So, I own a car now.

[The Fury]

I didn't know that they still produced manual window roller uppers, at least with those you don't have to worry about some weird electrical stuff.

For an old Camaro they do. Keep in mind when Beatrix was new, power windows were optional so there's parts available to have window cranks for a car that old if that's what you'd prefer. I'm not sure when it was that power windows were standard for basically everything.

Yeah, I dunno what he expected when I initially took him out to try but he didn't meet whatever internal expectations he had, and now he is avoiding the "problem". I don't want to "nag" him too much on this cause we've got several things going on that generate a lot of anxiety with him.

If it helps, I've never met anyone that had an easy time learning to drive stick. Though like a lot of skills that are difficult to learn, you'll be so glad you learned it.

I learned to drive on a stickshift 1987 Hyundai Excel hatchback. Though it was a horrible experience, it had one big advantage -- driving an automatic is incredibly easy by comparison. Also, after that training, I believe that the driver is prepared to drive just about anything. Cars. Trucks. APCs. Tanks. Giant mining machines. "If it moves, you can drive it."

I don't know, I had to break a few habits going from manual to automatic. The first car I drove on my own was a 1978 Subaru which was a stick. When I first started driver's ed, cars that were automatics were used. In the Subaru I used my left foot to operate the brake and the clutch, wrong I know, but the engine would sometimes stall out unless I gave it some gas. In driver's ed I kept trying to operate the brake with my left foot and would occasionally reach for the shifter-- The instructor did not appreciate this one bit.

Holy**** man this is awesome

The Jag engine? I agree that's an impressive-looking bit of machinery. I've never seen or heard one in person though. Not many E-Types near where I'm from.

[cobaltstarfire]

It's a really common problem for people to try to do *something* with their left foot when they first get into an automatic after driving lots of stick. Lots of people will accidentally jam the breaks for example. I've done it a few times when first driving an automatic too.

I had to fight the urge to grab for a stick also, though it's gotten easier with time. It still sometimes gives me this weird feeling similar to when I've forgotten something important but can't remember what it is.

The funniest thing that ever happened to me while driving automatic is being stuck in the wrong gear. My mom had me drive her car so she could rent a SUV (we were buying a bed for my sister). When we started driving I had it in a low gear and could hear the engine didn't want me going over 30, but didn't know what I needed to do to fix that. I'm not sure what caused this because I'd driven automatic before with no problem, so I guess different brands of car label their gears differently? Had to find a parking lot and call her cause aggresive driver that she is she completely left me behind.

The only really "hard" thing about driving stick for me when learning was that I learned in a moderately hilly city, though that just means I have really good clutch control now. Well also the car I learned in was not a clunker, which can also make a huge difference. And overcoming my nerves when the test came around, I was shaking so bad I couldn't drive at all for my first try...

[factotum]

Since I learned to drive in a manual and have almost always driven them, the weird thing for me in an automatic is that the engine note doesn't necessarily link to how fast you're going, because you don't know what gear you're in--plus there's some slip in the system introduced by the torque converter. It was particularly odd when I was given a car with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) as a courtesy car while mine was having work done, because those just stay at the same revs while the speed increases--it's a really odd sensation!

[cobaltstarfire]

I was given a car with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) as a courtesy car while mine was having work done

I didn't know that cars with that sort of thing ever went into actual production! I remember reading about them and how they didn't go into serious production because they were too "different" from what the general public expects in a car.


Was it hard to adjust to, or just really weird and not much else? What was the pickup like?

[Jerry]

Dang Fury, I woulda named that car Blaze cause it's so Fire.
I hope Beatrix is good to you. I personally have never owned a car and probably won't while I'm still living in the City. I can still admire them though.

[The Fury]

The only really "hard" thing about driving stick for me when learning was that I learned in a moderately hilly city, though that just means I have really good clutch control now. Well also the car I learned in was not a clunker, which can also make a huge difference. And overcoming my nerves when the test came around, I was shaking so bad I couldn't drive at all for my first try...

The main stickshift cars I've driven probably did qualify as clunkers depending on who you ask. One was the aforementioned battered Subaru. The other was a Jeep CJ with a really heavy clutch pedal. The latter was the only one I got a lesson on driving in traffic with, I never could get it. My sister could drive the Jeep with no problems though-- she had much stronger legs than me.

Since I learned to drive in a manual and have almost always driven them, the weird thing for me in an automatic is that the engine note doesn't necessarily link to how fast you're going, because you don't know what gear you're in--plus there's some slip in the system introduced by the torque converter. It was particularly odd when I was given a car with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) as a courtesy car while mine was having work done, because those just stay at the same revs while the speed increases--it's a really odd sensation!

That does sound incredibly weird.

Dang Fury, I woulda named that car Blaze cause it's so Fire.
I hope Beatrix is good to you. I personally have never owned a car and probably won't while I'm still living in the City. I can still admire them though.

So far Beatrix has been great as 40-year old cars go. She still needs some work, but she starts right up and moves under her own power without issue.

In case you were wondering she's actually named after General Beatrix from Final Fantasy IX.

[factotum]

Was it hard to adjust to, or just really weird and not much else? What was the pickup like?

It didn't feel very quick, but on the other hand, I wasn't having any problem keeping up with the traffic. The gearbox seemed to be set up to keep the engine revs at either 2500-odd rpm for cruising and gentle acceleration, or 4500 for foot to the floor mode. It was mainly really weird, because it felt like driving a manual car with a slipping clutch--you'd put your foot down to accelerate and the engine revs would jump up, then they'd flick back down again when you reached cruising speed and took your foot off the gas.

As for CVT never being introduced, there was a brief burst of popularity for them in the UK about 20-30 years ago, but the only manufacturer these days that still does them (AFAIK) is Nissan. I think the main reason they never took off is because they're not really capable of taking enough torque to install in a large car, and very few people actually want an automatic (and CVT is always automatic) in a small car over here.

[Conradine]

I never learned to drive and probably never will.

Anyway, congratulations. Drive slowly and cautiously.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Does it count as your first car if it's not in your name? (Even if you are the primary driver?)

[The Fury]

Does it count as your first car if it's not in your name? (Even if you are the primary driver?)

I guess? When I was in high school there was a Pontiac that was shared between me and my sister. To me though, it was always my sister's car.

[lio45]

Not having leaky parts is a very good thing in my book. I didn't know that they still produced manual window roller uppers, at least with those you don't have to worry about some weird electrical stuff.

The new 2017 Ford SuperDuty will still be offered with manual crank windows in the base trim (which starts at ~$35k).

[The Fury]

The new 2017 Ford SuperDuty will still be offered with manual crank windows in the base trim (which starts at ~$35k).

I guess it's too bad that I have no interest at all in owning anything that... massive.