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http://www.high-impact.net/transmission_and_gear/rangeroverdrive.htm
http://www.high-impact.net/transmission_and_gear/dualrangeoverdrive.htm
http://www.drivetrain.com/new_overdrive/GM4speedmanal/overdrivegm4spdmanual.html-
Actually, that's exactly what I had to go through. My tC is a 5 speed with reverse where 6th is on the GTI. The tremendous difference in clutch and shifter feel has reminded me about what I'm driving thus far. I'm not used to using 6th gear, though, but by the time I break the car in I should nail the best shift points for my style of driving.
Now, my brother going to test drive the Infiniti G35 6-speed coupe - THAT was funny. He tried to make a U-turn on a then-empty street, blocked both lanes, and couldn't figure out how to engage reverse. Even though he drove manuals for years, he'd never driven a 6 speed. Ended up causing a minor traffic jam that spanned about a quarter mile for a minute while he figured it out. That memory alone is how I'm able to reverse this GTI. :P
So far I've driven the car about 60 miles or so after picking it up today, and will drive about 40-60 more by the time I get home from work tonight. The turbo is such a thrill! Rode in a DSG-equipped Fahrenheit GTI up to the dealership with a Revo, stage 2. All I can say is, hot damn! :shades:
Problem is, 80-90mph in the GTI feels smoother than 50mph in the tC, so it's hard to keep the right foot restrained. And I spend the majority of my hours behind the wheel far away from my neighborhood. Good thing there's an adjustable speed warning on the trip computer, eh?
A co-worker's 18-year-old son recently purchased a new, black GTI. It sure is a smooth-looking vehicle.
Now that the police report is filed, time to call insurance so I can have it repaired and pay the $500 deductible. Sigh.
Oh well, at least the car still runs great, and it should be fixed in a few days. That, and the police officer commented about how he loves the color despite normally not liking red, and we discussed cars and GTIs for a few minutes. That actually managed to cheer me up quite a bit.
I hope the car gets fixed up to good as new. Pay a lot of attention to the paint matching at the body shop, and make sure it is exactly the way you want before you leave with the vehicle. They ended up having to repaint the bumper a few times before they figured out not to have runs in the paint.
That really stinks and the worst part is you'll probably never catch the guy. It seems not only does red attract the cops, it attracts criminals as well. Did the alarm go off? Probably not if none of the doors were open. Makes me think i should get a shock sensor for my GTI. It wouldn't have prevented the window breakage but maybe someone would have seen the perpetrator. Next time don't leave anything in the car to tempt the a*******!
The Dodge Nitro is technically a mid-sizer and is offered with a 6 speed manual, FWIW.
I bet dealers stock very few of them, though.
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Let's see, who else still does...
Subaru Forester
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute
Honda Element
Hummer H3 - mid-size too
Hyundai Santa Fe (barely mid-sized)
Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage
Jeep Liberty
Jeep Patriot/Compass
Jeep Wrangler
Nissan XTerra
Toyota FJ
Notably missing is Inifiniti, even the EX does not. The CX7 and RD-X should offer them, but don't.
Some of those are borderline mid-sizers.
Subaru Forester – Available across all models
Suzuki Grand Vitara – Base model only
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute – Base model 4-banger only
Honda Element – Available across all models but the SC
Hummer H3 – Not available with the V8
Hyundai Santa Fe - Base model only
Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage - Base FWD model only
Jeep Liberty - Base model only
Jeep Patriot/Compass - Available across all models
Jeep Wrangler - Available across all models
Nissan XTerra - Available across all models but the SE
Toyota FJ - Not available with base RWD model
Also, I wonder how many of them are truly available with a manual?
-Frank
It would be interesting to see how many manuals they sell in a mid sized SUV to see it is is worth while offering them in the first place.
Now when it comes time to replace the small car I might consider ordering something. But most likely that will not be till they have a small diesel city car at economy car prices, and then mileage will be far more important than transmission.
But you know there is something interesting about your post. We have several relatives from the Mid West and North East and they all have ordered vehicles before. None of the relatives we have in the West have ever ordered a vehicle not even a Scion.
Back in 2000 I tried to order a MT Jeep Cherokee (its last model year) and was told that although the MT was listed as an option, the factory wasn't making any. I did get an email several months later saying they were going to build some manuals the last week of production before they shut the line down but by that time I'd already ordered a MT Forester.
-Frank
What if it comes and you absolutely hate the clutch. It's stiff and very grabby, no smooth engagement no matter how hard you try.
Would you still buy it? Forfeit the big deposit?
Someone posted earlier that people that prefer manuals don't always want all the options that everyone else seems to fall for. I used to be that way and didn't trust vehicles with power everything. But over the years I can't see myself without power door locks at least. I might be able to live without power seats but I am not sure about power windows.
when I bought our ZTS in 2001 the only two options I didn't get were a moon roof, don't like the drips from cold glass in the winter and because we decided on a manual we couldn't get skid correction control, that was only available with a automatic.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
My friends and I attend a class together on Tuesday nights and last Tuesday was my turn to drive. I am sure whatever gas he wasted when the Denali was started as we pulled into my drive way was saved as we drove to class together. But considering it was about 27 degrees out when we got home I bet he was glad the heater was on when he got in the vehicle.
But I did read the article against warming up your car and how much fuel it would save if we didn't. Just don't know if I always agree.
Au contraire, I've resided in Maine and NH for almost 30 years and I've spent plenty of time in AZ, I don't think of 27F as cold, but then I have butt warmers in my cars.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Best Regards,
Shipo
To be sure the DSG is the best Automatic transmission I've ever driven, however, IMHO, it seriously detracted from the otherwise wonderful driving experience that can be had from that well thought out car.
Funny thing, there's a possibility that our garage is going to be housing two A3s in the near future, the only question is, how many pedals and how many paddles. ;-)
Best Regards,
Shipo
The salesperson that sold me the Contour complained a couple of times about my pickiness, because I was so specific. He said you can't custom order used cars. I said I was patient. I wanted a '96 SE MTX(the '95s were a first year model and I didn't trust Ford with that at the time, and rightfully so...although the Fusion launch went great so maybe not an issue any more...I digress) and it had to have ABS and I preferred a sunroof car, in black or silver. He was like riiiiight.
Three weeks later he calls me from the Ford action saying its here, I am driving it back tonight myself so you can come see it this weekend. I get there and its on the platform in the front and it has my name on it. Didn't help so much with the bargaining, but the car was a good deal in the first place.
Could you do me a favor and take a look at the 5-series thread? I asked a couple of questions there that aren't suitable here.
Bristol
I was gonna ask if you had seen those articles, for a car is something like fifty cents and for a larger displacement motor about 2x that.
I do agree with the sentiments of the original poster though, if people can waste gas by turning their car on and not driving it, its still too cheap.
In any case I can't see myself using a remote starter. The sight of an unoccupied car iding away just strikes me as a huge waste of gas.
-Frank
Best Regards,
Shipo
thanks!
But lets face it, most of us are already willing to spend a bit more for gas for the car we want. People make that decission when they get a V-6 rather than a I-4 and they make that decission when they decide to commute with that same V-6 or V-8. I doubt if someone with remote start idles much more than the average commuter does every day on the 405 twice a day. The last time I was out there during rush hour it took me more than and hour and a half to go 20 miles.
Right now I jump in and take off almost right after I start the car. But I have been known to let the car run till the defogger started working after scraping ice off of the windshield.
Having spent a number of years in California (while in college and the Marines), I can honestly say that to me at least, twenty or thirty below zero is far more tolerable (when properly dressed) than anything north of one-hundred degrees above zero.
A couple of days ago (on a different board) I was being taken to task for not using the oil specified by the Owner's Manual for my current daily driver. The person challenging me was using the conventional 40C and 100C numbers to describe why I should be using 5W-30 in lieu of the synthetic 0W-40 that I prefer. When I informed him that our town has NEVER seen 40C (~104 Fahrenheit) in its entire history, and yet it HAS seen temperatures that were so cold that conventional 5W-30 oil would have solidified, he suddenly yielded.
FWIW, even though it is a little cooler around here than where you live, I absolutely detest heat-seaters. When I get into my wife's car I make it no more than a quarter of a mile from our driveway before I suddenly find myself scrambling for the "Off" switch. :P
Best Regards,
Shipo
Pretty funny... I have the same reaction... they seem like a good idea on a cold day, but I very rapidly get to a point of "Darn, why is it too hot in here?", and off they go!
:confuse: No, they don't.
Especially with leather, I want bun warmers.
Even on 115 degree days I've never had that problem. The key is to park in the shade whenever possible and if you have to park in the sun, park facing away from it. Also, tinted windows and a sun screen for the windshield are must haves.
-Frank
I remember some Saabs would not release the key unless they were in Reverse! (manual trans only)
I'm pretty sure you can't take the key out unless its in Park :P
As for manuals, yes they should be left in gear, especially when parked on an incline but there are many instances where there's no grade and the parking brake is adequate. However, most won't start unless the clutch is depressed so a remote starter would have to bypass that circuit.
-Frank
I remember some Saabs would not release the key unless they were in Reverse! (manual trans only)
Ateixeira, I was not questioning key removal etc. I agree that the key interlock is there, however the point that I was raising was around the transmission/gear selection.
As far as seat warmers go I just haven't noticed them being all that hot that I notice them after a few miles. My grandfather would have hated them because he felt things like that were just something else to go wrong. He died never having had power windows or air conditioning.
With AWD or FWD, using both means both axles are holding the car.
On my Miata (RWD, e-brake on rear axle), I have to chock the front wheels if I lift the rear axle at the rear diff, otherwise the car will just roll of the jack! :surprise: