C.R. Krieger, Clutch Question

"Gio" wrote
> Yeah, i know "Los Americanos" is born with automatic shifting per se, and
> are having BIG problems when they visit europe. But here in europe, most
> cars are manuals - but more and more auto-trannys are showing up. But i
> think the reason for the manual popularity here, is that automatic is WAY
> more expensive when you buy your new ride.

Yeah, I'm in Europe as well, although I spent a lot of time across the pond,
too. In addition to initial cost, I think other reasons are higher fuel
consumption (at least with traditional automatics, not stuff like
multitronic/CVT), and being afraid of higher repair costs should anything go
wrong - whether that's true, I don't know.


> Hell....i´m back to manual again, after i sold my A4. And i MISS MY
> TipTronic!!! *sigh*

Heh... after driving manual all my life, at one point I went out and bought
an Accord V6 auto (that was in the US). Within a year I got so bored of it
and fed up with the way it worked, I quickly sold it and bought a manual A4
1.8Tq. Been having fun with it ever since 2001, now in Europe. :-)

Cheers,

Pete

if you pass your driving test in an automatic here in uk you arn't legally
allowed to drive a manual.
but its pretty rare as the larger percentage of vehicles here are all
manuals.
(who said the brits were lazy..)

"KLS" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 4 Feb 2005 22:19:47 +0100, "R@L" > wrote:
>
> >"C.R. Krieger" > wrote in message
> roups.com...
> >>> Try driving away without touching the gas pedal for some time until
> >> you get
> >>> the hang of it.
> >>
> >> That will usually involve significant slippage.
> >
> >Not much, any car will roll when just releasing the clutch without using
the
> >throttle.
> >It's meant to get the feel of it.
>
> This is how shifting gears is taught in motorcycle safety courses, and
> very effectively, too.

Gio wrote:
>
> Sorry...but am i the only one inhere which grew up using manual
tran=B4s?

> I thought manual transmissions were like...you know, THE most common.

Not in the US; not by a long shot.

> And seeing Krieger asking how to use a clutch, is like asking how to
> walk....the most natural thing of all ;-) (

Um, reread the thread. I didn't *ask*. I *was asked*.

> To be realistic: percent-wise...what is the most common way of
shifting a
> gear worldwide? Manual or automatic?

In the US, it's unquestionably automatic. Probably 90% or more.

I'd guess (and a guess is all it is) that in most other parts of the
world, it's manual, but in the more developed parts such as Japan and
Europe, I would expect it's drifting toward autoboxes as well as they
get better, more fuel efficient, and people in general get lazier.
--
C=2ER. Krieger
(Not crashing)