Well sticks are slower and out dated, no one runs a stick anymore.

Even something common like an 8spd ZF can bang threw the gears faster than a human can.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The only reason people shift overseas is because they can't afford cars with automatics and larger engines. Have you ever even left this country?

Go rent a Daihatsu little POS and tell me how great shifting is.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Don't care about speed. I want control and the feeling of driving, not having some damn 'pooter doing the driving for me. Have to say that the best movie scene ever was when Dave Bowman slowly cut the power to HAL. Ned Ludd, BABY!

First car was a Fiat Spider with all of 80hp and a stick. Enjoyed that.
Volvo 240 ... 110 rompin' stompin' hp, 3000 lb, and a stick. Enjoyed.
240D ... 70 hp on a good say and a stick. Love that car.
Turbo Saab ... OK, that one had 175 hp (and a stick). Sort of a POS, but fun in its own way.
Miata ... 120 hp and a stick ... enjoyed that.

Looking at a Fiat 500 with ... you guessed it ... a STICK, and 100-some HP. No interest in drag-racing, so massive HP and anything above 4 cyl holds approximately zero interest for me.

And yes, I've been out of this country quite often, thankfully.

i could not have said it better.and replacing a clutch is 5 times cheaper then replacing an auto.AND a stick will give you better milage.my 2000 jetta tdi runs over 50mpg,my buddies 03 tdi with auto gets 43-45 at best.

IDK, playing Devil's Advocate, if you had a properly designed semi-auto or dual-clutch box, it could still be cheap to replace the clutch and the computer could be programmed to reduce clutch wear so the clutch lasts longer than a human driver can make it last. MPG would be identical to a manual since it would be nearly identical to a manual box internally.

Yep, in an argumentative sort of mood today

Actually you can get a Camry and an Accord with a stick. I am not really interested in a BMW. The insurance on the old Benz was bad enough. No tickets in 10 years, yet it was more expensive on the 86 SDL than the 06 Suburban. All things aside, for me personally, I want a stick.

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

DSGs get better mileage in gas engines, about the same in diesels. The tuner crowd prefers the dsg for wear, clutches on stage 1 or 2 last 30-40k, dsg service at 40k miles is $1000 so it evens out. I think I should have gone with the dsg myself, my driving is all city and it just gets annoying. Plus better acceleration.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

DSG??

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Sdrun had not considered the scion or Subaru.

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86 300SDL. 250,xxx on #14 Head. One eye always on temp gauge.. Cruising towards 300K

Dsg is vw's nomenclature for dual automated clutch manual gearbox (basically functions like an auto but with flappy paddles)

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Almost every vehicle in my yard is diesel, with the exceptions being a 1966 Bronco, a V-10 excursion, and a 2005 4 cyl Escape. However, my next work truck will probably be a gasser as a (modern) diesel just doesn't have the advantages it used to. They are now computer controlled, you have to smog them, they have that ridiculous piss injection to limit emissions, the initial cost vs. a gas engine is another 8K, and they cost more to maintain and repair. Oh, and in my area diesel is way more expensive than gas. This morning diesel was $4.15 and regular was $3.69 on my way to the job, and on my way home diesel was $4.45 and regular was still $3.69. WTF?

Regarding manual vs. auto- I am almost as militant as spdrun- I hate automatic transmissions, and they hate me! Every automatic I have ever had has taken a shlt on me in short order, whereas I have manual trannys that have over 400K on them and are still on the road. I am hoping to find a 6 speed Ford with a 5.4 for my next work truck, but they are few and far between.

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1984 300TD 1981 240D

I wouldn't pay $18K for a used common Japanese sedan, unless it was only a year old. A co-worker just bought a used Acura for $5K, ~2005 model. The paint looks brand-new, as does the leather interior. I thought it was a new car. 120K miles, but modern gas engines seem to last 300K easy. I think the better fuel controls keep them from running rich and washing the cylinder walls with raw gas, which wore out carbureted engines prematurely. I pulled the head off our 1996 at 100K miles to replace a head gasket, so re-ringed it to be safe. I found the original rings had gaps still in spec and the honing marks were still well visible on the cylinder walls.

Automatics are INDEED faster in one regard. They are much faster to rack up maintenance and repair costs.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I am also a manual transmission die hard. It sure does decrease my selection of cars though, new & used both.

Not only am I too cheap to drive/maintain/repair an automatic, I TOTALLY enjoy driving a manual transmission in any and all conditions. I taught my wife how to drive one after we married and taught both my kids. They are all three PROFICIENT stick shift drivers. My kids have commented over the years about the times their friends were amazed when they learned that they were capable of and even ENJOYED driving a stick shift car.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution