Good car to (re)learn manual on?

[amdhunter]

Mazda RX-8 - great transmission and stick feel.
Late model RX-8 share many of the same transmission parts in the Miata I believe.

I learned in my 07 GLi Jetta.

 

[unokitty]

I'm considering picking up a BMW M5 (E39) but would like to brush up on my manual driving before taking that plunge. I learned manual on assorted clunky trucks and occasionally drove whatever friend's random car, but it's probably been 8 years since I've driven a manual.

What would be a good inexpensive car to get to brush up with?

While any car, or light truck, would work well, there are two that I've owned that would work particularly well.

Mazda Miata
Honda Civic SI

Best of luck,
Uno

 

[Viper GTS]

That M5 is going to have a much stiffer clutch than the wet-noodle clutches found in most Japanese cars, so they wouldn't be that good to practice on anyway.

Just get the M5, it'll come back to you.

In addition cars with lots of power are remarkably easy to drive. You can almost use the clutch like an on/off switch and get around a parking lot just fine.

Viper GTS

 

[AmdEmAll]

Mazda RX-8 - great transmission and stick feel.
Late model RX-8 share many of the same transmission parts in the Miata I believe.

I learned in my 07 GLi Jetta.

Great transmission. Made by Aisin-Toyota and used in the Honda S2000, Lexus IS200, Mazda MX-5, & Nissan Silvia. Different bell housings and gear ratios of course but basically the same great transmission.

 

[MagickMan]

A MINI Cooper, it's what I used to teach my wife.

 

[phucheneh]

Great transmission. Made by Aisin-Toyota and used in the Honda S2000, Lexus IS200, Mazda MX-5, & Nissan Silvia. Different bell housings and gear ratios of course but basically the same great transmission.

Even on different trans models, Mazda does really great shifter setups. I do not think anyone does better as far as Japanese FWD's go. Heck, I like my 3's shifter more than many RWD's. The clutch is personal preference- I like it light but other people would probably say mine is too 'dead.'

People are right about performance RWD's being pretty easy to drive, though. I still hear plenty of unneeded clutch murder with some drivers, though.

But I'd driven (not owned) plenty of Mustangs, BMW's, trucks...widely varying clutch feel, but generally no issues. However, when I started daily driving a Jetta it took a good while to get accustomed to it.

I still sold the VW with like 150k on the factory clutch, though. I would tell the OP to not worry about it; just lean more towards gentle stalls...as opposed to clutch smokery. Or hard driveline shocks (too much gas but no slippage).

 

[GoodRevrnd]

I guess enough people here and elsewhere have convinced me to "just buy it." However, when posting this thread I didn't consider the flip side of the coin which is when I brought it up to my wife not too long ago she said "HELL NO YOU'RE NOT GETTING A CAR I CAN'T DRIVE," so I would also have to teach her. If I bought some other car then after I taught her on it she could drive it around for a while until she got used to manual as well. I would prefer to just teach her on the M5 if I was sure it would stick (and she wouldn't fuck up the M5) but I'm guessing some daily driving would be helpful.

I was originally thinking a ~100k mi 325i or Jetta for $4000-7000 (though didn't those early 2000s VWs have massive electrical problems?).

 

[IronWing]

I guess enough people here and elsewhere have convinced me to "just buy it." However, when posting this thread I didn't consider the flip side of the coin which is when I brought it up to my wife not too long ago she said "HELL NO YOU'RE NOT GETTING A CAR I CAN'T DRIVE," so I would also have to teach her. If I bought some other car then after I taught her on it she could drive it around for a while until she got used to manual as well. I would prefer to just teach her on the M5 if I was sure it would stick (and she wouldn't fuck up the M5) but I'm guessing some daily driving would be helpful.

I was originally thinking a ~100k mi 325i or Jetta for $4000-7000 (though didn't those early 2000s VWs have massive electrical problems?).

No, no, a thousand times no. Have her get one of her friends to teach her. Your marriage is too important to risk on this endeavor.

 

[phucheneh]

Mk3 (-99.5) VW's have some issues. The most common wiring problem I can think of are wires breaking in the door jambs. Otherwise I think the problems are mostly part failures: The window regulators are like a 50k maintenance item. There's probably not a working factory cruise control module left in existence. The stereos have issues from the door wiring issue, plus the headunits suck, plus the CD changers are always broken.

That's all I can think of that can be considered electrical...more importantly, though, you probably don't want to get one with a manual trans. I mean, the autos are absolute trash, but the manuals have issues...aside from the synchros not being terribly sturdy (at 10+ years old, good luck finding one with a good second gear synchro. First is toast) and rubber parts in the shift linkage falling apart, there's a slight problem with the differentials...exploding...

Now mk4's (99.5+ except Cabrio) are a little better. I'm not as familiar with them, but I believe the 2.0L got a different transmission and mk3 electrical issues were fixed...but I think there were a different set of new electrical issues. I know the immobilizer/antitheft is garbage but I can't name anything else off the top of my head.

I would just buy a Honda or Toyota. You'll be able to sell it for what you bought it for if she doesn't smoke the clutch. The shifters are vague as shit, though.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Just teach her on the M5. People worry way too much about this crap.

 

[Zukatah_]

I'd teach her on the M5 as well. A clutch is worth less than the price and hassle of buying another car just for the sake of teaching. Besides, I'd be impressed if she was to toast your clutch as she's learning how to drive...

 

[jlee]

Or just bring the car and her here and I'll teach her. I'm up to...I don't even know. 8 people now? No one has hurt my cars yet. Start in a parking lot in first gear, no throttle, and have her ease out the clutch until the car is rolling. Slowly accelerate, then off gas, clutch/shift to second, rinse/repeat from 2/3 a few times until she gets used to it. A few more idle starts, then add a little gas to it. I have yet to meet someone I couldn't teach in a few minutes.

So..don't overthink it, no pressure, and you'll/she'll be fine.

 

[MustISO]

miata

Yep. I had never driven a manual car before but someone left a miata at our house while they went on vacation. Got in and drove it with very few issues.

 

[Ferzerp]

Do what my father did to me when I was 17.

"We have to go pick up a truck 10 miles away on the other size of the town"

When we get there:

"Oh, it's also a manual" :twisted: (the truck we took was also a manual).

"See you when you get home, bye"

D:

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Just teach her on the M5. People worry way too much about this crap.

This. Worst case she will take some of the life off of the clutch. I learned on my car when I bought it new and I still have the original clutch at 90k.

 

[leper84]

Mkkayyy... learning stick on a new fwd car- good.

Learning stick on a brand new $90,000 560 hp rear wheel drive M5- Really. Really. Bad. Idea.

Why don't you just find some $500-$1000 cash car? Find some old clunker of a truck with a stiff as hell clutch, in that price range it probably won't run all that well so even better. Torture yourself on a POS that's hard to drive so you're more than prepared when you get the M5.

 

[Throckmorton]

Mkkayyy... learning stick on a new fwd car- good.

Learning stick on a brand new $90,000 560 hp rear wheel drive M5- Really. Really. Bad. Idea.

Why don't you just find some $500-$1000 cash car? Find some old clunker of a truck with a stiff as hell clutch, in that price range it probably won't run all that well so even better. Torture yourself on a POS that's hard to drive so you're more than prepared when you get the M5.

Then his wife will give up and he'll never be able to get a manual M5

 

[leper84]

Then his wife will give up and he'll never be able to get a manual M5

Better than getting a dream car like a M5 and having his wife accidentally dump the clutch and use all 560 horses totaling it...

 

[phucheneh]

People also forget that the clutch is not the only part of a manual trans that can be harmed.

That and rev limiters are relatively useless. If you manage to jam it into an extremely improper gear, you can overspeed an engine without even needing fuel...

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Mkkayyy... learning stick on a new fwd car- good.

Learning stick on a brand new $90,000 560 hp rear wheel drive M5- Really. Really. Bad. Idea.

Why don't you just find some $500-$1000 cash car? Find some old clunker of a truck with a stiff as hell clutch, in that price range it probably won't run all that well so even better. Torture yourself on a POS that's hard to drive so you're more than prepared when you get the M5.

10 year old like-new <$20,000 M5.

I learned on a '76 GMC Jimmy that was next to impossible to shift into second, and if you hit a bump too hard the battery would fall out. All my manual driving time was on that truck and a mid 80s Sierra (and the occasional random Honda car or whatever).

 

[CraigRT]

Saturn S-series manual trans are probably the easiest Ive ever owned to drive.
They are actually a pretty nice feel.

 

[jlee]

Mkkayyy... learning stick on a new fwd car- good.

Learning stick on a brand new $90,000 560 hp rear wheel drive M5- Really. Really. Bad. Idea.

Why don't you just find some $500-$1000 cash car? Find some old clunker of a truck with a stiff as hell clutch, in that price range it probably won't run all that well so even better. Torture yourself on a POS that's hard to drive so you're more than prepared when you get the M5.

More power makes it easier to drive. Just don't be a dumbass and get sideways (which you could do just as easily in an automatic).

 

[hans007]

Yep. I had never driven a manual car before but someone left a miata at our house while they went on vacation. Got in and drove it with very few issues.

i would say i more or less learned on a miata.

i'd driven i think a ford escort, and an S2000 before just for like an hour each. the s2000 was not easy at all.

rented a 6 speed miata, and that was just fun and really easy to drive. basically drove it for 3-4 hours the night i rented it with a friend then a few more hours the next morning before returning it. i managed to drive it all over town obviously and back to the rental place via the 405 freeway in los angeles without stalling. the night before i managed to stall in the city we were in in a few intersections and well you learn how to not stall pretty fast when you do that. only rented it one night, i'm sure if you can find a place to rent you a manual you could learn in a few days especially since you had already driven it before.