Do you prefer to drive a stick or an automatic, some people say driving a stick is fun but I think they would be hard to drive if you were climbing hills, I would be afraid of rolling back into another car.

DEFINATELY A STICK

I love grippin dat sucka!

Driving sticks? wtf?

Who are you? Harry Potter?

A-U-T-O MATIC

Sportscar=Stick
Sedan=Automatic
I would rather drive a sportscar so you do the math.

Stick. I've owned four cars in my life, and they've all had manual transmissions:

1) 1981 Fiat Spider 2000
2) 1991 Saturn SC
3) 2002 Mazda Miata LS
4) 1987 BMW 325

(I no longer own the Fiat or the Saturn.)

Some people find manual transmissions to be a pain in city traffic, but I find that the added control is actually a benefit.

theC said:

I consider my BMW (stick) to be a "sports sedan."

Paisley said:

I thought the same thing when I first learned to drive one over a decade ago. It's not true really. It's all about technique; even automatics roll back a little if you don't accelerate fast enough on the hills after stopping. The same thing applies for a stick, but you have to coordinate your feet to work the clutch and accelerator, after taking your foot off of the brake. It's really not hard. It would become second nature once you get used to it. Stick shifts are less expensive to repair too.

Arn't "sticks" called "manual" in the US?

You guys are weird!

matt said:

Soon as you became a lawyer you had to get the BMW didn't you?

bkw said:

It's called manual transmission, but us layfolks say "stick", ya hear?

Supernova said:

Manual transmissions also tend to get better fuel economy.

Some folks say stick shifts hurt the resale value of the car, but I think it's just a matter of finding the right buyer. I consider sticks to be a "plus" that merits paying extra.

Oh, about manual transmissions and hills... using the clutch (as opposed to the brakes) to hold the car on a hill is bad for the clutch. Don't do it.

Supernova said:

If you said that down here in Australia, it would sound rude.

Manual for speed.
Automatic for comfort.

matt said:

Not to mention the control I have over the car, unlike the automatic transmission.

Much more power, and acceleration.

Supernova said:

Thanks Supernova

bkw said:

Well, since I now hold a state-issued license to be an obnoxious, arrogant jerk, I figured that I needed a car to match.

Seriously, what happened was that I found the Miata's tires to be inadequate on snow--they get almost no traction. After investigating the cost of four wheels and a set of snow tires, I just decided to buy the BMW from one of my (lawyer) colleagues and use it as a winter car. (He recently bought himself a new BMW and was looking to get rid of his old one.) I figure that garaging the Miata for the winter will extend its life.

The BMW feels quite solid for a 16-year-old car, and it handles the snow just fine. It was definitely built to last.

Battier... get on msn, please.

matt said:

My very first car was a stick. I have an automatic now.


Eh? Who does that?

althom said:

Oh, I know some words/phrases don't mean the same thing everywhere.

bkw said:

De nada, Kirby.

LaVisHh said:

Yes--although some people find manuals to be inconvenient in city traffic, I actually prefer the added control. If I need to zip quickly into traffic and get up to speed, a manual helps me do that.

LaVisHh said:

THE STICK ROCKS! :HEADBANG:

matt said:

Not to mention the control you have in adverse weather conditions.

Supernova said:

I did, at least in my early days of driving with a manual transmission. My dad taught me the technique when he taught me how to use a stick shift.

It works like this: when you're stopping on a hill, you partially depress the clutch so that the transmission is partially disengaged, and at the same time, you press down on the accelerator somewhat. If you find the right balance--and it's not that hard to do--the car will hold in place. When you're ready to go, you just let the clutch out and, if necessary, depress the accelerator some more. If you do this right, the car won't roll back.

But again, this technique is rough on the clutch and can shorten its life, leading to an expensive repair job.

Supernova said:

bkw said:

they are also called "standard"

I'll drive a stick,standard,manual anyday over an automatic..I hate those whimpy things! vroom vroom!