Venting about the stick

[Irace86.2.0]

So the wife is looking to update her car. She currently has a PT Cruiser that she bought when her father passed because it was a car he always thought was cool. Enough said there.

We were thinking an SUV would be best and most practical because I have the BRZ. Some vehicles we are considering are the Forester XT, VW Tiguan, Audi Q3 or Q5, BMW X3 and that is about it. She doesn’t like the look of hatchbacks like the Subaru Crosstrek or wagons like the Subaru Outback. She wouldn’t want a hot hatch either, even if her PT Cruiser isn’t far off.

Our biggest gripe is the lack of a stick option. I get that this is where the industry is going, but it really sucks. Currently the only AWD, manual option is the base or premium Forester. A few other manufacturers offer stick SUVs in base trim but not with AWD. I believe Jeep has some 4x4 options with a stick but also in base trims.

I’m real close to buying an Audi Q3 and doing a manual conversion. Grrrrr. FML. I suppose we could settle for the 2.5L in the Forester Premium and then swap out some interior features from a wrecked Limited model, but that seems pretty lame too.

[Cole]

Who the fuck wants to buy a luxury SUV with a manual transmission?

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

One of my coworkers here had an X3 with a stick. Did they stop offering them?

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

....Our biggest gripe is the lack of a stick option.

Here supposedly is the list of every 2017 you can get with a manual and a Car and Driver article on every SUV/Crossover.

I still regret not having purchased the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon with manual when they were available. They are definitely unicorns now and get top dollar.

[Summerwolf]

I had a manual forester. Great car. You can get them fairly well optioned as well.

Porsche cayenne had a manual version too.

Nissan xterra pro4x, jeep wrangler... you can find them.

I had a caliber srt4 as well, one of the most ridiculously fun vehicles to drive I have ever owned. Not a great chassis or suv.... but hysterical to drive.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by Cole

Who the fuck wants to buy a luxury vehicle with a manual transmission?

I fixed it. Apparently no one. Apparently if a person wants the look and style from a luxury manufacturer, or the amenities such as power, leather seats or premium sound and infotainment, or a powerful engine then this also means they are not interested in moving their arms:

https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopp...mission-246971

A few high-end car brands are out of the manual transmission game entirely. Such brands include Acura, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln and Volvo. If you want three pedals in your next luxury car, you'll want to forego visiting one of those brands' dealerships.

I find it odd that adding size or luxury to a vehicle means a manual transmission would be undesirable, but this seems to be the trend--giving up control to the car computers. We are starting to see autonomous driving, which will eventually replace the need for the driver to need pedals or a steering wheel. Maybe in the near future someone online will title their post, "Venting about the steering wheel," and be asking which cars still come with brake and gas pedals and a steering wheel.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

One of my coworkers here had an X3 with a stick. Did they stop offering them?

I see you are from Toronto. Maybe that was there and not in the states. In Europe you can buy many models with a stick, but they don't import many sticks this direction. I'll look, but I think they stopped offering an X3 with a stick in 2007 or 2008. I would prefer something newer of course.

Besides the joy of shifting, a manual transmission has less maintenance and complications that can go wrong.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

I see you are from Toronto. Maybe that was there and not in the states. In Europe you can buy many models with a stick, but they don't import many sticks this direction. I'll look, but I think they stopped offering an X3 with a stick in 2007 or 2008. I would prefer something newer of course.

Besides the joy of shifting, a manual transmission has less maintenance and complications that can go wrong.

I would say avoid used ones. A lot of people have no idea they have to use premium gas in these cars. Sometimes they simply don't care cause it's a lease and they'll only use it for a couple years.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

I would say avoid used ones. A lot of people have no idea they have to use premium gas in these cars. Sometimes they simply don't care cause it's a lease and they'll only use it for a couple years.

Gas prices often fluctuate more than the difference between standard and premium fuel. Often the difference is $0.20 which is two dollars more for ten gallons. Not exactly a deal breaker for my wife and I, especially with our short commutes to work.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

I would say avoid used ones. A lot of people have no idea they have to use premium gas in these cars. Sometimes they simply don't care cause it's a lease and they'll only use it for a couple years.

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Gas prices often fluctuate more than the difference between standard and premium fuel. Often the difference is $0.20 which is two dollars more for ten gallons. Not exactly a deal breaker for my wife and I, especially with our short commutes to work.

I think what Canada was trying to say was not that you and your wife would care about using premium gas, but rather that the previous owners did and used 87, which would have detrimental effects on the engine. Therefore, he was suggesting to avoid those used cars.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

I think what Canada was trying to say was not that you and your wife would care about using premium gas, but rather that the previous owners did and used 87, which would have detrimental effects on the engine. Therefore, he was suggesting to avoid those used cars.

Sorry, yea, I didn't read that carefully.

The wife said just a bit ago that she would rather have a newer car than an older one anyways, so probably leaning towards the Subaru Forester Premium with the manual at this time.

[carsebuco]

I like my coca cola with real sugar but that lowers their profit and everyone else doesn't seem to care, so I don't blame them.

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by carsebuco

I like my coca cola with real sugar but that lowers their profit and everyone else doesn't seem to care, so I don't blame them.

Just FYI, you can buy Coca Cola with cane sugar in the states, also known as Mexican Coca Cola. It is imported. You can also get Mexican Doritos here too, so you can avoid the MSG that are in the US Doritos.

I don't blame them. I'm just venting. Americans tend to be lazier and automatics are now able to achieve better fuel economy, so I am not surprised that manufactures don't sell them here. It does surprise me that just 3% of car sales here are manuals.

http://www.latimes.com/business/auto...115-story.html

The actual sales figures are even lower. Edmunds senior analyst Ivan Drury said fewer than 3% of current U.S. car sales are manual vehicles — compared with 80% in some European and Asian countries, and down in the U.S. from 7% in 2012 and 25% in 1992.

I'm not really a CVT fan, nor of tradition transmissions with the addition of a million gears to mimic the efficiency of a CVT. Dual clutch transmissions have their issues too:

http://www.autonews.com/article/2015...-favor-in-u.s.

Like I said, I am a fan of the connection, the ease of service and decreased problems and simplicity that comes with a manual transmission.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Irace86.2.0

Sorry, yea, I didn't read that carefully.

The wife said just a bit ago that she would rather have a newer car than an older one anyways, so probably leaning towards the Subaru Forester Premium with the manual at this time.

Just another idea, but how about a small pick up truck? You can get the Tacoma in a 6MT in several trim models (none of the middle trim levels).