Signs I Need to Buy a Manual Again

"philipilihp" (philiphilip) 06/05/2014 at 16:12 • Filed to: save the manuals!, fate

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Before my current ride, my E90 335i which I love, I drove a 5MT 2006 Mazda3 S GT. I traded it in for my automatic BMW in 2011, so I have pretty much driven an automatic for the last 3 years, with very sporadic contact with manual transmissions. My wife doesn't know how to drive stick and is apparenlty to impatient to learn, so here we are.

A few days ago I was driving my BMW and did a 3 point turn on a small street, and interestingly, for the first time since I got the auto, I instinctively tried to push the shifter to the right and back. It caught me off guard, and realized that it has to be a sign that I need to buy another manual.

CalzoneGolem > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 16:17

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Signs I Need to Buy a Manual Again

1. I don't have a manual

The end.

mike > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 16:19

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yeah im feeling that bug too.... my 328 is rad but i really miss rowing the gears..... im off to buy another s2000

OkCars- 22k Crossroads > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 16:19

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hah, that always happens to me, but with the clutch pedal.... mecause i daily drive a manual and when im on an auto, i try to make gear changes some times, also when im going to brake on a stoplight, i try to push the clutchpedal and find nothing.
It doesn't happen all the time, but as you say, if they caught you off guard.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mike 06/05/2014 at 16:23

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I'm trying to convince myself that an S2000 is a reasonable option for my next vehicle. Owning one of my top dream cars vs. Chicago winters w/ a RWD convertible.... This is a tough one.

Hermann > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 16:27

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Listen to your heart, man. It has spoken through your actions.

mike > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 06/05/2014 at 16:28

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i had one in seattle.....just get a hardtop and youll be set. if my commute was any longer than it is i would have a hard time not justifying buying an ap2

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mike 06/05/2014 at 16:31

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Yeah, I've always planned on getting a hardtop immediately if I got an S2K anyways. Considering I'm looking at a number of $22-25k cars, I can easily pick up an S2K, hardtop, and a new set of wheels w/ snow tires too for quite a bit less. Makes me wish I hadn't passed on the insanely clean Formula Red AP1 in AZ with only 60k miles on the clock for only $13k...

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > mike 06/05/2014 at 16:33

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My commute is only like 6 miles down one of the most common roads too, so it's always pretty well plowed... Ugh, I just need the money so I can buy something and stop jumping back and forth in my mind. lol

mcseanerson > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 16:52

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My first manual was a Sentra and I hated it so much I thought everyone must be wrong about this manual garbage. A dealer I had done business with before got a Mazda 3 and I already knew I liked them and this one was a manual. I stopped in just to ask how much. We had done good business with them before and he asked me to take a test drive while he worked something out. I drove it home that day and was in love. Now I daily a Miata and can't imagine not having at least one car with a manual.

philipilihp > mcseanerson 06/05/2014 at 16:59

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The Mazda's manual is a good one. I just need to get a second car, it seems, that is a manual.

TheCraigy > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 17:01

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If you get BMW's dual clutch box you can push the stick up and to the left for reverse ;)

Chairman Kaga > philipilihp 06/05/2014 at 17:18

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I'll probably only DD automatics for as long as I live and commute in Austin, but you'll have to pry the fake wood shifter of my Alfa Romeo out of my cold dead hand (likely because the rear suspension fell out at 70 mph sending me off the Pennybacker Bridge and into the Colorado River at 75 MPH).