Before I put on my flame suit, let's be clear. I love my 6MT.

Lately I have been debating on putting it up for trade. I've had the car for a year in which time I've put about 20k miles on it as well as a TON of work; off the top of my head:

-Timing belt, water pump, spark plugs
-Front bumper/hold/fenders repainted
-both front axles
-starter
-oil pan
-new brakes and rotors all around
-all new fluids

Additionally I've added a shit ton of mods that I would transfer over to another TL, sell, or ask for cash on top. Those include aspec kit, DVD player/Navtool, 18x8.5 aspec wheels, Tein Sa coils, progress rsb, HIDs, JNC headlights, ACKTL05 Tails, leds throughout, maven knob, CT short throw shifter, aloud shift linkage bushings, etc. There's too much to remember.

What do you guys think is a fair trade? My car is 100% functional. Drives perfect and as it should; I've basically fixed everything with oem or better parts and it has a clear Carfax history plus I am be second owner.

It currently sits at 122k miles. If the right opportunity were to present itself, I would consider trading it for an automatic WDP or KBP. The mileage would have to be less than mine to account for the value difference as 6MT's are more desirable than automatics.

My question is am I asking too much of someone? I would want something with sub 90k miles as I would likely have to do all this maintenance in the future; and it must be as clean as my car as far as body/interior. I would be pretty picky letting go of my car.

 

You didn't mention why you want to get rid of your 6MT for a 5AT... Do you have a bad knee? Do you drive in heavy traffic?

 

how much less in mileage (would the other car have to be) were you thinking? essentially, you're asking to trade your stock car (or maybe cash on top from their end for your mods) for another stock car with less miles?

 

The issue for me is mostly traffic. Plus I take a lot of long trips and typically have to do all the driving as my wife doesn't drive manual. Most of the mileage on my car comes from long trips to and from Toronto as well as one trip I miami.

Also I just finished school and will likely be commuting for a new job in traffic; I could get a beater car and keep the TL however it just makes more sense to have a nice clean automatic DD. Plus I don't want to have a third car just because I don't want to drive the TL in traffic. I also have an 87 E30 that is manual. Having two manuals is fun but there are times when you just want to get in and go.

I would want something sub 90k miles probably. When I bought my car with 100k a year ago I was prepared and did a shit load of maintenance which I know I'll be running into again. I think the value difference would be washed out due to the difference in transmission Between the two cars


And to be honest, part of this also comes from my desire for a WDP or KBP TL

 

same situation... if I could find a comparable type S 5AT in my city to trade with for my 6MT-S..i'd do it. traffic is a stinker on the west coast.

i'd consider settling for TL base navi 5at as well.. as the suspension is nice and soft for my liking.

07-08 only.

 

be honest with you, your car is less valuable as it sounds in term of the all the mods that you done to it because avg buyers appreciate stock car more than heavily mod. secondly MT is also less popular in real life because again most people drive AT. with that being said, you can either restore the car back to stock or sell it below market value.

 

OR teach the wife to drive a manual

 

I understand your reasoning. I'd have made the trade with you a few months ago with cash on top for my NBP type-S.

 

My question is, why? Edit: haha oops, I guess that's been sorted out already. My bad for a late-ass post!

I think you might be asking a bit too much. Obviously, if you find someone interested in all of the mods, then they will definitely see value in all the work you've done. But it seems to me that molested cars (I know, it's an ugly word ) greatly lose value in the used market place and if you're looking for a Type-S (KBP) then I think you might have to put some cash on top of it if you want a clean one.

 

Absolutely ^. You've already decreased your potential target market of customers by the fact that you have a manual vehicle and not an automatic. Being a high mileage vehicle, you're decreasing it even further. Having a modded vehicle, you've eliminated just about any average John Doe or "jones's" from being interested in purchasing your vehicle. The only person that I see buying your vehicle is an enthusiast from here on this forum or someone who has a high affinity for Honda/Acura.

 

This is a tough one for the OP.

First thing is first I would without a doubt return the car to stock. Not many people will even consider buying a modded car....myself included. There would be an exception to maybe an enthusiast on the forums, but besides that mods typically deter everyone. And besides that you can either sell them yourself and get some money back or use them on the next vehicle like you said.

As far as the values go because I noticed you keep saying that your 6MT is worth more money. Well thats true and not true. Most TL drivers want automatic, so to most shoppers your car wont even be a consideration. Then next factor is mileage. When your talking 120+ thousand miles that kind of stuff usually goes out the window. If you had a 30,000 mile 6mt then absolutely your car will be more desireable to a LOT of people especially enthusiasts that are set on a 6mt. As far as your car with 122K and 6mt being worth about the same as a 90K 5at ehhhh thats a tough one. Maaaybe if a forum member rolled around that wanted nothing more than to get into a 6mt Type S that could be doable and the fact that all your 105K mantainence is done could help a lot.
I say give it a shot there are a lot of guys on this forum that always say "I wish I had a 6mt"...maybe nows their chance. Oh and if you get a different Type S, if you have to have a front plate, put it in the middle where it belongs. Those offcenter mounted plates look sooooo awkward and ugly :-P

 

Words of wisdom...

 

Thanks everyone for your comments!

First, I understand completely about turning the car back to stock if I were planning on selling to the general public or trading to a dealer. I would undoubtedly swap/sell the mods and if I were go to that route I would just buy an automatic of my choice first, then begin the part out of the 6MT. This is what I did about a year ago when I bought it and sold my base 04 TL.

My primary goal would be to trade it to someone who would appreciate the mods or let me transfer them over before the swap. That would likely be someone from the forums (an "enthusiast" as we're often called). I realize that pool of people might be small but I know there are a lot of us who would love to trade for a 6MT (just like I was a year ago when I did it). I don't think that finding a potential person will be as hard as striking the right deal or finding the RIGHT car for a trade.


Edit; I might as well whore it out while I'm talking about it

Here are some recent pics shot by ebelp and some other members from the forum.

 

The car looks good, the aesthetic mods, lip kit etc., I wouldn't think you would need to take off if selling to a private party, but performance mods you probably would. I would buy a car that looks that good, but I wouldn't buy one that was mechanically modded.

 

yes there are a pool of people who likes mods. problem is your mods are your mods, they like mods but only their own. your mods are not theirs. I say revert stock is always the best bet. unless you have a twin bro you are selling to.

 

Hey Q,
I understand where you're coming from since your reasons are identical to mine for getting the 5AT (though I DO often wish I had the 6MT haha). I'd go along with what some of the other users said and try to swap over everything (esp. performance mods), putting your current car back to stock as much as you can. Can you even transfer the A-Spec kit though? I know I drilled holes in my stock bumper, but if you didn't I guess it wouldn't be a concern. Good luck with everything!

 

My $0.02:
- the car really does look great as is
- the TB job is done, so unless you're aware of a specific issue with the car, it should easily be good until 210K when it's due for the TB again (assuming it was done at the 105K mark)
- you know your own car, what's been done to it, how it runs, and how it's been driven
- trading for a lesser mileage car, although good in thought, may have you giving up your car (what appears to be a great condition car) for a whole new set of variables (how will the trade car hold up in the long term, was it maintained well, how is the 5AT, noises, etc.) and then these variable and potential gremlins become your problem, plus, you'll have to do a TB service on it relatively soon once it gets to 105K.

With all that said, as much as you may want a 5AT car now, I'd keep what you have. You may be giving up a sweet car for a trade that's well, less sweet.

 

You have time, part out the car and sell the stuff.
Trade the car for another TL or sell the MT one.
If you think you will NOT mod the AT... go for it
If you will mod the AT too, don't even start parting out or think about selling the car.

That easy.
Some can't stop without modding, some gets bored of it and wants a soft daily car.

I think that's what you want, real DD car.
Start parting out

 

damn I have a NBP base 08 w/ 80k miles that I would trade you in a heart beat or even cash on top but sadly we are way too far apart.

 

Personally, I would at least undo your suspension mods. Most people looking for those kinds of modifications aren't looking for a newer TL.

 

Road trip!!!

 

^

 

since you say you want kbp that'll only be from an 07-08 type S. maybe I'm not seeing it but Im having a hard time seeing someone wanting to go from an 07-08 type S to an 04 base, even though yours is a 6mt. now, if your car was a type S 6mt, then definitely, no questions asked it would be a good trade.
just my opinion, it'd be a more fair trade if the other person has an 05-06 base auto. stock for stock of course.

 

um....

 

since you wrote you own two cars with manual transmission, does your wife have a car she drives. Luckily I drive MT and my late husband and I owned mostly MT vehicles. Went on 3 cross country roadtrips and many other trips.

 

Your TL looks great, and I would not trade it! I would suck it up and keep the TL manual driving in traffic. I do it, I don't like it, but it is worth it when traffic opens up, and there is plenty of time for that and the interstates. I would never trade a manual for an auto, plus your car looks so fine as is!

 

I considered this same thing a few months back..6MT in chicago traffic. My wife can't even drive our car. Couldn't do i though, without traffic its a totally different car then the AT

 

I hear what your saying. I live out in the far suburbs and love driving stick out here. I usually try to avoid going anywhere near Chicago, but when I do I would probably lose my mind driving stick. Hell, I lose my mind driving automatics there.

 

My TL is auto and i used to hate myself for getting it and wished that i would of gone with a manual until i started hitting a lot of base traffic, i was so relieved i had a auto. made things easier. especially know that i have bad knees

 

I taught my wife to drive a manual within a few months of us dating many years ago. I was well aware I would probably always own a manual. I also knew I would need a DD at times and figured she better know how to drive my car.

These days in normal traffic, she actually drives my TL smoother than I do since she drives it more than I do.

 

I completely missed that, I only read the top part, thanks!

damn I'd definitely trade you if you are anywhere near the west coast...

 

Man I live in the Toronto area and commute in and out of the downtown and urban core on a weekly basis during peak hours and all that. The TL has the softest manual transmission I've ever driven. It's all about keeping your space when in heavy traffic, I rarely touch my brakes I just keep a very soft touch on the throttle and I think the ECU adjusts to keeping the revs above 1 to prevent stalling because my TL never jerks back and forth like some other sticks I've had. I have zero problem driving stick in stop-and-go bumper to bumper traffic for 2 hours on end.

Wifey that can't drive stick is a whole diff. story though. Whatever your priorities are.

 

Honestly would much rather coast in 1st gear while letting the engine do most of the braking rather than BRAKE-GAS-BRAKE-GAS non-stop like all the other auto drivers in traffic. Stick is chill if you know how to do it.

 

You will have a hard time conducting a swap. I suggest selling it then purchasing a new car of your choice. It took a while but I was successfully able to.

I was in a similar position when I sold my modded TSX. I ended up selling my vehicle at an acceptable pricing to which enable me to purchase a new vehicle.

 

Best way to do it is buy the car you really want, then sell the existing one. That way your able to clean and detail the one your selling, remove any mods, and keep the car and prepared for sale. I mean, I don't see how someone could sell their only car, then purchase a new one. What would you do with no car in the mean time?

 

keep the manual......seriously especially since you did a LOT OF WORK to your car already.

known machine is better than an unknown one

 

This is exactly how I drive in rush hour traffic. Now this assumes you are in slow and go type traffic and not true stop and go traffic. In KC, my commute was on I-70 which was mostly slow and go (10-30mph, but never stopping) so very easy to just give myself room and never shift or use my brakes. My wife's commute is on I-470 which is true stop and go (0-70mph constantly changing) and she can't quite do that and hates driving my car if she must drive in rush hour.

I have been caught a few times that I despised having a manual. When you only move forward 20-50 feet at a time every minute or two, you can't exactly leave it in gear and crawl. However these few times still have never made me want to actually get rid of my manual.