It can pay to drive a stick

[sambrower]

I of course learned on an auto, then joined the Air Force and was stationed in England..so I learned how to drive a manual when I bought the car and had to drive it back to base! A week later I was driving through london and that summer I took rental through the french alps...the gearbox on that trip may not have liked me but i sure did finish my education then.

now i won't even consider buying a car unless manual is at least an option!

[swagfocuswagon]

I try to find cheap manual cars that are in good shape but they either grind in all gears or they have had the shit beat out of them, or the owner wants 4 grand for a 99 Saturn or something with a 5 speed.

And no one anymore makes a car with a 5 or 6 speed anymore. Wich sucks because I really like the 2nd gen Fusion but they seem to be Auto only unless I get the Sport model but I only want a basic sedan that is a stick.

[teamDFL]

Originally Posted by swagfocuswagon

And no one anymore makes a car with a 5 or 6 speed anymore. Wich sucks because I really like the 2nd gen Fusion but they seem to be Auto only unless I get the Sport model but I only want a basic sedan that is a stick.

I have a 2010 Fusion SE 2.5 with a six speed manual. They aren't common, but there were available. AFAIK, at least in 2010 when I bought mine, all the Sport package cars were V6s and those weren't available with anything but a failbox.

[cbdallas]

Traffic & congestion have taken their toll on what the market offers. That seems to be most peoples' reasoning behind wanting slushboxes....for when they're sitting in traffic. The M/T is dying a slow, sad death. Can you even buy a 6-cylinder M/T anymore besides the Accord Coupe or a base model BMW & Merc? My 2002 Altima 3.5 was a BLAST, but I did grow tired of buying tires. ;-) My ST has such a light clutch and slick shifter that going back to M/T hasn't phased me a bit. It's sad watching the death of the M/T.

[Malibooya]

Originally Posted by swagfocuswagon

And no one anymore makes a car with a 5 or 6 speed anymore. Wich sucks because I really like the 2nd gen Fusion but they seem to be Auto only unless I get the Sport model but I only want a basic sedan that is a stick.

You should pick up an 04-08 Mazda6 with the 2.3 then - pretty much the same car. Better looking too, IMO.

[swansong]

Originally Posted by Malibooya

You should pick up an 04-08 Mazda6 with the 2.3 then - pretty much the same car. Better looking too, IMO.

Or with the 3.0 Duratec. 220 hp. Especially the wagon .

Or just say to hell with it and get a Mazdaspeed6.

[lyonsroar]

Originally Posted by Malibooya

You should pick up an 04-08 Mazda6 with the 2.3 then - pretty much the same car. Better looking too, IMO.

You take that back!!!!!!

[Malibooya]

Originally Posted by swansong

Or with the 3.0 Duratec. 220 hp. Especially the wagon .

Or just say to hell with it and get a Mazdaspeed6.

I'd rock an MS6 any day.

Originally Posted by lyonsroar

You take that back!!!!!!

The first gen Fusions weren't good looking, IMO. The refresh was alright. But the new ones are disgusting...

[SVTisRight4me]

i love stick, im 16 i learned right after i turned 13. my girlfriend doesnt know how to drive stick and neither do any of my other friends. its kinda sad tho... its always good to know how and i really dont like automatic. but the sad thing is automatic super cars are getting so much better.. like the porsche 997 turbo dual clutch automatic will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds! i think that automatic takes away from the driving experience.

[mikebontoft]

I understand why no one wants autos anymore... fwd. Brakestands are pretty much not possible now with lame power, braking with the 70% side of the system and various non-disabling traction systems.