Manual vs Automatic in SoCal?

[Calidrifter]

If you dont plan on taking long trips or have a long commute then get the manual.

Recent conversation with another board member on a drive to Torrance with traffic:

Him: Dude this is taking forever...
Me: I know right
Him: fuck my leg is killing me
Me: #MTProblems
Him: lol

He is in his 20's and Im 30.

This was from porter ranch to torrance which is normally about an hour but took us 2.5 that day.

[l0aded]

Originally Posted by DBacon1052

So if the insurance gets back to me with the news that my FR-S is totaled, I have to ask myself the same question that I did when I first got an FR-S... Manual or Automatic. I really would like to get a manual, but I've never driven one before. In Cali, you are almost always going up or down a hill plus I here the highways are pretty bad too. What would you guys recommend I do? Keep in mind, I have never driven a manual before.

My story:

I've only driven manual a hanful of times before picking up my FRS. I stalled on the test drive. I stalled on the way home. I stalled on the way back from work once (fatty hill). This was all within the first 3 days. I haven't stalled since and I can stick the shift like a champ now. Working on my downshifting/revmatching skills for smoother shifts for my passenger/gf's sake and I'm getting pretty good at it. I've had the car less than 2 weeks and I live near you (Irvine).

Personally I wouldn't buy the car in automatic as I feel like it takes away A LOT of the fun of driving the car. I can tell you that the first week was a little stressful as I had to think about everytime I stopped what to do and whatnot but that goes away after a week of normal driving (~300miles). Hills are a cake once you learn to use your ebrake and control the throttle too.

As a side note most of socal is pretty flat. Aliso Viejo is hills I suppose but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the car to what I believe is the car's full potential.

Edit: I'm 24 and my morning commute doesn't have traffic though.

[skitso]

i like having a manual in traffic, it makes the experience go by faster. I am also more forgiving in traffic because i am cruising 2nd gear. i was a more angry driver in traffic with an automatic. but all are different.

[mrs. sata]

Originally Posted by DBacon1052

Sorry I guess my post was a little confusing. I would love to have a MT because it just seems like it would be more satisfying to drive. I kinda want that feeling of being more connected to the car. Then again, I still had a ton of fun in my AT

I have to say...it is more satisfying to drive. I had been driving an AT for 10 years when I got my first MT...which was three months ago. In all honesty, I didn't drive it much during that first month because I was so intimidated by any little bit of a slope. I've been driving my MT for all of two months now and I absolutely love it. It's definitely, definitely more fun to drive, and I actually am driving in traffic for most of the time I'm on the road. For what it's worth, I decided it was necessary for me to learn how to drive MT b/c that's what my husband drives...I figured there might come a day when I need to drive his car. Also, my husband made me practice on a hill on a relatively empty residential street so that helped a lot...

Btw, so sorry about your car being totaled My last car was totaled in April and that really sucked.

Good luck with your decision, and I'm sure you'll be happy regardless of what you choose

[Bonburner]

Manual and I don't mind the LA traffic, its not really that big of a deal as people make it out to be.

[TCHawk]

I’d go with the manual. Like a few others I wasn’t very experience with manual when I got my FR-S. But everyone told me I wouldn’t regret manual so I went for it. I pretty much learned how to drive manual a year before the FR-S and it was only for about an hour on the back roads. I didn’t even drive my FR-S home since I felt too nervous about driving it out of the dealership (my bf drove it back for me ) However the following weeks I jumped into it and practiced as much as possible. I was horrible and to be honest I didn’t think I would even get the hang of it because I sucked at it so much. Especially the hills I was horrible at. I was a mess at it but the more you drive the more you get the hang of it. And that accomplishment was quite rewarding. I feel like my FR-S and I are coming together.

After about a month I’m working on smoothing out my shifts and rev matching. Hills aren’t even a problem now since I have to drive over a few going to work so it forced me to get use to them.

I have to say in the beginning it’s quite intimidating because the fact is you’re going to suck at it because you’re learning, so don’t let that get you down. But once you get the grasp of these you’re going to feel far more in control of your car and feel that more connected with it.

[Augora]

I've chosen MT in LA, and took my first ride yesterday. We'll have to see how I feel in a few, but the manual cannot be beat for sheer pleasure, I bloody love it.

I've driven MT for a few years though, and you'll get the knack of starting on hills, the only thing that can be painful is stop n go traffic.

[HotLava]

Originally Posted by DBacon1052

So if the insurance gets back to me with the news that my FR-S is totaled, I have to ask myself the same question that I did when I first got an FR-S... Manual or Automatic. I really would like to get a manual, but I've never driven one before. In Cali, you are almost always going up or down a hill plus I here the highways are pretty bad too. What would you guys recommend I do? Keep in mind, I have never driven a manual before.

I don't think it matters that much which transmission you get. BUT . . . the 'driving experience' of the FR-S has little to do with what transmission you use. The MT could have been a tough shifting box of rocks and the car would still have the same characteristics it does now. FRS isn't about the transmission. It's about the chassis, looks, affordability and after market. As for me, my prior was a 05 Mustang GT with five speed manual. My FR-S is auto. I think the auto just 'feels' more modern in a car that looks this cool. But that's just me--personal preference.

[MrTranxD]

I dont think not knowing how to drive manual should be the reason u go with auto. manual is so much more fun just in the fact that its manual. i had a 94 auto accord before my FR-S and i hated driving it cuz it was so boring. after i drove my friend's MT cars, i know i had to get MT even though i didnt know how to drive yet. After picking up my car, my mom sitting next to me, i was nervous and stalled like 4 times coming back from the dealer. The dealer is about...1 mile away from my house. Mom made me so nervous lol. she even asked me why i bought a car i couldnt drive. 2 weeks later, drove like ive been driving MT for years

[YDNA]

my frs is my third manual car, and it has become a habit to drive manual. i went from a fit with paddle shifters, an s2000, and an e30. driving in traffic or uphill is never an issue, and i usually go around all of orange county