definitely stick with the manual! I've always thought driving a manual was way more fun than an auto (the L does give it a pretty good run though). I like having the control to hold the vehicle in a specific gear, especially for burnouts! Its really tough to feather the throttle in the L to keep a long burnout going, without letting it upshift.

Not to mention, its inevitable that sometime or other you'll be in a situation where youre the only sober person and the car is a manual. Its not as bad as it seems the first time, it'll get easy pretty quick.

 

I think I'm going to pass on the car guys, I've found some other stuff I'm looking into getting too instead.

Shoot me an email with your name/number if you were interested in the VR4, I'll give them to Vic or get you his contact info for the car.

Daniel

 

I learned to drive before automatic trannies were invented. Learning to drive a manual wasn't so hard, but cranking the damn car to start it was a bltch. Actually, my first car was a 1952 MG TD, and it DID have a crank for emergency starts, not that uncommon with the Lucas electrical system, and beat the hell out of waiting for the Auto Club. I much prefer manuals to automatics, and I wish they were an option on the L. When I worked at a detention camp I drove a 22 passenger bus through the mountains to take the kids on outings. I could really get that sucker to haul a$$, but when it broke down we got a loaner from county mechanical that was an ex-Greyhound bus. It was really a trip getting it down the mountain at speed. Oddly enough, my wife, who is the same age as I am, also hates automatics, and will not own a car with one. The tranny in my VW is a joy to shift, and it makes it a lot of fun to drive despite its lack of power. I LOVE manual trannies.

 

yeah and let your hard earned AMERICAN dollars go OVERSEAS (which they DO) and support a foreign economy (Which they DO) O sorry I thought you where talking to me

 

Please explain to me HOW wanting to support the United States of America is "non-acceptable behavior". How was your Christmas? I spent mine relieving the working at ground zero in NY! It was a VERY moving experience, and maybe, MORE Americans, if they spent a day there, would rethink their liberal views! Good Night

 

I learned to drive a stick in a WWII army jeep, I was like 12, so I had to put both feet on the clutch sometimes to get it all the way down..made things interesting anyhow. Mom's b/f has a V6 Stang with a stick I've driven a few times..not to great at it though...now when I go back to WPB I'll probably get to drive a 00Cobra R (yes, I said a 2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R!!!). God I hope I dont stall that thing like crazy....

 

I had never driven a stick in my life. When I was seventeen, I bought a 66 Mustang with a 289, 4 barrel, and a 4-speed. The guy delivered it to my house. At that point, I'd never actually driven it.

A couple of blasts up and down the driveway, and off I went. In those days, it was get tough or die. Your friends would hound you if you showed them any mercy. My last stick car was a 95 Cobra, which I traded for my Lightning.

You will get the hang of it quickly.

 

i learned to drive a manual when i was 8, in my dads porsche, on my own, is it that hard? no.. but i was on the incline in my drive way, was that hard for the first time ... yes.. but i did it with alot of shaking and being scared that my parents would be home any minute

 

Knowing how to drive a manual is a life skill, everybody should know how to drive one, its kinda like knowing how to tie a good knot (bowline). Its one of those handy things that one day will pay off. I will always prefer to rip some shifts than to sit back and let the car do everything,its way more fun. Do you know that allmost every one of my friends asked about the L,, "Does it come with a stick?" Wouldn't that be somethin!? Keep at it, you will like it sooner than later.

 

If my first car wasn't a manual I would've been screwed as many times as I had to push start the damn thing...

Life Lessons Learned: Always park facing downhill.

 

Like blackbolt, I also learned on a '72 Bug. It was my friend's car, at his house party. I do not advocate drinking and driving but my friend and I were BLOTTO. He asked if I wnated to drive a stick and I said OTAY!!! That was 24 years ago. I picked it up within 5-10 minutes (not too much of a motorhead, eh??!!) Until the '00 L, all my new purchases were stick shifts ('88 GT, '90 25th anniv. LX 5.0 convert, emerald green w/ white top and leather int., '94 GT conv., '95 Vette) You can say I show a small preference to a manual gear box, HAHAHA!!! Hang in there, it will become second nature, its a rhythm thing.

 

Go for the stick man, i've been drivin them since i was 10! seat all the way up of corse. It's the great feel of bein able to drop the clutch and it lets loose!

 

Go for the stick. It's plenty of fun. If it doesn't work out you could always sell it.

Practice practice practice. I had fun when I learned.