Small technical point, that's a semi-automatic transmission.
I hate those things so much. All the drawbacks of an automatic transmission with all the annoyance of manually changing gears combined into one spectacular product. ^_~
I do have a small hardon for sequentials, though. It was the sole reason I almost considered buying an MR-2 Spyder at one point, even though that's basically the cheapest, crappiest sequential money can buy.
It was the sole reason I almost considered buying an MR-2 Spyder at one point, even though that's basically the cheapest, crappiest sequential money can buy.
Oh man, I still wanna buy one, I am unreasonably fond of those cars, especially the slightly older ones. However, the first thing I'd do would be rip out the box, and chuck something decent in there, like, oh, I dunno, nearly anything else.
I hate those things so much. All the drawbacks of an automatic transmission with all the annoyance of manually changing gears combined into one spectacular product. ^_~
I do have a small hardon for sequentials, though. It was the sole reason I almost considered buying an MR-2 Spyder at one point, even though that's basically the cheapest, crappiest sequential money can buy.
No Rym, that is also a semi-automatic. Just about everything you'd consider a "sequential" offered in a road car is actually a semi-automatic. A true sequential is would be much too harsh for normal people to use on the road. They use harsh dog-engagement gears that make loud noises when you come on and off the power and a loud crunch when a gear is engaged. Then there's the whine of the straight cut gears these gear boxes often employ. And sequential manuals still have a clutch that the driver has to operate when moving from a stand still. You can change up at full throttle, but change down requires dipping the clutch to unload the gears so they can disengage.
No Rym, that is also asemi-automatic. Just about everything you'd consider a "sequential" offered in a road car is actually a semi-automatic.
It had an automatic clutch, but the gearbox (as far as I am aware) was a manual sequential with no torque converter. From wikipedia, "the MR2 is the least expensive car to possess a true sequential gearbox."
Unless I've been wrong for a long time, the MR2 Spyder has a true sequential manual transmission, but with an automated clutch. It's the crappiest that exists, but it's still better than a manually-controlled automatic.
The key word in this fragment of your sentence is automatic. Automatic clutch and automated gear selection make it actually a semi-automatic despite it's lack of torque converter. A sequential manual is a manual in the sense that there are no computers or electronic actuators that control things. You pull a lever, a barrel rotates, selector forks move, and the next gear is selected. A sequential manual is analog while the semi-automatic is digital.
I really would avoid an MR2 with such transmission, early road going incarnations of semi-autos were not very good. They had a lot of trouble with hills, going from a start or just changing gear at all. The Smart Roadster was particularly notorious for this. VW is recent years seems to have cracked the issues with their dual clutch semi-automatics. While the clutch automation is very good at town speeds and WOT open throttle letting the computer decide when to change up, the paddles still let it down. I press the up change or down and there is a notciable quarter second lag between me requesting a gear and the transmission actually complying with my request. Sure it can change gear in less than 20 ms, but if it doesn't do it at the instant I say go, what the hell good is it?
Still VW thinks their DSG technology is so good that they're phasing out traditional automatics entirely.
All the drawbacks of an automatic transmission with all the annoyance of manually changing gears combined into one spectacular product. ^_~
You should try out the flappy-paddle gearbox in the Fit. While it has the drawbacks of the automatic, the gear changing is hardly "annoying." It actually comes in very handy when driving through large piles of snow, and I don't have to deal with shifting a manual in city traffic.
God damn, everyone an their, "manuals are a pain in traffic" whining. Moving both legs instead of just one, the horror!
It is a huge pain in traffic. Regardless of what your legs are doing, you have to constantly shift. Try driving in Manhattan with a manual. Shifting up and down every single block. With an automatic you have to do... nothing.
Been to Manhattan and done it, shifting gears and operating the clutch was by far the least troubling part of the experience. I live in the DC area, our traffic jams have traffic jams. I do this all the time, when was the last time you drove a manual transmission in traffic? Also, you're not doing nothing, you still have to brake which takes about as much effort as pressing the clutch.
God damn, everyone an their, "manuals are a pain in traffic" whining. Moving both legs instead of just one, the horror!
For me, it's mostly the multiple limb coordination that presents the problem. Moving two feet and my right hand while paying attention to traffic and steering is not something my brain does readily. I can handle a brake, an accelerator, and watching traffic. I don't eat, drink, or answer the phone when I drive, because it's too distracting.
I think your ADD gives you a significant advantage when it comes to driving stick.
Can you walk using both your legs? Can you swing both your arms while you walk down the street? Can you walk and swing both your arms and not get run over when you cross a street? If so, than you can drive stick.
By the same token it takes practice to get to the level with which I can deliver panty disintegrating gear changes with ease. Think about how long it takes a baby to learn to walk, cause driving stick well is about the same level of complexity. People take walking as easy for granted, bipedal movement is actually quite complicated and tricky.
I'm a biologist. I know. The body is awesome like that.
Exactly, driving stick is just like walking. The same way you don't actively think about all the various muscles you have to contract and relax to take a single step, I don't think about all the steps involved with driving stick.
It is a huge pain in traffic. Regardless of what your legs are doing, you have to constantly shift. Try driving in Manhattan with a manual. Shifting up and down every single block. With an automatic you have to do... nothing.
Clutch control. If you keep it in first and use the clutch when you need to stop for any insignificant period of time, you reduce your shifts to neutral by a huge amount. Note that I don't mean riding the clutch or keeping the clutch partially engaged at all times. However, for stops that are literally momentary, your clutch will work just as well as neutral.
Comments
I do have a small hardon for sequentials, though. It was the sole reason I almost considered buying an MR-2 Spyder at one point, even though that's basically the cheapest, crappiest sequential money can buy.
Unless I've been wrong for a long time, the MR2 Spyder has a true sequential manual transmission, but with an automated clutch. It's the crappiest that exists, but it's still better than a manually-controlled automatic.
I really would avoid an MR2 with such transmission, early road going incarnations of semi-autos were not very good. They had a lot of trouble with hills, going from a start or just changing gear at all. The Smart Roadster was particularly notorious for this. VW is recent years seems to have cracked the issues with their dual clutch semi-automatics. While the clutch automation is very good at town speeds and WOT open throttle letting the computer decide when to change up, the paddles still let it down. I press the up change or down and there is a notciable quarter second lag between me requesting a gear and the transmission actually complying with my request. Sure it can change gear in less than 20 ms, but if it doesn't do it at the instant I say go, what the hell good is it?
Still VW thinks their DSG technology is so good that they're phasing out traditional automatics entirely.
I think your ADD gives you a significant advantage when it comes to driving stick.
By the same token it takes practice to get to the level with which I can deliver panty disintegrating gear changes with ease. Think about how long it takes a baby to learn to walk, cause driving stick well is about the same level of complexity. People take walking as easy for granted, bipedal movement is actually quite complicated and tricky.