Manual Tranny - why do you have a stick shift questions?

I drive a 2011 Accord 4-cylinder 5-speed and I got the question again - do you get these type questions? Usually people are really annoyed and ask me "why do you have a manual transmission"?

1. It feels more sporty.

2. Four cylinders are awful with automatics.

3. I like to drive like Mario Andretti. I like to zip through the gears.

4. A base model Accord is soul sucking so a manual helps.

5. I really want an old 240Z or a sports car but I need a sedan for work.

6. I've had 7 Chevrolets and 1 Taurus and I wanted something different.

I just like it when folks are annoyed or even mad I drive a manual tranny in a newer car.

people get mad that you drive a manual? When I had my Volvo 850, people were amazed that such a "big" car could be had with a five speed.

And really.. all you have to answer with.. "I like it" there is nothing else anybody can say about it. Anything else you say sounds like you are making excuses

I saw a beautiful '68 Mercedes 280SE sedan at a shop this morning. A genuine little old lady brought it in for service. I was shocked to see three pedals and four speeds.

The pastor at my church just traded his Gen 7 (2007?) Honda Accord 5-speed manual transmission for a new car.

He is 87 years old.

I just like to row my own.

I had a young guy at the Bojangles drive through ask me if it was hard to drive a stick. I told him once you get it, there's no going back. Then I did a wicked burnout.

I had an elderly man at work (old enough to be a vietnam vet) bring in a c6 zr1, i was amazed it was stick. He said hes owned 38 corvettes and refuses to drive an automatic.

It's the best anti-theft system in the US.

"Because I want to, now bugger off!"

.....Says the guy that defends manufacturers for not offering MTs on most cars. (some exceptions apply: FIAT/Abarth, I'm looking at you!)

"Because real men shift their own gears"

I find them more entertaining and the sort of crapcan daily drivers I can afford perform better with one by all metrics.

because letting the transmission shift itself is a soul sucking experience.

At some point in life, you come to realize that these sorts of personal decisions (to drive a manual transmission car) are your business, and your business alone, and that you have no need or reason to justify such decisions to anyone but yourself.

I dd a 5-speed swapped Crown Vic. I love it, and think it is a total hoot to drive. I do however get mixed reviews from others. 60/40 love/hate... Most people are just confused and have no idea that you can change any aspect of a car. Then you get the ones who think it is a terrible idea for numerous reasons.

The auto-x guys love it, as do most car guys.

Cartman voice on- "I do what I want" -Cartman voice off

Thanks Ross

If the people around you take issue with your transmission choice maybe you need to evaluate yourself as to why you've chosen to surround yourself with such twits. It might be time to seek out a new circle of people.

Yea, I kinda agree with the above. While many of my friends and associates have never driven a manual transmission, not a one of them gets annoyed over my driving them.

I need not justify my decision to anyone. At the most, I might tell them it's because I like it.

Noone has mentioned this yet, but everything else being equal, a manual tranny equipped car gets better fuel mileage than an automatic. The uninformed masses don't know that torque converter is a power stealing piece of equipment.

In winter driving, I feel I have more control. Lift off the gas and car actually slows down.

They knocked $2500 off my '09 Jetta because of the third pedal.

Dan

More efficient

More reliable (and generally when they fail, you can still drive them)

Honda makes pretty iffy automatic transmissions

I can rebuild a manual transmission way easier than an automatic

I've never driven anything with a torque converter that didn't dampen throttle response.

Before I stopped being a shinny happy person and realized that Auto's weren't the spawn of the devil, when asked I used to tell people the only reason for auto's was if you were missing an arm and/or leg and couldn't drive properly. I then turned the question round and asked them why they didn't drive a manual as they seemed to have all their limbs intact.

If I have to explain it, you probably wouldn't understand.

ncjay wrote: Noone has mentioned this yet, but everything else being equal, a manual tranny equipped car gets better fuel mileage than an automatic. The uninformed masses don't know that torque converter is a power stealing piece of equipment.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2-XDQttTMMQ

https://www.youtube.com/embed/OeKylgJbYNU

EastCoastMojo wrote: I just like to row my own. I had a young guy at the Bojangles drive through ask me if it was hard to drive a stick. I told him once you get it, there's no going back. Then I did a wicked burnout.

Best answer ever!!

Mine: Because I like to DRIVE.

My mom drove a manual into her 60's. She misses it some times.

MadScientistMatt wrote: I've never driven anything with a torque converter that didn't dampen throttle response.

Then you haven't driven a domestic muscle car with a shift kit in the automatic. I have and there is no "dampened" throttle response, and in fact, I've found throttle response in so equipped cars to be enhanced.

I love threads like these where the manual trans fanatics come out about how manly they are driving a stick shift, when even my grandma drove a standard trans car. My wife has a manual trans MINI and I drive a perfectly acceptable automatic trans 740i Sport.