Daily driver..Heavy Commute.. buy a MT? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Pake1 · 06-04-2012, 02:35 PM

I go through about 2 hours of commute a day, stop and go traffic. After trying the MT FRS, I noticed the soft clutch and thought this wouldn't be too bad for a daily commute. Anyone else make the plunge to MT knowing about their own daily commute?

Boosted2.0 · 06-04-2012, 02:52 PM

Yup - I daily into the Houston Metro and bought a 6MT. But I have done it here and in LA and Orlando and S Florida (all high congestion areas) with various manuals and it has never bothered me.

The AT gets better gas mileage so it might be better from that standpoint

thill · 06-04-2012, 02:56 PM

I have grown up driving manuals my whole life. When we lived near Washington DC, my wife talked me into getting my first automatic (for my car, the traffic there is horrible) and I regretted not getting a manual every time I drove that car. Have not bought an autormatic for myself since, and shifting gears in traffic is so second nature to me I don't even think about it.

LeavingNormal · 06-04-2012, 02:58 PM

Yeah ive been dealing with the 2 hr LA commute, i'm just used to it already. Also its not so bad with the FRS.

FrX · 06-04-2012, 03:05 PM

I like having the manual in traffic. It gives me something to do and keeps me from becoming bored out of my mind.

Davyator · 06-04-2012, 03:07 PM

I've got a pretty long commute (45min to 1 hr each way), and I chose to go MT / Whiteout. It was a fun choice, and I don't mind the fact that I saved $1,100 and got the more popular option.

Pake1 · 06-04-2012, 03:22 PM

Coming from a 97 civic , the soft clutch gave me a bit of confidence. Is the feel of the clutch one of the more softer ones that you guys have tried?

DeepHunta · 06-04-2012, 03:23 PM

mmm...my commute is 15 mins max...on a bad day...maybe 20 mins, one way. so 30-40mins from home to work to home. Heheheh.

The clutch is pretty light compared to my Legacy 2.5gt. Which is weird by the way. You'd think that a family sedan would have a lighter clutch than a sports car. Oh well, not complaining.

MrFRsLa · 06-04-2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeavingNormal

Yeah ive been dealing with the 2 hr LA commute, i'm just used to it already. Also its not so bad with the FRS.

Me and Leavingnormal have basicaly the same commute. I would agree with him. Having drove both gearboxes in the FR-s both are strong for different reasons.

Go for automatic for better mpg and a very impressive paddleshift.

Manual for a little more overall control and enthusiast feel.

I drove the manual, it was up the 405 to santa monica and got caught in gridlock for about 20 mins it wasnt that bad. I would prefer a little more cabin loose for the car in general but thats here nor there.

Indestruct · 06-04-2012, 05:02 PM

The first day I had the car I drove in gridlock for 100 miles around... in LA. You get used to it. I have a bad habit of resting my right leg to the right and it hurts a little if I leave it there...

rikdrt1 · 06-05-2012, 12:31 AM

i changed my mind at the last minute after i had a chance to drive both back-back in CA traffic -- i figured i can relax and enjoy the car and my coffee drink when cruising up and down the mountain passes -- so i chose AT. it runs very nice.

Pake1 · 06-06-2012, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rikdrt1

i changed my mind at the last minute after i had a chance to drive both back-back in CA traffic -- i figured i can relax and enjoy the car and my coffee drink when cruising up and down the mountain passes -- so i chose AT. it runs very nice.

The only points thats pulling me to an automatic is the better mileage and i can rest my left leg after all these years of MT.

But the MT was soo fun to drive though. Light clutch, and better resale value, though less mileage and shifting in LA traffic daily.

MVJ1975 · 06-06-2012, 12:51 PM

I chose the AT for the traffic. DC traffic sucks. For me, the AT is more versatile - I can drop into manual mode when I can focus on the road and the car, and leave it in Camry mode when I'm commuting.

I would bet that if you were used to driving a manual it'd be fine in traffic, but I haven't driven one in over a decade.

luscious · 06-06-2012, 02:21 PM

I live in socal and I'm going manual for sure, traffic be damned!!

06-04-2012, 02:35 PM	#1
Pake1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: SWP Premium BRZ Location: Los Angeles Posts: 82 Thanks: 20 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Daily driver..Heavy Commute.. buy a MT? I go through about 2 hours of commute a day, stop and go traffic. After trying the MT FRS, I noticed the soft clutch and thought this wouldn't be too bad for a daily commute. Anyone else make the plunge to MT knowing about their own daily commute?

06-04-2012, 03:07 PM	#6
Davyator Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: Scion FR-S Location: Utah Posts: 132 Thanks: 118 Thanked 91 Times in 23 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I've got an 80-mile round trip, and I got the MT. I've got a pretty long commute (45min to 1 hr each way), and I chose to go MT / Whiteout. It was a fun choice, and I don't mind the fact that I saved $1,100 and got the more popular option.

06-04-2012, 03:23 PM	#8
DeepHunta Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: '05 Outback Wgn, '05 Lotus Elise Location: WA Posts: 543 Thanks: 21 Thanked 99 Times in 67 Posts Mentioned: 11 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	mmm...my commute is 15 mins max...on a bad day...maybe 20 mins, one way. so 30-40mins from home to work to home. Heheheh. The clutch is pretty light compared to my Legacy 2.5gt. Which is weird by the way. You'd think that a family sedan would have a lighter clutch than a sports car. Oh well, not complaining. __________________ Proud ex-owner of GBS 6MT BRZ Limited. Pre-ordered on Feb-29-2012, got VIN on 5/19 with ETA 6/6, arrived early on 6/2, but still didn't pick it up until Jun-6-2012. Recently sold the Buuurz as of 4/21/2014

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06-04-2012, 02:52 PM	#2
Boosted2.0 Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 13 FR-S, 00 Spyder&Celica, 08 Tundr Location: Sealy, Texas Posts: 362 Thanks: 2 Thanked 176 Times in 78 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yup - I daily into the Houston Metro and bought a 6MT. But I have done it here and in LA and Orlando and S Florida (all high congestion areas) with various manuals and it has never bothered me. The AT gets better gas mileage so it might be better from that standpoint

06-04-2012, 02:56 PM	#3
thill Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 2020 SS1LE (previous 13 BRZ owner) Location: North Pole Posts: 2,753 Thanks: 328 Thanked 1,463 Times in 802 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I have grown up driving manuals my whole life. When we lived near Washington DC, my wife talked me into getting my first automatic (for my car, the traffic there is horrible) and I regretted not getting a manual every time I drove that car. Have not bought an autormatic for myself since, and shifting gears in traffic is so second nature to me I don't even think about it.

06-04-2012, 03:22 PM	#7
Pake1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: SWP Premium BRZ Location: Los Angeles Posts: 82 Thanks: 20 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Coming from a 97 civic , the soft clutch gave me a bit of confidence. Is the feel of the clutch one of the more softer ones that you guys have tried?

06-04-2012, 05:02 PM	#10
Indestruct Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: 2013 SWP Limited BRZ, MT Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 252 Thanks: 52 Thanked 51 Times in 34 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	The first day I had the car I drove in gridlock for 100 miles around... in LA. You get used to it. I have a bad habit of resting my right leg to the right and it hurts a little if I leave it there...

06-06-2012, 02:21 PM	#14
luscious Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 2013 FR-S Argento MT Location: Claremont, California, United States Posts: 134 Thanks: 2 Thanked 24 Times in 17 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I live in socal and I'm going manual for sure, traffic be damned!!

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