Manual shift transmissions are safer

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Lightcycle said:
Resale on those suck too.

I leased a MT car once, when I returned it at lease end, the dealer tried everything to convince me to buy it out.

Little did he know that I taught all my friends how to drive stick-shift on it the week before I returned it.

I was definitely *not* buying that car out.
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That's changed in the last few years in my experience. There seems to be a 3 pedal premium over their failmatic equivalent for cars I've browsed over that time. I think it's now a niche market, a manual Forester is considered "rare" now, and sellers demand the premium that goes along with that.
 
High Flya said:
That's changed in the last few years in my experience. There seems to be a 3 pedal premium over their failmatic equivalent for cars I've browsed over that time. I think it's now a niche market, a manual Forester is considered "rare" now, and sellers demand the premium that goes along with that.
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@Lightcycle Price just went up. Supply and demand!
 
High Flya said:
I had a colleague that had a NA (1st gen) Miata strictly as a winter beater, and he convinced me to try something similar. I couldn't find any reasonably priced Miatas that weren't thrashed, rusty junk, or both, so I settled on a BRZ instead. Would still like to get a Miata (next?) someday.
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Who the heck buys a Miata as a winter beater. Literally every single vehicle is better in the winter (and warmer inside).
 
Hardwrkr13 said:
Who the heck buys a Miata as a winter beater. Literally every single vehicle is better in the winter (and warmer inside).
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Whadayamean?

That front-engined/rear-drive layout is perfect for snow and ice! 😈

Had to leave the FR car at Bay/Bloor parking lot after I couldn't get it up the hill at Mt. Pleasant after an ice storm. Had snows on too...

I wasn't the only one who had to turn back.

Since then I've invested in a hundred-odd pounds of pea gravel in sacks.
 
A manual FR car (with manageable HP) is ridiculously fun in the winter. Car is constantly sideways, keeps you on your toes for sure.

Ground clearance has been a far greater issue for me than traction. Although the lack of LSD on many Miatas wouldn't help there.

I definitely wouldn't try this if I live in the snowbelt though.
 
Years ago I briefly lived in Barrie and working in North Toronto. After an ice storm, it took 2.5 hours to drive home fishtailing the entire way on the 400 in my winter tire equipped 89 Toyota Supra 5 speed. I still miss that car to this day!
 
Hardwrkr13 said:
Who the heck buys a Miata as a winter beater. Literally every single vehicle is better in the winter (and warmer inside).
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Actually, the tiny interior of the Miata (and also cloth seats) made it the fastest-warming interior of all my cars. And when the car was covered in snow, I could brush off the body, take off, and tap the inside of the soft top to get the snow off the roof.
 
I like manual shift vehicles - I’ve never owned an automatic unless it was the only transmission offered.

I have a few cars with manual shift, Spitfire, Jeep, Cadillac and a Cruze. My daughter drives a manual Jetta. My first car, a Toyota Corona was 3 on the tree, as were a few others after that.

I wish I could get a man size pickup with a manual, the last one I had was an 08 Ram 1500.
 
Relax said:
I have yet to drive a car that makes me grin as much as a Miata.
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If you’re looking for a fun car in that size, vintage Spitfires are a hoot. Nicely restored cars will be less costly thsn a decent Miata, parts are dirt cheap and, main and repairs are simple.

A lot easier to own than an MG or TR6.
 
Speaking of manuals, check out this bad boy. If I needed to replace my car today I would have already bought it

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Sunday Rider said:
I guess they are the MGBs and Spitfires of today, but with better electrics.
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I have a 69 Spitfire, wiring is stupidly simple - 2 fused circuits, lights, charging and ignition are unfused and use no relays. So simple yet the Brits managed to **** things up.

I ripped out the wiring and replaced it with an 8 circuit hot rod fuse/relay box wiring harness. New wires, relays where they belong and no unfused circuits. Swapped the generator, for a simple GM 1 wire alternator. Deleted the rectifier, regulator, and voltage stabilizer. Wired all switches to switch positive.

$200 and 3 hours labor and my wiring is bulletproof.
 
Mad Mike said:
I have a 69 Spitfire, wiring is stupidly simple - 2 fused circuits, lights, charging and ignition are unfused and use no relays. So simple yet the Brits managed to **** things up.

I ripped out the wiring and replaced it with an 8 circuit hot rod fuse/relay box wiring harness. New wires, relays where they belong and no unfused circuits. Swapped the generator, for a simple GM 1 wire alternator. Deleted the rectifier, regulator, and voltage stabilizer. Wired all switches to switch positive.

$200 and 3 hours labor and my wiring is bulletproof.
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My brother had an MGB, MGB Midget and TR7. I think it was one of the reasons he became an electrical engineer. He too ended up rewiring them but that was back in the 70s when DIY stuff was hard to find but we had great “shop” teachers back then.
He sold the lot and got a 69 Super Bee then sold that and got a 73 Corvette that he kept in top top shape. All standard shifts of course.
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