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I learned to drive a stick in my dad's Toyota. After that I have had 10 cars out of which 4 had stick shifts. I am wanting to get into another stick shift again. Once you have driven one you always want to drive another one. Its like an itch that comes and goes and sometimes the itch is too strong....
I recently traveled to Costa Rica and attempted to rent a car. After all the paperwork was filled out the man took me to my car. It was manual transmission! I told him I did not know how to drive a stick shift car. He acted like I was crazy and then told me that in this small tourist town, that was the only car they rented. They told me I would have to go to the Capital City, San Jose CR if I wanted to rent an automatic transmission. Even there only a few cars are automatic.
He acted like I was the only American he ever met who did not know how to drive a stick shift car. I am in my 50s and have driven since I was 16 years old.
Do you drive a stick shift car? What percent of Americans could drive one who have a drivers license?
I learned how to drive on a 1963 VW Beatle - manual tranny...
My first car I owned was a 1974 Mercury Capri - manual tranny...
My 2nd car was a 1979 Toyota pickup - (2wd that I later raised and converted to 4WD) - manual tranny...
3rd car was a 1967 Cutlas 4-4-2 - automatic tranny - (it had power windows!)
4th car was a 1983 1/2 Mustang GT - manual tranny....
5th car was a 1985 Dodge Daytona - manual tranny...
6th car was a 1992 Ford Explorer - auto tranny
7th car was a 1999 Chrysler Sebring (convertible) - auto tranny
8th car is a 2007 Toyota Solara - (Camry convertible) - auto tranny
8 cars in 39 years - obviously I don't rotate cars very often, but when I have 'em, I love 'em!
I learned on a stick shift. Every car I've owned for the past 17 years has been stick shift. However, I'm now thoroughly sick of stick shift. I have a perfectly good car right now and all I can think about every time I get in it is how much I really just want to trade it in for an automatic. I had recently rented a car while visiting a city and the car was automatic and it was just so much nicer to drive around in a city without having to constantly clutch and shift.
I learned how to drive on a 1963 VW Beatle - manual tranny...
'71 here, orange convertible, with the top down. (Dad still owns it)
Quote:
Originally Posted by randomparent
I learned how to drive a stick, which was unusual for a girl at the time. The first car I owned was a manual Acura Integra. My husband and I owned that car for fifteen years. Loved it! My kids have never driven a stick. I think I need to do something about that.
Unusual for a girl? When was that?
I'm a girl. I learned in 1989...
I've had around a dozen vehicles since then and all but 2 have been standards. It can occasionally be hard to find them, but I'm patient. My husband and I have the philosophy that if we're going to be driving this for however many years, it's going to be fun.
And both of our kids can drive a standard comfortably. My 15 yr old son prefers it. His 13yr old sister complains. lol
When traveling to Europe American tourists should bear in mind, that most rental vehicles in popular countries like Spain, France, Portugal or Italy come with manual shiftsticks and that the number of vehicles with an automatic gearbox is usually limited, even in bigger cities like Paris, Madrid or Lisbon.
Automatic rental cars in Europe are usually on request, which means that availability is not guaranteed, even though the website comes up with prices for the desired model.
Another important question to consider is, that models in Europe are normally smaller than the type of cars driven in the USA or Canada, so in case of doubt it may be better to book a slightly superior category in order to avoid problems with the luggage.
When traveling to Europe American tourists should bear in mind, that most rental vehicles in popular countries like Spain, France, Portugal or Italy come with manual shiftsticks and that the number of vehicles with an automatic gearbox is usually limited, even in bigger cities like Paris, Madrid or Lisbon.
Automatic rental cars in Europe are usually on request, which means that availability is not guaranteed, even though the website comes up with prices for the desired model.
Another important question to consider is, that models in Europe are normally smaller than the type of cars driven in the USA or Canada, so in case of doubt it may be better to book a slightly superior category in order to avoid problems with the luggage.
I can drive a stick and do every day. A stick on the wrong side of the car? Yikes!
My wife actually taught me how to drive stick when we were dating and I've been driving stick ever since. No one if my family or circle of friends growing up had one.
It's funny. 20 years ago a auto trans was a option and a manual was standard. I think that's where standard shift phrase came from. But now you can't even get a standard shift. The only diesel I know with a manual shift is Dodge. Ford and Chevy completely dumped the manual shift trans. Having driven both auto and manual I prefer manual.
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My husband and I have the philosophy that if we're going to be driving this for however many years, it's going to be fun. 
