Function & Cost Of Amt Vs Manual: Interesting...

[Coda1]

One of the problems with modern safety systems is you can not start the manual transmission vehicle in gear if the clutch fails. I encountered this problem with one of our Miata's. The slave cylinder had leaked out all the fluid. I used a bottle of water to get home. You can push start some automatics; the ones with the pump on the output shaft. Old cars, prior to 1964. It seems that most AMT's can be push started. Turning you car off and coasting can lead to a disaster. After several brake applications, your vacuum is gone and your brake booster does not operate. Same for vehicles with hydroboost.

Curious, what have then done to prevent push starting on the newer cars? Newest car I've had was a 1999 and it could still be push started. I assumed they won't change that but I suppose the lawyers had something to do with it. They can never leave good enough alone.

Good point about losing the power braking after turning the car off. It happened to me once and scared the crap out of me. The two places I turn the car off now only require me to hit the brakes twice and it maintains vacuum that long. Good point to mention though for those that might try it since the brakes are almost worthless without the booster working.

 

[Reid3400]

Most automatics now have a front pump which has to be driven by the engine. You can not push start them, because without hydraulic pressure, there is no engagement of the clutch pack. No matter how fast you push there is no connection between the transmission and the engine.

 

[cortsdad2]

The new drivers of today have no idea how to drive a stick; they were all raised on automatics.
That 3rd pedal will make them walk away from the car no matter how cool or fun it is.
The AMT will give them the chance to be "sporty" and tell friends (ok text friends) that they have and can drive a stick; they'll just leave out the fact it isn't really a true "stick". They love to be able to "one up" their friends.
My youngest daughter is 25 and I've tried to teach her how to drive a stick and she wants nothing to do with it.
I grew up driving sticks most of my life. Learned how to change my first clutch in my dad's VW Beetle (don't rest your foot on the clutch dummy ...)

For those of us that can drive stick it will give us the chance to "stretch it out" a bit more than an automatic if we choose to.

I have several "stick" vehicles that I drive daily... I see it as a major theft deterrent!

 

[Ty]

For those who say new drivers aren't taught how to Friedman's transmissions, I can tell you for sure that they are here in New Mexico.v Now, once they get out of drivers training and into the real (lazy) world, they most likely don't ever practice but at least they learn in driver's training.

 

[WilliamH]

............"For those who say new drivers aren't taught how to Friedman's transmissions"............
Huh? What?

 

[ScarecrowRepair]

............"For those who say new drivers aren't taught how to Friedman's transmissions"............
Huh? What?

"... drive manual ..." looks like autocorrect gone wild.

 

[Neal]

I am proud to say my daughter and her daughter knows how to drive stick. My daughter can shift, drink coffee and smack her son at the same time.

You parented well!

 

[Lil4X]

Some of those "safety" lockouts can really get you in trouble when being towed. In addition to having no power brakes or power steering, with the engine dead and the key off, the steering column locks. I did that recently when my daughter had to give me a tow for about three blocks when the fuel pump quit. Being frustrated after several attempted starts, I'd turned the key off. About the time the slack came out of the tow strap, I realized the steering wheel was locked. Ruh-roh . . . A little twisting the wheel and jiggling the key freed it before I ran into the ditch, but by then I'd forgotten all about the steering and brakes having checked out. Ever see a minivan drift?

I executed a nice 4-wheel drift into the driveway, wrestling the numb steering and and unresponsive brakes, dodging my daughter's truck and bringing it to a halt with two feet on the pedal - just before I ended up in the dining room.

Our technology has eliminated a lot of our "backup" procedures - I recall several times giving my '95 Civic a push start by opening the driver's door and paddling with one foot, then with the MT in second, dumping the clutch. Try that with your SUV!

 

[WilliamH]

Some of those "safety" lockouts can really get you in trouble when being towed. In addition to having no power brakes or power steering, with the engine dead and the key off, the steering column locks. I did that recently when my daughter had go give me a tow for about three blocks when the fuel pump quit. Being frustrated after several attempted starts, I'd turned the key off. About the time the slack came out of the tow strap, I realized the steering wheel was locked. Ruh-roh . . . A little twisting the wheel and jiggling the key freed it before I ran into the ditch, but by then I'd forgotten all about the steering and brakes having checked out. Ever see a minivan drift?

I executed a nice 4-wheel drift into the driveway, wrestling the numb steering and and unresponsive brakes, dodging my daughter's truck and bringing it to a halt with two feet on the pedal - just before I ended up in the dining room.

Our technology has eliminated a lot of our "backup" procedures - I recall several times giving my '95 Civic a push start by opening the driver's door and paddling with one foot, then with the MT in second, dumping the clutch. Try that with your SUV!

Ain't technology wonderful?

 

[Ian442]

I used to "push start" my VW Diesel Rabbit. With gears so tall you could get out of the car and it would not stall out.

Great for pushing out of a snowbank.