Re: V8 Stuff (Manual vs. Automatic transmission) (longish)

[Josh Pinkert <flush@radix.net>]

At 03:38 PM 1/16/98 -0600, audial@aol.com wrote:
>William Elliott wrote:
>
>> Most of the people on this list seem to be enthusiasts who are 
>> concerned with what they drive and how they drive.  This fact
>> alone sets this group well apart from the average American
>> who drives a "normal" car...finds manual transmissions abhorrent
>> and would not consider a car with one.
>
>Exactly.  I've never owned an automatic-transmission car.  I learned to
>drive on one, but I switched over to a manual as quickly as I could.  I
>grew up riding motorcross bikes and couldn't stand not being able
>to shift for myself, use the clutch, pick my speed with the tach
>accurately, etc.  It is sad that the manual transmission is so hard
>to sell in a luxury car - even I have to admit that I have been conditioned
>so much that when I first saw the interior of my 5KCSTQ, with the 
>leather, etc., and the manual knob sticking out of the console,  I
>experienced a second or two of "somehow this doesn't fit".
>

I couldn't agree more.  We enthusiasts don't think of a car simply as transportation.  It doesn't JUST get us from point A to point B.  I'd describe it as art...the way my car gets me from point A to point B (especially when it takes me down a few excellent back roads, leading me to point C, D, and E before I arrive and point B).

BTW, I learned to drive on a manual transmission.  And it happened to be an '87 4KCSQ.  And some wonder why I love Audi's so much....



--        
> Josh Pinkert
> flush@radix.net
> '98 A4q 2.8 and ISO '72 - '73 Porsche 911
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