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POLL: Can you drive stick?

Can you drive stick?

  • Yes

    Votes: 627 91.4%

  • No

    Votes: 59 8.6%
  • Total voters
    686
SwiftGTI

SwiftGTI

Go Kart Champion
Learned stick on an old Chevy Cavalier :hitcomputer:(like a stick in bucket of rocks), then really got comfortable on a BMW Z3 :burnrubber:(shifts like butter). After feeling the difference between the two, I made sure all my subsequent cars have had great clutch/shifter combos (RSX :headbang:, STI :brokenheart:, etc.) Makes it much easier to drive smoothly and heel-toe every downshift.

Went with auto/DSG this time on the GTI though and no regrets, great transmission. :happyanim:

BTW, not sure what the point of this poll is. Aren't you going to have a massive self-selection bias issue?
 
balius

balius

Go Kart Champion
Yes. Learned how at 12 on my Dad's MKII golf :thumbsup:
 
Tireiron Mike

Tireiron Mike

Ready to race!
Yes, learned on my big brother's friend's 1970 Diesel Rabbit when I was 12. Wasn't allowed to leave the parking lot. When I proved that I can at least do stick without missing up the gearbox I was allowed to stage their cars.

I really didn't learn how to drive stick until I was 16 with an US drivers license in my cousin's '69 Cooper S (and it was in horrible condition. Using the turn signals or lights would cause an electrical fire!) driving through downtown Lisbon rush hour traffic to go to the Algarves. I still have nightmares from that drive. The only good thing about that Mini was that it was easy to park.

Currently in a DSG since I travel into Philly, NYC, and DC. I'm regretting getting the DSG and I wished I got a Stick, but the DSG is so convenient in traffic.
 
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McQueen77

McQueen77

Banned
SwiftGTI said:
BTW, not sure what the point of this poll is. Aren't you going to have a massive self-selection bias issue?
Click to expand...

Possibly, but the point was that when the DSG or Manual discussion threads happen, a lot of the DSG drivers seem younger (I base this on the way they write and represent themselves i.e. 'DSG FTW yo!' etc. ) and I've met a lot of younger drivers in recent years who never learned to drive a standard so it made me wonder if a lot of the pro DSG camp were biased because that was the only thing they new how to drive. I don't personally care either way and can apprecaite a good automatic, so I was just curious. Too bad most of the guys who can't, won't vote in the poll. Just curious is all.
 
maxtdi

maxtdi

Go Kart Champion
Stocktastic said:
Actually, the EPA rates DSG 3mpg higher.
Click to expand...

That has been proven BS over and over again. The manual cars get superior MPG in both gas and especially in diesel form.

McQueen77 said:
The technology is no doubt superior and that is why it costs more to buy and more to maintain. The technology of the DSG blows away that of the manual which was invented in like the late 19th century..
Click to expand...
A lot of ppl are f'ing up their clutches way before 100k, in that case the DSG maintenance is cheaper than a new clutch. And since you don't need to "shift" a DSG you can't really f it up.
 
McQueen77

McQueen77

Banned
Yeah the DSG EPA thing must be bullshit. What is that based on? That everyone who has DSG is going to leave it in 'D'? If that were the case, maybe so but I've consistently averaged 26mpg in mixed driving (27.8 on the MFD) and mid 30s hwy and thats with a fair amount of acceleration and opening it up so unless the DSGs are pulling off high 20s in mixed city/hwy driving, I don't buy it. Totally marketing BS. Manual I can skip gears to save fuel etc.
 
noname1

noname1

Ready to race!
I learnt stick on a Nissan Sentra - this was my first car.
My then boyfriend and now husband had to test drive it and then drive it home for me when I bought it in 1998 (dating myself a tad). I've been driving stick pretty much ever since.
The car did not even have a tach so I had to learn to listen to my engine, which is a skill I like, you learn about your car that way.

Currently I own a 2012 and i have the bulb out warning from installing the R Tails (which shows in my tach area) so since I don't really look at my tach I don't really pay attention to the light.
Being a girl - who has a bit of an ego - I like being able to talk to people in my office (male execs) and say "Oh my car is 6spd", suddenly it feels like I'm allowed into a little club.
 
SwiftGTI

SwiftGTI

Go Kart Champion
McQueen77 said:
Possibly, but the point was that when the DSG or Manual discussion threads happen, a lot of the DSG drivers seem younger (I base this on the way they write and represent themselves i.e. 'DSG FTW yo!' etc. ) and I've met a lot of younger drivers in recent years who never learned to drive a standard so it made me wonder if a lot of the pro DSG camp were biased because that was the only thing they new how to drive. I don't personally care either way and can apprecaite a good automatic, so I was just curious. Too bad most of the guys who can't, won't vote in the poll. Just curious is all.
Click to expand...

Yeah, if you could force everyone on the site to take your poll, I think the results would be interesting. Unfortunately, I think the only ones who are going to respond to the poll are the ones who can drive stick (which based on your results, it looks like is happening). I've heard somewhere that half of the GTI's in the US are sold with stick and the other half DSG, so the split on this site is probably similar.
 
McQueen77

McQueen77

Banned
SwiftGTI said:
Yeah, if you could force everyone on the site to take your poll, I think the results would be interesting. Unfortunately, I think the only ones who are going to respond to the poll are the ones who can drive stick (which based on your results, it looks like is happening). I've heard somewhere that half of the GTI's in the US are sold with stick and the other half DSG, so the split on this site is probably similar.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're right it seems. I guess they are either uninterested, don't know what that means or think they'd be made fun of or something. Which they would. Mercilessly.
 
rezadu

rezadu

Ready to race!
21 fresh out of college. Learned how to drive a stick when I was 16 on a 1993 truck that my dad passed down to me. Truck had 220,000 miles on it. Bought my first car a month ago (graduation present to myself)...2012 GTI 6sd manual.
 
cleanmk5

cleanmk5

Go Kart Champion
I learned how to drive a car with a stick when I learned. I think this is how it should be. My mom taught me on her mustang and I thank her now for teaching me. I think everyone should know how to.
 
Kal-GTI

Kal-GTI

Ready to race!
25 years old here. Actually took my drivers test in a car with a manual transmission. Learned with a combination of a 98 jetta tdi and a 97 dodge ram 3500 diesel. My first car was 97 vw jetta with 2.0 and 5 speed.
 
sinistro

sinistro

Ready to race!
Yes, I first learned to drive stick at 16 on a vw parati, like the one in the pic...

 
xHeartcoreboyx

xHeartcoreboyx

IceCream GTI
I learned when i got my license, 4 years ago, since then i only own autos, it's a lot more convenient in the crazy traffic of Qatar and the DSG brought all the fun i miss in manuals back.
 
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