is manual really that bad

[renault12ts]

^ Yes I know you can't. I drove one for 3 years and 1 month. The point was made that we used to be taught to apply parking brake before putting car in neutral. Anyway I am not moaning I just stated that for some the foot operated parking brake and the manual gear box are not an easy fit.

 

[recycled]

we were also taught to hold the wheel at 10 to 2 and feed it between turns, and glance over your shoulder when pulling out and indicate when turning (BMW)

 

[renault12ts]

...and your point...

 

[recycled]

not all teachings are adhered to.

Wheres my jacket?

 

[st4]

not all teachings are adhered to.

Wheres my jacket?

Especially the ones about speed limits. 70mph....where on earth did that come from :bannana:

 

[stevesey]

In a manual remember all the times you were in a traffic jam just moving but not enough to full release the clutch left leg like popeye

Only really applies on older cars without electronic idle speed control. I realised a few years ago now that most post 90's manual cars would creep very slowly (like an auto) with both feet off the pedals (even on an incline), as the ECU tweaks the idle valve enough to stop the engine stalling - in fact on the flat in slow traffic you can often pull away (slowly) without using the gas pedal in a manual. It's only on a decent uphill slope in crawling traffic where you need to use the gas and ride the clutch.

N.B. Anyone else noticed that in traffic you can change the creep speed of your auto by switching the the W/S switch to switch between second and first.

 

[renault12ts]

I agree, I taught my daughters to drive ( initially ) on a beach by use of only the clutch to start off and then apply a little throttle once rolling.

 

[Smatt]

I have done 65K in my manual C-coupe.
I had a day or two of difficulty on collection, but no problems since and certainly no mechanical problems with the box.
I enjoy being involved and it feels more sporty/faster than cars which on paper are faster.

The one thing that annoys me the most about the foot operated park brake is the fact that there is no way to apply the park brake without a noisy ratcheting sound. Having the point made about saving the ratchet from an early stage when learning & then later on having done advanced driving, I just don't like it. If I heard another car make this noise, I would think that it was a sloppy driver inside!

 

[Shude]

N.B. Anyone else noticed that in traffic you can change the creep speed of your auto by switching the the W/S switch to switch between second and first.

Yes, I have done that a couple of times although you're not supposed to according to the book!

 

[mercedes lover]

I was fine with the park brake on my manual C class, just was annoying on big hills that you couldn't put the parking brake on to do a quick hill start if in traffic, I had to put it in natural everytime.

My auto ML is very good in London , but took it to the countryside a few weeks ago and was very disappointed at the difference when having some fun on the windy roads.

Also that foot brake is a pain in the ice and snow as you can't do mini hand brake turns round bends, I loved doing them in my BMW, just pull the hand brake and then drop it when you pointing the right way

 

[Shude]

Also that foot brake is a pain in the ice and snow as you can't do mini hand brake turns round bends, I loved doing them in my BMW, just pull the hand brake and then drop it when you pointing the right way

Why can't you? Pull the release handle for the parking brake and slide a pencil or something into the gap so it can't go back. Now you have a second foot-brake which only engages the rear wheels. You can do handbrake turns with both hands on the wheel, much safer I'm sure!

 

[flango]

Why can't you? Pull the release handle for the parking brake and slide a pencil or something into the gap so it can't go back. Now you have a second foot-brake which only engages the rear wheels. You can do handbrake turns with both hands on the wheel, much safer I'm sure!

Nice tip Shude

 

[Shude]

Nice tip Shude

That might be the only thing that you and I can agree upon on this thread!

 

[flango]

That might be the only thing that you and I can agree upon on this thread!

Wouldn't do for us to all be the same though would it? Opinions are what stimulate debate and healthy debate is good. I must admit I have revised some of my opinions based on facts that have been presented on this forum. As they say we are never too old to learn although I'm getting there fast

 

[ROBB]

You can do handbrake turns with both hands on the wheel, much safer I'm sure!

errr not sure about safer though

 

[Shude]

errr not sure about safer though

So one hand on the wheel and the other pulling a lever is safer than two hands on the wheel?

We've now gone full circle of course because keeping both hands on the wheel while the automatic transmission chooses the correct gear to be in MUST be safer than one hand on the wheel and the other on a gearstick! Plus if your car's doing the changes then it's easier to send text messages, unwrap chewing gum, gulp down some piping hot coffee or unzip a banana! :bannana:

 

[Smatt]

But one has to remove a hand from the wheel to extricate pencil from the little holder -thingey in the glovebox, in order to niftly insert into footbrake release handle ??

 

[Sp!ke]

If the car was a manual though, you'd still need an extra appendage to momentarily operate the clutch while you apply the handbrake and feather the throttle, pencil or not.

 

[Smatt]

If the car was a manual though, you'd still need an extra appendage to momentarily operate the clutch while you apply the handbrake and feather the throttle, pencil or not.

Is this where the navigator/co-driver is required?

 

[Dryce]

N.B. Anyone else noticed that in traffic you can change the creep speed of your auto by switching the the W/S switch to switch between second and first.

I usually make sure the C/S switch is in C when it looks like things will jam. The creep speed is better and things are smoother because there's no shift from first to second in stop/start traffic.