oil change for the Taureg costs $300 like a Cayenne. An acquaintance of mine recently purchased a 2008 Cayenne. Someone really not in the financial position to own more than a used Toyota Yaris, but likes the "status" of owning a Porche. Couldn't believe it when he told me the dealer's price for an oil change was $300. He tried to shrug it off as not outrageously expensive because the oil only needs to be changed every 10K miles instead of the more common 3-5K for most vehicles these days.

 

[bobbutts]

Funny, I learned on Hard Drivin' too..

I am currently driving a 2011 Subaru Legacy with CVT.. it's nothing like a performance car, but for cruising around the CVT is very nice and the ride is very quiet and smooth compared to other subarus.

The simulated gears via paddle shift are helpful for windy roads and engine braking, but clearly no substitute for a real manual.

 

[deadheadskier]

:beer:

 

[Warp Daddy]

LMAO hell all we had when i iwas a kid was 3 on a tree ! You learned it or you didn't drive period . Peeling rubber and laying a patch and spinning donuts on those were a hooot . B4 synchromesh trannys ya Hold that clutch then pop the bastid !!!!! Smokin '!!!!!

 

[darent]

Well, my new gf has a VW TDi sport wagon with a six speed so I'm good. But thanks for the offer ...



2.5i and 2.5i Premium come with a 6 speed or a CVT. The limited and all the H6's are CVT or 5 Speed Auto.

how is that VW TDI wagon, has she allowed you to drive it, what do you think of it?

 

[bigbog]

I learned on an old Saab 99, 4-spd, with manual steering. My brother's college ride. He brought me to a quiet road with a hill. Put the emergency brake on and put me in the driver's seat. I found the friction point before hitting anything behind me. . (I had just got my license).

AhhhHaHa... Ford Bronco/standard....talkin' OLD-style shift on the steering wheel. The hill/parking-brake-thing, just up from a brook(up in the Maine woods)...I almost made my first hill/parking-brake journey an amphibious one.....

 

[riverc0il]

how is that VW TDI wagon, has she allowed you to drive it, what do you think of it?

I have the DSG and it is a frigging awesome car. I bet the TDI engine with a MT is a lot of fun. You aren't going to have great 0-60 speeds but that torque is damn impressive, it sure feels faster than it really is. Very peppy engine.

 

[darent]

I have the DSG and it is a frigging awesome car. I bet the TDI engine with a MT is a lot of fun. You aren't going to have great 0-60 speeds but that torque is damn impressive, it sure feels faster than it really is. Very peppy engine.

have a older outback and am thinking of replacing it and was interested in the VW's, thanks for the input

 

[riverc0il]

have a older outback and am thinking of replacing it and was interested in the VW's, thanks for the input

Cool. Go for it! Just do it for the right reasons. The MPG is great but you need to be prepared to keep the TDI for upwards of 150k miles for the extra price of the engine and fuel to balance out. You lose the AWD but with a good set of snows, you are fine. I imagine that the space compared to an older Outback is about the same. I'm not a "car guy" and never really cared about having a "fun" car, but I appreciate what I have now.

 

[wa-loaf]

have a older outback and am thinking of replacing it and was interested in the VW's, thanks for the input

Cool. Go for it! Just do it for the right reasons. The MPG is great but you need to be prepared to keep the TDI for upwards of 150k miles for the extra price of the engine and fuel to balance out. You lose the AWD but with a good set of snows, you are fine. I imagine that the space compared to an older Outback is about the same. I'm not a "car guy" and never really cared about having a "fun" car, but I appreciate what I have now.

The interesting thing with the diesel is you can get the six speed with all the options, but the higher end gas models force you into an auto.

My girlfriends is in really good shape and drives great, but at 60k one of her power windows isn't working right. Doesn't always open.

 

[marcski]

My girlfriends is in really good shape and drives great, but at 60k one of her power windows isn't working right. Doesn't always open.

Probably just a bad switch for the window in the door panel. I had to replace mine within the first 10K. But, I have a German car so you'd expect one or 2 things like that to happen. lol.

 

[SkiFanE]

LMAO hell all we had when i iwas a kid was 3 on a tree ! You learned it or you didn't drive period . Peeling rubber and laying a patch and spinning donuts on those were a hooot . B4 synchromesh trannys ya Hold that clutch then pop the bastid !!!!! Smokin '!!!!!

Yes! My Dad spent so much time with me in the backyard with his Ford pickup (3 on a tree). Could not get that thing moving smoothly. He finally got exasperated, gave me the keys to the '65 Mustang standard, and on the first try I got that thing moving smoothly. My Dad ended up gaving me that Mustang as my first car in HS (rotten floorbaord in back, had plywood on floor so friends wouldn't lose a foot). I mastered the Mustang, could move to the Ford and shift it...just was the wrong thing to learn on first.

Being able to start a car with a dead battery is always a good thing too!

 

[bdfreetuna]

All I've driven/owned have been 1990 Subaru Loyale (retired at ~240k miles), 1995 Subaru Legacy (given away at ~320,000 miles) and a current 1998 Subaru Forrester (pushing 220k miles). All manuals.

And I'm looking at picking up a 2009 Impreza after I take the Forester through one more ski season.

If there were no current-model manuals and I was shopping for a new car, I'd source a late-model. I refuse to drive automatics except in rare instances when I need to help someone out with temporary transportation or moving vehicles.