Don't Save the Manuals

"JDMatt" (JDMatt) 01/13/2015 at 14:21 • Filed to: None

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JDMATT? Have you lost your mind? Do you want to lose your privileges to write on Opposite Lock?

Allow me to explain myself. These days, it's rare to find a teenager or a young 20-something that can drive stick. This makes the labor pool for any automotive related job smaller than it should be. I've had people offer me jobs just based on the fact that I'm 21, I'm able bodied, I know how to drive a stick. So don't save the manuals, it gives people like me the option to pick and choose between different automotive related jobs.

Sidebar: Do Mechanics schools like UTI, Wyotech, etc. teach their students how to drive stick if they don't know how?

Double Sidebar: Do save the manuals. Teach a teenager how to drive standard so he can be saved from working in retail.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:22

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But if Manuel isn't saved, you won't have a competitive advantage anymore.

OPPOsaurus WRX > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:24

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as a fairly new member to the house of stick, I must say we save them.

Party-vi > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:25

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Hold on, my space ship is still getting out of the atmosphere so I can nuke this post from orbit .

/jk

505Turbeaux > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:30

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my biggest gripe was how many people could be literally saved, if you are at a party and some drunk dumb kid wants to drive his manual whip home, and other people are sober but don't know how. That was why I made sure my sister knew how to flog a stick shift before she could drive.

JDMatt > 505Turbeaux 01/13/2015 at 14:36

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That is actually a very good observation! I should teach my kids (if I ever have them) to do the same for that reason.

2 years ago my room mate got drunk at a korean restaurant. He drove his WRX there, and while we tried to take his keys away or offered to drive him home, we lost because none of us could drive stick at the time. Turns out, he couldn't get his car in gear as a result of his inebriation. We took the bus home and picked his car up the next morning.

JDMatt > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 01/13/2015 at 14:38

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It just dawned on me. The person that taught me how to drive manual was my Tito Manuel! I was taught how to drive manual by a guy named Manuel! haha

JDMatt > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/13/2015 at 14:39

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What did you learn on if you don't mind me asking?

thebigbossyboss > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:43

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V8 Ford Mustang 5.0L

Oh! You're asking him. Sorry. I like to boast about that. Made driving the Cavalier a lot easier once I learned on that beast haha.

Justin Hughes > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:46

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I'm teaching my girlfriend to operate a manual transmission (yes, I'm choosing my words VERY carefully here). The incentive is built in - if she learns, she can drive my car.

JDMatt > thebigbossyboss 01/13/2015 at 14:53

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Haha! I've totally done this elsewhere on the internet.

I haven't driven a Mustang or a Cavalier, but I'd imagine the cavalier is much more forgiving.

thebigbossyboss > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 14:57

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Mustang had the worlds wierdest shifter position and a very heavy clutch. When I drove the lilttle four cylinders, I nearly put the pedal through the floor.

JDMatt > Justin Hughes 01/13/2015 at 14:58

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So I see you're at the point in your relationship where you start driving each others cars. At least your not one of those douchey guys that never lets his Girlfriend (Or Wife!) drive his car.

Don't lose your patience. try not to get super pissed off. Everybody has to learn sometime.

Stupidru > Justin Hughes 01/13/2015 at 15:00

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Your logic is flawed, grasshopper.

I just bought a manual trans car so my wife CAN'T drive it

JDMatt > thebigbossyboss 01/13/2015 at 15:01

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Does the heavy clutch at least give you good feedback? When you say 5.0L, do you mean a foxbody mustang or a 2014 model with a 5.0L engine? Heavy clutch and weird shifter position sounds exactly like the gearbox in a 1980's Porsche 911 SC.

thebigbossyboss > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 15:07

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Well. Confession. It wasn't a "true" 5.0L. It was the 4.6L 2004Mustang GT (New edge). 260 hp.

The clutch did give good feedback I think.

Justin Hughes > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 15:09

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Oh, we're long past that point. She let me drive her Jeep. As a rally sweep vehicle. At speed on closed stages. She was my co-driver! Yeah, this one's a keeper.

And she's doing well at learning. I've blown up at her as much as she did at me during that rally sweep thing - meaning, not at all.

RazoE > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 15:12

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I got my daughter's friend driving nothing but manuals. He's 18 and he's on his 2nd manual car. It's easy to learn when it's your only option (which is how I learned).

Justin Hughes > Stupidru 01/13/2015 at 15:14

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Meh, I trust her driving. She drives like me.

Stupidru > Justin Hughes 01/13/2015 at 15:23

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There's more to it than that. My wife will leave hair clips, receipts, lipstick, and other misc lady things all around whatever car she is behind the wheel of. It drove me nuts when I had an auto and she would arbitrarily take whatever car she could find the keys to, then go. I'm pretty meticulous about my car, and by that, I mean I clean it out once a week. I cleaned out her old car before we sold it, and it was like a hurricane went through. That's why I picked a manual as its replacement

JDMatt > thebigbossyboss 01/13/2015 at 15:27

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ehh, close enough.

heavy clutches are useful when the manual car that your driving isn't yours. I've driven new VW's (tiguan, GTI) with really light clutches that gave me no warning that I was about to stall.

Justin Hughes > Stupidru 01/13/2015 at 15:32

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Ah, well that's a fair point. And to be fair, her car is a constant disaster area because she's usually carting two kids around. Fortunately for me, the kids don't fit in the back of the BRZ, so all that kid crap can stay in her car and not migrate to mine.

thebigbossyboss > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 15:36

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Tis but a rounding error haha

Conan > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 16:00

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I'm teaching my first student to drive manual next week. Wish me luck.

KirkyV > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 16:19

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97% of new drivers are still capable of operating a manual where I live, so... Well, suffice to say, the situation is rather different here.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 16:33

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I'm doing my part!

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/my-kid-drives-…

JDMatt > wagon guy now drives a boostang 01/13/2015 at 16:52

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You have done well as a Father.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > JDMatt 01/13/2015 at 17:19

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Thanks! Her mom has a lot to do with it though. And yes, she can drive stick too, and I didn't even have to teach her.

Big Bubba Ray > 505Turbeaux 01/13/2015 at 18:16

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That's pretty much how I learned how to drive stick haha

Freshman year at college I was at a party with some friends. I was the only one not drinking cause I wasn't feeling well. Friends wanted to go home but obviously couldn't drive. They asked me and I obliged. Had to learn really quick how to drive it with instructions from a totally hammered friend.

45bullets > Party-vi 01/13/2015 at 18:35

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It's the only way we can be sure.