My God, I'm surprised this car still works.
It's been what? a week? since my car was in the shop. So, of course that means something has to happen.
And thus, on Tuesday, something did.
I was driving Shawn downtown for NI week. We're toolin' along on 183 and the car starts shifting really hard (and it's an automatic). I say "Why's my car shifting so funny?" and then, immediately, almost like the car was waiting for me to say something, the "Check Engine" light comes on. I exit the highway and drive to the closest parking lot, as I pull in, the power steering goes out (And my God! I had no idea power steering was so necessary). Then all the idiot lights come on. I throw the car into park and turn it off...Shawn said I did it in such a way that it seemed like I seriously believed my car was going to explode if I didn't turn off the car. Right! Now! I let it sit for a little bit and then said "Okay, I am going to turn the key in the ignition, and everything will start up fine and we will have no further problems." And I turn the key, and we drive on to downtown without any other incidences (nor have I had any other incidences since then).
Of course, now I drive like a little old granny. And I'm looking at new cars online. And Shawn's gung-ho about getting a stick shift. Keep in mind that I DON'T DRIVE STICK SHIFT! In fact, I've driven stick a total of 3 times in my life. Once around a parking lot in Parker, and twice around our neighborhood down here. All three times were in Shawn's truck. I think I've stalled out 4 times. Of those 4 times, all 4 were this last time I drove. So, instead of getting BETTER at driving stick, I am apparently getting WORSE. And the boy still wants to get me a stick shift car.
He claims that we just have to take a Friday off, go down and get the car (he'll drive it home), and then I get to drive it all weekend, and magically, I will be a manual transmission driving pro. I don't know....what do you guys think?
3 comments:
Hmmm, tough call. Modern manual transmissions are a lot more forgiving than the old school ones, but a weekend would be tough I'd think. I would say driving a VW pickup is probably not representative of manuals in general, so I wouldn't put to much into the stalling. If you're still looking at the Mini, the manual only saves you like two MPG, and that's if you drive it the most efficient way possible. Personally, for a commuter car I'd get an automatic. I do know a current Mini owner and Amy M. was a Mini owner at one point, so if you'd like to talk to someone about their likes and dislikes, let me know. I think the 2007 model is more fuel efficient than the old ones, but that's about the only major difference.
I realized I should add a caveat to my previous comment, in that driving a stick can be a lot of fun. You have total control over the car, which means: you can round corners at high speeds with confidence, you can use the engine as a brake, you can accelerate in 2nd until the engine is near redline, etc. On the open road or on a windy street, standards are great, it's just in traffic that they're a pain in the rump.
stick... I don't know. Mike picked up how to do a stick in three days... granted it wasn't that great of a time driving at night time and him not knowing where the gears where on the stick... fun fun. but you do get better control of the car... and almost anyone that drives a stick tells me that they will never drive an automatic again because of it... I guess it depends on how much time you think it will take to learn.
love lots.
D
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