Too old for a manual transmission?
I am considering a HD pickup that has a manual transmission. I have plenty of experience driving a stick, so that is not an issue. What is on my mind though, is whether the aches and pains of an ag...
Forum Discussion
I'm older, have some knee and a right arm problem. Mostly due to aging and parts wearing out.
All my vehicles and work vehicles, from about the time I was 16 to around 31 years of age....had standard transmissions.
Since then , except for motorcycles....they've all been automatics. Others in my immediate family either prefer not to drive manuals, or don't know how to do so. Generally others in my family, don't have the interest, or the amount of experience that I have with shifting.
Having said that, yes I would drive a standard on a regular basis if things were different. But I need to share family vehicles with others....and that's fine. We all have compromises in life.
I miss the added control of a vehicle shifting gives me in mountain and winter driving. I also just plain enjoy shifting, working the clutch. I find using a manual affords a lot of pleasure to the skill of driving.
With a manual, I recall enjoying watching and using the tachometer to keep the engine in it's power band....whether I was riding my motorcycles, driving a commercial truck at work or whipping around in my '67 Camaro RS 327 V8.
Now I know that sounds nuts to those who just like to pop a vehicle in drive...but so be it.
So my answer to the OP....if you feel up to shifting and want to do so and there are no other issues you need to think about...then ....why not.
All my vehicles and work vehicles, from about the time I was 16 to around 31 years of age....had standard transmissions.
Since then , except for motorcycles....they've all been automatics. Others in my immediate family either prefer not to drive manuals, or don't know how to do so. Generally others in my family, don't have the interest, or the amount of experience that I have with shifting.
Having said that, yes I would drive a standard on a regular basis if things were different. But I need to share family vehicles with others....and that's fine. We all have compromises in life.
I miss the added control of a vehicle shifting gives me in mountain and winter driving. I also just plain enjoy shifting, working the clutch. I find using a manual affords a lot of pleasure to the skill of driving.
With a manual, I recall enjoying watching and using the tachometer to keep the engine in it's power band....whether I was riding my motorcycles, driving a commercial truck at work or whipping around in my '67 Camaro RS 327 V8.
Now I know that sounds nuts to those who just like to pop a vehicle in drive...but so be it.
So my answer to the OP....if you feel up to shifting and want to do so and there are no other issues you need to think about...then ....why not.
