"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
01/07/2014 at 19:38 • Filed to: save the manuals
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"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
01/07/2014 at 19:38 • Filed to: save the manuals | 3
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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I started thinking about all the manuals I have driven over the years. So here is a quick list with some short descriptions. (Starting with the best). Some cars I knew the year some I did not, some are close guesses.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Honda S2000- just superb, no other words
Acura TSX/ Honda Civic Si (K24 Engine)- Very similar to the S2K but just a tad heavier in the clutch
Porsche 911 C4 Cab (996)- Very smooth, but deliberate engagement
Mazda RX-8- very quick throws, but still had a cool "click"
Acura RSX (K20)- Clutch was just not the same as the K24 setup but other than that very nice throws
E90 328i - Not quite as light as the Hondas and a tad long but a joy to row all day long.
'04 Mini Cooper S- Loved that ball top, easy clutch, great fun
'95 Honda Prelude Si- this was the first manual I owned, it was a fine gearbox so it holds a special place in my heart
'10 Mazda 3s- It's no RX8 or Miata but a fine trans
'10 VW GTI- a big improvement over the older generations
'08 Subaru WRX STI- short and quick but wanted more
'05 Subaru Legacy GT 2.5 wagon- super heavy clutch, a tad long in the throws
'02 Subaru WRX- a little long and not real precise
'04 Infiniti G35- too heavy, required too much effort
'11 Infiniti G37- see ('04 G35)
'03 Mazda 6 V6- not Mazda's best effort
'98 VW GTI VR6- Rubbery
'06 (?) VW GOL- Still rubbery but worse
'11 Lancia Ypsilon (diesel)- heavy, awkward, chattered like crazy
'01 Chevy Spark- eh, it worked
'89- Nissan Pickup- 1st gear was somewhere over the hood, 2nd was somewhere behind the bed.
I'm sure I have forgotten a few...but boy I've rowed quite a few gears :D
PowderHound
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 19:43 |
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I haven't driven a whole ton of manuals just my two subarus and my dads civic. Maybe a few more? What do you mean by precise?
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Tom McParland
> PowderHound
01/07/2014 at 19:45 |
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When you engage the gear say from 2nd to 3rd, the action is smooth and engages without any play.
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PowderHound
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 19:48 |
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Ah, that's pretty much what I figured.
RotaryLover
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 19:49 |
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Agree on the Mazda 6...it felt too big and plasticky and shifting in it felt vague like a Nissan Xterra.
banjo cat ghost of oppo past
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 19:51 |
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esp if a little worn out, the 98-01 GTI transmissions felt like tryin' ta fuck one degree above flaccid while wearing an entire box of condoms. I think I'm In? Whatever frantically smashing it into an approximated gate seems to be doing something.
Scorpio GTX1
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 19:53 |
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I'll add my own:
Mazda 2 - Very light clutch, but unforgiving if you do not operate it perfectly. Shifter is very precise with well-defined gates. Overall a joy to use once you overcome the learning curve.
RidgeFish
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 20:18 |
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Shifters are a big thing for me, and I usually end up modifying them in some way on the cars I own to improve the feel.
I totally 2nd the 4th gen Prelude, great shifter, I even swapped mine out for a 4bidden replacement shifter and it is still my all time favorite shifter.
The 03 Mini Cooper S I drove I felt like the shifter required too much of a shove from gear to gear, but it may have been that particular example was abused.
My 08 Mazdaspeed 3 had a pretty rubbery and vague but low effort shift that was drastically improved with a heavy knob and solid shifter bushings, the replacement rear motor mount also improved the clutch takeup.
My 07 Solstice GXP has a pretty good stock shifter, feels like a lower effort, more defined Mini Cooper S shifter.
The 05 GTO I drove had a horribly vague and high effort shift pattern that took some getting used to.
The 350Z/G35 twins had an easy to use if easily forgettable shifter that reminded me a bit of the Mini Cooper S as well
90 Nissan Axxess had long throws and some vibration through the stick (could have been the 300K on it) and an easy clutch. Learned to drive on this van.
85 Camry had long throws but pretty well defined and mechanical feeling. Very light clutch.
10 Mustang GT had a very good shifter, felt great in the hand, good effort required, and good mechanical feel.
There are more, but those are the ones I drove enough to remember.
Casper
> Tom McParland
01/07/2014 at 20:29 |
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The S2000's really is superb. It's transmission in general is amazing. Few cars I have driven will let me dive into first gear from 3rd coming into a tight hair pin like the S2000 would and not even give a grind of complaint.
I would say somewhere around an RX-8 is where an SW20 MR2 would land. Nice, crisp (at least far more crisp than most remote transmission cars), and the high center console gives you a bit extra confidence in it as well.
Personally I would rate a non-S Cooper pretty darn low... somewhere near early 90's FWD Honda territory. It felt rubbery and engaged with no confidence, almost as if the cable system were sloppy.
I think I would put a Z32 300ZX transmission somewhere near the RX8 or C4 911 as well, probably between the two. It was a bit of a throw, but it has good feel and great engagement.
Those are ones that stick out in my mind. Most cars today are just run of the mill, kind of sloppy, and give poor feedback/confidence. Most of the other cars I have spent a good amount of time in and thought felt good had too many aftermarket parts for me to guess what they were like from the factory.