I'm really thinking about getting the Stinger GT. 

Kinja'd!!! "71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors" (adamprotter)
09/26/2017 at 10:40 • Filed to: None

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I like my 2016 WRX STi, but I’m now commuting 90 miles a day and I think I’m looking for something a little more comfortable and better at handling longer distances and I’m really never gonna take my car to the track. Thoughts? What’s it like giving up a manual trans for an automatic?

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DISCUSSION (27)


Kinja'd!!! E90M3 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:44

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but I’m not commuting 90 miles a day and I think I’m looking for something a little more comfortable and better at handling longer distances

I’m confused, are you commuting 90 miles a day in the STi?


Kinja'd!!! 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > E90M3
09/26/2017 at 10:46

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That was a typo. I went from commuting 24 miles a day to 90 a day.


Kinja'd!!! KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:49

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It gets really boring. I’m currently driving my truck (2500 Silverado with 14MPG on diesel) while waiting for my Camaro to show up at the dealer. The only benefit is that I don’t have to worry about creeping forward using the clutch.

I’m commuting about 100 miles a day. I’d rather have the manual, but I have to do some control arm work on the BMW first, and get the Mini traded in for the Camaro.

On the plus side, I do have a VIN for the Chevy.


Kinja'd!!! My bird IS the word > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:51

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After living with a manual for 3 years, I think I am ready to give up on having one in a DD. I would probably still pick one if I had a choice (save the manuals) but TBH a manual makes more sense on a “second” car. Sometimes I am tired and just want to get home, and that is where an auto really shines.


Kinja'd!!! OPPOsaurus WRX > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:54

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What’s it like giving up a manual trans for an automatic?

I want to kill every person who gets in my way.

when I had the manual I was in a much better mood.


Kinja'd!!! CobraJoe > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:54

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What’s it like giving up a manual trans for an automatic?

Boring.

Well, that might be a bit exaggerated, but it is less involved and less controlled than a manual trans. Every time I get an auto, I wish it was a manual. Every time.

You might like it more than me, but I just can’t stand owning an automatic for very long.


Kinja'd!!! HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 10:59

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What I’d do, is trade sell the STI, but a nice comfy car for commuting but not brand new, likes 5 year old Ford Taurus, and then but a used WRX or something as a fun car. Rather than dropping 40 grand on a car that you probably will find boring and hate after a year or two


Kinja'd!!! MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:00

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Do it...I need to know if I should buy one in 5 years or so lol. My next car (in 5 years or so most likely) is going to be between an SS or a Stinger and I’m assuming the Stinger will probably be significantly cheaper, so even though I’d probably take an SS over the Stinger given the choice finances might dictate I get the Stinger.


Kinja'd!!! Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:01

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I recently bought my very first automatic (excluding my wife’s car). It’s a change for sure, but zero regrets thus far. Our local traffic is just God awful.


Kinja'd!!! thebigbossyboss > CobraJoe
09/26/2017 at 11:09

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I own one automatic (Focus) and one manual (Mustang), and having a manual on the longer trips, is actually just fine, because you tend not to shift that much. Although here in Canada the highways tend to goo through the towns so the speed limit changes a lot.


Kinja'd!!! thebigbossyboss > My bird IS the word
09/26/2017 at 11:11

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Depends on the clutch I would find. The Mustang in traffic can be annoying because with the V8 the clutch is heavy. I drove a manual Ranger the other day, it was quite different.


Kinja'd!!! thebigbossyboss > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/26/2017 at 11:12

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I dunno man. Manual 4 lyfe. I used to drive a manual through stop and go, and it could be annoying, but that’s jalop life lol.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:13

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If I was driving 90 miles, I’d be happy to give up the manual. It’s not like you’re shifting that much on that drive anyways.

I never want to not have a manual available, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be my DD. A nice sporty sedan with an auto for a commute with a manual Miata for the weekend seems like a great option.


Kinja'd!!! Moves-Like-Senna > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:20

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I’m going to be blunt here. Do it. I’ve driven stick but just never got really that into it. Why? 95% of my miles are highway... I average 6000 miles a month on the highway and when I’m enjoying a road the auto shifter lets me focus on other things aside from shifting.


Kinja'd!!! My bird IS the word > thebigbossyboss
09/26/2017 at 11:21

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Clutch isn’t that heavy on my mini. I find that both older and newer automatics are leagues better than what we are used to on 80s, 90s, and early 2000s cars. My next DD is going to be an auto and I don’t really mind.


Kinja'd!!! Textured Soy Protein > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:25

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Aside from a couple winter Jeeps, the only automatic transmission car I’ve owned was a BMW 135is DCT. It was a fun car and the transmission was good. It was nice to not have to mess with a clutch when occasionally stuck in stop-n-go traffic.

Before that car, I felt kinda sick of driving stick shift. But that’s also because I was driving a Mazdaspeed 6 and that car was pissing me off in general because of rust problems, a stiff ride, and every single interior rattle in the entire universe condensed into one car.

My 335xi is stick shift, and I’m happy to be back in a stick shift car. I really don’t really drive in stop-n-go traffic all that much. The only inconvenience is my wife can’t/won’t drive stick so if we take my car somewhere I do all the driving.

Sometimes I think about wanting a more comfortable car, and when I drive her non-WRX Impreza I feel like, “oh wow this is so smooth and comfy,” but my car is so damn fun to take out on back roads, and I don’t do enough driving to really make me feel like I’m missing out on comfort. My commute is 6 miles each way, no highway, and very simple. It’s 3 miles from my house to my gym. I do assorted errands around my little corner of suburbia. It’s fine.

If I had to drive 90 miles a day, I would totally look for something that was a better highway cruiser. Having a highway cruiser if you’re doing that much driving is great.


Kinja'd!!! Tripper > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:38

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Don’t do it, but if you do. Holla at Tripper if you want to sell that STi.


Kinja'd!!! haveacarortwoorthree2 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 11:55

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My manual and my auto:

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Works for me! But seriously, the Jag is my DD because I need a nice, 4-door vehicle for work/clients and it’s just easier. The Mustang is my car to escape, when I just want to go out and power through the gears and have some fun. I’d miss it if it was gone, but I wouldn’t want to daily it in Dallas traffic.


Kinja'd!!! E90M3 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 12:00

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Ah that makes sense. I commute about 75 mils a day, makes sense to get a car more suited for a 90 mile drive. Although you do need to break it down into running costs and see if it makes fiscal sense. I mean I got my E92 to rack up the miles on. In 6.5 months I’ve put 15k on it.


Kinja'd!!! sony1492 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 12:03

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Going from a manual to an automatic isn’t a big deal. It just means you don’t have to think about shifting and you can drink your coffee in the morning easier.

At least that’s my experience from doing roughly 130 miles a day in various automatic, and various manuals, I preferred the automatics for long commutes.


Kinja'd!!! Sovande > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 12:48

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Going from a manual to an auto is nice. You can just aim. 2 of 3 of my cars are manual and when I drive the one automatic, I completely get it. Put it in gear and go.


Kinja'd!!! TDIGuy > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 12:56

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I recently went manual to auto, its not as bad if the auto is good. If the auto is bad its going to drive you crazy. The dual clutch in my car behaves how I like most of the time, but I still miss manual most of the time. But I don’t regret getting an auto either. If anything I have gained a little respect for auto because there are some cars where auto makes sense and some where it doesn’t so every car and transmission has its place for someone. Just for most of us here, prefer a manual most of the time.


Kinja'd!!! random001 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 13:36

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I want that Hyper Blue STi. I had a dealership truck one in, but an employee bought it right out from under me. So sad....


Kinja'd!!! RPM esq. > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 13:47

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I was worried about making the switch too, but it really is more comfortable in traffic, on a long commute, or getting around town when you’re tired. I’ve found that the better, newer DCTs/shiftable automatics on sportier models are a reasonable compromise, so that you can more or less row your own when you want to and relax when you’re in traffic. Just don’t get a CVT.


Kinja'd!!! Shift24 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 15:07

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Do you have a second car? If not I would consider a cheaper alternative to the possible $40k you probably will have to put on a Turbo V6.

My reasoning comes from my experience as i had a similar situation. I dont drive 90 miles a day more like 40 with some city traffic. My main car for a long time has been a manual (92 Accord). And I was getting tired of having to shift so many times during stop and go situations. So about a 1.5 years ago I started looking for a daily Auto. And thats when I found E39s and now I currently own a 540i M-sport with an auto (~300 hp couple low mods). It does have what I call slap-shift and an early version of Sport mode. And I assume the Stinger will also have some sort of paddle shift and sport mode too but it just cant replace a manual. Even if its a beater with 340K+ miles and barely made 140hp some time back in the 90s, with slap or paddle shift you are just missing human touch. Whether its throwing it into gear or accidentally slipping the clutch until you get that lovely smell, its just missing something. Now the E39 is still fun to throw around since it is so well balanced and just feels planted. The issue i have with the auto is the gearing just isnt exactly where I want it and its inconsistent on shifting (though it is 17 years old). With that said it is nice just to get in, put it into drive and go. Especially when 8 hour days seem to turn into 12 or more.

So long story short, get a cheap manual and spend the rest on a decent automatic. Now I know that the cars i have only equal up to about a 1/5 of what a new Stinger cost (or less) but Id rather that spend the money i dont use on payments or high insurance for go fast bits.


Kinja'd!!! Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 16:22

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But you have what is objectively the best color STi!

However, as a fellow STi owner, and 40 miles/day commuter, I get it. This car is always “on” which you sometimes won’t be in the mood for. Personally, I’d miss it, and the Kia (or many other automatic cars) would end up boring me.


Kinja'd!!! Saracen > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors
09/26/2017 at 18:08

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I have a 997, and I am much happier dd’ing my B8.5 allroad.