# Manual Transmission Drivers



## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

Am I alone or is there others like me? I drove a automatic for 3 years or more.. I just can't do it. I feel so depressed and bored. The dealer I bought my car from told me that I did not want the little white car up front because its manual, I told him the only way I will buy a new car from him is if it's a manual ES Mirage, he said brb let me get the keys to that white one, 2 days later it was mine.

I found out about uber through my Mirage community that mentioned it would be a good car with the mpg and low cost of up keep. It might be more work shifting gears for 12 hours a day but I don't mind, I love being in control and I already priced a spare 5 speed transmission for $500 with 4k miles on it. I hope I can get 80k out of my clutch, I do look forward to replacing the clutch, I bet the transmission weighs half of what my mitsubishi eclipse transmission weighs and I was able to lift that transmission in by hand easily.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

If you drive a manual in down town of DC for 6 hours straight, youll end up ****ing your self in the ass with the shifter. Stop signs and red lights at every block.

I love manual transmission, but its not a good choice for ubering. But its great for track.

VW Auto ****** that was made in the past few years, is very close to DSG. It doesnt behave like a conventional auto ****** because of the redesigned torque converter. So even you try to feather the gas pedal, you still get same feeling as if its a dsg/manual ****** do to lack of lag from engine to torque converter and to ****** gears when energy from engine is transferred to gearbox.
2sec after you let go of the break pedal, there is a slight kick that lets you know that an auto ****** has engaged in to a gear.

The new design, has improved MPG vs conventional auto ****** with a 19th century torque converter design that many cars now days still continue to use.

6th gear on highway, adds to MPG big time, that a 5 speed manual will never match.


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## atikovi (May 6, 2015)

KGB7 said:


> If you drive a manual in down town of DC for 6 hours straight, youll end up ****ing your self in the ass with the shifter. Stop signs and red lights at every block.


Taxi drivers in all the European cities with worse traffic drive sticks for 12 hours a day no problem.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

atikovi said:


> Taxi drivers in all the European cities with worse traffic drive sticks for 12 hours a day no problem.


Not true at all, many use autotrans.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

Put in 12 hours and no issues. I have a feather clutch and silk shifter. I lift 50lb boxes while standing on a concrete floor 8 hours 5 days a week, a manual transmission is super easy when you compare it to lifting 35,000 lbs.


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## Teksaz (Mar 16, 2015)

I drive a 2015 Ford Fiesta ST 6 speed turbo and drove Goober for a few months. I LOVE driving that car but for me, it's not a car I would drive Goobering for long. People loved the experience and by that I mean you have to get in one of these to appreciate it. It's amazingly fun but not for Goober or not for me to kill while Goobering and make no money.


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## JasonCT (Jun 16, 2015)

My MINI is a 6 speed, in fact I wouldn't own an auto. 

No issues with spending all day driving it in city traffic. I think it's just what you are used to/prefer.


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## iiznoodles (Dec 7, 2014)

I drive a 2011 Wrx, maybe its 15 years of driving stick, the heavy clutch on my car, or my knees going bad but my next car is going to be automatic. Might pick up a fun car for the side but for a daily driver i'm done driving stick.

People do comment that they are shocked I do drive stick.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

If you ever stop by Mitsubishi sit in a mirage and push the clutch down. It's the lightest clutch I've ever felt in my life, like pushing the throttle.


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## iiznoodles (Dec 7, 2014)

Oh I can imagine, after a night of driving my foot hurts like a *****, right after I bought my wrx I still had my VW Rabbit and I went to step on the clutch and almost put my foot through the floor.


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## Teksaz (Mar 16, 2015)

That's exactly like my Fiesta. I'm assuming all clutches are hydraulic now a days but mine is so hard to push and just wants to spring back that it's a chore just to drive normally.

If I'm racing and red lining every gear (speed shifting) it's awesome. Everyday driving, not so much.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

No offense my friend has a mk1 rabbit and it is soft but not as soft as my mirage. I test drove a fiesta ecoboost and its clutch feels heavy compared to the mirage, it really is the lightest clutch I've ever felt and its cable. The fiesta handled great, my mirage now does better but it took a sway bar and h&r springs to get to this point, my younger passengers that are in a hurry enjoy me throwing them around in corners


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## Teksaz (Mar 16, 2015)

Yeah I gotta say the Fiesta ST is probably the funnest car I've ever owned and I'm 51yrs old. lol I've owned several Mustangs, a Charger and countless other cars. 

Never had a clutch as heavy as this one. Really hard to be smooth but the quickness for a 200hp car is a blast. I put a cold air intake in it and the blow off is a head turner. lol I love this little car.


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## America (Jun 8, 2015)

I have a Focus ST, great deal of fun these Ford hatchbacks. I wish the FiST were just a little faster off the lot in a straight line. The way the FoST just goes from 60 to 80 in the blink of an eye is brilliant.

The FiST is still a wonderful blast to toss around. I'm not should it would roll over if you turned it upside down.


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## WHU STEVE (May 30, 2015)

alex16 said:


> Am I alone or is there others like me? I drove a automatic for 3 years or more.. I just can't do it. I feel so depressed and bored. The dealer I bought my car from told me that I did not want the little white car up front because its manual, I told him the only way I will buy a new car from him is if it's a manual ES Mirage, he said brb let me get the keys to that white one, 2 days later it was mine.
> 
> I found out about uber through my Mirage community that mentioned it would be a good car with the mpg and low cost of up keep. It might be more work shifting gears for 12 hours a day but I don't mind, I love being in control and I already priced a spare 5 speed transmission for $500 with 4k miles on it. I hope I can get 80k out of my clutch, I do look forward to replacing the clutch, I bet the transmission weighs half of what my mitsubishi eclipse transmission weighs and I was able to lift that transmission in by hand easily.


I can't believe you said "I do look forward to replacing the clutch" Why?


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## Brandon26pdx (Jun 3, 2015)

Well, manual transmissions are much simpler and more reliable than torque converter automatics, and cheaper/easier to fix. In New York City I would never use one but possibly in other areas it wouldn't be too bad.


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## Dustin b (Jul 17, 2015)

I drive a manual Fiesta...


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## Lectraglide (Jul 21, 2015)

KGB7 said:


> If you drive a manual in down town of DC for 6 hours straight, youll end up ****ing your self in the ass with the shifter. Stop signs and red lights at every block.
> 
> I love manual transmission, but its not a good choice for ubering. But its great for track.
> 
> ...


I drive a 2012 Kia Soul, 6 speed. I do okay.


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

atikovi said:


> Taxi drivers in all the European cities with worse traffic drive sticks for 12 hours a day no problem.


Where is your information to allow you to make such a statement.

London Taxis are Auto, there may be one or two Manuals but I doubt it, other large UK Cities they do have some manuals.

Every ex German Taxi (Mercedes) I have looked at on autoscout24 for possible export to Ghana has been Auto. There were also a few VW Tourans and they all seemed to be Auto.

I don't really care what the French/Spanish etc get up to to be honest.

I don't know any working driver that would chose Manual or Auto. With the new DSG/Powershift gearboxes there isn't even a fuel consumption or performance benefit from having manual as they are manuals with automated clutches.


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

WHU STEVE said:


> I can't believe you said "I do look forward to replacing the clutch" Why?


Probably for the same reason he thinks a manual gearbox Mirage is a good vehicle to do Private Hire work in.

I was just saying the other day that you can hardly park in the City or West End these days due to the number of manual Mirages parked up......oh wait!


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

America said:


> I have a Focus ST, great deal of fun these Ford hatchbacks. I wish the FiST were just a little faster off the lot in a straight line. The way the FoST just goes from 60 to 80 in the blink of an eye is brilliant.
> 
> The FiST is still a wonderful blast to toss around. I'm not should it would roll over if you turned it upside down.


European engineered vehicles. Your welcome....


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

alex16 said:


> No offense my friend has a mk1 rabbit and it is soft but not as soft as my mirage. I test drove a fiesta ecoboost and its clutch feels heavy compared to the mirage, it really is the lightest clutch I've ever felt and its cable. The fiesta handled great, my mirage now does better but it took a sway bar and h&r springs to get to this point, my younger passengers that are in a hurry enjoy me throwing them around in corners


You do realise that in the event of an accident you will be in the [email protected]@t ??

Somebody needs to grow up a bit.

These passengers will sue you till you can be sued no more, seriously you need to grow up. You have people's lives quite literally at your fingertips.


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

KGB7 said:


> If you drive a manual in down town of DC for 6 hours straight, youll end up ****ing your self in the ass with the shifter. Stop signs and red lights at every block.
> 
> I love manual transmission, but its not a good choice for ubering. But its great for track.
> 
> ...


I don't think VW have used anything other than DSG gearboxes for a few years now, they came out in 07 in Europe.

Apart from the Phaeton and the last generation VW Sharon one of which has a ZF box and the other has one made from pasta.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

UberLuxbod said:


> You do realise that in the event of an accident you will be in the [email protected]@t ??
> 
> Somebody needs to grow up a bit.
> 
> These passengers will sue you till you can be sued no more, seriously you need to grow up. You have people's lives quite literally at your fingertips.


My idea of driving fast and wild is keeping up with traffic, think before you type. Everyone's idea of crazy is different, my car has 65 hp at the front wheels not sure if you realized my sarcasm.

Thanks for the sermon, btw if passengers want me to drive slow that is their choice, I normally drive the speed limit unless a pax allows me to drive slow which I prefer. I normally go below the speed limit which people tell me that is dangerous as well, everything is dangerous and everyone wants to sue, good thing for me they can sue me all they want I have most of my valuable possessions in my mothers name, that's how the xwife left with her ring and 80 bucks.


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

You try and excuse what you said.

Grow up before you kill somebody.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

Life changing post on a forum just happened praise Jesus


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## UberLuxbod (Sep 2, 2014)

alex16 said:


> Life changing post on a forum just happened praise Jesus


As previously posted.

Grow up before you kill somebody.

Your reply shows that you don't have the mental maturity to have fare paying passengers safety under your direct control.


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

After driving a big rig back in the '90s, I vowed to never drive a manual transmission vehicle ever again.

Try shifting through 4 or 5 gears before you get across an intersection. Never again.


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## alex16 (Jun 2, 2015)

I have always wanted to drive over the road trucks for a long time, I have my class b cdl, but I only ever drove school buses, started when I was 21, technically I was a school bus mechanic but they always made us drive routes with a bus full of bad kids, did that for 7 years.. You think uber is dangerous try driving a 40ft bus with 50+ little pax and a route sheet in one hand, huge steering wheel in the other, checking 6 mirrors + the rear to make sure the kids are sitting and not trying to climb out the windows. All while navigating a 40 ft bus through a neighborhood you have never been in before


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## uberpilot (Jun 15, 2015)

I have a 2010 lancer and still rolling with the original clutch. It's coming up on 150k and 50k of those have been uber over the past year.


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## PyrettaBlaze (Jul 26, 2015)

I drive a stick. I look forward to it every day.


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## Sealiner (Jul 28, 2015)

I just purchased a 2015 VW TDI manuel. With fuel prices down, they are not selling well so I got it at near cost less a thousand dollar rebate and zero interest. It is so much fun to drive -- in first and second gear, with the turbo, it has amazing acceleration -- you forget it is a diesel. But, it gets 46 mpg if driven correctly. I started driving for Uber for fun -- not bragging but I really don't need the money. Now I get to drive my new car around, meet interesting new people, and have my fuel and upkeep paid for by riders. I love it! Uber On!


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