Is the manual transmission a good choice for an everyday driver?

[shishand]

Stupid question i know.. But i been saving up for a while now, and i cant decide between which.. Im 18 right now, so i have to pick a car to stick with for a while (probably through college as well) and i worked too hard for the money to waste it wrong.. Anyways i been driving an auto and never even drove a stick, so i need some advice haha I need a car to have fun with(im not talking about going on tracks and drift, like maybe a little stupid powerslide..ect) but i like REV'ing the engine to redlines and ect.. and IM SURE i can learn the manual, so not ever driving a manual car isn't a big thing either. I just basically need something reliable to last for a bit and not too costy for the maintenance, be convenient, an EVERYDAY car .. what do you think?



& Also, so does the original HU, the basic ones have RCA outputs for speakers? i know the premium HU does "Six 2.4-volt pre-amplified RCA outputs for front, rear and sub-speakers, allowing owners to add external amps to boost power and expand the sound field for a truly custom speaker system"

[travace]

manual is a good choice PERIOD.... i dont understand why anyone would want a sports car that isnt.

[Wolfking]

Originally Posted by shishand

Stupid question i know.. But i been saving up for a while now, and i cant decide between which.. Im 18 right now, so i have to pick a car to stick with for a while (probably through college as well) and i worked too hard for the money to waste it wrong.. Anyways i been driving an auto and never even drove a stick, so i need some advice haha I need a car to have fun with(im not talking about going on tracks and drift, like maybe a little stupid powerslide..ect) but i like REV'ing the engine to redlines and ect.. and IM SURE i can learn the manual, so not ever driving a manual car isn't a big thing either. I just basically need something reliable to last for a bit and not too costy for the maintenance, be convenient, an EVERYDAY car .. what do you think?

You've put in an akward corner! I drive nothing but MT, but must admit I had absolutely no love for the clutch when I first encountered this car.
(too light...more so than Honda)

If you think constant shifting will be a nuisance or you have a left knee issue, then perhaps AT will suit you. On the other hand if you may take note than AT pilots often fantasize about driving MT. If that were not true then why plant a hand on a stationary shifter? Good luck and choose wisely!
LL-FRS!

[Touge_ninja]

Either way you can't go wrong with this car. Both are fun to drive and they grip like hell.

[MF_DEUCE]

read this:
auto vs. manual

if you really cant decide, drive both and make you're decision.

PS- i know you are new here so ill be easy on you. do some research before posting a thread, it takes up space for NECESSARY threads.
/rant

[bebopblues]

When you drive a manual and you enjoy shifting from gear to gear, playing with the clutch and gas, then MT is for you. If you don't enjoy those things, then get an automatic. That's it.

Ignore the performance and gas mileage aspects, don't base your decisions on these factors.

[DaJo]

My last 2 vehicles I've owned were MT and heck I've driven stick ever since I was legally able to drive, this one however is an AT.
No, I did not get bored of shifting; many things come into play when deciding which transmission is the right one for you...

I chose AT because it will be my daily vehicle, which means it gotta get me to and from work, which also means LOTS of stop and go traffic in the city (Rush hour).

Like I said again... there are many things like this you have to take into consideration before choosing one or the other. For me, it was a very hard decision at first, but what made it a little easier was the fact that these ATs in these cars are eff-ing outstanding (you really must test-drive an AT to actually appreciate it). Do I regret getting an AT? Nope! Sure I don't have the fun of balancing the clutch and gas and wiggling that shifter around anymore, but I still get the same great performance this car screams with the paddles in M mode!

Hope this helps, in the end which ever transmission you decide to choose...they're both equally awesome in their own respective ways!

[DrSteezey]

learn to drive stick first. if you start to enjoy driving stick, go test drive, both AT and MT FR-S'. i barely learned to drive stick a few months ago through my valet job =P haha now i absolutely love driving MT. acquire a bit of skill and knowledge with stick. then test drive. then choose.

good luck!

[86_ZN6]

iv been driving manual all my life. never had an AT car

youll get use to it eventually.

[sbxjap]

Everyone has good point..... But if you never drove stick, you can risk buying a car and hating it. I've known a few people who learned to drive stick, who still appreciate driving it, but would never want to own a manual trans car....

... I learned about 10 yrs ago, and still love driving it daily. It's my opinion that's most sports cats are better off bought as MT. But after reading reviews on the AT, it'll come own to preference...

[Slartibartfast]

I had the same dilemma as you back in 1989 (dating myself there). I ended up getting a 1985 RX-7 MT. For the first few weeks I thought I had made a horrible, HORRIBLE mistake. But once I had it down, I loved it. And I still do. It makes YOU part of the machine. You are a participant, not just an operator.

Without you having a MT before, it will make it hard for you to test drive the manual with out hating it. The automatic is one of the best I have ever driven. Love the throttle blip on downshift, and it's very quick to respond. However... If you buy the MT once you get the knack of driving stick you will love it forever. It's fine as a daily driver, highway commuter, winding road ripper, etc, etc.

It is not hard, it just takes practice. I urge everyone who has not driven manual to just dive in head first. Be brave, dive in, the water is fine.

[travace]

if you have kids teach them from the start with a manual. i have to say thanks to my mom for that

[ngabdala]

It's the only choice. You will not regret it.

Originally Posted by shishand

Stupid question i know.. But i been saving up for a while now, and i cant decide between which.. Im 18 right now, so i have to pick a car to stick with for a while (probably through college as well) and i worked too hard for the money to waste it wrong.. Anyways i been driving an auto and never even drove a stick, so i need some advice haha I need a car to have fun with(im not talking about going on tracks and drift, like maybe a little stupid powerslide..ect) but i like REV'ing the engine to redlines and ect.. and IM SURE i can learn the manual, so not ever driving a manual car isn't a big thing either. I just basically need something reliable to last for a bit and not too costy for the maintenance, be convenient, an EVERYDAY car .. what do you think?



& Also, so does the original HU, the basic ones have RCA outputs for speakers? i know the premium HU does "Six 2.4-volt pre-amplified RCA outputs for front, rear and sub-speakers, allowing owners to add external amps to boost power and expand the sound field for a truly custom speaker system"

[Turbowned]

Everyone should learn to drive a manual; you're at the right age for it, and this is the right car for it. Pick the manual and let the love affair begin!

*Warning* it may take a month or two before you really get the hang of it. I got my first manual car (MR2) when I was 19 and it was a challenge for a while, but once I learned it solid I felt like a driving god! I looked back at the advice my stepfather gave me (don't get a manual - automatics shift faster and you'll just burn out the clutch) and wanted to kick him for all the fun he made me miss! Yes, I did burn out the clutch - it had 215,000 miles on it though. Replaced the clutch and never looked back!