pulled up to Valet parking at a fancy wedding at a winery on the east end of Long Island in my VW Tdi...

"Sir... could you park your car yourself? our "stick" guy has the day off"

 

Yikes.

I'd rather them be honest then f your car up.

 

Moral of the story, never bother with a valet service, regardless of the car I suppose. Sad world indeed.

 

I have been searching Porsche ads for both new and late model used 911, Cayman, and Boxster. It is probably 90% PDK over manual judging by what I come across.

While I don't find it surprising that hardly anybody under 25 knows how to drive a stick anymore, I guess I am more troubled by the number of people who buy ultimate drivers cars, have a choice in the matter and select the auto, no matter how good it is. PDK can give me a half second better performance in any measure and I still want the pleasure of rowing my own.

FWIW...I have come across a couple stories in the last few years where somebody with a manual was getting car jacked, and the assailant had to exit the car and runaway because they could not drive off with it. I guess us manual drivers should get a discount on our insurance.

 

Porsche stated that the 991 would likely not be available with a manual at all if it weren't for US customers' insistence on having it as an available option.

 

LOL! That will be my line when someone tries to jack my car---"Do you even KNOW how to drive a stick? Really??"

Someone keep this thread around when the cops wanna know what happened.

 

Proud owner of 3 cars all with three pedals. Sounds like i can make a killing working for vallet

 

I thought nearly every EU and UK car was a stick and they only make automatics to rent to North American tourists. Had a wonderful Peugeot a year ago in France. My daughter criticized me for manually shifting it and said to just leave it in drive. Her Outback has an automatic with those funny "paddle shifters" she's never used.

The Peugeot transmission was like butter. Very impressive. Nothing like our S2000 but impressive nonetheless.

-- Chuck

 

Standard only vehicles for me since 1969 and wife since 1978.
Levi

 

almost every Valet has let me park my car myself when i ask...but usually before they respond, they size me and my car up and see a low car with manual trans and bucket seats and quickly say "Sure!" haha