How NOT To Drive An Automatic

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S

Short Bus 80

Joined
Dec 30, 2008
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16
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85
NOTE: If you work for Hertz Rental Cars please stop reading here.
First off like most of you I have owned more cars than I can count, out of all those cars only two have been automatics , the FJ80 Short Bus, and a 77 Fiat 131 that ended up eating two flex plates so I swapped in a 5 speed. If you drive a manual all the time then you know about stomping on the brakes thinking it’s the clutch and sending your girlfriend bouncing off the dash when you get in an automatic car. I did one better, this week I’m working Boise Idaho (make sure to say Boy-See or you will get yelled at by the locals). I got an 09 Toyota Corolla for a rental car, this car has a nice gate shifter with a round knob like a manual transmission, not T-handle or button on top to push to shift out of park and reverse. Monday morning I jumped in the car and headed to work. When the car is in drive the shift lever fits in my hand just like a manual would sit in 4th gear. I was heading down the street at 30 when I came to a red light, out of habit I stomped on the brakes thinking it was the clutch and shifted the car into park thinking I was shifting into 1st. The sound from the transmission was a lot like a baseball card in bicycle spokes only a LOT louder, then BANG and the noise was gone. That was the point where the parking pin was ripped out and all was fine again, until I got to work and put the car in park. The new Corolla now has two neutral positions. Good thing it has a parking brake!!:o
 
Nice!

Sigh...the things I have done to rental cars on purpose...
 
I felt like such a bone head. I'm sure it looked like I was drunk or some kid driving for the first time. I called the rental place and said "Hay, this car keeps rolling when I put it in park." The guy said to bring it back and he swaped it out. I told him only what he asked and did not offer any more info like I'm a bone head and can't drive an auotmatic. I figured it was better to tell them there was a problem before I truned it in just in case it rolled into another car and they made me pay for fix two cars. Just to be safe I better swap a 5 speed into the 80, too bad that swap costs more than I paid for the truck.
 
I would never ever buy a rental car, for this reason and because of the way I drive them.
 
MaddBaggins said:
I jumped a rented Aries K into a snow covered corn field once. Yeeee Haaaaa! Just two good ole boys, never meaning no harm....:steer::hillbilly:
Click to expand...

Thats funny right there.....An Aries K?! Wow, thats taking me back.
 
did you know if you hold the horn button down for 600 miles there an back it sounds really bad , i din't think you could wear out an electric horn but ? that will teach them to make the horn button under my thumb!:hillbilly: i also would never buy a rental car
 
I had the unprecented experience of having to teach my wife how to drive an automatic!
She grew up on 5-speeds. I bought her an auto Honda Accord. She had to learn that you cannot leave the car in gear. It will wander off while you aren't looking!
We have come full circle. I drive the 80 series LC auto which is alien to me (When should I shift?). She has her little Tercel 4wd 5-speed wagon. She loves that car.
Why don't we build cars like that one anymore? It is the greatest little car. It is a snowmobile on icy roads. It runs circles around my heavy truck in the snow. It never slips a wheel, and really doesn't care if it is riding on ice or dry pavement. It just goes where you want to go! It is a simple little car that works well. We need cars like this on the market that aren't 25 years old.
 
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