An Observation

[palani]

Recently I have had an opportunity to examine the world of junque Subaru outbacks in the years 2005-2007 and have come to an unusual observation.

First, let me tell you I am looking for one with a manual transmission.

Out of hundreds of junque cars looked at I have only found one with a manual transmission ... they all seem to be automatics.

My conclusion is that people who use manual transmissions don't have accidents at anywhere near the rate that people who use auto transmissions have them. Something about having to keep track of both the right and left foot and knowledge of the gear range you are in is sufficient to deter the other drivers from forcing these drivers from running into them.

Another observation: Quite a few of these accidents (like 70%) involved front ends, possibly 10% were side damage and the remainder (20%) were rear damage. Did you get that? In 70% of the cases the guy with the auto transmission had some degree of fault.

I knew there was a basic law that kept me from buying a car with an auto transmission. I am ready to propose to the DOT that cars with auto transmissions be marked with a bright red band on the front so the rest of us can proceed accident free.

[Glass]

I drove manuals for many years and I enjoy that aspect of driving, if the car is well suited to it. Smaller zippy cars.

Last 2 cars I had auto. I enjoy the more relaxed driving that brings. My current vehicle has auto with sports shift. It's a 4wd so it's more about holding a gear when the auto would want to change up on revs.

Since driving Autos' my accident participation rate has fallen by a factor of 12.

[ximmy]

while the statistics supposedly show the safety of manual transmissions it is still the driver who is at fault.

It is almost like a gun control advocate who says we should get rid of automatic transmissions, like that will solve the part of a bad driver.

I agree, in a manual you tend to become coalesced into the car and its operation more than an auto-trans car driver would be.

It is easier to daydream in an auto trans than a manual.

I learned driving stick, but I like them both and prefer an automatic for commuting and I have not crashed yet in 17 years of driving.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tT_3gsChIw

[Jewboo]

Statistically few manual transmissions now because autos simply make more sense.


Bic killed Zippo too...lol

[palani]

I should mention that probably half of the cars I looked at were listed as having manual transmissions yet when examining the photos of the drivers console it could clearly be seen that the shift lever was an auto. I wonder if they do this to avoid alerting the DOT that there is a problem in this area?

[milehi]

When I rented a car in Iceland, I insisted on a manual. The girl at the counter told me Americans can't drive stick. I left with a manual.

[Glass]

I should mention that probably half of the cars I looked at were listed as having manual transmissions yet when examining the photos of the drivers console it could clearly be seen that the shift lever was an auto. I wonder if they do this to avoid alerting the DOT that there is a problem in this area?

I think it is probably more to do with the type of person who drives a Subaru than the fact is is manual.


When I rented a car in Iceland, I insisted on a manual. The girl at the counter told me Americans can't drive stick. I left with a manual.

Did you drive it like you stole it? As we all know, hire cars are the fastest cars in the world.

[palani]

I think it is probably more to do with the type of person who drives a Subaru than the fact is is manual.

There are a lot of Subaru's with autos and a lot with manuals. Funny though that the only junque ones are the autos.

[Shami-Amourae]

Statistically few manual transmissions now because autos simply make more sense.


Bic killed Zippo too...lol





Zippos suck dick since they leak all their fuel after 2 weeks.

[Glass]

There are a lot of Subaru's with autos and a lot with manuals. Funny though that the only junque ones are the autos.

Is there a dispproportionate number of autos being sold OR is there a situation where only the autos can be salvaged after an accident because the manuals are so badly damaged they go straight to the crusher? Meaning manual drivers drive harder and faster in general?

There could be any number of explanatory factors or interesting coincidences or even an apparent correlation or two.

[palani]

Is there a dispproportionate number of autos being sold OR is there a situation where only the autos can be salvaged after an accident because the manuals are so badly damaged they go straight to the crusher?
Quite a few of these look like crusher candidates. One local one even has around 350,000 miles on it with a rough body. Darned little of value there.

Also found out there is quite an industry involved in shipping used Japanese engines to the U.S. by the container load. Most of these cars are only said to have 30-40k miles. As explained to me, in Japan most people only drive their cars from home to the nearest train station. After 5-6 years they only have a few miles on them and they trade them in for new models. These are only 2.0 liter engines rather than the 2.5 4 cylinder engines mostly in use in the U.S. But they apparently bolt up, are somewhat cheap and might have a fair amount of life left in them at half the cost of a remanufactured engine.

[palani]

Europe has a 2.0 liter diesel Subaru. It is funny going on EBAY in either the UK or France just to find that there are loads of 5-6 year old diesel cars with a fair portion of blown engines. With a diesel you might get 55-60 mpg but the problems involved with putting one in are monumental.

One Subaru engine manufacturer is even promoting putting the 2.5 L 4 cylinder in the VW Vanagon for an upgrade in HP.

[Glass]

yes the Japanese have a fixed life for their cars. After X number of years they have to take them off the road. It is only a few years somewhere between 2 and 5 years I think.

We used to get a lot of grey import cars here. Models you cannot get here. Drifter cars for the most part.

[milehi]

No. If I remember correctly, the octane was 96 and the speed limit was 50 km. I obeyed the speed limit and the needle never left full. I also rented a Audi RS4 and got shit gas mileage.

[govcheetos]

If you swap a diesel into a gasoline vehicle do yourself a favor and don't mention it to the state title/registration/tag department.

Not that any of you free men upon the land would do something like that anyway.

[Glass]

yes and if you turn it into one that runs on water or the ether, say nothing. to no one.