Manual Transmission

[DaveInTexas]

I wonder how hard it would be to get a european style shifter added back in the car???

I much prefer not making it look like an automatic transmission shifter.

[lhoboy]

Originally Posted by DaveInTexas

Well,

Riding the clutch will wear out the throw-out bearing, but I don't think it would wear out the clutch .

Either way, the labor cost is the same, as the tranny has to be removed to get at it. Big bucks on most cars. On the Smart it may be less costly.

[Carnut]

Thanks spdickey. More and more I'm leaning towards a Pure since I can + and - with the console stick. "We don't need no stinkin' paddles." With a sharp set of chrome wheel covers I'm good to go. I drove cars for years without power windows, mirrors, steering, auto off lights, and auto on wipers. Leather is hot, especially black, in Florida so cloth works. I can always add it myself. Plastic roof is also out. Don't need the heat, flimsy screen, and noise. Solid roof makes sense to me. I'll add factory air and that's it. The base comes set up for a DIN radio so I'll aftermarket one with a subwoofer, NAV, and SAT. $11,590 + $600 + tax, license, and destination and I'm good to go. Color will be all black and I'll add the chrome grill and center arm rest that will become available. JMHO

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by DaveInTexas

I much prefer not making it look like an automatic transmission shifter.

I guess the things that stick out most are the "P and D" (the Euro also has the "N" and "R"). You might be able to obliterate the "P" and replace it with "L" (Lock) with rub-on letters, and similarly replace the "D" with "F" (Forward). Cheaper and simpler than changing the transmission.

[spdickey]

Originally Posted by fishrdnc

I guess the things that stick out most are the "P and D"

Transmission
A five-speed automated manual transmission is standard. It has a bit of a learning curve; there's less driver involvement than with a conventional stick shift, but significantly more than with a full automatic. Sliding the lever over from Drive activates the manual-shift mode...

[Karl Roth]

This is a sequential box like you would find in a motorcycle or a few race cars that come to mind and there is a manual mode gear**** on pure, paddles on passion don't know if they will hold the gear or not but it shold allow driver involvement "when you want to" blipping the trottle on downshift is perhaps a software thing? one more thing to wait for...