Manual Arizona

[Serj22]

So I'm in Arizona visiting my wife's uncle with our cousins. We are near Huashana? Or something like that base where he works. Tomorrow we are going to an indoor water park, and then maybe head out horseback riding for $5.00 at the base. Awesome!

So here's the manual part. All we have to drive out here is Rob's 2007 Civic Si which is of course a manual. I have not driven a stick in 5 or so years, and boy did I forget. I jumped in and went "I remember all of this" and then the engine died about three times before i jumped out of the car, got Rob and asked him very nicely for a refresher course. We were off, and this time I made it out of first gear after 3 tries. It's not my fault. New clutches are super sensitive, and I can't "ease on the gas" because the car always acts like I'm flooring it.... ughh... but I just spent the last hour or so driving up and down a straight road remembering how to run through the gears. The car is a 6spd so it's really short compared to what I learned on ancient machines. The 5th and 3rd are right next to eachother and you really need to let the car shift itself at times otherwise you go right from 2nd to 5th, well, at least I do. You only get about 2 inches of shifter play throughout all the speeds, it's not a giant "H" like old cars I was familliar with... But...

By tomorrow or the next day, I should have it running like a champ.

[harold]

My 2006 V has a M/t and it took a bit of getting used too! I like it! Must be a cooker out there this time of year?:DHal

[whoa]

Yeah, my old Chrysler Laser had long throws, short spacings and king kong clutch. The Corolla was the complete opposite. I tried to teach my better half on the Laser and it was not good. I gave up and paid someone else to teach her. Good thing I got rid of the beast but it made every manual out there a breeze to drive. Serj, just go practice on a good ol american muscle car and it'll be like riding a bike.

[Serj22]

I did practice on some older American Muscle, the real deal. But this thing, it's so... angry. The clutch goes all the way to the floor real easy, then has no stabalizing return, you get an itch in your leg and ...jerk... you're moving, or you stalled. The only real problem I have in this car is the reverse to 1st. You have to floor it in reverse or it will just die while you try to de-clutch, and the engine is so quiet, I can't even tell if it's on, so I'll be driving, and try to speed up, and it's a no go, no power. But all the rest of the gears have always been a breeze. 3rd and 5th are so freaking close, I still go 1,2,5 on accident. Very frustrating, then I have to tear back into 3rd, then 4th, then 5th etc. The springs don't return the stick to netral like I'm used to. It just sort of sits limp from whichever gear you left if it's in neutral, doesn't really hit center, so that in a 2nd to 3rd, you just push forward, ya know?

and it's about 104 degrees here. So lovely... not. It's hot but it's nice to get away. Could never live here though.

[whoa]

Sounds tempermental. Once you get to know her better, she'll be be more submissive to your wishes.

[Serj22]

Sounds tempermental. Once you get to know her better, she'll be be more submissive to your wishes.

That's what I'm planning on. Just getting easier and easier though feathering i"m still at a loss for on this car, sorry everybody about the jerking starts from a stop sign, but you'll have to live for a bit till I figure this loose clutch out.:D

[harold]

Keep on practicing! Its been a 100 plus here for the last 4 or 5 days as well, :(Hal

[Serj22]

Keep on practicing! Its been a 100 plus here for the last 4 or 5 days as well, :(Hal

Yeah, I almost forgot on top of the 100+ it also rains randomly, and heavy when it does, then it dries up...