The Automotive Thread

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

I was taking the wee wee on it being an automatic. Tbh i dont understand why the majority drive them. To me its never felf like proper driving as your not as involved in making the car move or picking what gear and stuff

Well, I don't understand the appeal of manual, myself. Yeah, yeah, I know; you're all wondering what the hell is wrong with me. Seriously, I don't get why having one more thing to keep track of while you're on the road is a good thing. Call me lazy, but I like to keep things simple. I'm just fine with letting it choose the gear for me. Lets me focus more on the road, and the other drivers. And believe you me, I need as much focus out there as I can get.

It's natural to feel that way if you haven't done it. It quickly becomes second nature, though. It actually keeps you more focused and paying MORE attention to the road because you are responsible for keeping it in the right gear.

The only place I dislike it is in bumper to bumper traffic when you have to constantly shift in and out of first. Leg gets fatigued.

[Zagnorch]

[It's natural to feel that way if you haven't done it. It quickly becomes second nature, though. It actually keeps you more focused and paying MORE attention to the road because you are responsible for keeping it in the right gear.

I'm sorry, but I don't see how keeping track of an extra task helps keep you more focused than not having to keep track of an extra task. Also, I don't want the extra responsibility, I have more than enough of it when I'm on the road.

Don't get me wrong, though. I wouldn't mind learning manual driving... 'cuz ya never know.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

The act of shifting gears based on the events of the road and traffic around you ties directly to the fluid operation of your vehicle. It keeps you more focused on driving because if you do it wrong your car will stall or explode.

It's not an extra task as if you were making pancakes on the way to work, it's extra in that you're doing something that brings you that much closer to the mechanical operation of your vehicle. You start to understand how cars work much more, and you have more control.

[Slowman]

I can certainly understand why someone would want an automatic.  As far as a manual goes, I don't even think about it any more.  It is... "automatic" at this point.  I do appreciate the finer control it gives me especially in inclement weather and also the feeling of being more involved with the process of moving the vehicle.  It forces a person to plan ahead and be more aware of their surroundings by reducing opportunities to diddle on their phone, take a drink of that Big Gulp, etc., something that would serve every road user well.

[blcklblskt]

My automatic is only a 3-speed, so I have some sense of manual control over all 3 gears.

D = All 3
2 = First 2
LO = Just 1

So, acceleration runs are controlled by my rules, not some silly ECU that wants to upshift early.  I'd still love a manual in my car, though.  It would have been a 5-speed, and I can only imagine how much better the gas mileage could have been.  My best so far is 28.9 MPG, and I'd imagine that coupled with the higher final drive ratio and the ability to coast when I don't need to be in gear would put me well into the 30's.

Automatics have their place, like high-horsepower drag cars, but I'd much rather have a manual for the experience of driving.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Took her to a Midas and they're trying to charge me 7-800 bucks to replace the whole system. I blanched at the guy and he offered to splice and dice and weld on a pipe to fix the break for 200 bucks.

I called the specialty shop that I had talked to the day before and they quoted lower on the replacement, and actually will use factory parts, so I bailed on Midas. Only shitty thing is I have to wait til next thursday to get it in.

[SirPsycho]

When my dad was taking me out to get hours on the truck before I turned 16 he gave me this Zen piece of advice that all manual drivers will understand. "Be one with the motor."

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Took her to a Midas and they're trying to charge me 7-800 bucks to replace the whole system. I blanched at the guy and he offered to splice and dice and weld on a pipe to fix the break for 200 bucks.

I called the specialty shop that I had talked to the day before and they quoted lower on the replacement, and actually will use factory parts, so I bailed on Midas. Only shitty thing is I have to wait til next thursday to get it in.

So I got the muffler fixes, my broken indicator replaced, an oil change, and a diagnostic check to tell me what else was fucked up and all for less than Midas offered to do the muffler for.

Yeah, so fuck Midas.

[NxCmp]

New to the community so I thought I would share. I drive a 2010 Civic Si 4door. Its a great car for being a NA engine and a good daily driver. I got it last year and it was coming from a 1 year lease so I got a great deal on it, it was certified used and in spectacular shape. I take the car in for regular service intervals (including oil) every 3k to 5k miles. Just had band new performance 40k mile Micheline put on mid this year. Just had them rotated Friday at the 5k mile mark. Earlier this year I had to have the transmission partially rebuilt do to the 2nd gear grind issue most of these K series transmissions suffer from. It's been fine ever since. Its a Rally Red color and earlier this year I installed some red foot-well lighting myself on a toggle switch, that adds a nice touch while driving long hours at night. After it is fully paid off in 5 years I plan to being light to moderate modifications, but at the moment I have no intention. I do predict a full transmission rebuild sometime in its future. It receives quite a bit of abuse.

Oh and what was talked about earlier, I myself still prefer manual transmissions. The Si only comes in a 6-speed manual. So if any auto people are interested in this model of car, sorry.

Here is what it looks like
Car

[NES_Rules]

I've been driving the dump truck at work more and more it seems like. Its surprisingly easy to drive, and it actually rides better than my S-10, its just got massive blind spots on the sides and I can't see a damn thing directly behind me when I back up. Watching the gas gauge go down is actually kind of fun when its company gas going into it too.

[NES_Rules]

Went to look at a new truck yesterday. Its a 2003 Silverado 4x4 extended cab, with 120,000 miles for $4295, which is pretty much what I'm looking for. I drove it for a bit and the linkage to the transfer case broke. So the owner replaced it and I test drove it again today. Went for a good 20 minute drive in it, but was having trouble with the 4WD again, so he rode with me and gave me a little more instruction on using it. All was fine until I pulled back into his driveway and it wouldn't go back into 2WD, then smoke started pouring out from under the truck.

He wasn't sure what happened, but had said he just replaced the transmission cooler line. So I'm thinking the fitting broke or came loose and the fluid poured out.

When we left, we followed our last path to see how much fluid had leaked out and it was quite obvious it lost a lot of fluid, possibly enough to really damage the transmission.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

Went to look at a new truck yesterday. Its a 2003 Silverado 4x4 extended cab, with 120,000 miles for $4295, which is pretty much what I'm looking for. I drove it for a bit and the linkage to the transfer case broke. So the owner replaced it and I test drove it again today. Went for a good 20 minute drive in it, but was having trouble with the 4WD again, so he rode with me and gave me a little more instruction on using it. All was fine until I pulled back into his driveway and it wouldn't go back into 2WD, then smoke started pouring out from under the truck.

He wasn't sure what happened, but had said he just replaced the transmission cooler line. So I'm thinking the fitting broke or came loose and the fluid poured out.

When we left, we followed our last path to see how much fluid had leaked out and it was quite obvious it lost a lot of fluid, possibly enough to really damage the transmission.

Yipes.

[NES_Rules]

I bought a new truck, so new that I tripled the mileage on it while I test drove it, and I only drove it 4 miles. Pictures coming Saturday when I pick it up.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

! Mike has a track that's not held together with wood planks and duct tape?!

[NES_Rules]

It took me a little while longer than I expected (but so has everything else related to the site) but here are some pictures of my new truck. Its a bit dirty, but its a truck, not a show car.

[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/DRw4IhB.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/9odMgUr.jpg[/img]

Big difference from the old truck
[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/9jJMvCG.jpg[/img]
[img width=700 height=525]http://i.imgur.com/FEdNzyB.jpg[/img]

And it wasn't held together with wood planks and duct tape. Though the rear door was rebuilt with ducts after it rusted out, and the wood frame in the bed isn't structural just organizational.