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Automotive News & Views The Future Of The Manual Transmission
5809 messages, Last post on Dec 03, 2009 at 12:30 PM
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Replying to: wwest (Jul 08, 2009 4:56 pm) In the case of the Corvette, they have the top two gears as you describe and STILL have to drop the axle ratio and it still delivers less mpg than the manual and costs 1,100 to 1250 dollars more. |
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Replying to: wwest (Jul 08, 2009 8:33 am) Oh God no. You would most certainly lose that wager in my case.
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Replying to: nippononly (Jul 08, 2009 10:43 pm)  Over the years I've lived in most of the largest and congested metropolitan areas in the United States, and I've driven (and enjoyed) a stick through them all. Errr, that is up until 2005 when finances dictated that I turn my leased car in and start using our old "Home Depot Hack" (a 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan) as my daily driver. Yes, the van was functional, yes, I could tote lots of kids and/or stuff in it, and yes, it was ridiculously reliable, but oh geez did I miss driving a stick. Last fall, with the old girl fast approaching the 200,000 mile mark I finally traded her in on a 2009 Mazda3 with a 5-Speed, and to be perfectly honest, in spite of the fact that I'm commuting into Boston daily, I cannot tell you how much more enjoyable it is to drive a stick again. And yes, that even includes days when it takes me two hours to drive thirty miles. Best regards, Shipo
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Replying to: shipo (Jul 09, 2009 2:30 am) Note - this is different than how you drive an automatic vehicle. The goal isn't to retain a close distance at all costs but to shift less and maintain a steady speed within a specific gear. This means that gaps open up and you tend to stay at higher RPMs than in an automatic. If you try to drive a manual in a traffic jam like an automatic, you'll end up tired and frustrated. Sometimes people jump in front of you and that just happens.(see a typical Semi in traffic for a reference). Though, usually, because I'm running at higher rpms, I am the one who usually gets the jump on people.  I've driven several miles in heavy traffic every day for years and I usually only shift maybe 5-6 times during the entire 3-4 mile section where it's bad. Usually between 2nd and 3rd, because 3rd is roughly good for 20mph-60mph on my vehicle. 2nd I can keep in as long as it's over ~2-3 mph. Technically I could start it in 2nd but the thing starts to get jerky below about 2mph...
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Don't you think that a lot of the future (or lack thereof) of the MT is tied up in the fact that most (>>50%) drivers just plain can't drive a stick? Kids today learn to drive with automatics in driver's ed, take the test on an automatic (mom's minivan or Camry), and never move on to or even learn to drive a stick? I still remember my oldest daughter taking her driver's test on my '82 Mazda 626 - manual. She failed the first time. The reason the testing officer gave was that she had "taken her hand off the wheel to shift". This MVA low-life had absolutely no idea what a stick was and that, yes, you have to take a hand off the wheel to shift! For her re-test, we went to a different MVA office out in the boonies where we figured those administering the tests would be more likely to drive a stick. Bingo, it worked. She passed with no problems. |
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Replying to: igozoomzoom (Jul 06, 2009 8:02 pm) |
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Replying to: plekto (Jul 09, 2009 2:42 am) Not that I am a glutton for punishment, but there have been times where I have strung 3/4 area traffic jams together in a day. 1. bay area, sf,south bay 2. farm land areas (believe it or not- harvest season) 3. la la land 4. san diego. |
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Replying to: srs_49 (Jul 08, 2009 8:07 am)
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Replying to: dave594 (Jul 09, 2009 6:45 am) |
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Driving on the Autobahn I found that I had to be more watchful and not leave my 6-speed stick needlessly down in 5th gear for long periods. The engine had enough "pull" and 5th gear was tall enough that the difference, feel, just wasn't there. Here in the US my Ford Ranger I4 w/5-speed stick quickly "tells" me I need to upshift and/or downshift. The thing is, with a "tall" top gear and a wide power band you can remain in that top gear from, say, 55MPH all the way UP. In the meantime the engine RPM rises from ~2200 RPM all the way to REDLINE, ~7000 RPM, frictional losses RISING all the while. Okay SPLIT the difference, 5th gear from 55MPM (3200 RPM) to 80MPH, 6th gear (back down to 3200RPM) thereafter. With the power (band) of the Autobahn engine and a CVT the RPM might have stayed within 2200-2500 thereby improving my FE at the time from 25-26 to 30ish....?? Sorry, the math, simple math, just cannot be made to work out for a MT over a CVT. Look at it this way, with a CVT you can ALWAYS, ALWAYS be in the "TALLEST" gear ratio the engine's power band will support.
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