We can officially take stick-shift cars off the endangered list!

If you need a tach to drive a stick in normal driving then you don’t know how to drive a stick. It can be helpful on a track. I’ve stated many times in this forum that a tach is a totally worthless gauge. I’d rather have oil pressure or oil temp gauge or even voltage. Those would be far more useful.

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Should we not applaud that? Quite a few today wouldn’t settle for anything but brand new living off their parent’s money.

I can’t remember if it was her Toyota or Nissan my mom had when I was a kid that was a stick shift and she would let me sit in the passenger seat and shift gears for her. For some reason I couldn’t get it from 4th to 5th very well and she would have to do it when I was grinding the gears.
Today, I never learned proper stick driving as my mom had gotten rid of the car before I started learning how to drive. I could probably wing it if I had to but the only person I know that owns a manual vehicle is on of my work buddies and his Dodge 2500 diesel truck

I certainly agree with that now. But new-driver-me would have liked to have had that crutch.

I mean, I don’t want training wheels on my bicycle, but I definitely did want them when I was a little kid just learning to ride. :wink:

I disagree, an engine with decent torque a tach is not necessary, low torque engines a tach can be very beneficial. Had a Rampage, low torque 2.2, Chrysler dealer never could get the tach to work, yes I drove it that way, but would certainly preferred having a tach.

This thread reminds me of an old post to this forum. In it, someone asked if he should teach his 16 year old daughter how to drive a stick, or should her boyfriend do it.

The replies quickly digressed to the benefits of manual-vs-automatics. Then someone replied with this:

Teach her yourself.

On a quiet Sunday morning, drive to a big parking lot via some circuitous route where you’re showing her the basics of shifting. Then let her try. When she lets the clutch out for the first time, the car will stall.

She will immediately stop and look at you for help - using the same smile she used when she was 6 and you knew everything in the universe.

Remember that precious moment because it may be the last time you’ll experience it.

Those words resonated with me thinking back on when I taught our daughter to drive a stick.

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I would say 2.5% puts manual transmissions on the endangered list.

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Lucky stiff !! :smiley: