Would you rather (Car related!) 

by "DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
Published 02/04/2017 at 02:07

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STARS: 2

Would you rather have an automatic NA Miata or a stick shift 5th gen Civic coupe?

The core of the question is. With fun lightweight cars, or any car really, which is more important; the drive wheels or the transmission?

Replies (26)

"TheD0k_2many toys 2little time" (thed0ck)
02/04/2017 at 02:29, STARS: 3

Miata. Manual swap is very easy and cheap.

"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
02/04/2017 at 02:41, STARS: 1

Civic coz manual

"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
02/04/2017 at 02:44, STARS: 1

Cheater >_>

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
02/04/2017 at 02:46, STARS: 2

NA Miata without a manual is just so sad. I’m not saying that as a manual purist either. The particular auto is hot garbage (to be fair it IS an early 90's slushbox) and is completely opposed to everything that makes a Miata enjoyable other then just being a convertible.

Civic coupe all the way. Unless a swap is acceptable, in which case that Miata would be a 5spd quicker than you can redline in 1st

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw)
02/04/2017 at 03:07, STARS: 2

Manual EG. An automatic Miata is no Miata at all. The shifter is one of the car’s great joys. Unless you’re paralyzed or an amputee, in which case, carry on.

"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
02/04/2017 at 03:16, STARS: 1

Manual Civic, but can I have a hatch pls.

"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
02/04/2017 at 03:39, STARS: 0

Nein! Ve must kontrol ze variables!

"jordang1028" (jordang10228)
02/04/2017 at 04:22, STARS: 0

First off, if it was a choice between the actual pictured cars, Miata hands down. I’ll just swap the trans. If both are stock and similar condition, I would take the Civic if you favor economy, reliability, and simplicity. If you want to get sideways, (even an auto can pull some decent skids) Miata is the only choice. And life is too short to buy cars for sensible reasons.

"CodyVella" (codyvella)
02/04/2017 at 04:57, STARS: 1

Civic. I had a 5th gen years ago (albeit an Si Hatch) and it’s the most fun I’ve had in a car. Ever.

"RT" (rt-p)
02/04/2017 at 05:07, STARS: 0

Civic. Even with FWD it has a nice light chassis and engine, while the MX5's auto stops you from making the most of it.

"beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard" (beardsbynelly-Rikerbeard)
02/04/2017 at 05:11, STARS: 0

The civic, I need a daily driver. Already have an impractical sports car.

"Kat Callahan" (kyosuke)
02/04/2017 at 06:06, STARS: 0

Civic.

"theloudmouth" (theloudmouth)
02/04/2017 at 06:16, STARS: 0

Manual civic, because at 6'4" getting behind the wheel and being able to drive an NA is laughable.

"PS9" (PS9)
02/04/2017 at 06:24, STARS: 0

Civic. But only if it’s this one.

"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
02/04/2017 at 08:43, STARS: 0

Manual Civic. Transmission > drive wheels for me.

"Invinciblejets" (invinciblejets13b)
02/04/2017 at 09:22, STARS: 0

Tough one. Gonna have to go with the Miata tho.

Honestly that’s tough tho.

"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
02/04/2017 at 09:50, STARS: 0

How??

"PS9" (PS9)
02/04/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 0

Patience, chassis grease and hacksaws lol

"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
02/04/2017 at 10:18, STARS: 1

To the original question, if I’m not allowed to swap parts, the Civic.

However, regarding the core question, my problem with automatics isn’t so much the loss of driver engagement (I get that through the steering wheel and the skinny pedal on the right, I find), as much as the durability concerns, the poor behavior, and the poor efficiency of many automatics, I’ve found.

I won’t tolerate a 4-speed slushbox (or even more (more spastic in my experience) or fewer (even less efficient in practice) speeds). I don’t even care for DCTs. Make an automatic that does exactly what I want, exactly when I tell it to, doesn’t eat all the power, and is mechanically rugged, and then put it in a car that I actually want to drive, though, and I’ll happily buy it.

That’s why I own a car with a power split device - it does exactly what I want it to, in the worst case it takes less time to do it than it took my old TDI to spool the turbo (that worst case being something like, it just shut the engine down, and then I demand WOT - so you get some torque now, then it takes a bit before full torque comes on), it’s highly mechanically efficient and decently electrically efficient, and the mechanical design is absurdly simple and known to be quite durable.

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
02/04/2017 at 11:04, STARS: 1

I think the results of this would be pretty easy to predict. “Wrong wheel drive” cars are something we love to complain about, but plenty of Opponaunts drive them. But automatic cars? We don’t talk about them here.

"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
02/04/2017 at 11:13, STARS: 0

Miata....

"Needmoargarage" (needmoargarage)
02/04/2017 at 13:06, STARS: 0

I can’t stand Hondas, but in this case I would have to choose the Civic.

"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
02/04/2017 at 18:05, STARS: 0

full manual valvebody and shifter.........

"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
02/04/2017 at 18:31, STARS: 0

"Die-Trying" (die-trying)
02/04/2017 at 18:40, STARS: 1

is it too cheaty??........

"Justino6969" (justino6969)
02/04/2017 at 19:07, STARS: 0

If it’s those two, the Miata, because it’s freaking gorgeous. (And you could sell it for a decent amount versus the Civic).