Nolan Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 What automatics or americans? Yes. Automatics are much more common in America though. They are no fun. At all. They're plenty fun, you can't drop the clutch but you can still shift manually with them. The simple (and sad) fact is that most Americans don't know how to drive a manual and some(probably most...) are too bloody stupid to even learn how.
Goafer Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 I'll throw this out a bit, its been a big discussion in my house lately; how long a tank of petrol lasts! I can get 5/6 weeks out of my car. My mum got hers and she says the tank is tinyyy (hyundai i10) and she's always having to fill it! I'm not sure how long a full tank lasts as I never fill it past the half way point (petrol is heavy, more fuel/weight = worse fuel consumption. Little and often at the pumps! ). Half a tank lasts me just over a week - 2 weeks I think. Depends where I drive at the weekend. Plus it's hard to figure out exactly how long it lasts since I have access to 2 cars. I thrash the life out of the Polo though (it cost a measly £450, if it exploded tomorrow I doubt I'd care) so fuel economy is probably a bit shit on that one. I used to have a car that did 20mpg at best. Good times. Went like a raped ape though.
Will Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Usual driving I get about 250 miles from 40 litres of super unleaded. I have been as high as 450/500, once... when I was running the car in. I barely ever drive economically, I should do really but it's much more enjoyable to drive fast. Out of the office for a meeting tomorrow and I'm led to believe I have a good drive ahead of me, should be a good start to the day.
Raining_again Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 I'm not sure how long a full tank lasts as I never fill it past the half way point (petrol is heavy, more fuel/weight = worse fuel consumption. Little and often at the pumps! ). Half a tank lasts me just over a week - 2 weeks I think. Depends where I drive at the weekend. Plus it's hard to figure out exactly how long it lasts since I have access to 2 cars. I thrash the life out of the Polo though (it cost a measly £450, if it exploded tomorrow I doubt I'd care) so fuel economy is probably a bit shit on that one. I used to have a car that did 20mpg at best. Good times. Went like a raped ape though. I agree with you but then I don't like my car getting too empty... and I'm forgetful And going to the pump more often costs you more because you are making trips more often. You could almost say 6 to one half a dozen to the other. Apparently if you let the car run until the vapours its really bad because all of the crap settles at the bottom of the tank. My fathers car got a very expensive repair because some rubbish got clogged up in the engine somewhere. (its a diesel engine)
Goafer Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 I agree with you but then I don't like my car getting too empty... and I'm forgetful And going to the pump more often costs you more because you are making trips more often. You could almost say 6 to one half a dozen to the other. True. Ideally you'd go to the petrol station when you're near it for other reasons. The perfect system would be filling up at a supermarket petrol stationwhen you do your shopping and filling up the minimum amount to last until the next shopping trip. That way there's no unneeded weight. Good luck trying to figure out the minimum amount though! And in emergencies you'd be borked. Apparently if you let the car run until the vapours its really bad because all of the crap settles at the bottom of the tank. My fathers car got a very expensive repair because some rubbish got clogged up in the engine somewhere. (its a diesel engine) It's actually the crap that floats on top of the tank as the fuel tank drains from the bottom anyway, but yeah the idea is still the same.
MoogleViper Posted December 10, 2009 Author Posted December 10, 2009 They're plenty fun, you can't drop the clutch but you can still shift manually with them. The simple (and sad) fact is that most Americans don't know how to drive a manual and some(probably most...) are too bloody stupid to even learn how. Is American law the same as here? Where if you passed your test in an automatic you can't legally drive a manual.
Nolan Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 It's actually the crap that floats on top of the tank as the fuel tank drains from the bottom anyway, but yeah the idea is still the same. To make another point, draining the tank on a diesel is bad because you'd need to prime it again, and with petrol higher octanes are cleaner which mean less junk floating about trying to clog fuel injectors and whatnot. Is American law the same as here? Where if you passed your test in an automatic you can't legally drive a manual. Nope, you pass the test and you can drive most anything. Additional tests are needed for things like Semi-Trucks and Motorcycles Buses ect, and laws do vary from state to state. For instance, in Michigan (and most places I think) there isn't an MOT equivalent, but in California there is.
MoogleViper Posted December 10, 2009 Author Posted December 10, 2009 Nope, you pass the test and you can drive most anything. Additional tests are needed for things like Semi-Trucks and Motorcycles Buses ect, and laws do vary from state to state. For instance, in Michigan (and most places I think) there isn't an MOT equivalent, but in California there is. We have more and more restrictions here. I can only drive up to 2.5ton(ne?)s and would need another license to tow a car. Whereas my dad can drive up to 7.5t and can drive a motorbike up to 125cc without doing a CBT.
Paj! Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Drove around on streets/roads in my own car for the first time. Horrific having a broken spedometer/mph-measurer-machine. I kept stalling cause i couldn't see what speed I was revving at/to, which I can in the instructors car. I was literally across a main road sideways just from going foweard inching and stalling 6 times. Fucking fuck bitch. Never driven at night either.
Goafer Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 I don't understand why I (or any other car user) would have to do a CBT test. Doesn't it just teach you the basics of traffic laws? You know, the ones that are the same for any other vehicles and would already know due to having a driving licence. I'd like to get a bike one day, but I'm almost certain I'd kill myself on one.
Will Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Don't they also give you the basic understanding of riding a bike? Controls etc. I'd certainly need that!
Goafer Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Don't they also give you the basic understanding of riding a bike? Controls etc. I'd certainly need that! I guess that is needed, but a test? A mandatory supervised period would be more to my tastes!
Nolan Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Drove around on streets/roads in my own car for the first time. Horrific having a broken spedometer/mph-measurer-machine. I kept stalling cause i couldn't see what speed I was revving at/to, which I can in the instructors car. I was literally across a main road sideways just from going foweard inching and stalling 6 times. Fucking fuck bitch. Never driven at night either. You don't really rev to a speed, you rev RPMs which is a tachometer. With a tach you should be able to keep from stalling without knowing the speed.
Gizmo Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Easier way to know how high the revs need to be is just to listen to the engine.
MoogleViper Posted December 10, 2009 Author Posted December 10, 2009 Easier way to know how high the revs need to be is just to listen to the engine. Or, if you don't have fly by wiring, feel it in your foot. Although you need to get used to a car before you can do that.
Paj! Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Yeah but I dunno what the sounds mean. Sometimes it sounds like I'm revving it way too much (but it would have beem fine). I do know the sound of when to change to second (dunno about the sound for third, I was just told to go into third last lesson).
Gizmo Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Or, if you don't have fly by wiring, feel it in your foot. Although you need to get used to a car before you can do that. I don't get it, whats "fly by wiring"? Its pretty easy to tell from the sound an engine is making whether or not its heading towards stalling. If so, up the revs a little.
MoogleViper Posted December 10, 2009 Author Posted December 10, 2009 I don't get it, whats "fly by wiring"? Its pretty easy to tell from the sound an engine is making whether or not its heading towards stalling. If so, up the revs a little. Fly by wiring is when you have an electric throttle. Originally cars have a mechanical throttle, so the pedal is linked to the butterfly with cables. Whereas fly by wiring has the throttle controlled electrically. These are often much lighter and easier to press.
Gizmo Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Ah, I get you. How common is that? Never heard of it before. Never really thought about whether it was a mechanical or electrical connection, really.
MoogleViper Posted December 10, 2009 Author Posted December 10, 2009 Ah, I get you. How common is that? Never heard of it before. Never really thought about whether it was a mechanical or electrical connection, really. Depends on how old the car is. BMW first did it (not Mercedes for once) in the late 80s. Most modern cars now have it.
Raining_again Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 Yeah but I dunno what the sounds mean. Sometimes it sounds like I'm revving it way too much (but it would have beem fine). I do know the sound of when to change to second (dunno about the sound for third, I was just told to go into third last lesson). my driving instructor said that generally speaking when you get up to about 2000 revs you need to change up. You get to know the engine after driving about a bit.
Will Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 I guess that is needed, but a test? A mandatory supervised period would be more to my tastes! I totally agree, but from what I understand the CBT is pretty much an hour (or however long it lasts) of telling you what to do and then watching you do it, and then 9 times out of 10 you go home with a pass. At least this is what my bike riding friends tell me. Depends on how old the car is. BMW first did it (not Mercedes for once) in the late 80s. Most modern cars now have it. I reckon your right on that one, even mine has it and that's about as backwards as it gets for a modern car. my driving instructor said that generally speaking when you get up to about 2000 revs you need to change up. You get to know the engine after driving about a bit. You can tell you learnt in a diesel! For people learning at the moment the revs to change in a petrol would obviously be higher. Knowing when to change gear is just something you get the hang of with experience. I don't even look at my speedo or tach during regular driving (as I'm sure most don't), you just learn the feeling of when you need a bit more throttle and when it's time to change gear.
Nolan Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 RPMs not revs, and yeah 2 grand is pretty low outside of diesels and trucks or granny driving.
Goafer Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 3k is about normal for me. Depends what mood I'm in though to be fair.
Nolan Posted December 10, 2009 Posted December 10, 2009 My truck tends to shift between 2 and 3K, unless I floor it and then it shifts at red line(a whopping 5K :p)
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