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kelel01

Stick shifts are stupid

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In addition to the facts you already mentioned, if you are one that downshifts like I do, your brakes last a LOT longer.

I dont brag to anyone about it cuz who the hell cares? :)
With a stick you have much better control of the vehicle.

I have never, and will never, buy an automatic trans, unless I suffer some permanent disability that forever prevents me from being able to drive a stick.



I've never owned an automatic in 23 years of driving and I don't intend to start anytime soon - even though I drive 80+ miles a day in a major metropolitan area. If you know how to use the right gears and following habits, I think you actually spend less time braking and shifting than in an automatic. Plus I usually drop it in neutral and let off the clutch when stopped for longer periods.

My front brakes have over 100,000 miles on them and they are just starting to get close to the red. The back ones went at 60k.
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Jason
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Some people never go crazy. What truly boring lives they must lead.

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Driving a stick with a trailer in tow can be tricky, so that's a little different. There is a lot more coordination involved with that. :)



WE (me myself & I) can't even back up a trailer with a auto transmission.[:/] OTOH the boss (wife) isB| with it.

I think it has something to do with being a farm girl:)


The trick to backing a trailer is to remember "nose and tail" - whichever way the NOSE of the tow vehicle goes is the way the TAIL of the trailer will go.

Judging turn arcs takes a bit of practice, though...
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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but they're annoying in heavy traffic.



Yea but my left quad is stronger then my right :ph34r:

Ok not really, but it sure as hell gets used more B|


Then you aren't driving with coffee in your left hand and a cell phone in your right often enough. Woman! Make USE of that other thigh....lol.
--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

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I wouldn't trade my automatic 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line in for a manual any day. I know, sports car, you have to get a manual or else you're not a man. Turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder with 19mpg (even with the way I drive it), the auto is half a second faster than the manual 0-60. With the Stability control, it can tell how much I'm turning and how fast I'm going and won't upshift through a turn where I would die hitting the wall at 60 or so getting on the Tollway. Hmm...Dallas North Tollway traffic, I'm going to pass on the shifting. And it's not any less fun to drive. Top down, music up, going 80 on the highway...beautiful thing.

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Just thought I'd poke my head in and say hello. I bought a manual transmission Mazda3, and I'm actually having a pretty good time with it. I bought it last Thursday on my own and then struggled all the way home with it. I've gotten much better since. :D

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LMAO, I'd forgotten all about this thread. And here you are, a proud owner of your very own "stupid" stick shift. :D:D:P Welcome to the wonderful world of having bragging rights. Can't wait to see your new car. :)


Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091

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I see you caved in and bought a manual tranny. Nice.

Can't say I would've bought a Mazda 3. Silly little underpowered stability-controlled pussy car with crappy engine mounts that fail all the time. But enjoy.




The Mazdaspeed 3 is a turbocharged 263hp hatchback. I wouldn't exactly say it was a "pussy" car.

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But she doesn't have a Mazdaspeed 3, does she? And even if she did, I've read enough pre- and post-release reports on it to figure out that performance-wise, it's still outclassed, both in racing and on the street. I mean it's a comfortable car, shifts reasonably smoothly, steering is tight enough, but toss it into a high-G corner, it'll give it up quicker than a fat kid in dodgeball.
"If at first you don't succeed... well, so much for skydiving." - aviation cliche

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