Official Car News and Discussion Thread

[torgo]

An FM transmitter? Someone broke into your car for an FM transmitter? That's so dumb.

When I lived in Chicago I had an S-10 with a bench seat. You could look inside the truck and clearly see there was nothing in it. Some jackass smashed my window anyway...

[GohanX]

Hey, here's a good poll for TNLers. Who's got a stick and who's got an auto?

Both of my current cars are sticks, and all of the cars I have owned in the past have been manuals as well. I got turned off from automatics mostly because when I was learning to drive my parents had a Firebird Formula...automatic. 300 horsepower doesn't mean shit when the car doesn't do what you want it to do.

Some of the newer auto trannies have a manual mode that I wouldn't mind though. One of my buds just got a new RX-8 with an auto, but he leaves it in auto mode for normal stop and go driving but drives it like a stick in performance situations.

[Wildkat]

I could have sworn you were older than me. 95 used to have tolls in Orange and Stamford, at the least.

I am 31. The tolls left i think it was in 87-88 or so.

[Calliander]

An FM transmitter? Someone broke into your car for an FM transmitter? That's so dumb.

Yeah, it's asinine. I mean, the only thing I could think of is that it was some kid who probably thought it was an iPod.

The dealership has the glass in stock and I needed my 30k service anyway, so I'm just going to bring it there and let them fix the car up.

I am 31. The tolls left i think it was in 87-88 or so.

Okay, just wanted to make sure. Wasn't trying to be an ass or anything, but yeah; I remember the tolls up until that time, too.

Edit: Oh yeah, and for MR's poll, stick. I think you can see that amidst the shattered glass in the pic.

[stormy]

Hey Calliander, I thought you had special ordered a G35 about a year or two ago. Was that not you?

[Hot Like Wasabi]

I went with an auto for my Impreza, I just can't stand driving a stick in everyday life. If I have make enough money where I can purchase a project car or something then I would get with a stick.

On a related note, what vehicle did you guys learn to drive on? I learned on a '89 Isuzu Amigo (stick)

Random Google Image

[MarkRyan]

I learned on a bunch of cars. First was my dad's Dodge Ram with a massive, three-foot-long stick shift. Also learned a bit on a tractor my dad had, which taught me to engine brake (a habit I've only recently kicked after reading paranoid [probably] words online). Took my driving test in my mom's G35 sedan with an automatic. I never got good at manual until I actually owned a stick-shift car, though.

[stormy]

I learned to drive on an 86 plymouth Voyager auto. Started learning stick on my friend's 02 civic Si (the egg one) back in the day, then recently took it up again about a year ago on my gf's regular 02 civic. It is quite embarrassing to have your gf teach you how to drive a manual >_<.

[torgo]

which taught me to engine brake (a habit I've only recently kicked after reading paranoid [probably] words online).

Engine braking is bad? I rarely ever engine brake my car, but you have to engine brake a bike. The brakes on bikes aren't very good, your stopping distance is greatly decreased when the engine helps you.

[MarkRyan]

Engine braking is bad?

I just read someone on a message board saying that it puts unnecessary strain on your transmission bits and pointed out that brake pads are cheaper than those transmission parts. I dunno how much of his concern is paranoia or real, but I've stopped engine braking since. Paranoia is contagious

I enjoy doing it, though. Dunno why really, just another way to manipulate the car. It's not necessary in my car, but it is in other vehicles. Like you said, bikes, and in tractors.