GaleForce

If any of you read my "Bastards can't figure it out." thread you'll know I kind of regret not getting stick. As I said in that thread, when I bought the car as it was my first car I had to weigh pros and cons. It basically boiled down to that if I disliked driving stick I would be screwed, whereas if I disliked automatic or wanted more from it I can still enjoy the car. I bought automatic thinking it would be good for the traffic and frequent traffic lights here... still, I like driving my car and having fun in it and now that I have much more experience driving around here I feel like the car lacks the control I want. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my car, and I am happy with automatic, I just think I would have been happier with manual. Of course I can always pop it into tiptronic but as I've said before it is just too unrealistic, even though it shifts very nicely.

Just complaining, I guess. My friends are pressuring me into trading it in, but I don't think I could... my parents wouldn't go for that I'd assume. The car has less than 1k miles on it, maybe they could give me a deal. Who knows. /sigh

/complain off

gordon_gekko

I really want a 6MT too, but up here I was forced to choose between navi and MT....navi won out.

GaleForce

Yeah, between Navi and MT it would be no contest. What forced you to choose? Parents? Lack of dealer inventory? Price?

I kind of talked myself into it and my dad suggested it.

youngTL

In Canada, Navi isn't available with the 6MT. Really blows.

PbPedis

Here in the Great White North, we can get Navi with automatic, or 6MT with no navi. Some brainiac decided that they would not offer 6MT and navi in Canada.

yield2s

If you want to get rid of it DO IT NOW! while most peps are payin MSRP on new ones

SBTL

I grew up with a stick and will drive one until they stop making them or I'm too old to shift:

67 Ford Mustang 289 4MT
1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT 5MT
1983 Honda Accord 5MT
1990 Nissan Maxima SE 5MT
2004 Acura TL 6MT A-SPEC

Once you've had one, you just can't go back...

TLud

I agree 100%. Although my collection of past stick shift cars was not as nice or as entertaining as yours.

GaleForce

peps? How much would I end up losing if I traded?

GaleForce

I sent an email out to like five dealers. We'll see what happens.

NOX 3.2

Last time I traded in my 99TL for an 00TL I ended up paying about $4k extra for the deal, but the new car had sooo many new extras (including NAVI DVD) that it was worth it (in my view).

GaleForce

Hmmm, maybe I'll get a good deal then. I mean you traded a model up AND got more options and paid 4k. Nice.

Stewie

Sorry I brought it up in the other thread ;-)

Teh Jatt

lol i wanted auto but I was forced into NAVI or A SPEC, i went with navi.

GaleForce

Haha, nah. Its been on my mind for a while.

neuronbob

I was also forced.....but to choose between a 6MT and wife (who doesn't drive stick). From my .sig, you can see who won.

caball88

there are always 5AT'ers who feel they made the mistake. the 6MT is probably one of the greatest features of this car. the tranny is one of the smoothest shifting i ever driven.

GaleForce

Damnit I was really hoping on seeing 6MT in your sig

soopa

saaaameee here.

i wish everyday my slush box (my ever slipping slush box) was a manual


next time i hope...

Aegir

It's not too late for the A-Spec!

92NSX

Preach on brother !!!

OuTLAw4422

For me, I regret not getting my TL with Navi. 5AT I can live with but if I were to trade in or sell my TL and purchase another one I would definately go with 6MT. I thought that I could live without the Navi and ultimately chose the non navi because I got such a great deal on it but in the end and 10,000 miles later, I find myself still kicking my own ass for not being patient. O well, live and learn...

jtruman

That's really terrible, very sorry to hear that. Was it an option for you to buy the car in the US and bring it over?

mobilezen

Man, that's not bad for a first car...hope it was a joke but that is a pretty nice car for being a first if you're serious. I drove an 83 Benz in 94 when I started driving. You are lucky...I wouldn't press too much to trade unless if you have the financial means.

Neogeek

Hmmm I have to tell you Gale, i dont know about uper NY, but here in the valley if a girl gets into your car and dosnt see the letters (P,D,R) they are already impressed (Wow what do those numbers mean?).

My mom's 1989 300ZX is a manual, when she was commuting between NY and CA, i got to drive her car to school every day... That car was such a piece of shit, i hated manuals, my new car will be an Auto. The car was perfect for the canyons but the transmission was so bad. When my mom came back, i told her how could people who drive manuals live their lifes. It really discouraged me in getting a manual... Well she told me that the car hand not been in a checkup for 2 years!! Well after we got the car back with new shocks and after the replace the ORIGINAL transimission fluid (mind im talking about this year it was done) I was so shocked at how the car shifted and how everything else was running. It was actualy a joy to drive...

Well when I was looking at cars, I was considering the G35x, 2004.5 S40, CTS, and TL.. well only the TL and CTS came in the manual which didnt bother me much since i was so scared of them, but once my mom's car was fixed i started to have second thoughts... that led me to only the CTS and the TL, well the CTS is a cadi and im too young to drive a Cadi. That left me with the TL.

So I drove out to Pasadina where they had the car i wanted but it was a manual... hmm well i then went over the pros and cons. Yea stopped on a hill with a car behind you is really nerve racking, and in an auto, you arnt in control of the car, its some conservative computer telling when it is right, that also takes awhile to proccess things... I test drove the 6MT and you know those commercials of the Nissan Maxima? heh well it was almost like that.

But then again i live adjacent to what i would say one of LA's best canyons and taking turns would just be too boring without the zing of a manual.


Being in traffic with it is a little bit of a pain, but for every highway, there is a way to avoid it, so i dont know how you would fair in NY. Do you know anyone who has a manual and will let you learn on it. For some people its really easy and they pick it up right away, but for others it just dosnt click. I am sure you are the former, but I would learn and see how you like it, because its a totaly different experience. Sure my dad's bmw is much faster then my TL, but hey he drives an Automatic and i would much rather prefer to drive my car in non traffic areas then his...

Though there might be much higher premium for a manual with navi, as it is almost impossible (one in california as of 2 weeks ago) here in cali to get that combo and then of course its all about luck if its with the color you want.

You need to consider if manual is practical and if the manual is not in favour because of that, you have to ask yourself whether or not you can justify these things and still make it an enjoyable experience... It was for me, and it prb will be for you

Goodluck with whatever road you take.



EDIT:: Holy crap that was long... lol sorry guys i know i hate reading these types of posts, and will understand if you totaly ignore it, just had to get some words off my now releaved back.

GaleForce

I completely agree with you. I'll only do the trade if its LESS than 1k loss to me or if they have a TL with less than 5k miles, but more than 1k. If thats the case I would end up making money on the trade. I'm also getting a well paying job this summer, hopefully, but I wouldn't blow everything I made on tradnig the car.

TLGator

GF - I can't imagine why it would matter to you one way or the other, since you spend all your time on this forum and not driving your TL. Over fourteen hundred posts in two months??? By comparion I look like I don't even know how to use forum software!