CARS

[Kitsune]

wranglers are probably the highest percentage of 5 speeds among american cars, i'd guess...
we usually stock 60% 5speed

I find that pretty impressive -- more than 50% stick on a vehicle. Not bad and a little encouraging. I wonder what it is about the Wrangler (or the type of person that buys them) that allows for more manuals than autos.

and i've always wanted a 5 speed minivan

You're not the first person I've heard say that. A number have looked down at the mysterious third pedal in my car and noted that they wished their van was a manual. I guess a lot of the vehicles used for hauling wouldn't have a stick on purpose, but a van? Why not? Then you could have the long, schoolbus-style stick. Oh, baby, that'd be sweet.

[wolf]

The mid 80s version of the Isuzu Trooper had that. It was fun.

[FileNotFound]

Kitsune, a true offroad would need manual due to the need for the driver to gear up and down in advance and not "after the fact" like automatic does. Automatic doesn't gear down approaching the hill, but on the hill, in an off road situation that can suck. (well..more so than normaly)

I'd love to know what percentage is manual on Subaru WRX. Which has always been presented as a rally car.

When I was shopping for a car, I desperatly tried to get a manual car that was comfy (for someone who's 6'6"), reliable and not too expensive. I found the task impssible.
3 Types of cars that can be found in manual easily:

1) Junker econoboxes. Base model civics etc.

2) Saabs

3) Sports cars.

Of those only 1 is cheap, but hadly reliable and far from comfy. So I drive a Chrysler Concorde..with an auto. (Not as bad as the auto in the Honda CRV or the Nissan Maxima)

Saabs are not too expensive, quite a good deal considering the retail, but those things are more expnsive to maintan than the space station.


Hey Wolf, Seen the Isuzu VehiCross? That looked like a fun car..

[lumberjim]

i was being a litttle bit sarcastic about the 5 speed minivan, but i did drive a 72 vw microbus accross the country when i was young that was a 4 speed.....too cool....vw's had fahrvegnugen even back then.


vehicross looks like a basketball sneaker

[Kitsune]

At the risk of thinking up a "Homer Car" I think schoolbus-style sticks should be an option along with a number of other things.

Five-point seatbelts -- they hold you in better and are easy to get out of. Yeah, most people would hate them but they'd do wonders for safety unlike the infamous "decapitator" automated belts of the early 90s. Too bad no one would wear these, either.

Coolant Thermos Bottle -- five or so years ago I read an article that someone had come up with an insulated coolant resevoir bottle. In the winter time, your car was instantly warm in the morning (enough to kick on the heater) and there was no wait time. They said it would be an option in a number of years, but it never happened! When I lived in a place that actually had a winter, I couldn't wait for this innovation to become a reality.

A/C Condensation Collector -- you know all that water that drips off the A/C? That stuff should be collected, filtered, and made available to the passengers. On hot days, there wouldn't be anything better than the cool, refreshing taste of AC drippings.

Radio Station Info Display -- Landrover is the only company I know that has implemented this in vehicles sold in the US. The radio station you tune to sends out its station ID, music genre, etc, in a digital format. In Europe, practically all car radios for the past ten years or more understand this data and will even display traffic accident information. Want to listen to jazz? The radio will find a jazz station for you. Radio station starting to fade out as you drive away from it? If the station has a networked twin, the radio will tune to it.

[Kitsune]

Kitsune, a true offroad would need manual due to the need for the driver to gear up and down in advance and not "after the fact" like automatic does. Automatic doesn't gear down approaching the hill, but on the hill, in an off road situation that can suck.

Yeah -- although I don't know of many people that really drive offroad. As I understand it, hauling something with a manual is a total bitch. When you shift gears with a stick, all power goes away momentairly and that doesn't happen with an auto. If you're hauling something very heavy, stalling the engine becomes a problem when you move out of first.

...then again, I don't know of many people that haul anything heavier than a small boat.

[dar512]

Originally posted by Kitsune

Radio Station Info Display -- Landrover is the only company I know that has implemented this in vehicles sold in the US. The radio station you tune to sends out its station ID, music genre, etc, in a digital format. In Europe, practically all car radios for the past ten years or more understand this data and will even display traffic accident information. Want to listen to jazz? The radio will find a jazz station for you. Radio station starting to fade out as you drive away from it? If the station has a networked twin, the radio will tune to it.

We've got that on our Chevy Venture. Very nice.

[Undertoad]

I believe we were promised permanently Rain-X'd windshields made of some sort of water-resistant material. I would be happy with wipers that don't chatter.

[lumberjim]

you should ALL know what a promise is worth when talking cars......

...ooh, i can;t believe i just took a shot at myself.....


didn;t the jetsons promise flying cars?

[dar512]

Originally posted by lumberjim
didn;t the jetsons promise flying cars?

You've seen the people on the roads these days. How many of those people would you trust in a flying car?

[zippyt]

Kitsune said I guess a lot of the vehicles used for hauling wouldn't have a stick on purpose,
As I understand it, hauling something with a manual is a total bitch. When you shift gears with a stick, all power goes away momentairly and that doesn't happen with an auto. If you're hauling something very heavy, stalling the engine becomes a problem when you move out of first.

Oh how wrong you are , most 18 wheelers are 13-18 speeds . Yes it sucks to have to shift thru all those gears , but ,,,
1) after you start out you don't have to use the clutch ( the gears are that close to gather ) . A big rig has that many gears because a diesel engine is a slow revelaoutin ( your tach is in 100's in sted of 1000's ) high torque( most on the road now days are in the 400-500 hp range) engine , a gas engine is a high rev LOW torgue . so the sweet spot ( power band ) on a diesel is like 5-10 rpm some were in the range , as long as you keep it in that range all is good , not lugging the engine or over reving it eather .
2) you can skip gears , on our big ass volvo we use at the shop ( 400+ hp 14 wheeler 10 speed 60,000+lbs 40+ft long ) i start out in 2nd run that untill it winds ALL the way out then go to 5th then 7th then 9th and if traffic premits 10th . Now a cool thing is that as strong as the engine is going up range when you are stopping you can down shift all the way to about 2 mph .

oh and to realy blow your mind there is also a thing called a "Jake Brake " when you are stoping you can flip this little lever and the engine reverses compression , this saves on the brakes , is usefull on hills , and scares the shit out of unsuspecting folks with their windows rolled down!!!!
Ever hear an 18 wheeler pulling to a stop makeing that "GGGGRRRRRRRRRRR" sound , that is a jake brake .

[BrianR]

Just don't use those brake assist devices around tollbooths and certain other places...it's against local regs. Look for the "No Jake Brakes" signs.

Brian

[xoxoxoBruce]

I had a Chevy astrovan with a 5 speed stick.
PT Cruiser has tiptronic and radio station readout.
Most high end automatic SUVs have a hill hold feature for decending steep hills without braking in low range (off road) mode.
The Ford version of Wolfs car comes with a stick in the SHO model.
Big rig diesels usually run 1700 to 2000 rpm on the road.
I need a no jake brake sign in front of my house.

[zippyt]

LOOK I FOUND THE LUMBERJIM MOBILE !!!!

[lumberjim]

close.....needs to be a gti.....

does give me a bit of a woodie, though