Urgent! How to use auto transmission?

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by djct_watt

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame me can't shame me shame again. Shame.

Lol. GW is that you?

[Yaris Hilton]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I also am driving an auto for the first time in my 09 Yaris. Can anyone say why you push on the gas pedal and the car doesnt move...you push some more and it doesnt move...you push some more and VOOM it shoots forward?

Let off the parking brake first.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

I wish I knew how to drive manual. I was going to get a manual Yaris as my first manual car, but I've had a couple of emergencies where someone has had to drive and none of the people around that could drive, knew how to drive a manual.

hey, that's a really good reason to get an auto! I thought of that, too, but too late

[QuantumIguana]

My first two cars had manual transmissions - a 73 Celica and an 87 Chevy Sprint. It seems to me that each car's manual transmission is a learning curve of its own. After a while, you hardly have to think about it, but it can be rough until you get a feel for that model.

I've driven an automatic since 95, a 94 Lebaron convertible, a 91 Civic, and now the 08 Yaris. I suppose I could have re-learned the stick shift, but I've gotten out of the habit. I do think quite a bit while driving, just not about what gear to be in.

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by djct_watt

Ummm, coming from an American (who lives abroad), how was his comment offensive in the least?

Speaking as an American who lives in Oklahoma... Americans tend to be very thin-skinned when it comes to constructive criticism, even presented jokingly. We're The Greatest and Most Free Nation that has ever existed on This Earth, and most anyone who lives within 300 miles of me would be happy to confirm the fact. God particularly approves of us. And anyone who doesn't agree is probably Gay or Communist anyway.

That said, I love the 5 speed manual in my Chevy Sprint for the 54 mpg it gets me on the highway. I love the automatic in my 2008 Yaris because it's just so damned convenient. Similarly, I love the fact that I've removed the air conditioning components (except for the evaporator coil) from the Sprint (replacing it with 52% heat rejection window tint) because it gets me probably an extra 0.5 - 1.0 MPG on the highway. (There are aerodynamic benefits beyond the 4% weight savings.) And I love the A/C on the Yaris because it keeps me cool when I really want to be cool.

Most everything in life involves trade-offs. If it didn't, we wouldn't need brains any more evolved than the nervous systems of jellyfish. Earlier today, I picked up my cat from the vet where she gets boarded while I'm away. I took the Sprint, which has vinyl seats. As I contended with her stubborn insistence upon riding on my lap as we drove home, I wished that the Sprint had an automatic. I could have taken the Yaris. But then she'd have jumped in the back and clawed the back seat to shreds before I could get home. Such is life.

-Steve

[tomato]

Speaking as an American who lives in Oklahoma... Americans tend to be very thin-skinned when it comes to constructive criticism, even presented jokingly. We're The Greatest and Most Free Nation that has ever existed on This Earth, and most anyone who lives within 300 miles of me would be happy to confirm the fact. God particularly approves of us. And anyone who doesn't agree is probably Gay or Communist anyway.

... or French

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by tomato

hey, that's a really good reason to get an auto! I thought of that, too, but too late

My solution to that particular problem has been never to depend upon other people. That strategy probably shows up in my posts here.

People. People who need people. Seem to need other people... all their lives. (Apologies to Barbra Streisand.)

-Steve

[Yaris Hilton]

That's all the same, anyway.

[127.0.0.1]

you need to put foot on brake to move lever from, or to, PARK

[yarrr]

Originally Posted by 127.0.0.1

you need to put foot on brake to move lever from, or to, PARK

Nope, just from. And I think the best practice is to go N, e-brake up, foot off brake, shift to P. This lets the e-brake take all the pressure, instead of the parking pin. But what does that have to do with anything?

[sbergman27]

Originally Posted by rningonfumes

...but I think the computer still has a dummy guard against someone who wants to drop gears into drastically lower gears.

Being used to a 5 speed manual, somewhat over-tired, and having gotten used to the Yaris' dummy-guards... I accidentally shifted into reverse at about 30 mph while negotiating a variable 2% - 6% grade. Nothing happened except that I almost crapped my pants when I realized.

Emboldened by this, I tried shifting into 1 at an excessive speed for it. It won't do it. Nothing happens. But if I then switch to 2... it takes several seconds for it to decide to kick back into 2nd gear.

-Steve

[RedStickHam]

I learned on an automatic, my parents drove big GM cars(Buick, Cadillac), all auto of course. My first car(in 1985) was a 1977 Ford Thunderbird V8, also automatic. I learned to drives standard that same year when my brother and his wife were moving across country and stopped for a visit. They brought her 1971 VW Beetle 4spd. and my brother gave me a driving lesson in it and said I did well the first time.

Most people I knew had automatics, so many didn't learn to drive standard. When I've been car shopping, most new cars on the lots in my area are automatic. I got the 5spd Yaris because it was much cheaper, the dealers here had the automatic Yaris vehicles all fully loaded, and I didn't want to spend that much.

I like the better fuel economy, but I have to drive in bumper to bumper stop an go traffic to and from work, and all that shifting can get tiring at times, but still I love my Yaris.

There's nothing wrong with never having driven automatic, it's just a little unusual.

[eTiMaGo]

wow I am looking back on this thread, sorry my innocent joke got this whole mess started...

it was just a joke, a humorous comment based on the perceived stereotype that the general american driving public had all but forgotten how to drive manual cars (you have heard of th car thief who got caught because he could not get the manual car that he had broken into, into gear?)

After the years of "freedom fries" and "surrender monkeys" and whatnot (I am French, BTW), I think I am allowed a little gentle rib poking in return?

Anyway, no big deal, back to your regular programming

[eTiMaGo]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

No offense to the OP, but how is it possible to never have driven an auto?

You need to to pass your driver's test to get your license. I've never heard of a modern driving school or DMV that uses manuals for tests. Plus, you've never rented a car, borrowed a car, or anything?

We need more back story on your driving history just for curiosity's sake. I can't even imagine the plausibility of this.

I've driven thousands of cars (literally - I drive for a car dealer) and 98% are automatics.

A majority of models available in the US don't even have available MT's either.

Read the first few posts again "I have driven manual for years"...

Plus, if I recall correctly, this guy had recently moved to the US from Europe

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

Read the first few posts again "I have driven manual for years"...

Plus, if I recall correctly, this guy had recently moved to the US from Europe

Well, driving a manual for years doesn't necessarily explain never touching an automatic.

But if he is indeed European, then yeah, that explains it.

[tomato]

@ Etimago:
Oh boy, I had completely forgotten about the surrender monkeys ...
probably too busy choking on the freedom fries
Hopefully, that's all behind us now (knocking on wood)

By the way did you see post #26 ?

Thomas wasn't being negative. He is a long time and valued member of the community whose attitude and opinions are widely respected.

We don't tell you enough, so +1

(sorry about the off topic)

[davidchagrin]

Originally Posted by djct_watt

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame me can't shame me shame again. Shame.

That's awesome.
I'm from Michigan.
For the record, Texas sucks.

[127.0.0.1]

Originally Posted by yarrr

Nope, just from. And I think the best practice is to go N, e-brake up, foot off brake, shift to P. This lets the e-brake take all the pressure, instead of the parking pin. But what does that have to do with anything?

what does this entire thread have to do with anything ?