What were your absolute favorite, and most hated manual transmission cars you've ever driven?

Posted by Ptereodactyl1942@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 42 comments

As an ex valet driver, I've driven many manuals (and owned quite a few myself).

My favorite: Late 90s/Early 2000s Porsche 911 Carrera. It was somehow the easiest manual I've ever driven. Perfect clutch tension, nice and low clutch bite point, perfect gearbox (not too much slop/able to shift quickly without too much resistance but not "loose" feeling either).

Worst: 2003+ Toyota Corollas or any other toyota/scion/toyota collab vehicle that used the same transmission. Even highly experienced manual drivers can easily stall them. The clutch bite point is super high, you have about a 1/4"-1/2" of clutch pedal travel to PERFECTLY press the gas pedal (and then the throttle response has a delay so you have to repeatedly tap the gas pedal to prevent it from stalling when taking off), zero torque to prevent stalling, they have rev hang, many have bad synchros fresh out of the factory (forcing you to shift into 2nd gear and then into 1st gear in case the car doesn't want to go into 1st, or shift to second gear before reverse if it doesn't want to go in reverse, hangups when shifting from 1st to 2nd and 3rd to 4th, and the shifting feels too "notchy" but not in a good way. By far the absolute hardest car to take off from a stop uphill.

Honorable mentions for good "all around" manuals:

Hondas (pretty much any year). They are very predictable and feel how a manual should.

2008-2016 American V8 Muscle cars. Generous clutch bite travel, plenty of idle power to take off from a stop by slowly releasing the clutch (without even using the gas pedal), decent feeling gearbox.

BMWs (any year). Not for everyone as they have notoriously stiff clutch pedals, stiff gas pedals (the floor mounted gas pedals with a high amount of spring tension), but the gearboxes all feel very solid and strong. They are a workout to drive in traffic, but in the canyons they are awesome.

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myapadravya@reddit

Worst manuals I've ever driven were a series one Land Rover and a Morris Minor. The best... Who knows...

samit2heck@reddit

Omg my dad had one and the clutch was so difficult. I mean everything was difficult. But I desperately wanted to drive it.

Lol, when you change gears you have to "stir the pot" otherwise you'll never find the next gear!

Even as a passenger it was tough. We'd take it duning and no seatbelts meant you were thrown all around the back. At least the driver had a wheel to hold onto.

SailingSpark@reddit

A series 1 land rover is not a car.. it's a tractor. Everything on them is vague.

Pmsl... That's fair.

thelabwhisperer@reddit

Favorite- 1991 Honda Accord. Smooth as butter.

Worst- 1976 Jeep Golden Eagle v8, 3speed with non hydraulic clutch. Almost needed both feet on the clutch to move it.

BasicWhiteHoodrat@reddit

Yeah, I had a manual in my ‘90 Accord Coupe in college and that car was a blast to drive. Incredible reliability and like you mentioned, very smooth shifting.

Loved that car!

lunchbox651@reddit

Best: 1970 HG Kingswood.
It was 3 on the tree, clutch was a bit heavy but it was just a faultless shifting experience even though the car was 40 years old when I was driving it.

Worst: Toyota Hilux.
It was just a runabout for work but there was nothing good about it. Just slopping shifting and a soft clutch.

No-Cash5665@reddit

Dodge Colt underpowered easy to stall.

Driftwood71@reddit

Best-- maybe tie between 2006 SAAB 9-3 Aero convertible with the 2.8L turbo and a 6 speed, and 1969 Corvette L46 convertible with the 350/350 and 4 speed. Both fun to drive manual with the top down.

otterland@reddit

None that I hated. Favorite was a buttery four on the tree Saab. Best was likely the five speed in an MX3, probably the same as a Miata. My Daihatsu had a chunky Aisin that felt sturdier than the car itself. A four speed Isuzu was probably the worst to drive as it had a strong clutch that was murder in traffic.

Equana@reddit

Favorite... 2000 Honda S2000. Absolutely brilliant gear spacing. Clutch is quite light but you don't need it except to start and stop. The car could be up or down-shifted without a clutch and without clash.

The Worst...1965 Chevy Bel Air with 3 speed on the column shifter. As precise as a broomstick in a bucket of oatmeal. Gears were a guess. First was too low, second was too high, 3rd begged for a 4th gear. Clutch was non-linear and clunky.

TheMotizzle@reddit

I'll second the s2000. I'll also add Acura RSX. Fantastic shifting and clutch was a nice balance of feedback but didn't kill your legs in traffic. Possible they're similar. Had the same shift knob (OEM option).

Mjarf88@reddit

Worst: 2009 Mazda 6, really "sticky" shifter and weird gear ratios. Felt like the gear ratios were too low or something. Best: 1993 Toyota Carina E. Smooth light shifter and perfect gear ratios for the engine.

swangdb@reddit

I didn’t hate any of them, though the 67 Beetle was probably my least favorite.

My 2013 VW Golf is probably my favorite.

Bubbly-Pirate-3311@reddit

Worst was my dad's 2008 Porsche 911 turbo with a springless clutch. Literally like a light switch. It's not even modified to need a springless clutch, he just wanted to try it out.

Best was an ap1 s2000. Crispy ass shifter feeling, smooth clutch (although the bite point was pretty far up for me), and the gear ratios are perfect.

HuntGundown@reddit

Best - 2011 civic SI, or 2019 fiesta ST.

Worst - 2007 jeep liberty

Walksuphills@reddit

Favorite - 2013 VW Jetta TDI 6-speed. No sports car, but it was my first new car, and compared to some of the old beaters I'vehad, it was smooth and fun.

Worst - 1987 VW Fox 4-speed with very worn bushings and the gear shift flopped all over. Couldn't figure out why I kept stalling until I realized I was starting in 3rd.

PlsCheckThisBush@reddit

Best - E92 M3. Clutch was as smooth as butter and you knew exactly when it was going to bite. Plenty of engine to move it along without issue too.

Worst - Old Toyotas. Any of them except maybe the Supra (I’ve never driven one so maybe I’m wrong there). Soulless little fuckers that gave you no indication you were at the bite point until it stalled

Character-Plantain-2@reddit

Worst was the six speed in a 2018 5.0 Mustang. Felt like stirring a bowl of gravel with a stick. Ended up buying a Focus ST because it felt so much better.

Favorite is the T5 in my 87 Camaro V6. It just feels great with the throws and the mechanical feel. Objectively, it's not perfect, but I just like it.

Agree on the 5.0 Mustang. One of the worst clutches I’ve ever driven. Could never get the feel of it.
I’ve driven mostly standards my whole life- even today.

Heavy_Gap_5047@reddit

Well I have different kind of answers.

Worst - A 1954 Dodge M37. It's a military 5/4 ton truck with a slow responding powerless flathead 6 with the typical heavy old truck clutch and a horrible non-synchro 4 speed. The guys that had to drive those things through war zones, wow.

Best - A Peterbilt with a 3406 and Eaton Road Ranger 13 speed, I don't know why, but nothing floated as smoothly as that sucker.

iHaveLotsofCats94@reddit

Super beetle reminded me of some buggies I drove in Baja California. These things used non-turbo 2.5L subaru engines mated to what felt like a beetle 4 speed, all bolted to a purpose built tube chassis. Sloppy is right lol. I got a feel for it after a while but it was crazy compared to the 2020 Si i owned at the time

METV2021@reddit

Best, 2014 Shelby GT500. Worst, 1965 Mack B model with a double stick and shit for power.

Talentless_Cooking@reddit

I really didn't like driving porches, I don't like how the pedal moves. I really liked nsx, always loved when they came in.

drakeallthethings@reddit

Best: e30 m3 clutch action was a little heavy but it was so so smooth and the gear ratios are perfect for the car
Worst: 90s Ford Fiesta it was so underpowered even for its size that gear selection wasn’t a range. It was a binary right/wrong. Super crunchy. Super notchy.

nottatroll@reddit

Fav: 2012 BMW 135i

Hated: 2016 Toyota Tacoma

koolerb@reddit

Best was my 1987 CRX-SI, worst was a 1978ish Mustang II.

ShoeFree5756@reddit

Worst: 1984 Nissan Stanza! Best: 2008 Porsche Boxster S

TheRealDVader@reddit

2017 or so European Corolla.

PurpleSausage77@reddit

Hated: 2016-2023 Tacoma felt so vague and like the synchros were already messed up even brand new, Mitsu Mirage, Corolla up until 2013

Loved: any Hondas, 500 Abarth, FRS/BRZ/86, Miata, S550+ Mustangs, C7 Vette, Manual Cadi’s

d__max@reddit

Worst : 2010 vw jetta tdi . The car shut off the injectors below idle. So if the clutch wasn’t feathered with just enough gas starting off it would violently stall. Otherwise a great car. Best: NA6 miata , amazing

d3m01iti0n@reddit

Best? 2003 SVT Cobra Terminator. A friend who drove it one described it as "an angry gorilla". Heavy clutch, smooth shifts, bonkers power.

Worst? 2000 SVT Contour. The whole fucking car irritated me. I wanted to own all of the SVT cars and did accomplish it, but this was far worst of the bunch. It was clunky and tight turns launched your drink out of the cupholder.

limited_instincts@reddit

My wife had a 2001 Nissan Altima 3.5SE with a manual. It was quick but that gearbox was like a wooden spoon in a box of marbles. Then add in the torque steer. Fucking lol.

PugDriver@reddit

76 Fiat 124 Spider, top down and music up.

70 Ford Maverick with column shifter. Valeted it once, came back without driver's door.

Muttonboat@reddit

Favorite - RSX TYPE S

Least favorite - Volvo s40

navlgazer9@reddit

63 ford Fairlane with a three speed on the column

For a short while I had both an E36 and an original Saab 900 turbo. Everything on the saab reminded me of a grown up VW beetle. Jumping from it to the E36 had me pondering that heavy getrag trans. It was incredibly accurate in it's shifts, but you got a workout using it.

Caterham7@reddit

Favorite: 2005 Mazda RX-8 Great transmission and a fun car to drive, in general.

Worst: Saturn. I don’t remember what model or year. It was a while ago. I think it was a sedan. Took it for a test drive. The shifting felt so vague and terrible. Could not wait to bring it back and give the keys back.

Ptereodactyl1942@reddit (OP)

Oh yeah, I remember the old saturns. You could literally feel with your foot the throttle wire GRINDING through the tube in which it runs through when stepping on the gas pedal.

saabstory88@reddit

Favorite - 1989 Volvo FL7 "Record Plant Remote".

That thing was a blast to drive with the split range 9 speed. I don't know, I've driven a lot of cars and trucks, but that thing was just so awesome.

Least Favorite - 1985 Fiero with Iron Duke

Most vague shifter I've ever touched. Minimal relation between stick position and gear selection.