Automatic Transmission?

[tony71]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

Every clutch is a little different but you'll be fine. My 11 year old daughter is currently learning to drive a manual in a combo of Honda Civic and Lotus Elise and soon a RHD Lotus Seven, just so she is ambidextrous with a shifter .

Go get your Esprit and enjoy.

Wow a 11 year old is learning. Thanks for the advise!

[tony71]

Originally Posted by ...m...

++

...it's perfectly normal to feel nervous when you first learn a manual transmission, but you'll come to love the experience...

...if you're renting something to learn on, try a cheaper economy car, as the basic skills are the same but the first week or so of learning can be pretty hard on its clutch...absolutely you'll be able to get the hang of it, though, no worries...

...once you get your esprit, take it easy and maintain a relaxed driving style until you're completely comfortable operating the manual transmission as a daily driver...high performance driving is challenging enough without throwing unfamiliar control operations into the mix, and lotus are more than enough car that you'll have no need to prove anything on the streets...

That is what I was thinking about the Esprit, not only I have to learn manuel but I need to control that car as well. Like riding a wild horse. :--)

[tony71]

Originally Posted by Vulcan Grey

I learned in my Esprit.

Actually I did practice a bit in my friend's Honda DelSol, but not enough.

The drive home in the Esprit (TN to CO) was pretty much how I learned. I did stall about 10 times on the test drive.

You picked up your car from TN? I found one for sale it was a 1997 very clean, only had 16k miles on it and they were asking 33k for it before I could even call them to give them the offer it was sold. But I'm leaning more towards the 2002 and up I like the round back lights.

[tony71]

Originally Posted by chuck_risen

I learned how to operate a clutch by riding a 350 dirt bike before I was a kid. It made me learn real fast. After that a car was easy. The only real benefit I can see to an automatic is traffic jams. Sometimes I miss autos when I am in one for a few hours but that quickly fades when I finally get to run through the gears.

I was thinking about the traffic, with a manuel it could be a pain but then again my work is close to my house. :-)

[macdady2424]

Just go practice in a flat parking by yourself a lot. Thats what I had to do since my dad made me so nervous when with me learning in his, what was suppose to be my car, years ago. Just make sure if you rent a car, you have a friend drive it off the lot for you.

[exarkun1178]

take it out on local roads, keep the speed reasonable. nothing makes you learn faster then when you have to learn fast...

i started at a empty mall parking lot. 1st and reverse over and over. there were a few loading dock hills i used to get a feel for that. just relax and have fun!

[Sport350]

There’s an early Stevens Esprit here in NZ that came up for sale a few years ago now that was converted to Automatic! Anything can be done if you throw some cash at it. But yeah it’s a shame to carve up a std Esprit just to suit a learner driver. If it were me go and get some lessons using a stick shift. This won’t take you long at all to master it. IMO learner drivers should stay clear of Esprits – sorry not the news you were hoping for. I have heard countless stories of people putting their Esprit in the ditch through poor driving. These cars under moderate to full power can become twitchy if your not ready for it and if you’re inexperienced with them and pushing its unknown limits it will just end in tears. So yeah go and beat up a Corvette then come back to the Esprit.

[tony71]

Thanks guys for all the advises. I found a rental place that has the cayman which I pratice on, they even deliver to the house so this way I don't have to drive it off the lot and watch the guy in the rearview mirror having a heart attack.

Anyways, here is the story I first saw the esprit in the james bond movie "the spy who loved me" I was around 7 or 8 years old, and since I lived in London I started to noticed them alot more in the 80s and I have to say the Giugiaro models were the best ones, everytime I saw them on the streets it just blew me away, the sound of the engine and the looks.

It seems the period between 88 and 99 the looks didn't look to exciting, but from 2000 or 2001 they made a comeback.

If I can find a 86 or a 87 with low mileage that would be my dream car, I know they are hard to find in good condition, so I maybe looking at the 2002 and up models.

Oh and the one I saw last week, it was the Europa . I looked it up online and they stopped making them in 76, but the one I saw the guy must have restored it, looked verrry nice!

[agirls]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

Every clutch is a little different but you'll be fine. My 11 year old daughter is currently learning to drive a manual in a combo of Honda Civic and Lotus Elise and soon a RHD Lotus Seven, just so she is ambidextrous with a shifter .

Go get your Esprit and enjoy.

Damn. I wish you were my dad!

[Bavarian Motorist]

He's everyone's dad. He's RoadDad.