Talk "Car" To Me!

[DrewTheXenocide]

That title pretty much spells everything out. I want to know more about cars. I probably should've put this up before today, but I went to an auto show today, and it was actually pretty cool. Considering the fact that I know close to nothing about cars, and mainly went there to oogle at chicks,

It seems pretty cool to know you're way about one, and I've always thought it'd be cool to work on one. So, just throw anything at me, and I'll find a way to figure it out.

[Night]

General Knowlege
http://www.howstuffworks.com/engine.htm

Specific car (a book to buy)
http://www.haynes.com/na.html

[ghostrider666]

Tough to answer. Take baby steps. Youre entering a new world. So keep it basic. What do you want to know?

[ocelotrevs]

Well. 4WD means 4 Wheel Drive, this is the same as AWD, 4X4.
Some cars have their engine in the middle, and sometimes the engine is called the powerplant.
Octane is added to make the fuel burn cleaner, and horsepower is how much power the engine delivers.

Ask how refined a sports diesel is.

[i_mmmchocolate]

This thread reminded me of my old Talk Nerdy To Me (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=89692&highlight=nerdy) thread.

I'm pissed I missed the car show! The boat show is cooler though.

[DrewTheXenocide]

This thread reminded me of my old Talk Nerdy To Me (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=89692&highlight=nerdy) thread.

I'm pissed I missed the car show! The boat show is cooler though.
Oh...Yeah! What a coincidene....uh..yeah.

Anyway, it's still running, through the twenty third, I think. http://www.autoshowny.com

Thanks for the info. I guess I oughta be more specific about a topic like this, though. So... lets see...Ah, here's a good question I've been pondering:

Automatic Transmission vs. Manual. Pros and cons?

[Night]

Oh...Yeah! What a coincidene....uh..yeah.

Anyway, it's still running, through the twenty third, I think. http://www.autoshowny.com

Thanks for the info. I guess I oughta be more specific about a topic like this, though. So... lets see...Ah, here's a good question I've been pondering:

Automatic Transmission vs. Manual. Pros and cons? Automatic: It's easier. You pretty much just have to know what direction you want to go. It's easier to learn and especially easier in hill country and stop and go traffic situations. You don’t have to worry about the clutch petal because it doesn’t have one. You also don’t have to keep a hand on the shifter as much.

Manual: Better responsiveness. Instead of depending on some mechanism to judge what gear to be in, you get to decide. For example, you’re going into a turn so you slow down, typically an automatic transmission will shift higher to in response to the less demand on the engine, but that’s not what you want…. You want to shift lower to get more power as you come out of the turn. (the Mitsubishi Eclipse’s electronic automatic did a decent job when I test drove it, but still not as good manual) Typically you get more gears than you do with an automatic so you have more opportunity to keep the engine at it’s peak RPM. Typically, manuals are rated for better gas mileage (depending on how and where you drive of course), are cheaper in price, and have less operating costs.

Edit: oh RPM is "Revolutions Per Minute" and tells you how fast the engine is turning. If you have something called a tachometer, it'll tell you how fast it's turning in RPM or a mutliple thereof many it's RPMx1000.

[BlairH]

Automatics are better. You don't have to cycle the bolt action to chamber a new round of ammuni....oh, we're talking about CARS?

Anyway, automatics are better. I'm way too much of a spaz to figure out this "gears" business!

[Callie]

You want me to talk cars?

I hate my car. In one year, it has gone from being a healthy middle-aged piece of engineering to a broken down, old geezer. First, the exhaust manifold cracked and cost me more money than I want to talk about.

Next, a fan in the cooling system popped off and put a pinhole in the radiator.

The transmission sometimes sticks between first and second gear.

My car vibrates better than a handheld vibrator at stoplights.

Now, I either got bad gas in my tank or the fuel injectors/filter just had it and my car is a sputtering, surging mess. Next week I will be walking the 3-4 miles to work. Guess my fat butt could use it. :p

All these new itty bitty hatchbacks look pretty sweet though for $15k. Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and Toyota Yaris. I'm thinking about trading in my clunker for a Fit, but I hear that Honda didn't produce enough of them, so there will likely be a shortage and a lack of dealers willing to wheel & deal. Bastards.

If you want a sportier car, go with a manual transmission (aka Standard). You get to control the rate at which the car shifts gears and that lets you go faster, well faster. They also generally have slightly better fuel economy. And they're cheaper if you're trying to cut costs and know how to drive 'em.

If you have a commuter car, go with an automatic. Manually shifting gears in a traffic jam sucks majorly. However, standards can also lead to fun times that involve revving your engine at your neighboring car when you know you can't go anywhere.

[Alex L]

Automatic Transmission vs. Manual. Pros and cons?

For the non-racer inclined, manual is cheaper to buy and cheaper to own. Doesn't break as easily, has something to do with having less moving parts (I think). And because it has less parts, it's cheaper to get repaired even if something were to go wrong.
Ever so slightly better with fuel economy.

For performance, manual is generally regarded as superior (though automatics can have an advantage in certain cases).

rabidfangirl, have you thought about a Scion? Probably the same size as a Fit, and the Yaris is little more than a rebadged Toyota Echo (one of Toyota's flops).

[Magneto_X]

Broom broom whine screech putter putter putter

[P-Man]

rabidfangirl, have you thought about a Scion? Probably the same size as a Fit, and the Yaris is little more than a rebadged Toyota Echo (one of Toyota's flops).

I recently test drove a Scion Xb and a Yaris, and the Yaris impressed me more. The Xb felt like I was driving a golf cart, while the Yaris performed better than expected. The main problem with the yaris was that the damned spedometer was in the middle of the dash.

[i_mmmchocolate]

Oh...Yeah! What a coincidene....uh..yeah.
I know, I'm completely shameless...



Automatic Transmission vs. Manual. Pros and cons?
If you really live in Brooklyn, then automatic. Manual is a pain in the ass when it comes to stop-and-go traffic.

[Callie]

I've considered the Scion xBs. They're really boxy looking, which is kinda unique. However, I've heard that the drive leaves a little something to be desired.

Also, considered the xAs, which look like every other hatchback currently out there. I hear they have next to no storage space and drive even worse than the xBs.

[DrewTheXenocide]

I've considered the Scion xBs. They're really boxy looking, which is kinda unique. However, I've heard that the drive leaves a little something to be desired.

Also, considered the xAs, which look like every other hatchback currently out there. I hear they have next to no storage space and drive even worse than the xBs.
I've found the Scions to be very, very sexy. If you want driving force, I remember their rep saying something about the "tC" being their faster car. But then again, I don't think it's a "hatchback", if I'm thinking about the same thing you are.

[Larry Dixon]

Unusual and performance cars are a specialty of mine. I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have about exotics & racing/high performance 4-wheelers.

[Callie]

I acquired this today! *bounce bounce*

[Gilda Dent]

Automatic Transmission vs. Manual. Pros and cons?

The biggest con to me for a manual is that I can't drive one.

Gilda

[DrewTheXenocide]

The biggest con to me for a manual is that I can't drive one.

Gilda
Aren't manuals the norm everywhere else but in America?

[Gilda Dent]

Aren't manuals the norm everywhere else but in America?

I wouldn't know. I couldn't even tell you if it's the norm in the US. It's the norm in my car, though, and that's really all that matters to me, because it means I can drive my car. Not being able to do that would take some of the convenience out of having a car.

Gilda

[Alex L]

If I can drive a stick, it can't possibly be that hard. :D