Why can't The guys on Top Gear drive automatics?

MrJoshua wrote:

confuZion3 wrote: Most people can't drive manual transmission cars. I, on the other hand, cannot drive auto. I never learned.

Besides frequently trying to jam your left foot through the floor-the transition isnt hard.

Just watch out for those wide brake pedals... when you're coasting up to a stop and do your "clutch to the floor" motion but catch the brake, it can be a bit of a surprise to your passengers...

or so my wife tells me

flountown wrote: I just hold the coffee in my left hand...

I always have trouble locating the cupholder when holding my cup with my left hand. This results in coffee in the crotch when using the open mug.

I think the Grassroots solution to the coffee issue is to rig up a camle-back type system.

RedS13Coupe wrote: I am honestly getting tired of all the theatrics lately. They used to just go mess around in cars and do dumb stuff. Now a days they do so many bits like the EVO vs tanks were they go so far beyond playing characters and just trying to be entertaining to having completely scripted bits. I wish they would stop with the setups and just get back to acting like kids and playing with cool cars.

Well, in the last season, they staged a 1940s car vs train vs bike race, did the 17-year-old first car challenge, had a RWD vs FWD challenge, drag raced a McLaren F1 vs a Veyron, rode with Ken Block...and tested cars from the FXX to the Holden ute. Seems to me they're still on track.

The producers did have to air a shortened season after the Hamster's big crash. Because the goofy stuff was more expensive to make, that's what got aired. And the audience numbers said "more please"! So we get more.

MitchellC wrote: Driving a manual while holding a cup of coffee is easy. On the straights, just shift with your left hand. That doesn't defy the Grassroots code of conduct, does it? Note: Do not attempt in corners. There are not enough hands!

all you need is to add one knee, and this can be done. i wouldn't recommend doing it at any significant speed though.

When I first moved to Altanta, I was mystified by the fact that no one here could hold a steady speed on the Interstates. I'd be doing 75, and people would pass me going downhill-and then block me going uphill. Couldn't figure out why, until I borrowed my mom's 2000 Cutlass for something. It was the automatic. I grew up on the coast, and never knew hills were such a problem for the things (back when I was towing the race car, I had always just blamed it on the weight of the rig). Trying to keep a steady pace, I actually sent it into "kickdown" a couple of times.

Never had a problem with the pedals. Now reaching for a non-existent stick is another story. I get some strange looks from my family doing that.

MrJoshua wrote:

confuZion3 wrote: Most people can't drive manual transmission cars. I, on the other hand, cannot drive auto. I never learned.

Besides frequently trying to jam your left foot through the floor-the transition isnt hard.

BTDT

Being a Brit by birth I grew up with the 'Automatics are for people with only one arm' mentality. Living here for the last 15 years has changed that. Don't forget throughout the development of the automobile America tended towards large capacity high torque engines that are really well suited to autos. Europeans developed smaller higher revving engines with little torque that were absolutely crippled by autos. You drive a typical 15 - 50 year old 4 or 6 cyl car with a capacity of less than 3.0l and it's monumentally horrible with an auto. Conversely I absolutely love my father in Laws 85 L98 Vette with an auto, it's a truly wonderful paring and I can't imagine why you'd want a manual in that, even for autocross. Modern electronically controlled auto's and modern engines have made auto's much more popular. With the continued move towards diesel in Europe I think you'll see more there too, or at least semi auto manuals. The last few times I've been to the UK and got a diesel, my first thought before getting out of the rental pick up is 'man this would be better with an auto' having already had to make 4 - 5 gear changes and not topped 20mph yet. I choose a manual for my DD as I like to row my own gears, my wife who can drive a stick and did as an only car for over 10 years drives an auto. But she drops the kids at school and her business is start stop on city streets and subdivisions so she just got fed up of shifting all the time. I don't criticize people for picking auto's anymore, they really are very good these days.

Back to the OP. TG is all about fun, much of that is poking fun at the US.

Top Gear does not do auto trans because they are for wankers.

andrave wrote: Automatic in my DD. Why? 1) I put 3-4k a month on my pathy. Thats a lot of shifting. 2) I use my blackberry when I'm on the road, for GPS and emails, texting, phone calls, etc. Shifting, black berry, and steering is one too many. 3) cruise control works a whole lot better in the mountain state when your auto tranny will downshift for you. 4) auto trans is infinitely better for towing than manual trans. play cars must be 5 sp, or must be cheap enough to make up for it. Daily drivers must be auto. These are my rules.

Biting my toungue...

TG makes fun of everyone, even themselves.

I spend a lot of time in my '58 Pontiac, it's a three-speed, column shift.

I had to drive the Chevy Express work van yesterday and nearly crammed the shifter into park when I left an intersection.

Shawn

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

+1

HappyAndy wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: Besides frequently trying to jam your left foot through the floor-the transition isnt hard.

BTDT

The first time I drove my Mom's Mazda5, I slammed on the brakes with my left foot about 100' from a stop sign. That thing has a wide brake pedal, and I had been driving nothing but the Miata for a few weeks.

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

Because my cop car never came with one and the conversion kit cost twice as much as the car.

Appleseed wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

Because my cop car never came with one and the conversion kit cost twice as much as the car.

Sell the car

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

Sit in Atlanta traffic during rush hour and reevaluate your statement... I like manuals but slushboxes are awesome when you average less than 20mph on the interstate

Fit_Is_Slo wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

Sit in Atlanta traffic during rush hour and reevaluate your statement... I like manuals but slushboxes are awesome when you average less than 20mph on the interstate

I sit in Vancouver B.C. traffic with my manuals, it doesn't bother me, really.

It's just a matter of personal preference.

Shawn

Fit_is_Slo said: Sit in Atlanta traffic during rush hour and reevaluate your statement... I like manuals but slushboxes are awesome when you average less than 20mph on the interstate

I do it every day in the Aspire...it sucks, but the bennies outweigh the negatives.

The P71 is the first DD car I've owned that wasn't a manual. I've had autos before, but always as backup cars, fixxer-uppers, etc.

I still long for a T45 swap now and again, but I have to admit the well-built, electronically controlled automatic is growing on me after 19,000 miles. With the Superchips tuner I can adjust shift points, firmness, etc. When I drive around normally it shifts swiftly and smoothly and returns some very decent MPG numbers on the highway. When I'm racing it will hold 1st/2nd and does great torque multiplication. The shot out of a corner on track days is truly awesome! Now that it has the J-Mod as well I want the manual less and less.

All that said, I still have to drive the RX-7 at least once a week or my left foot gets twitchy...

I drive an automatic, secure in the knowledge that I'm irritating a car snob someplace. :)

More seriously, traffic+manual= Boring. I'd rather just put it in D and relax.

maroon92 wrote:

Fit_is_Slo said: Sit in Atlanta traffic during rush hour and reevaluate your statement... I like manuals but slushboxes are awesome when you average less than 20mph on the interstate

I do it every day in the Aspire...it sucks, but the bennies outweigh the negatives.

I used to do it in an air cooled baja bug i'm good lol

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Back to the OP. TG is all about fun, much of that is poking fun at the US.

....even when much of what they say about Americans is true of them, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYJh6JsgHak

Trans_Maro wrote:

Appleseed wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote: Why would anyone drive an automatic? Shawn

Because my cop car never came with one and the conversion kit cost twice as much as the car.

Sell the car

Agreed!