How many pedals does your car or truck have?

[Squarebutt]

I started out driving the 4-pedal cars back in the 60s, and owned mostly manual transmission vehicles until recently. The 2-speed axle was a skill I picked up while working for a roofing company at 16. My last truck was a Ford Superduty with the club cab and 8-foot bed, manual shift, 22 feet long. Much fun going through NYC pulling an 18 foot trailer. My current pickup is a Silverado 4x4 with a V8 and automatic.
My wife was a teacher at a middle school. One day we had to swap cars and she took the F350 to work. Lunchtime came and some of the guys were wondering who had the big blue truck. They were impressed when she said she did, and they were more so when she told them it was a manual.

 

[Chukar60]

I have two with 3 pedals, gas, brake and E brake. Another with 3 pedals, gas, brake & clutch. The E brake is a lever in this little truck. And 1 with 4 pedals, gas, brake, clutch and E brake.
I used to love manual transmissions. I like to drive and shifting was just another interaction that kept me in tune with the vehicle.
After 45 years of driving I no longer care to shift if I don't have to.
The automatic transmission in my 2014 F 350 is a wonderful thing. I am told it is very much like the Allison that GM trucks come with but have no idea. It works quite well for towing. A friend bought a newer F350 diesel with the 10 speed auto in it and he loves it.
I do not see another manual in my future unless a really good deal pops up for another work truck and it happens to have a manual tranny.

 

[Inusuit]

1987 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 4X4. Four speed with granny gear. 2004 Nissan 350Z with Stillen supercharger, six-speed manual. I don't do much driving in traffic.

 

[rwsmith]

Certain things I like.....

..about manual trans, but those days are behind me because of my back. If I were 'country driving' I would like it, but heavy traffic, Fahget it.

Oh, my car has three pedals, three pedals has my car.
If it doesn't have three pedals, then it's not my car.

Acc, brake and emergency brake.

I do kinda miss the button that stuck out the floor and stomped with your foot to turn on the high beams.

I can't say I had one with the starter on the floor but I remember seeing them.

 

[JohnRippert]

Last vehicle I had with a clutch was my 1995 Dodge Dakota pickup. There are times when I miss having a manual transmission but then I get into some of the normal Houston bumper to bumper traffic and I do not miss it too much.

 

[Beemerguy53]

It's interesting to read the comments from folks who don't want to drive a standard transmission because of stop-and-go traffic. I've driven my manual transmission cars in downtown Washington, D.C., and midtown Manhattan at rush hour, and I've driven rental cars with standard transmissions in Frankfurt, Munich, Salzburg, and other cities in Europe. I've never given it a second thought...I guess when you don't know any better, you don't mind it, eh?

 

[deadin]

Speaking of starters on the floor.....
When I was in High School (in the 1950's) I had a week-end/after school/summer job as a grease monkey. I can remember that some of the cars from the 30/40/50's seem to hide their starter buttons. The usual were either on the floor, a button on the dash or later, a twist key. There were a few that were sneaky. I always thought the one that was under the clutch pedal (You just depressed the clutch and then pushed a little harder and it activated the starter was a good idea. (Even my current car requires the brake pedal to be depressed before it will turn on.)
The real nasty one (I think it was some model of a Buick) had it on the gas pedal. Just floor the gas pedal and it would prime the carb and start the engine. Just had to ease up quickly.....


I also remember (in the '50's) how they liked to hide the gas filler cap on some makes......

 

[Beemerguy53]

Here are both of my three-pedal cars.

My 2013 VW Golf R has 154,000 miles on it, on the original clutch. I maintain it by the book. It uses half a quart of oil every 5,000 miles, and the only unscheduled repair I've ever had to make to it was a right window motor several years ago.

Two years ago, I bought a 2018 BMW M2 for summer and weekend use. I've driven it only 5,000 miles, but I'm planning a road trip for this fall that will add about 3,000 to that. I had been thinking about the BMW for a while, but what pushed me to buy it when I did was that I didn't know how long I would still be able to get a standard transmission, a CD player, and an integrated GPS; those features all seem to be falling by the wayside...

 

[Krogen]

Both of mine are 3-pedal, 6-speed. The GT350 had no automatic option. The Tacoma wasn't readily available; the dealer had to go to Spokane to get it for me. I've had a long line of manual transmission cars. There were a couple automatics that wriggled their way into the garage, but I did not like them at all.

The first manual I drove as a kid was an MGB. I thought I understood what to do. I knew the shift pattern, understood clutch, brake, gas. How tough could THIS be? I got in, put 'er in neutral, pushed in the clutch, started the engine and . . . dumped the clutch. Never even thought that wouldn't work. My buddy Steve was laughing his head off and said: "now try it this way . . ."

 

[6518John]

..about manual trans, but those days are behind me because of my back.

I actually much prefer a manual because of my back. I have sciatica down my left leg and working a clutch actually helps tremendously in keeping my leg from going numb while driving.

I do prefer the old 4 on the floor, but my 6 speed manual is fine. I only use 5 and 6 on the interstate anyway, so I basically drive it like a 4 speed. Sixth gear is an overdrive anyway, and 5th is basically an in-town overdrive.

 

[Krogen]

It's interesting to read the comments from folks who don't want to drive a standard transmission because of stop-and-go traffic. I've driven my manual transmission cars in downtown Washington, D.C., and midtown Manhattan at rush hour, and I've driven rental cars with standard transmissions in Frankfurt, Munich, Salzburg, and other cities in Europe. I've never given it a second thought...I guess when you don't know any better, you don't mind it, eh?

Same here. I don't understand the argument that traffic is a downer with a manual transmission. Shifting becomes semi-autonomous. Muscle memory. It just happens.

 

[LVSteve]

Same here. I don't understand the argument that traffic is a downer with a manual transmission. Shifting becomes semi-autonomous. Muscle memory. It just happens.

When I was given the automatic Mercedes it was to drive a route into a major city I had driven several times in a stick car. On arrival at my destination in the Mercedes I felt "different". I realized that I had a much lower pulse rate and my stress/fatigue level was less. While you may not be consciously shifting, your body still has to do all those things, and it knows it.

 

[Golddollar]

I also remember (in the '50's) how they liked to hide the gas filler cap on some makes......

Like behind the tail light.

 

[BC38]

I have 6 stick shifts and 6 automatics.
I'm not "stuck" on either - they each have their place and uses.

 

[johngalt]

When I was given the automatic Mercedes it was to drive a route into a major city I had driven several times in a stick car. On arrival at my destination in the Mercedes I felt "different". I realized that I had a much lower pulse rate and my stress/fatigue level was less. While you may not be consciously shifting, your body still has to do all those things, and it knows it.

When stuck in traffic in the Vette, I leave it in 2nd. That is good for 0 to a typical max traffic flow of 30.

 

[johngalt]

Like behind the tail light.

I kind of miss the filler behind the rear plate. Fill up from either side.

 

[NYlakesider]

Same here. I don't understand the argument that traffic is a downer with a manual transmission. Shifting becomes semi-autonomous. Muscle memory. It just happens.

As a real shifty character let me say. the underlined type people above probably take their eyes of the road and watch as they go from gear to gear.. I have ridden with people like that before.

 

[tops]

It's interesting to read the comments from folks who don't want to drive a standard transmission because of stop-and-go traffic. I've driven my manual transmission cars in downtown Washington, D.C., and midtown Manhattan at rush hour, and I've driven rental cars with standard transmissions in Frankfurt, Munich, Salzburg, and other cities in Europe. I've never given it a second thought...I guess when you don't know any better, you don't mind it, eh?

In a past life life I knew an old man that bought a tractor with power steering and he told me he didn't know he needed a tractor with power steering until he bought one.
Three times in my life I've had a leg in a cast and I've been able to drive an automatic. I'm not agile enough to work 3 pedals with one leg. Larry

 

[Ranger17]

Been driving for 42 years so learned on a stick (66 Chevelle) and had many manuals over the years. The last 2 with MT's were a modded Scion tc and a Honda S2000. Both were fun to play with, going thru the gears on hard (but legal lol) acceleration.
Now our summer ride is a mustang with an AT. As when we bought that one we literally could not find what we wanted with a stick.
We dont mind being lazy but once in awhile miss ripping thru the gears.
Our daughter has been driving near 16 yrs and has only owned and driven manuals. From daily drivers to her hubby's 500hp S2000 to her own modded Acura. But esp when she looks at a new car, just too few options for her. And even worse as each year goes on.

 

[mike from st pete]

Why so many speeds? 6, 8. 10 gears come on now!
I remember when 2 was enough, PowerGlide and Ford-a-Matic two speed auto transmissions. Now some cars come with infinite gears. Constant Velocity Transmissions.