why I drove 200+ cars (and why I can ONLY own a manual)
Added 2023-11-08 01:15:03 +0000 UTCone day i will afford a good car
Comments
I learnt on an automatic, but then after a few years bought a secondhand Focus ST225/XR5 Turbo which only came in a manual. I got a crashcourse manual lesson from my neighbour's daughter in her beat up old Landrover Discovery with a grinding second gear, before flying all the way across the country (Australia) to buy the car, then drove it 2000km home. Then recently a I bought a secondhand ND MX-5 (in manual, obviously) to replace it (it's my only car and this my daily), and I honestly couldn't go back to automatics. Though I gotta admit, I do get the traffic argument. Be it in my old XR5/ST225, or my MX-5 being stuck in traffic would lead to a sore left leg lol. But all that goes away as soon as I hit a good, winding road. To me, every time I drive somewhere is a chance to get better at driving. Smoother shifts, better rev matching, whatever it is. Whereas in an auto it's so easy to get complacent. An engaged driver is a safe driver. I do also think that learners should start on automatics, at least for the first few months if possible. Learning manual for me was tough, even after I'd been driving [automatics] for years since my attention was split between what was going on on the road, and trying to make the car do what I want. After a while it became reflex and a non-issue, but for someone totally new to driving I would think it'd be initially more important to get them familiar with generally handling a car and dealing with road rules before putting them in a something which takes a lot more attention to operate. I've also driven some shit manuals. My friend has a 2004ish Corolla and it's gearbox and clutch pedal was awful. I'd rather drive an automatic than a car with a gearbox like that, but perhaps I've been spoiled by the Focus and the MX-5.
Timothy Ozimec
2023-11-08 02:37:17 +0000 UTCIf you ever come to the US, make sure to visit one of the car shows where they bring out all American muscle cars from the 70s/80s. I do think you'd enjoy it.
Mardalla
2023-11-08 02:33:23 +0000 UTC
