You have to appreciate the little victories

So, as I've alluded to a few times here and there the wife and I have begun searching for a third card. Something that can fit the German shepherd (MR2 certainly can't) and serve as the other dd alongside the Integra. We've both got long commutes in some dastardly ATL traffic, right alongside some of the most irresponsible drivers I've ever had the displeasure of sharing moon-cratered blacktop with. While mine is mostly clear-ish highway, Michelle has to sit through a good bit of stop-n-go.

The other day while we were brainstorming options, she said one of the things I never wanted to hear, "what about an automatic? I'm getting really tired of North Druid Hills Road in rush hour." Yeeerraaaaarrrggh!! Um, maybe it's time to move? I have an exceptionally cool wife, who's into motorsports and will even camp with me at race tracks. Overall, she gets it, so I can't blame her for being tempted by the dark side due to her commute. It sucks. For the record, I know I'm being melodramatic about this.

The dread started to creep in as I expanded my search. For a minute, I even thought, "hey, at least we'll have a LOT more cars to choose from." Then she drove my dad's minivan to work one day. I got a phone call that afternoon on her way back to the house. It went something like this; "AUTOMATICS SUCK DONKEY!!! I never want to drive one again! The car just does whatever it wants. Now I know why everyone else is driving like they just smoked crack!"

It was like a weight was lifted. Sometimes you just gotta appreciate the little victories in life.

Amen.

Heh, my wife said the same thing recently when the body shop gave her a loaner Malibu. Never thought I'd hear those words coming out of her mouth. It felt good. Congrats, you have a winner.

If you want another reason. Automatics are freakin expensive, too. We just had to put a new trans in the g/f's Volvo 850.

Let's just say it was Waaaaay over the cost of a Challenge car...

The other 8 cars we own are all manuals.

I have been driving since 1959 and have owned a significant number of vehicles (car, trucks, and motorcycles). All of them have been manual transmisions.

In 2010 when I needed a new DD I went and bought a truck with an automatic transmission. After 2 years I am wondering why I didn't do that sooner.

Hey! I've been to North Druid Hills! My cousin used to live there.

Small World segment out of the way, I've driven both and can take 'em or leave them.

I like my manuals. Wife has been instructed by her physical therapist to refrain from manual transmission use, so she's been driving my old DD, '71 Chevy C10 with an auto, cammed-up, straight pipes.

She likes it though. Swears if we were to ever get divorced, she's taking the truck. She gets hit on a LOT when she rocks the truck.

My ex liked manual transmissions too, but for various reasons both the DDs were slushboxes. Oh, well. At least the Accord's wasn't bad as slushboxes go.

Hal wrote: In 2010 when I needed a new DD I went and bought a truck with an automatic transmission. After 2 years I am wondering why I didn't do that sooner.

I drive a 5-speed manual but every once in a while I get tired of it.

Pete240Z wrote:

Hal wrote: In 2010 when I needed a new DD I went and bought a truck with an automatic transmission. After 2 years I am wondering why I didn't do that sooner.

I drive a 5-speed manual but every once in a while I get tired of it.

Same here. That said, all my wife's cars would have been so much better with a third pedal.

While I don't credit my wife as being the best driver in the world, she's absolutely SCARY behind the wheel of a car that's equipped with a slushbox. Two years ago, about 10 months after being "forced" into a manual, she drove her dad's van. That Caravan, even though it was in absolutely perfect running order, absolutely killed her on automatic transmissions. They're not even an option anymore.

Maybe it's the fact that in both cases, they were driving vans with autos. Those things are made so that you feel as little of what it's doing as possible. She loves the MS3 and Mazda5, though. When the Astra is due for replacement, that's likely what she gets. I'll be the one driving the slushbox van.

I am trying to convince SWMBO to get a manual, but she insists upon a luxo car. T5 swap in a Lincoln Town Car?

Anyway, because of various reasons, currently, only the Porsche is a stick. I hate driving the Saturn or the Mazda because I'm spoiled by my Porsche.

Being a stick enthusiast I found two things that an automatic was better at.

Trailer towing and snow plowing.

Oh, yeah, bumper to bumper traffic.

Yeah, I love to row my own, when the road is clear and fun. But slogging through 70 miles each day on a boring highway with traffic....I'll stick with my auto for that.

Not all automatics are terrible, and if you have to sit in traffic day in and day out they are a godsend.

no real traffic here in WNC *..my CRX and my Integra are 5 sp manuals ... my Impreza is an auto .... with the start in 2nd feature it has been a joy to drive ( after you get over the fact that it's going to change WHEN it wants to )that is, the ability it creep up my driveway in a foot of snow .... no riding the clutch while trying to control the speed/wheel spin

the "new" F150 is an auto ... so far as a tow vehicle the auto SUCKS.... maybe the 4x4 this winter will sorta make up for that

• an auto in heavy traffic is a god send

wbjones wrote: no real traffic here in WNC *..my CRX and my Integra are 5 sp manuals ... my Impreza is an auto .... with the start in 2nd feature it has been a joy to drive ( after you get over the fact that it's going to change WHEN it wants to )that is, the ability it creep up my driveway in a foot of snow .... no riding the clutch while trying to control the speed/wheel spin the "new" F150 is an auto ... so far as a tow vehicle the auto SUCKS.... maybe the 4x4 this winter will sorta make up for that * an auto in heavy traffic is a god send

why can't you start a sentence with an * ?

I realize automatics have their place and can be useful at times. I'm not totally against owning a slushbox one day. I just want to delay that day as long as possible and maybe reserve it for the fourth or fifth car.

Besides, we're already talking about moving to mitigate our commutes, so why compromise if we don't have to?

Ugh, I HATE Atlanta traffic. For the last 4 years I had to drive from Marietta to Norcross every morning. I hate everybody that has to go on 400. I am so sick of Atlanta traffic, I am planning an escape in the next couple of years. (Sorry for the Atlanta specific rant)

It was nice having my 850 wagon about a year ago when driving in traffic. Also, as previously stated, towing with an auto is very awesome!

The 5 speed auto in sport mode is tolerable in my Subaru legacy. Didn't think I'd like it. It's damn comfy some times.

I like sticks, unless the clutch takeup sucks, or there is a turbo under the hood.

Thats why I'll take my Volvos with an auto.

My thoughts on owning an auto trans equipped car are the same as comedian Mike Birbiglia's thoughts on having kids:
"I want to wait until I'm sure there's nothing else good that can happen in my life"

I still cannot believe that people bitch about sticks in traffic. I used to drive commercial.. you have not driven a stick in traffic until you have managed a 10speed trans on the cross bronx expressway at Rush hour

Maroon92 wrote: I am trying to convince SWMBO to get a manual, but she insists upon a luxo car. T5 swap in a Lincoln Town Car?

That. would. be. awesome. You'd most likely have the only manual Town Car in existence.

In all seriousness though, what about a manual E39 sedan? Seems like that would tick the boxes for both of you.

mad_machine wrote: I still cannot believe that people bitch about sticks in traffic.

Been driving manuals in donkey-sucking ATL traffic for 15 years. It still doesn't bother me. I don't even think about it anymore.

North Druid Hills Road.. I do not miss that.. miss all the good pull-a-parts in the area but not the traffic!

So last night, SWMBO made me proud. We took my Probe GT to the folks house to pick up my P71, and she preferred to drive the Probe home with its lightened flywheel and its sticky tires over the battleship cop car.

We stopped at Walmart to pick up groceries on the way, and I had forgotten they were doing road work on the onramp back to the Interstate, which meant that all traffic had to come to a dead stop due to the stop sign at the end, then merge into traffic that was doing 70 mph. Genius!

I floor the sporty couch at an opening I think we can both fit into, but SWMBO hesitated, and had to wait for the next one. After we get home, she told me there was some jackass in a diesel that was revving at her, blowing the horn, and flashing his lights at her.

She was afraid she would stall, but said the car took off perfectly, and she took it to redline in the first three gears before settling down to highway speed. She said she still got the finger from the guy, but probably because it took him another few seconds to catch her once she slowed.

I'm gonna have to do something about this, she's willing to try autocross, but still a bit scared of track days. Her Forza training is coming along nicely though! ;-)