Article in Kiplinger - "Things that will soon disappear forever".
The last straight shift I owned was before my kids (15 & 13) were born. No one in our family drives a manual. Heck, I even bought a hydrostatic when i bought my 40hp Kubota tractor. It's like driving a giant lawnmower. So, unaware of their complete ignorance, my daughter gets in the mustang when we bought it two months ago and said, "you have to keep your hand on the shifter the ENTIRE time?!?!" They are actually one of the reasons I started looking for the car. I knew I could not (in good conscious) turn out two "productive" citizens into society without having taught them how to drive a stick shift. Also, during my "career" years, I have driven newer cars and taken them to the dealership for maintenance. It has been fun watching my 15yo son take such interest in the work we have done to it so far. He now understands how to change a master brake cylinder! Almost 28 years ago, my (future) wife and I became friends. Still in high school, we were attending a social event together. I picked her up in my babe magnet, a 1987 Ford escort, 5 speed. I noticed she was watching as I shifted through the gears. When we left the event, I said, "do you know how to drive a straight shift?". She said, "no". Although we were not yet dating, I said, "well, anyone I date will know how to drive a straight shift". So, we went to the hospital parking lot and the rest is history. How's that for a pick line?!!!??!
The last straight shift I owned was before my kids (15 & 13) were born. No one in our family drives a manual. Heck, I even bought a hydrostatic when i bought my 40hp Kubota tractor. It's like driving a giant lawnmower. So, unaware of their complete ignorance, my daughter gets in the mustang when we bought it two months ago and said, "you have to keep your hand on the shifter the ENTIRE time?!?!" They are actually one of the reasons I started looking for the car. I knew I could not (in good conscious) turn out two "productive" citizens into society without having taught them how to drive a stick shift. Also, during my "career" years, I have driven newer cars and taken them to the dealership for maintenance. It has been fun watching my 15yo son take such interest in the work we have done to it so far. He now understands how to change a master brake cylinder! Almost 28 years ago, my (future) wife and I became friends. Still in high school, we were attending a social event together. I picked her up in my babe magnet, a 1987 Ford escort, 5 speed. I noticed she was watching as I shifted through the gears. When we left the event, I said, "do you know how to drive a straight shift?". She said, "no". Although we were not yet dating, I said, "well, anyone I date will know how to drive a straight shift". So, we went to the hospital parking lot and the rest is history. How's that for a pick line?!!!??!