Stick-shifters Unite ... - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

denverpete · 03-02-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronzi

...The manual transmission will be a relic and an artifact in my lifetime, and I got my Medicare card last week.

Hey Ron, what's a record player????

SD987 · 03-02-2006, 03:35 PM

Funny that 90% of the world uses manuals while 90% of America uses automatics. I remember walking down the streets in Rome and maybe 1 out of every 20 parked cars was an automatic. I wonder if it's because of fuel economy, repairs, control, or what.

- Porschekid

I think its because Americans are generally lazy and shiftless...get it? He said "shiftless".

I'll be here all week, folks...

03-02-2006, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD987

Funny that 90% of the world uses manuals while 90% of America uses automatics. I remember walking down the streets in Rome and maybe 1 out of every 20 parked cars was an automatic. I wonder if it's because of fuel economy, repairs, control, or what.

- Porschekid

I think its because Americans are generally lazy and shiftless...get it? He said "shiftless".

I'll be here all week, folks...

When I was walking around in Rome a few years ago, 90% of the moving vehicles I saw were mopeds and scooters. They drive like crazy!!

MNBoxster · 03-02-2006, 04:12 PM

Hi,

Well clearly, it's a very polarized issue. It seems for many, you'll have to pry their Gearshift Knob from their Cold, Dead, Fingers as they go the way of the Dinosaur...

I mean, Automatics... they're not just for your Buicks anymore... at least so sayeth Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi, Aston Martin...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

eslai · 03-02-2006, 04:23 PM

Y'know, I was thinking about this as I was driving around during lunch and I realized that, faster or not, performing a proper downshift is just more satisfying than punching a button or pulling a paddle. To know that you've properly blipped the throttle and are now in the right gear, ready to utilize the powerband, well it's kind of like the car's patting you on the back, y'know? Doing it under brakes and revving down through three gears as you come down off a freeway is like getting an A+ on your extra credit work.

I do really want a clutchless manual someday like DSG, but I'll miss the rewards you get from driving a stick.

Brucelee · 03-02-2006, 05:21 PM

As I understand it, all of those mopeds and scooters have automatic transmissions. That means those folks are lazy and shiftless also!

trube78 · 03-02-2006, 05:55 PM

I like manuals. Have drove an auto or two. Had an M3 SMG which was quite slick. A few thoughts.

1. Few sports cars -- M3, Boxster, Z4 etc. are monsters from 0-60. That is not what they are designed for ... balanced driving in the twisties is the design goal. Using 0-60 as "the measuring stick between an auto and manual in a sports car is like saying the Yankees will win the series because they have a better bat-boy." Tough to heel-toe an auto though they have some advantages as well -- for example they allow more concentration on the road.
2. The 0-60 (and 1/4) time is largely determined by the launch. In a boxster, there is one shift after the launch before 60 MPH -- a straight pull. Tips are listed as 1.0 second slower than a manual because they are tougher to get a great launch. Repeated good launches in autos are easy. Manuals can get a good to great launch repeatedly with minimal work/practice. Installing better tires can improve launch dramatically. (OBTW SMG M3s have a special launch mode just for us Americans -- it "attempts" to replicate a perfect launch. We love to squeal our wheels. Still SMGs are slower than a manual from 0-60 and they can execute a pefect shift faster than any man every time.).
3. Automatics may be cheaper to repair over time than manuals (tough to verify/validate) although I expect this is make/model specific. Autos cost 2 to 3K more and get worse gas mileage which is a clutch change or two in almost any car. I have had several clutches last 150 to 200K in cars as diverse as an MG, TR-6, Jensen Healey, Volvo, and a SAAB turbo. Today many automatics are disposable -- to expensive to repair.
4. From an engineering standpoint autos have more drive train losses than manuals. But in order to maximize the advantages of a Manual you usually are driving pretty agressively -- not good for the life of the clutch.

Its all good. If I lived in D.C. I would have an auto. Here in Blacksburg, my wife's and my Boxster are both manual (she drives a manual better than most guys.) I am disappointed that about 1/4 to 1/3 of the drivers can drive a Manual and most are older. It is becoming a lost art to do it well. However ... I cannot imagine life without a convertible ... that is a real crime.
just my dime.
ATB,
Tom

Ronzi · 03-03-2006, 08:51 AM

"Hey Ron, what's a record player????"

Pete,
If you want to come over, I'll show you one. Along with an "LP" copy of the original soundtrack from "Grand Prix".

03-06-2006, 02:23 PM

the other day my nephew came to my house and found one of my vinyl record, he is sixteen and had never seen one before, kids these days!! computers and Ipods.

As for the tiptronic, i always like it for the everyday drive, no fuss and easy to change gears in manual position, in fairness i probably never used it in auto only, the only draw back was when driving on the track in sharp bends, as the steering wheel would be at some stage on the wrong way to change gears (selectors on steering wheel) and the inability to change gear when wanted due to the safety gap in gear changing (impossible to gear down to 2nd from 3rd coming into a bend for exemple) when arriving too fast, and beleive me this was a pain as you would come out of the bend in the wrong gear and had to gear down to go again!
real painful

BuffaloBoxster · 03-07-2006, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olly986

the other day my nephew came to my house and found one of my vinyl record, he is sixteen and had never seen one before, kids these days!! computers and Ipods.

I'm starting to wonder why I have endless shelves full of CDs when I have them all in an iPod which is about the size of a pack of cigarettes. I'm happy to not have those things taking up space anymore...

Change is good, you just have to keep on top of it.

Next you'll be telling us about black and white TV :P

eslai · 03-07-2006, 10:07 AM

I'm waiting for a digital format that's both portable and audiophile-quality. MP3s really screw up the sound stage and highs no matter what compression setting I set them up with. The day all audio distribution happens on MP3 files instead of a plastic platter will be the day I roll up into a fetal position and rock myself gently into oblivion.

denverpete · 03-07-2006, 10:59 AM

I recently read somewhere that your old "Hi-Fi" equipment could be worth a lot of money! I guess there's a huge market out there.

Porschekid · 03-07-2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eslai

I'm waiting for a digital format that's both portable and audiophile-quality. MP3s really screw up the sound stage and highs no matter what compression setting I set them up with. The day all audio distribution happens on MP3 files instead of a plastic platter will be the day I roll up into a fetal position and rock myself gently into oblivion.

Really? I have an MP3 jukebox that replaced the changer in my Audi and I must say that most MP3's sound incredible on the Bose system in there. Especially live songs where I can hear things like the pick rattle on the guitar strings, etc. Crisp, clear highs, booming lows, plenty of midrange... I think it would take quite an expensive sound system to hear any difference. I rip them from the originals at only around 128kbps I believe.

eslai · 03-07-2006, 11:39 AM

Well I'm not so much talking about "in the car", more "in the home" where I have a very nice two-channel setup in my living room. But even in a car, if you have the proper audio setup you would be able to hear the deficiencies in MP3 quality. The stock Bose system isn't going to reveal much.

eslai · 03-07-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverpete

I recently read somewhere that your old "Hi-Fi" equipment could be worth a lot of money! I guess there's a huge market out there.

You do see that stuff auctioned off on Christie's quite often!

Porschekid · 03-07-2006, 11:19 AM

EDIT: double post.

BuffaloBoxster · 03-07-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eslai

I'm waiting for a digital format that's both portable and audiophile-quality. MP3s really screw up the sound stage and highs no matter what compression setting I set them up with. The day all audio distribution happens on MP3 files instead of a plastic platter will be the day I roll up into a fetal position and rock myself gently into oblivion.

Apple's format sounds much better. I tend to be pretty discriminating for sound quality and I think the iPod sounds pretty darn good.

And as far as MP3 sound quality goes, you can pick 'em out on the cheapest pair of headphones you can find if you know what to listen for. In pop/rock music generally the sound of the cymbals are a dead giveaway.

eslai · 03-07-2006, 12:47 PM

Yes, Apple's lossless format is pretty good, but it's hardly portable. The files are an order of magnitude larger and drain the battery of an iPod that much faster.

I could see it becoming a distribution format someday perhaps, but it'd take a lot of commitment from many parties with conflicting interests.

03-07-2006, 03:46 PM

i fought mp3 was near obsolete and the thing to go for now is mp4

no one can reproduce the cracks and wizz of an original vinyl, call me weird but i love it!!