If I were to sell it privately in the future?
 

Folks,

I'm going to get the FR-S in the coming weeks, but I haven't decided whether to get auto or manual. I've never driven a manual before, but this doesn't stop me from getting a manual shift. Someone is going to teach me next week, and he says it will take only one hour or so. Therefore, knowing how to drive a manual shift is not a factor in my purchasing decision.

The initial plan is that I will keep it for at least three years. If I were to sell it privately in the future, which transmission people would be most interested in? Auto or Manual?

Thanks

For this car, manual.

Manual, hands down. I would say that most of the people interested in this car are looking for the performance aspect, which is more suited to the the Manual. Also the dealers near me had a hard time selling Autos, they sat for months. The manuals all had waiting lists.

I say manual, because the potential buyers will most likely want a manual vs an automatic for this type or most any type of sports cars.

Probably manual. There's a large divide between the manual people and the automatic people. While the automatic Ferrari's are aimed at a different buyers group than us, the FR-S/BRZ is aimed at a group that prefers manuals.

Get what you want. Don't crash and it'll sell just fine. Probably not enough resale difference to be worth compromising your desire in choice of vehicle. Enjoy the new manual experience. Unless your friend is a performance driving instructor with hours to spend, read a good performance driving/racing techniques book. Drive some, read again, drive more, read again.....

I don't believe you'll recoup the cost of the AT on resell but it won't affect the price that the car sells at either. There may be fewer buyers for the AT so it may take longer to sell privately.

Then again, if people start buying them as starter cars in a few years, that may make a difference.

For this car?

Automatic.

Its only 200HP and pretty heavy, your not going to breathing through the gears (in the fun speedy way) that much even though its high revving. To me its not that fun in this type of car to shift manually.

But this car isn't about speed, part of it is about going sideways 20MPH leaving at a residential area.

You can't ask a bunch of guys online which transmission to get for your car, cause they aren't you.

don't get this car. get a Kia Soul

Just get whatever you want. You have to live with it.

And do the first ever 2JZ swap for a Kia Soul...

I'm not asking anyone here to pick a transmission for me. I just want to know whether potential buyers in the future are more interested in stick shift or auto. I just want to get rid of the FRS quickly when it's about time for me get a new car.

just wondering, if you are keeping it for 3 years, have you looked into how much a lease would cost vs the projected depreciation rate? Acording to my paper work from the dealer (if im reading it right) a 3 year old frs is expected to be $16,000

I traded a MT Honda Fit in for my MT FRS. The dealer told me if the Honda Fit had been an automatic it would have had a much higher resale value. But seriously you have to live with the car for X years so order what you enjoy. There was a poll on the forums that listed owners who bought manual vs. automatic. The poll was something like 500 MT to 100 AT. FYI