Manual Transmission Foils Car Theft for the Billionth Time

[Cellblock2429]

I don't know what that is. You mean coasting in neutral?

/——/ Older trucks drank fuel like crazy so on hilly roads drivers would put the rig in neutral downhill to gain speed and then cost for a long stretch before putting it back in gear.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Well I never did that. The new ones will auto-coast. The computers will do that for you. That's not recommended because if you get going too fast you can't put it back in gear as the computer limits you to only a few RPM that you can rev the engine in neutral. That is, however, a common method to get past the governor in these new trucks that the companies govern down to snail speeds. Kick it out of gear and the sky is the limit!

I just got upgraded to an automatic. So I sit back and chill and let the truck do all the work. It gets far better mileage with the same truck and same engine just an auto tranny as I ever hoped to get in my old truck. It was a 2014, the new one is a 2016.

The old trucks would get 3-5mpg. New trucks get 7-9. I'm showing about 8.0 on my dash as the avg MPG. But I pull all kinds of loads in all kinds of places. Sometimes I'm empty going on flat ground, sometimes at 80K in the mountains. So that number can vary a lot. But newer trucks are far more efficient (and more comfy) than the older trucks were.

 

[Jarlaxle]

When I grew up only the nerd kids in high school had cars with an automatic transmission. ...

The coolest cars in my HS had automatic transmissions.

A Buick Grand National is automatically cool.

 

[airplanemechanic]

When I grew up only the nerd kids in high school had cars with an automatic transmission. ...

The coolest cars in my HS had automatic transmissions.

A Buick Grand National is automatically cool.

My dad loves the BGN. It's a pretty car.

 

[Sunni Man]

The coolest cars in my HS had automatic transmissions.
A Buick Grand National is automatically cool.

I love the Grand National.

But I was referring to the muscle car era when I was in high school, and the stick shift ruled the day. ...

 

[Jarlaxle]

Myth. Most "muscle cars" actually used automatic transmissions.

 

[airplanemechanic]

That's because most muscle cars were bought by regular people, and some couldn't drive a standard.

 

[westwall]

Manual Transmission Foils Car Theft for the Billionth Time

Quote:

"Nashville police arrested two teenagers last Wednesday, after a press release from the department said they attempted to carjack two women that day. The statement said the teens ultimately failed both times, with the second being because the car had a manual transmission. They had to run away on foot."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you drive a manual transmission?

How did you learn?

Oh yes. I learned ages ago when auto's were for the rich and famous. I think it was my dads 1949 ford, but i honestly don't remember.

 

[Sunni Man]

Myth. Most "muscle cars" actually used automatic transmissions.

I was in the muscle car era and drove just about every muscle car you can name. And the vast majority were stick shift. ....

 

[Yarddog]

Manual Transmission Foils Car Theft for the Billionth Time

Quote:

"Nashville police arrested two teenagers last Wednesday, after a press release from the department said they attempted to carjack two women that day. The statement said the teens ultimately failed both times, with the second being because the car had a manual transmission. They had to run away on foot."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you drive a manual transmission?

How did you learn?

/——-/ On a 1956 VW bug that was sitting in the back of a dealer. It was 1968 and I was saving up for my first car. The salesman knew I couldn’t afford a car but he taught me anyway. I then practiced a little on my brother’s 1965 Austin Healy. When I finally got my first car, a 1960 VW Karmann Ghia from the salesman who first taught me, I was OK with a stick. I had a part time job at a sports car clinic whose owner raced Bug Eyed Sprites. He taught me how to shift like a racer. My clutches would last 100,000 miles. My neighbor had a 4 speed Chevy who burned his clutch every 20k Miles. I tried to teach him but he wouldn’t listen. At 67 I gave up the stick for an automatic because my wife and I share the same car sometimes. This is more info than you wanted. Sorry.

Speed-shifting, aye? I can do that. Just have to have the right RPMs.

/----/ It has to be done the right way plus, don't ride the clutch and start the car in neutral. Freewheel into red lights. Idle in neutral. The old saying goes brake pads are cheaper than clutches and trannys.

Thanks for the words of wisdom....brake pads ARE cheaper. the trannys will only make you take them clothes shopping, eat at expensive restaurants then wreck your car.

 

[Sunni Man]

That's because most muscle cars were bought by regular people, and some couldn't drive a standard.

Everyone that I knew growing up that owned a muscle car had a stick shift. Maybe a lot of women didn't know how to drive a stick shift, but just about every guy did. ...

 

[Yarddog]

Manual Transmission Foils Car Theft for the Billionth Time

Quote:

"Nashville police arrested two teenagers last Wednesday, after a press release from the department said they attempted to carjack two women that day. The statement said the teens ultimately failed both times, with the second being because the car had a manual transmission. They had to run away on foot."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you drive a manual transmission?

How did you learn?

I learned in a 68 VW bug when I was about 19. that little thing was pretty fun. just took a day to learn as I had already been driving an auto for some time. It is amazing how many people today cant drive em. Had a manual ever since. You feel like you have so much more control of the car/truck.... though I have an Automatic as well... I pretty much prefer the Stick out on the highway... way better gas mileage

 

[Jarlaxle]

Myth. Most "muscle cars" actually used automatic transmissions.

I was in the muscle car era and drove just about every muscle car you can name. And the vast majority were stick shift. ....

No, wrong. I have seen the actual production numbers. Approximately two in three had automatic transmissions.

 

[Sunni Man]

No, wrong. I have seen the actual production numbers. Approximately two in three had automatic transmissions.

..............................................

 

[Jarlaxle]

That's because most muscle cars were bought by regular people, and some couldn't drive a standard.

Everyone that I knew growing up that owned a muscle car had a stick shift. Maybe a lot of women didn't know how to drive a stick shift, but just about every guy did. ...

Horse shit.

 

[Sunni Man]

Horse shit.

I was there, you weren't.

End of story......

 

[Cellblock2429]

That's because most muscle cars were bought by regular people, and some couldn't drive a standard.

Everyone that I knew growing up that owned a muscle car had a stick shift. Maybe a lot of women didn't know how to drive a stick shift, but just about every guy did. ...

Horse shit.

/----/ It depends on what decade you grew up in. The 1950 were almost completely standards except for the high end Caddys, Imperials and Lincolns. The mid 1960s saw autos working their way down the line to mainstream GMs, Fords and Chryslers. By the 70s it was 50/50 and the late 1980s saw you having to order a standard. That was my observation.

 

[Jarlaxle]

No, wrong. I have seen the actual production numbers. Approximately two in three had automatic transmissions.

..............................................

Off the top of my head, three quarters of SD455 Firebirds-including my father in law's 74- were automatic.

https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/m...bird-Formula-and-Trans-Am-SD-455/3713511.html

 

[Jarlaxle]

That's because most muscle cars were bought by regular people, and some couldn't drive a standard.

Everyone that I knew growing up that owned a muscle car had a stick shift. Maybe a lot of women didn't know how to drive a stick shift, but just about every guy did. ...

Horse shit.

/----/ It depends on what decade you grew up in. The 1950 were almost completely standards except for the high end Caddys, Imperials and Lincolns. The mid 1960s saw autos working their way down the line to mainstream GMs, Fords and Chryslers. By the 70s it was 50/50 and the late 1980s saw you having to order a standard. That was my observation.

By the mid 70s, the OVERWHELMING majority of cars had automatic transmissions. Only performance cars and economy cars had a lot of manual transmissions. By 1980, you COULD NOT GET a manual transmission in ANY American midsize or larger car!

 

[Jarlaxle]

A bit more than one third of GTOs were manual shift in 1970.

1970 Pontiac GTO Production Figures and Specifications