Possibly I could be getting lazy but I'm done with manual transmissions. I came to that conclusion after having to drive in rush hour traffic last night. Usually my drive times prevents me from doing so but even with stoplights can be a pain. The Ranger is a extremely hard manual to drive.. the clutch is stiff and the gear ratio's are to low. Fine for a truck but it really starts wearing on a person unless you drive alot of highway. Which orginally that's why I bought it plans changed though. Funny how I used to love driving manual trans.. banging those gears. Going to replace with a F150 Supercrew 5.4L/auto in the spring.. I don't think I've seen the wife that happy in a while. Anyone else come over to the dark side?
Done with manual trans.
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lol! Been driving M/T for 20+ yrs and could never do w/o it (oh well, maybe when arthritis settles in during my late 60s/70s then I may go with A/T). Also this keeps my wifey and my silly dad from stealing my lil Fit out on a cruise w/o my knowledge(they are afraid of crashing my baby and/or grinds down my gearbox to the point where I'll notice).
grin
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grin
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I agree, a 2.3 ranger is not really fun to drive by any means. If you had a sports car with a manual you may not mind it as much =)
I've never like driving manual trucks. They are just a lot of work to drive with the long throws and what not.
I've never like driving manual trucks. They are just a lot of work to drive with the long throws and what not.
I can't say the Ranger isn't fun to drive... that 2.3 DOHC will really rev and boogie if need be. My Festiva's were pretty easy to drive.. different clutch setups though.
JHZR2
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Its all about how well the MT is set up. My old BMW, perfect. My wife's acura? hated it. Her VW that she has now, inbetween... My saab? just right.
choosing the right gearing and setting up the action of all parts right is a big deal, and can make or brake the experience.
choosing the right gearing and setting up the action of all parts right is a big deal, and can make or brake the experience.
LOVED my 2000 Silverado with the 5sp. LOVED my 1996 C1500 with the 5 speed.
So when It came time to buy another truck, I looked for (and got VERY LUCKY) to find a 2004 GMC with a 5 speed and 4.3l V6.
The other day coming back from warming it up to change the oil (and swapping the O2 sensors to see if I could get it to throw the code again (which it did not)) coming down in deep snow from 9000 ft to the 4700 ft valley floor I loved the manual. Hardly ever have to touch the brakes and *if* I have to get into repair, cost over a auto is CHEAP.
My 2005 Corolla is stick but I will agree that in traffic, a auto would be nice. Esp after a long day at work.
But I do like my manuals. The Subaru with the auto stick is perfect would IMO. Use the gears if you want or let mister computer do the work.
Its all about control...
Take care, bill
So when It came time to buy another truck, I looked for (and got VERY LUCKY) to find a 2004 GMC with a 5 speed and 4.3l V6.
The other day coming back from warming it up to change the oil (and swapping the O2 sensors to see if I could get it to throw the code again (which it did not)) coming down in deep snow from 9000 ft to the 4700 ft valley floor I loved the manual. Hardly ever have to touch the brakes and *if* I have to get into repair, cost over a auto is CHEAP.
My 2005 Corolla is stick but I will agree that in traffic, a auto would be nice. Esp after a long day at work.
But I do like my manuals. The Subaru with the auto stick is perfect would IMO. Use the gears if you want or let mister computer do the work.
Its all about control...
Take care, bill
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Whenever I drive my gf`s car (Olds 88) I get sooooooo bored!!!!!!! I don`t think I`ll ever be able to own an automatic. Everytime I`m forced to drive an auto it makes me miss my car wayyyyy too much!!!!!!!!!! My old 3000GT had a PERFECT manual transmission! It was so easy to shift and you could shift it as fast as you could move the shifter and the shifting action made the term "butter smooth" jealous! That car had amazing drivability!
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I liked the transmissions in my pickups, a dodge dakota 2.5, a 3.9, and a sonoma 2.2. They all had in common a 2 foot long stick without cables or rods, it came right out of the tailshaft. Great feel. The sonoma I was getting good at rev matching like the big rigs, only using the (light) clutch starting off.
Dakotas had a heavier clutch that was murder below zero. The 2.5 started on a -22'F day when my cutlass ciera just wouldn't go. The fun had just begun.
Dakotas had a heavier clutch that was murder below zero. The 2.5 started on a -22'F day when my cutlass ciera just wouldn't go. The fun had just begun.
If I was stuck in city traffic on a normal basis, I would also go to an auto.
Is the Ranger harder to drive with a manual than a F150? I have a '95 F150 with manual transmission and it is not hard to drive at all. It does have a hydraulic assisted clutch, which is very helpful over my '77 F100 that had manual clutch linkage.
Put some redline in that 4-banger and redline it. Have some fun with it.
Put some redline in that 4-banger and redline it. Have some fun with it.
I fall asleep with auto trans. Had the same tough commute issue, had an auto for a couple years and went right back to the stick. Question, why a F150 SC if you've been making due with the Ranger?
ls1mike
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I love my 6 speed, Mcleod twin disk clutch. It requires a little concentration, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
The Ranger does have a hydraulic clutch doesn't seem to help much. Upgrading to a supercab F150 since we have a kid now and would like to pull heavier loads now and then. If the Ranger came in a 4dr I might consider it, the extended version wouldn't work.
I'm kind of with you Eric. My next car will be an auto.
A manual is nice for the mountains like Bill indicated, and it's fun when traffic isn't clogged up, but when you get stuck in traffic, especially around here on hills, it gets to be a real PITA driving a stick. Plus it's harder in snow IMO (without 4wd) to easily get going in some situations without spinning the tires. But I'm really anal about not slipping the clutch too much.
You can have a clutch last the life of a vehicle if you're very careful.
A manual is nice for the mountains like Bill indicated, and it's fun when traffic isn't clogged up, but when you get stuck in traffic, especially around here on hills, it gets to be a real PITA driving a stick. Plus it's harder in snow IMO (without 4wd) to easily get going in some situations without spinning the tires. But I'm really anal about not slipping the clutch too much.
You can have a clutch last the life of a vehicle if you're very careful.
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I'm kind of with you Eric. My next car will be an auto.
A manual is nice for the mountains like Bill indicated, and it's fun when traffic isn't clogged up, but when you get stuck in traffic, especially around here on hills, it gets to be a real PITA driving a stick. Plus it's harder in snow IMO (without 4wd) to easily get going in some situations without spinning the tires. But I'm really anal about not slipping the clutch too much.
You can have a clutch last the life of a vehicle if you're very careful.
Put the truck in 2nd gear and glide right over the snow
I'm kind of with you Eric. My next car will be an auto.
A manual is nice for the mountains like Bill indicated, and it's fun when traffic isn't clogged up, but when you get stuck in traffic, especially around here on hills, it gets to be a real PITA driving a stick. Plus it's harder in snow IMO (without 4wd) to easily get going in some situations without spinning the tires. But I'm really anal about not slipping the clutch too much.
You can have a clutch last the life of a vehicle if you're very careful.
Put the truck in 2nd gear and glide right over the snow
One of the reasons for so few manual transmissions.
A sports car that gets driven once in a while is great.
Daily driver suxors.
A sports car that gets driven once in a while is great.
Daily driver suxors.
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