Rohan Nath

Quoting Ray Calvino:

"One thing I enjoy is charging up to a corner, then getting hard on the brakes and doing a smooth heel-and-toe downshift. Haven't seen a wimp stick yet that can do a smooth downshift."

I could not agree more.

This was the best part of living in Salt Lake. There were a couple of terrific turns on the I-80 to Immigration Canyon run that I will remember forever. Navigate a 180 degree turn in 2nd gear at 5000+ RPM (and climbing) and you acquire a whole different perspective on PCar ownership. <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

Kevin Reilly

[quote]Originally posted by Randall G.:
<strong>I'm a hard-core manual transmission type, but I can think of one thing that might convince me to go tip: San Francisco! I'm pretty good with a clutch, but they've got stop signs placed at the top of sheer cliffs they call streets.

I'm easy on clutches, but I think I would toast a clutch in less than 30k miles if I was living in S.F. Anyone here ever lived in S.F.? Do you actually get to the point where you can launch from a vertical stop without clutch abuse--and without rolling into the guy that's parked on your ***?</strong><hr></blockquote>

There's a technique that does the job...on some of the steepest streets you have to use your parking brake to hold you in place when you pop it into gear but aren't moving forward yet. You release the parking brake at the right time...that keeps you from drifting backward into the guy behind you.

Takes a little bit of nerve and some coordination. I was born and raised in SF though, and had a standard transmission in every car I had, so learning to live with it was a necessity!

Randall G.

Hey Kevin,

I quickly figured out you need to use the emergency brake on the steepest hills. But, I still slipped (abused) the clutch much more than I should. Suppose, with practice, I would perfect the release emergency brake/engage clutch launch. Hah, no need for a tip, even if I did live in S.F.!

What also astounded me was how other drivers (presumably locals?) would pull up soooo close to my rear, apparently oblivious to the possibility the car in front of them may have a standard transmission, and--worse yet--may be from out of town!

Ray Calvo

[quote]There's a technique that does the job...on some of the steepest streets you have to use your parking brake to hold you in place when you pop it into gear but aren't moving forward yet. You release the parking brake at the right time...that keeps you from drifting backward into the guy behind you.

Takes a little bit of nerve and some coordination. I was born and raised in SF though, and had a standard transmission in every car I had, so learning to live with it was a necessity! <hr></blockquote>

AMAZING!!!! That's how Daddy first taught me how to drive a stick back in the Woodstock era - in my brand new $1 Austin America (won the sucker in a raffle). His philosophy was if you can start on a hill with a stick shift car, everything else is a piece of cake. We would go to a parking lot on a steep hill and practice this very thing. Guess he knew what he was talking about - he never replaced a clutch in 55+ years of driving. More than I can say for myself.

maurice97C2S

[quote]Originally posted by Ray Calvo:
<strong>One thing I enjoy is charging up to a corner, then getting hard on the brakes and doing a smooth heel-and-toe downshift. Haven't seen a wimp stick yet that can do a smooth downshift.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

This is a breeze in a modern auto - I just had a beemer auto for two weeks in Australia, left foot braking and manual mode make it as smooth as (insert favourite analogy) on down changes. Quite intelligent too, in auto mode it senses added load (ie, hills) and will change down at part throttle without increased accelerator.

Still sucks petrol and has a torque converter, of course - most annoying when you pull to a halt - I am in the habit of easing the brakes as you stop (years of warp-prone discs on an M6) - autos don't like that.

My 2c - cheers, Maurice.

Flying Finn

[quote]Originally posted by Ray Calvo:
[QB]...We would go to a parking lot on a steep hill and practice this very thing...QB]<hr></blockquote>

That's one of the many things that they teach you in a Finnish driving school (it takes about 2-3 moths driving school before you can even take a test). Driving test is about 30 min. (plus written things too), braking, parking etc. also). Good skill to learn, I think.

This reminds me:

When I got my licence here, after that 3 min. (around the block) drive she wanted me to park b/ween the cones. So, of course I started to back up in the slot, then she asked whattha f*** are you doing?! I said you have to be kidding me of you want me to park the car nose first?! Where's the hard part in that!

She almost threw me out! (but gave the license anyway)

Bins

Hee Hee.

FF, The only thing that'll stop you from using a stick shift is when you need a zimoframe, and then you'll give up after trying every other way... <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

Flying Finn

Bins,

You're right, I'm stick(ing) to it!

Good thing is that I don't even know what zimoframe is?
Or maybe it's bad that I don't know?

Bins

Generally Elderly/injured people use them to help them walk. Instead of a walking stick, you walk behind one holding onto it with both hands.

Flying Finn

Oh, got it!

It's called roller or something like that in Finnish.

I guess that's the point when I also start playing golf (can't hit the moving ball anymore)!
Oh no, I can feel all the golfers are sharping their teeths now... <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

Just <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> everybody, we don't have to like same things.

This is quite OT now, so let me just remind you that I think Tip & Porsche doesn't belong together!