I feel like I am not becoming consistent as time goes by

[Shadow]

Well heres the thing. Almost two years. My route has also changed, now all I do is drive city back and forth to college.

I only own 1 manual vehicle.

Well, the learning curve can obviously be different for everyone. I can't really remember that far back, but I think after a full year of driving manuals, I was completely comfortable and had developed a good technique. During that first year, I drove more than just one stickshift car. I think that was something that helped me. Every car feels a little different, so learning how to adapt to those differences should definitely help you with your technique. If you know someone with a manual transmission car, ask if you can drive it and see if that helps you.

[bk7794]

How were you approaching the launches on your maxima? Also how was driving in europe?

with the maxima, before i had the epiphany, i was essentially no-gassing on most launches (which is possible in the maxima with its bigger engine and aggressive gearing) - i'd let out the clutch til it starts to bite and then let it out slowly til i'm moving smoothly. the engine was powerful enough to pull this off fairly quickly, probably the only car i've had where i could do that easily.

as for driving the polo in espain, it was great, much easier and more familiar than i expected. the biggest episode was getting lost driving around sevilla and then finding a gas station. once we were heading south toward the beach, it was smooth sailing. passing miles and miles of olive trees and random black bull billboards (billboard for Osborne Sherry Company) is hard to compare to driving here in the states . it's not england or japan so no problems with having to drive on the wrong side of the road or london traffic (though the traffic can be bad in spanish cities, i don't remember hitting much if any traffic). i was constantly impressed by the little Polo's performance, comfort and simple elegance. at the beach we had a good time swimming and resting on the beach (and someone brought something to help us relax ). i wish i could go back there, mainly to hang in sevilla or even madrid and maybe take the train into other cities, but it costs a lot to fly there, and their economy is in the can . the night life especially in sevilla is something else.

p.s. it took two hours to type all this (don't work at a hotel, at least not when it's busy)

Wow, with a v6 even that must have taken a while to get going. I mean in relation to traffic?

Must have been how it was geared, if it was an auto it probably would have been awful.

Wow that car is small! IT was gas right?

What hotel you work at? Chain? Only if you want of course.

Well heres the thing. Almost two years. My route has also changed, now all I do is drive city back and forth to college.

I only own 1 manual vehicle.

Well, the learning curve can obviously be different for everyone. I can't really remember that far back, but I think after a full year of driving manuals, I was completely comfortable and had developed a good technique. During that first year, I drove more than just one stickshift car. I think that was something that helped me. Every car feels a little different, so learning how to adapt to those differences should definitely help you with your technique. If you know someone with a manual transmission car, ask if you can drive it and see if that helps you.

I think my engagement point has changed. That combined with this obsessive paranoia to keep up with traffic and move out of everyones way. I think I am just going to say screw it! Also that combined with these new sneakers I feel like my feet are numb.

[potownrob]

Wow, with a v6 even that must have taken a while to get going. I mean in relation to traffic?

the VQ30DE is a powerful and torquey engine for a 3 litre V6. the maxima with this engine was able to handily beat cars with bigger engines. starting without gas was fairly quick, but i did adjust my tactics after realizing i should be starting up more quickly. also keep in mind the maxima was known for being a hard car to launch smoothly, with it's narrow bite point (similar to an on/off switch clutch but not quite that bad) and what's said to be the wrong clutch (not beefy enough??) for the engine, so i didn't expect to be able to launch smoothly. after modifying my launch by adding more gas, i soon WAS able to launch smoothly most of the time.

Must have been how it was geared, if it was an auto it probably would have been awful.

the auto was no slouch, though it being an older conventional 4 speed (and nissan autos were not exactly cutting edge or known for reliability) sapped a decent amount of the power compared to the manual. the manual was geared somewhat aggressively, and was known to be significantly quicker than the auto, but the auto could still beat most other cars with a V6 of its time. the maxima was designed to be sportier than most other cars out there, and that seemed to be what it was focused on.

Wow that car is small! IT was gas right?

yup, gas engine. you could short shift the thing like a semi and still pass almost all the cars on the road

What hotel you work at? Chain? Only if you want of course.

i work at the beekman arms in rhinebeck, ny. it's not a chain, but the owners do own a bunch of super 8s, buffalo wild wings and pizzeria UNOs. the beekman arms is considered a "small" hotel, with 74 rooms in 13 buildings on two properties. we also own a motel half a mile from here.

[Shadow]

...Also that combined with these new sneakers I feel like my feet are numb.

I have a friend who drives a G35 coupe and he's always complaining that he has problems driving his car when he wears different shoes to work. The guy has more shoes than any guy I know. I think he and his wife are in some kind of shoe competition

[fr4n]

onitsuka tigers are the best driving shoes.

keiichi tsychiya wears them. must be the best

[potownrob]

I have a friend who drives a G35 coupe and he's always complaining that he has problems driving his car when he wears different shoes to work. The guy has more shoes than any guy I know. I think he and his wife are in some kind of shoe competition

i'd be worried about him, if i were his wife

[Shadow]

I have a friend who drives a G35 coupe and he's always complaining that he has problems driving his car when he wears different shoes to work. The guy has more shoes than any guy I know. I think he and his wife are in some kind of shoe competition

i'd be worried about him, if i were his wife

Yeah, I'm a little worried about him myself. But I think he's just the textbook definition of a metrosexual.

[watkins]

Real men can DCHT in steel toe boots. He needs to grow a pair.

[Shadow]

Real men can DCHT in steel toe boots. He needs to grow a pair.

LOL...it's not like he can't, but he complains that the feel is different depending on his shoes.

But that's part of the point--it should just take a few shifts (at most) to adjust to the little differences in feel, similar to switching from one car to another.

[Rope-Pusher]

If Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to change, what do they call doing things differently each time, but expecting the outcome to be consistent?

[theholycow]

If Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to change, what do they call doing things differently each time, but expecting the outcome to be consistent?

Outsanity.

[potownrob]

If Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to change, what do they call doing things differently each time, but expecting the outcome to be consistent?

invanity

[Rope-Pusher]

If Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to change, what do they call doing things differently each time, but expecting the outcome to be consistent?

invanity

Infantry?