Are you one of the diminishing pool of people who knows how to drive a manual transmission? Are you one of the few people who actually own a car with a stick shift?
(For those of you who aren’t sure, a manual transmission has a clutch, which is only found on a vehicle without an automatic transmission. A clutch breaks the connection between the transmission and the engine.)
Owning a manual drive vehicle may not be as common as it used to be, but there are great reasons to do so. The most popular reason is the control you have over your driving, making it a truly immersive experience. In addition, you’ll usually get better gas mileage, less expensive repairs, and – you can start it even when your battery is dead. If you can drive a stick shift, you can drive almost anything. And – driving a stick shift is just plain cool.
The most common repair on a straight drive car is the aforementioned clutch. Most clutches will last a long time, especially if you use it correctly. But over time, a clutch will wear out. Here are warning signs:
- Your transmission keeps slipping out of gear.
- The clutch feels ‘spongy’.
- There is a burning smell when you press on the clutch pedal.
- The clutch goes all the way to the floor.
- A growling noise when the clutch pedal is pressed.
When you’re in the clutches of a clutch failure, it’s time to bring your car in to us. Almost every clutch repair is worth the investment, and will prolong the life of your car. We’ll do the work for you, and get you back on the road, shifting through the curves, feeling the wind in your hair, and generally being the coolest thing on the road.