Sorry guys, but this really irks me!!!! Ever since I took over the Focus from da man, he misses drivin a standard really bad as the Cherokee is auto. SO I have been helping him hunt for a reasonably priced 5 speed car. I saw one on alot walking to my car at school and called on it when I got home and the first thing outta the guys mouth is "you realize its a standard right?" so I let it roll, but i have looked at or called on a few others as well and get the same speech as well as the your a woman, you must not know how to drive one look. Really ticks me off !!!! Maybe I am reaading into it too much, but the tone in their voices said it all.......Is it just Mass or they like this everywhere you shop????
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
No lie.... I know a girl that for the longest time did not know how to drive an auto.... It's the truth ask Chelly. The girl has an auto nor but for the first 3 or so years I knoew her she had no clue what to do if she got behind the wheel of an auto. She had grown up around standards and had only drive standards.
And ya, the guys in there 40's seem to be predjust or racist against women driving a standard. I think I even got the question asked to me or the look at one point. And when I bought a car once I left the truck at the dealer lot to pick up the mext day and the sales man told me he moved my truck (carbed 4 speed) by limping it in first gear(granny gear). He couldn't figure out how to drive it. I just bought a new truck and the guy in his 70's that sold it to me said "you know its a standars?" I said yep. and then when I finaly went to pick it up he asked if chelly was gonna drive it or me, no mention or questioning about it being a manual.
I say the next time you get that question or look say "I was gonna buy it but obviously you don't want to sell it." you can add "because I'm a woman" if you like
To tell you the truth there are only a few womwn I know that don't know how to drive a standard.
Its funny cuz I didn't know how to drive one until a couple months ago so I never dealt with the looks and stuff. I just never looked at the car if it was manual. I have wanted to learn since I got my liscence, but never had anyone willing to teach me up until I met my boyfriend so it was just shocking to hear that so much now that I do know how to drive one. I will def say that next time I get the attitude in the its a standard statement. Sounds like the perect come back. Thanks!!!!
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
You're definitely not reading into it too much tek -
I'm a 35 yo woman who's been driving or been able to drive a manual vehicle since I was 13yo. Been driving since I was 10 (I grew up spending my summers up in east gish Maine *not a real place btw)
Anyway, I've been rec'ing those puzzled looks for years. I go into a dealership interested in test driving a car and when I ask if they have a manual on the lot in that model or if it comes that way they look at me funny and ask me 'why would you want a manual". Why? well, let's see here:
1 - more power response faster if I can control it
2 - Cost savings on the purchase - Typically a manual transmission car is less to purchase than an Auto
3 - Fuel efficiency - typically a manual transmission can offer you better fuel milage because you can control when your car goes in and out of 'overdrive' etc.
There are loads of other excuses I can give for why I like to drive a manual over an automatic, but fun I think it my favorite reason.
Don't let these men get to you - I've been around garages my whole life and the mentality (sorry fellas, no offense) is very similar no matter where you go. My father was the same w/ me until he really watched me grow into a woman that knew what she wanted and knew what she was talking about etc. He didn't raise a dumb one.
I've schooled some salesmen and service men in the knowledge or special information on the Focus - I've been in one for 4 years and studying them, yep, studying them, since their introduction in 1999. I may not know every little technical detail or part, but I know quite a bit and I've been able to hold my own in large gatherings of the male species. lol
Dan's also telling the truth about that girl. She's in Vermont and she was confused one time while playing designated driver for a group of us. She didn't know how to put the explorer into reverse & it was on the column so she was completely lost - looking for something on the floor. It was quite the interesting night w/ a bunch of tipsy troublemakers in one vehicle I tell ya.
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
Chelly03PZEV wrote: Dan's also telling the truth about that girl. She's in Vermont and she was confused one time while playing designated driver for a group of us. She didn't know how to put the explorer into reverse & it was on the column so she was completely lost - looking for something on the floor. It was quite the interesting night w/ a bunch of tipsy troublemakers in one vehicle I tell ya.
Must have been a sight....LOL!!!!
Like I said, I just learned and am improving daily and so far I love it and can understand why Mike (my boyfriend) misses it sooo much. It is alot if fun and I do feel like I have alot more control. I don't know alot about cars, but I know a little and joined this site cuz I wanted to learn more especially about the car I am driving. I have learned alot already just by reading current and past posts.....So thanks to all of you for such a great site!!!!!!! I will probably never buy another automatic though now that I have learned how much fun the manuals are!!!!
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
tekslilbrat wrote: I will probably never buy another automatic though now that I have learned how much fun the manuals are!!!! Sad to say this but the Manuals are slowly going away for normal cars. Back in 2000(I think) was the last model 4Runner available with a manual tranny(It might have come back). 2005 F150(non Heritage) is the first of the F150 not available with a manual tranny, in 2006 it is offered in a standard cab V6 2wd F150 only but who wants one of those.. I beleve the toyota hybrids only come in a auto and I am sure there are a few others I am unaware of. It todays society and the masses wanting automatics. Ya the high end cars like the viper and Corvette will have manuals but they are differant than the "normal" cars.
As fx3 Said, this is sadly true - The US market has significantly shrunk when you consider manual transmission availabilty to purchase.
The other countries of the world it's still a dominant force. I know that in the UK you actually have to have separate licenses to drive a manual if you learned and tested on an auto.
Go figure.
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
Yup.... it hurts. I remember when I went car shopping in like '99 was at the VW dealer and they said they didnt have any manuals on the lot because no one watned them.
Hell, when I bought my last car I got one of the only manuals on the lot... and the sales guy did kinda give the side look when he heard that I had to have a manual.
Hell, they are just so much better... not to mention the money you save on the car itself
____________________ Its all fun and games until someone gets poked in the eye with a dick
Yup I agree there with the money savings. Funny thing is....i have always been scared to death to drive in the snow, but the last big storm we had I found it sooo much easier driving in it with the stick....when people said that you have more control, I never believed it until I actually saw for myself!!!!! I don't mind snow as much now!!!
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
fx3 wrote: No lie.... I know a girl that for the longest time did not know how to drive an auto.... It's the truth ask Chelly. The girl has an auto nor but for the first 3 or so years I knoew her she had no clue what to do if she got behind the wheel of an auto. She had grown up around standards and had only drive standards.
And ya, the guys in there 40's seem to be predjust or racist against women driving a standard. I think I even got the question asked to me or the look at one point. And when I bought a car once I left the truck at the dealer lot to pick up the mext day and the sales man told me he moved my truck (carbed 4 speed) by limping it in first gear(granny gear). He couldn't figure out how to drive it. I just bought a new truck and the guy in his 70's that sold it to me said "you know its a standars?" I said yep. and then when I finaly went to pick it up he asked if chelly was gonna drive it or me, no mention or questioning about it being a manual.
I say the next time you get that question or look say "I was gonna buy it but obviously you don't want to sell it." you can add "because I'm a woman" if you like
To tell you the truth there are only a few womwn I know that don't know how to drive a standard.
For a long time I wasn't allowed to drive an automatic because I kept forgetting to put it into park and wondered why I couldn't take the key out of the ignition (no joke). I don't think I've ever had an automatic car (one minivan, but that's only because they don't make standard minivans).
When I went to purchase my Focus the only one they had under 17K was a stick shift. The salesman was all apologetic about it. He completely forgot that is what I WANTED.
I think it's something that I've just gotten used to now. Most men assume most women are clueless about cars period. I love telling people that my car is mine and not my husbands (not many women drive modded cars around here lol) and that I actually did a lot of the work on it myself (not that my mods are very hard ones).
____________________ "Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either, just fuck off and leave me alone. "
Many people have never driven an automatic. One good friend that shall remain anonymous had a bit of a problem with a rental auto. Got in to the car.. no clutch.. back in to the rental car office where the intricacies of an automatic tranny not requiring a clutch were explained. Unfortunately nobody told him that he had to depress the brake when switching out of Park and in to drive. He walked back in to the office with the shifter assembly in one hand.... He spent the rest of his visit here driving my car.
____________________
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams...John Barrymore
Yea, its funny cuz Mike kept my car here over the weekend to lube the back brakes cuz he just replaced them and they kept complaining so I went out with the baby to do some shopping and took the cherokee. Every time I got in to start it, i kept looking for teh clutch and I didn't know what to do with my right hand. I am too short in this one to reach the shift and hold onto it cuz it is way up on the console. It was a very strange feeling. I asked enterprise if they rented any manual trannies and they said no....that most people don't know how to drive them. I'm sorry, but in my opinion, Mustangs need to be manual and autos just don't feel right when your in them.Not to mention that there are people out there who want to drive the manual and you would think that they would want to keep a couple on hand for people who only drive a manual. Ah well......I hope the manuals stick around cuz now htat I can drive one, I wanna keep drivin one, otherwise I may have to stock up on engines and clutches and stuff for my baby so I can drive it forever Don't think that will work tho....LOL
____________________ Lovin' My ZX3!!!! I finally gave it a name
SMKNS2!!!!
!!!! Maybe I am reaading into it too much, but the tone in their voices said it all.......Is it just Mass or they like this everywhere you shop????
I will probably never buy another automatic though now that I have learned how much fun the manuals are!!!! 
I'm sorry, but in my opinion, Mustangs need to be manual and autos just don't feel right when your in them.Not to mention that there are people out there who want to drive the manual and you would think that they would want to keep a couple on hand for people who only drive a manual. Ah well......I hope the manuals stick around cuz now htat I can drive one, I wanna keep drivin one, otherwise I may have to stock up on engines and clutches and stuff for my baby so I can drive it forever 
Don't think that will work tho....LOL