Got the 6 speed cause everyone said get the 6-speed! I like the idea and my dad used to have a crappy Ford explorer manual so I knew "how to drive" This is my first week with my TL 6 speed and im still learning of course but at this point it is definitely not "fun" right now especially yesterday when I had my first taste of stop and go traffic. So the question is with a few more weeks will I start to love it or do I make the wrong choice?

 

6 speed = faster TL, IF you know how to drive. But as far as loving it, it's more exciting then an automatic. there a downside to having M/T and having A/T. 6 speed is rare, it'll grow on you.

 

No way. I can tell you for the very first car I truly owned, I was dead set on getting a manual, no matter what car it was. It was going to be stick or I would be taking the bus. I got an Integra, which I learned on. Initially I was patient in learning but it was difficult to get it smooth. After a week or two I grew frustrated at the jerkiness and how unintuitive driving was now, partly because I was driving by myself for the first part and I didn't have anyone to give me advice on my driving. I was so frustrated that I seriously thought buying a stick was a mistake, and wished I bought an automatic instead.

However after a month or two, I eventually got the hang of it and gradually improved more and more, after asking some experienced stick drivers to give me feedback on my shifting. Even though Integras themselves are great, my car was in subpar condition. Still, I began to love driving again, and I liked driving my shitty old Integra more than our nice, luxurious and powerful (automatic) 2G TL-S. I even started just driving for the hell of it, with no destination or goal in particular. Stick with it. If you don't like driving stick after 6+ months, you probably never will.

People are surprised when I drive their modded cars with 6-puck clutches and can get a smooth launch without stalling and shift smoothly in a minute or two of driving. Personally, I would not get an automatic car, even though I occasionally drive in up to 15+ minutes of stop and go traffic each way. I would even pay more to get a manual car than an automatic car.

But everyone is different. The only instance I'd get an automatic is if I lived in hilly San Francisco.... and even then I might not even have a car. Or an injury makes it painful/difficult to drive stick, or the wife makes me get an auto

 

my 6MT is my first MT....
I have driven a little bit here and there before, but let me tell you this, after the first few weeks of getting the feel for the gears...I will NEVER go back to an AT. This is too much fun! Last time I went into the dealer and they gave me an 08AT loaner... it seemed weak getting on the highway...but anyway...Trust me, you made the right choice! ENJOY
IMO

 

If you are asking this question so early in your ownership, you probably took the wrong decision. Those of us who love manuals would not even consider such a question - it would never enter our minds. I would no more consider an automatic for my personal driving machine than stick my head in a fire.

So the fact you're asking this question gives you your answer.

 

manual is the best...imo

 

I drove sticks for years and loved them ... but sometimes there comes a point with age where you just don't want to shift any more .. my last 2 cars have been the A/T. Do I miss the stick .. yes .. do I regret buying the A/T ... no...

I live up on a hill with a lot of 180 Deg switchbacks and the M/T was a bit of a chore.

As far as the clutch goes ... anything I drive I can master the clutch in a few blocks . With my detailing I get to drive a lot of stick cars. Hell our race car even had a hand clutch at one time.

 

Your MT will perform better if you do the mods mentioned in may places of this forum. In this order:

Remove slave cylinder check valve. Might as well put the stainless clutch hose in and bushings at the same time since you will be right there. Since you have the cables disconnected, might as well put the short shifter in. And change the trans oil to GM. It is much easier to do these all at the same time and take the air chamber and optionally the battery and tray. Its not necessary but makes it much easier.

You will think its a differnt car when you're done!!

ML

 

OP...you'll get to love it. If you don't ... wanna trade? haha

 

Are you having a specific issue like killing the car, jerking, burning the clutch, difficulty with putting the car into one gear or another, or just don't like the clutch?
If it's one of those issues, you just need to get used to the feel of the shifter/clutch and will be fine in a couple of days. SouthernBoy has a how-to on properly driving a manual in a couple of threads here that might help.
Otherwise, are you OK with the shifting itself, but find it tedious?

FWIW, I learned to drive on an auto, then got a manual Integra and drove it for many years, including in metro Los Angeles traffic-- loved the car, even in traffic. I found that I paid attention to the road more and it was always fun getting the shifts exactly right during each gear change. I then switched to auto trans cars, including the TL, and miss having a proper manual transmission-- which will be on my next car.

 

No big issues with actually shifting I am still a bit jerky at times but most of the times I can shift between the gears very smoothly but it takes more concentration right now obviously. Right now the hardest gear for me is 2nd it always seems to jerk unless I really ease off the clutch very slowly and apply some gas at the same time.

 

My 6MT is my first manual car I owned. And I basically learned how to drive it after the purchase. After a month it will become a second nature. I don't mind it but I sometimes do wish I had an auto just for convinience. I think my next car will be auto.

 

You shouldn't have to do this and you should avoid it since it is a form of riding the clutch. There are reasons why you are having problems with second gear and the most common is due to the wider disparity in the gear ratios between first and second gear. First gear is 3.93:1 while second is 2.48:1. That's a significant difference and requires more of a wait for engine speed to match the speed of the layshaft before completing the shift. If our manuals were close ratio transmissions (Acura says they are but in reality, they're not), then this problem would be minimized.

So refine your 1st-to-2nd shift technique and see if that helps your feelings about your manual TL.

 

I think it comes down to the individual. If you love to drive, you have to have a manual. I've had 4 vehicles including the TL and only my last one was an automatic. I was forced to get it to have transportation, but it truly sucked. After that car got totaled, I spent a couple months before finding the TL in a manual and all those rides I had to catch were worth it. To have a vehicle like the TL with all the goodies, the sexiness, and to come in a manual transmission, is amazing.

There is just something about driving a manual that makes you feel part of it. I never just went out for a drive in my automatic, but always have done so in my manual cars. In my opinion, you drive a manual and ride in an automatic.

And don't worry, you will get better at driving the stick the more you practice with it.

 

If it wasnt for the 1+hour city traffic and going up hill everyday I would have went with MT. You did the right thing man dont sweat it. I wish I could go back in time and get a TL-S MT but oh well.

 

what do you mean by refine? what is the best way to 1-2 shift? (smoothest)

 

Growing up in the UK, manual cars is all you have to choose from! There is even a seperate license if you have an automatic! if you pass your test in an automatic you can only drive automatics, but if you pass in a manual car you are free for both! Given that UK driving tests are much harder and you really must learn the feel of a manual in order to pass (you stall, and dont restart immediatley you fail!) It lets me appreciate the lessons taken before the test.

However since moving to Houston I have enjoyed having an automatic, simply for the fact im in traffic for 2 hours a day and the big issue for me is that i have had 2 knee surgeries on my left knee which gets a nice rest in the AT.

If/when i get a weekend car it will definately be Manual though.

I once had a friend in Florida who bought an RX8 in Manual and called me that afternoon and asked me to come meet him as he had never driven stick before! that was fun!

 

[QUOTE=Jesstzn;11821853]I drove sticks for years and loved them ... but sometimes there comes a point with age where you just don't want to shift any more .. my last 2 cars have been the A/T. Do I miss the stick .. yes .. do I regret buying the A/T ... no... [QUOTE]

My sentiments exactly I've always had manuals but with all the driving I do throughout the day I'd rather be comfortable and just pop it into drive and go. And with all the nyc traffic, driving a manual is just too much.

However it's good that you are learning to drive manual but if your second guessing yourself then stay away from city traffic for awhile at least til you get the hang of it.

 

I live in So Cal and take the 60 Freeway to work everyday so there are times when I'm stuck in a mile or 2 of bumper to bumper traffic.

I also own a 6spd and while the first month or two was really aggravating with the stop and go. After I changed my driving habits a bit it's not too bad. Basically gotta break the bad habit that most AT drivers have of tailgating in traffic and doing the stop-go-stop-go dance. Just stop hugging other driver's rear ends so much and idle forward in 1st if the traffic is really bad. You can do 1st > 2nd shift at 10mph/2k rpm and just cruise at 10 mph in 2nd. I do that a lot for moderate > heavy stop and go traffic. Downside is that aggressive drivers will merge in front of you or cut you off. But I don't really care as I laugh at them wasting their gas and brake pads doing the stop-go-stop-go dance.

Honestly owning a 6spd makes the commute to and from work a lot more fun for me. As long as the traffic isn't bad and I can cruise at 55-60mph. And a clear on/off ramp is just so much fun with a 6spd.

I'm sure it will grow on you, I was frustrated when I first got my car too (TL is first MT car) but as the months passed by and I grew more pro efficient with how my car worked now I can't even imagine driving a AT.

 

1 to 2 shift is a shift that nobody can get perfect 100% of the time. Don't worry about it too much. But what I noticed helps to smooth my shifts out is to overlap when I clutch out and depress the gas pedal. Basically my right foot goes down on the gas pedal very shortly before my left foot no longer contacts the clutch pedal. All the motions are smooth and gradual though. Don't abruptly snap your foot back when you shift. The faster you drive, the faster you should shift to get it smooth. So in normal everyday driving, try slowing down the timing o your shifts.

Also a trick my friend taught me was when you lift your right foot change gears, RIGHT before your foot lets go of the gas, start pulling the shifter in the direction of the next gear a tenth of a second before you actually clutch in. If you do it right, it should be butter smooth with no resistance or funny sounds. This "overlap" is very very short in any case.

When I get it perfect, my passenger's head does not bob at ALL even on the 1-2 shift. You have to experiment, as it's been said. The rest is just practice and experience.

 

 

MT has it's downsides especially in traffic. But I would have it no other way. I've owned a few autos and besides the first few weeks of having it I was never really excited to drive it. All the MTs even my old ones I still keep and enjoy driving them. Sometimes I'll just get on PCH and it's simply amazing. I've even driven a DSG tranny and those are supposed to be "better" than a manual but I still prefer a manual.

 

I will add that my first stick was an '05 Accord V6 coupe on which I learned to really drive a manual (I wanted the TL but it didn't fit in the budget at the time, nor did I want to screw up a $30k+ car). I upgraded to an '06 TL 6MT after I "mastered" the AV6 6MT. I thought I was going to be driving sticks for the next 10 years or so, but life changes and the "want" for an easier (read lazier) drive without losing any of the amenities and ride quality pushed me into an Auto Type-S.

I was thrilled with the stick - I was able to shift it very smoothly and get a little squirly at times, I never had any of the issues other members have experienced and I drove it, new, for 57k miles. It was still operating smoothly when I traded it in and got the cpo tag by the dealer.

I no longer have the stick, so that thrill is gone; although, I will experience it again some day (unless the Mitsu DC-SST becomes the "it" tranny, or we start hovering) ... Therefore, I must agree with the other members who've said, if you're asking the question, then you probably made the wrong decision.

 

The only time I would go back to stick is if I were to get a full on sports car again. Once I went back to auto in my every day car I loved it.

 

I find traffic easy to drive in stop and go...Spacing is critical until some dumbass cuts over thinkin that your lane is gonna go any faster than anyone else when its all the same.

 

I love the manual tranny on the TL but did'nt like the stock feel at first but when i did the slave cylinder removal mod the clutch became perfect in my opinion. It grabs with such a solid feeling compared to stock and driving became eaiseer for me. Just keep it and u should began to get used to it and enjoy it more.

 

I bought in 09 w/o MT available, wish i had waited.
I use the S auto mode and paddle shifters allot.
Not same as MT but better then D mode in auto

Do others use the paddle shifters or drive in S mode often? Even in S w.o using paddles the car drives has sportier feel

 

I will trade you for my auto..... then we will both be happy.

 

I think that the manuals are the best way to go. They are more fun to drive and make you feel more connected to the car. But it mostly depends on the person buying the car. I think that in the long run you will be more happy with it.

 

The drive home today was pretty fun I am learning that I can coast around at low speeds in 1st without applying gas which I really didnt realize before lol. This helps a lot with my occasional over throttled starts from a standstill. the 1-2 shift is still rough for me and its hard to get used to 1st gear, it seems to rev up so fast I have to shift to second very shortly after accelerating from a stop. If I can get that smoother and quite stalling trying to pull in my driveway thats up hill a bit I should be good!

 

BTW, the manual Hondas/Acuras I've driven have fairly fast/quick clutch engagement, so ease off the clutch quickly rather than slowly.
Between that and maybe pressing the accelerator down just a tad, just as the clutch is grabbing in 2nd gear, will smooth out the 1-2 shift for you.

 

Seems like you're getting the hang of it and are beginning to enjoy it! So...that's a no on the trade then? lol

 

once you get into performance, you'll never look back...
wish i had a 6MT now.

i often drive my bro's RSX-S to get my fix

 

Man I can sit in heavy traffic for while with my 6MT. Never bothers me at all.

The 6MT is so worth it IMO. If they made a better AT, then maybe not so much, lol.

All you need is Amsoil or GM MTF and your good to go.

 

yup ill be ordering the Amsoil tomorrow car has 35K on the original fluid!! I dont even want to drive it lol I need to get that crap out of there

 

MT is for more spirited drive & I used to loving it in my 20s ... then after a few knee operations due to sports injury, I choose the comfort of a AT over MT ... no regrets for me but I can see I'm one of the few exceptions among many MT enthus. here ...

 

What exactly does this mod do?? can u link me to the DIY please!

 

I regretted getting my 6MT as well, but after a week of it becoming second nature I would never look back.

 

Mine's a 5AT. That's what I wanted, and that's what I got. I wish it had one more gear, but that's a different story.

That said, with MT you are in more-or-less direct communication with your car. You'll get the rhythm down soon, and then it will become second nature--and, you'll have a continuing sense of personal satisfaction every time you drive. You'll challenge yourself to deal with stop signs at the top of a hill, parallel parking, all the thousand things that you don't even have to think about with an AT. It's a skill that you can take pride in.

I am convinced that about 50% of the problems people experience going from AT to MT is that the engine noise pattern and the seat of your pants both are quite different. With an AT the engine noise starts at idle and increases in a more or less linear way up to speed. When you start an MT vehicle the engine is loud as you engage the clutch, drops off as you get underway, and then rises fairly rapidly until you shift to the next gear. People who have originally learned to drive with an AT seem disturbed by having to goose the engine a little as the clutch is engaged, and end up either racing the motor and not moving, or doing the bunny hop and either way feeling like a fool.

I love to drive an MT, but for a whole lot of reasons right now the AT was the way for me to go. Hang in there--you won't be sorry. Just tell yourself that being a North American who knows how to operate a manual transmission well means that you are a member of a fairly select group. And, when your ship comes in and you buy that exotic or that little red Alfa spyder, you'll know how to drive it. Imagine yourself in love with a sports car, you can afford it, but you can't drive it!

 

hey guys does switching transmission oil really make that much of a difference? i dont mind investing in something that allows my car to shift better.