# Poll: Can you drive a stick? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316 "2008-03-30T21:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/281 "2009-01-15T17:35:15Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > You simply needed more gas as you lifted the clutch out. Close. In my case, it was releasing the clutch too quickly. If I gave it a lot of gas, the car would rocket forward. Took me a few hours to get that delicate balance right. That 240D had a very unforgiving clutch, not a lot of slip to it at all. I had no problems with stalling in first with the Mercedes G-Wagen (which, now that I think about it, is actually the first vehicle I drove stick). That vehicle had so much torque on it you really had to try to stall it. With the stick I drive now (2004 Mazda 3), you don’t need to give it any gas to get it into first, but, as above, you have to be smooth with the clutch. ---
**Author:** ![eldowan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@eldowan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eldowan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/282 "2009-01-16T00:28:31Z")
1. I would rather drive a stick than an automatic. It is a very strong preference with me, and I won’t buy an automatic car unless absolutely necessary. 2. USA; Texas, Houston 3. 1. Male ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/283 "2009-01-16T00:31:51Z")
I prefer a stick too. Atlanta Chick 51 ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/284 "2009-01-16T02:42:15Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > OK, OP. We didn’t do this for nothing. Please compile the data and present it to us in graphical format. Otherwise, what was the point? Actually, I did so… back in post #181, which was posted **eight and a half months ago…** :rolleyes: By now, for all we know the “NO” people among the first 180 responses went out and learned.😃 We need a smiley emoticon that looks like a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/285 "2009-01-16T02:58:09Z")
Holy Zombie thread Batman! I had no idea. Note to self: Check the freakin’ OP date. ---
**Author:** ![Rachael\_Rage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71c47a/32.png) [@Rachael\_Rage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachael_Rage)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/286 "2009-01-16T05:56:43Z")
1. No. Never learned, never tried. 2. USA born and bred 3. 39 But I don’t drive much anyway, the last time I owned a car was about a decade ago. That is why I prefer living in large cities with ample public transportation. ---
**Author:** ![berff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@berff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berff)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/287 "2009-01-16T06:04:47Z")
1. Yes, I will only buy stick 2. Iowa, USA 3. 32 ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/288 "2009-01-16T06:15:09Z")
(1) Yup. It’s what I drove all through college. (2) USA, born and bred. (3) Just turned 28. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/289 "2009-01-16T07:34:34Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > 1. Yes. I didn’t learn in one, though (my parents figured the less I had to think about, the better) and I took my test in an automatic. I have no strong preference; for city or **hilly driving, an automatic is marginally better**. > 2. USA > 3. 20 (Bolding Mine) - For hilly driving a manual is both safer, and offers better performance. Going up steep slopes you should aways select the appropriate gear before starting - a manual allows this, and going down you should use exhaust / compression braking. Which a manual also allows. Just a further note - an automatic transmission saps up to 10% more engine power than a manual, because of this (al other things being equal) a manual is more efficient than an auto. One other little known point - in a fuel injected car, when you are coasting in a manual the fuel supply is actually 100% cut off, this doesn’t happen in an auto, which is one reason why a manual is more efficient. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/290 "2009-01-16T17:46:12Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Just a further note - an automatic transmission saps up to 10% more engine power than a manual, because of this (al other things being equal) a manual is more efficient than an auto. > > One other little known point - in a fuel injected car, when you are coasting in a manual the fuel supply is actually 100% cut off, this doesn’t happen in an auto, which is one reason why a manual is more efficient. I could swear that I read somewhere that modern automatics are as, if not more, efficient (as measured by fuel economy) than their manual counterparts. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/291 "2009-01-16T17:53:28Z")
1. Yes, I learned in an auto, and got a stick as my second car. Didn’t really know until I drove around in it for a while 2. USA 3. 26 ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/292 "2009-01-16T23:01:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I could swear that I read somewhere that modern automatics are as, if not more, efficient (as measured by fuel economy) than their manual counterparts. Well, you can check the performance and fuel economy of the Lexus IS 250: 6-speed manual transmission 0 - 60 mph (sec): 7.9 1/4-Mile Acceleration (sec) 16.2 City / Highway MPG 18 / 26 6-speed automatic transmission 0 - 60 mph (sec) 7.9 1/4-Mile Acceleration (sec) 16.1 City / Highway MPG 21 / 29 Or the BMW 335i: Acceleration 0-60 mph – Manual transmission 5.4 sec Acceleration 0-60 mph – Automatic transmission 5.6 sec Fuel Consumption Manual transmission – City/Highway 17/26 mpg Automatic transmission – City/Highway 17/26 mpg Or the Infiniti G37: Fuel Economy Estimated Fuel Economy (mpg) (city/highway) Automatic 18/26 Manual 17/25 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/293 "2009-01-16T23:15:23Z")
1.) Yes, my father made me learn on both simultaneously and my first two cars ( covering ten years ) were sticks. 2.) USA 3.) 41 I’ve since given up on them, though - I find them occasionally tedious to drive in my particular area ( traffic plus topography ). Also I’ve never really liked driving “strange” manuals, i.e. those other than my own. I _can_, but I am always more comfortable after I’ve spent a few days getting used to new clutch action. So I’d probably always spend the extra cash on an auto rental in Europe, just for the ease of it. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/294 "2009-01-17T00:13:16Z")
> [@Duhkecco](#): > > Well, you can check the performance and fuel economy of the Lexus IS 250: > > 6-speed manual transmission > 0 - 60 mph (sec): 7.9 > 1/4-Mile Acceleration (sec) 16.2 > City / Highway MPG 18 / 26 > > 6-speed automatic transmission > 0 - 60 mph (sec) 7.9 > 1/4-Mile Acceleration (sec) 16.1 > City / Highway MPG 21 / 29 > > Or the BMW 335i: > Acceleration 0-60 mph – Manual transmission 5.4 sec > Acceleration 0-60 mph – Automatic transmission 5.6 sec > Fuel Consumption Manual transmission – City/Highway 17/26 mpg > Automatic transmission – City/Highway 17/26 mpg > > Or the Infiniti G37: > Fuel Economy Estimated Fuel Economy (mpg) (city/highway) > Automatic 18/26 > Manual 17/25 I’m not sure it’s fair to make that point using luxury cars. First, wouldn’t a luxury car with a manual transmission be geared towards (literally in this case) performance? You don’t go with the manual option in a Lexus or BMW in order to save money. Secondly the fact that these are all luxury cars would leave one wondering if automatic transmissions that are capable of gas-mileage parity with manual transmissions are too expensive for cheaper makes? I’m not saying that I know this to be true, but it’s a question that comes to mind when A) this hasn’t normally been the case in the past, B) New technology is normally expensive at first, and C) It only seems to be true for high-tech luxury cars. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/295 "2009-01-17T01:26:40Z")
> [@](#): > > One other little known point - in a fuel injected car, when you are coasting in a manual the fuel supply is actually 100% cut off, this doesn’t happen in an auto, which is one reason why a manual is more efficient. I don’t claim to understand automatic transmissions 100%, but an engine’s ECU determines fuel shutoff by monitoring the throttle position and the engine speed, and I can think of no reason why automatics would not also shut off fuel on decceleration. > [@](#): > > I’m not sure it’s fair to make that point using luxury cars. First, wouldn’t a luxury car with a manual transmission be geared towards (literally in this case) performance? You don’t go with the manual option in a Lexus or BMW in order to save money. Secondly the fact that these are all luxury cars would leave one wondering if automatic transmissions that are capable of gas-mileage parity with manual transmissions are too expensive for cheaper makes? 1. The MPG “rating” of a car is influenced by a number of other factors, not just transmission choice. 2. The “rating” is based on a fixed set of driving parameters. A carmaker can always engineer the car around them. 3. Aside from the additional driveline drag of the automatic torque converter, which in modern cars is probably much less than what they use to be, basically, there’s nothing you can do in an AT car that you _can’t_ do in a MT car. Is the AT shifitng up earlier to save fuel? You can do that with the manual too. Hell, you can up shift even _earlier_ with a manual if maximum fuel economy is the goal, and in that way the manual should out-economize the auto. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/296 "2011-07-29T19:15:49Z")
1; hardcore manual transmission fan here, I will _NEVER_ own an automatic transmissioned vehicle 2; USA 3; 41 ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/297 "2011-07-29T19:22:47Z")
1. I can drive a stick, and actually prefer it to an automatic. Unfortunately, my wife doesn’t, and doesn’t want to learn, so both of our cars are automatics so that we both can drive them. 2. USA 3. I’m almost 49. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/298 "2011-07-29T19:38:15Z")
(1) Yes. They’ll take my shift knob when they can pry it from my cold, dead hand. (2) United States (3) Turned 32 today. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/299 "2011-07-29T19:40:11Z")
(1) I drove one for a few years so I’m pretty comfortable, although I had a Suburu which is an easier stick to drive. It’s been a few years, so I might be rusty (2) USA (New York) (3) 38 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316/300 "2011-07-29T19:45:27Z")
1. Yes. We currently own 2 cars, both of them manual transmission 2. USA (California) 3. 43 I learned to drive on an automatic, because that’s the car we had at the time. Not too much later, my brother taught me to drive a stick on his old VW bug. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-can-you-drive-a-stick/443316.md?page=16)