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Do you drive a Manual or Automatic Car?

sonick

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DAAAAMN.

Came across a sweet low mileage (106k miles) BMW E30 325is for a good deal, but it's an AUTOMATIC!!!!!

I'm torn! If only it was a manual I'd be all over it... But with automatic, I am definitely in a pickle.
 

j

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Originally Posted by sonick
DAAAAMN.

Came across a sweet low mileage (106k miles) BMW E30 325is for a good deal, but it's an AUTOMATIC!!!!!

I'm torn! If only it was a manual I'd be all over it... But with automatic, I am definitely in a pickle.

There are plenty of manuals around, or if you're feeling handy, swap a 5MT into it: http://www.offthewallcustoms.com/Other/5spd swap/
 

sonick

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Perhaps its just a down-month or there aren't as many in Vancouver, but they're kinda few and far between, especially for the IS. As for the 5MT swap, I did look into it, but seems a bit over my head unfortunately. Blurry CL pics looks like paint is in pretty good shape:
3n93k13l3ZZZZZZZZZ97l55a37ef5bd011869.jpg
3n73o03lfZZZZZZZZZ97l585e0b55d3631619.jpg
The price seems to be decent for the area, but not a cant-pass-up kinda deal, so I will think about it more thoroughly after I view it on Sunday.
 

j

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The automatics are likely to be much less thrashed, so doing the swap would be a good way to get an overall better condition car, but if you're not into it then it's probably best to wait I guess.
 

A Y

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Unless you need a car ASAP, I'd pass on it. E30s with decent mileage, good price, and MTs are not uncommon. Also, who knows what shape the auto ****** is in, and they are not cheap or easy to service.

--Andre
 

Roikins

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Originally Posted by j
The automatics are likely to be much less thrashed, so doing the swap would be a good way to get an overall better condition car, but if you're not into it then it's probably best to wait I guess.
This is true, and I think it might be getting more difficult to find a nice manual e30, because I know lots of people are grabbing them to convert them into cheap spec e30 racers, and ones that aren't so nice are being snatched up for donor cars.
 

tiecollector

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I almost bought a BMW slightly used. It wasn't much more than my Impreza, but servicing was insanely expensive ($1800 for brakes, wtf!). I've also heard that BMW doesn't like to work on older cars, whereas Mercedes does. (or is it the other way around?)
 

Roikins

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Originally Posted by tiecollector
I almost bought a BMW slightly used. It wasn't much more than my Impreza, but servicing was insanely expensive ($1800 for brakes, wtf!). I've also heard that BMW doesn't like to work on older cars, whereas Mercedes does. (or is it the other way around?)


No idea, but on an older BMW, it's almost easier to work on them yourself. It's the new ones with all the electronics that are a pain to DIY. I mean the new BMWs don't even have dipsticks!
 

A Y

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Originally Posted by tiecollector
I almost bought a BMW slightly used. It wasn't much more than my Impreza, but servicing was insanely expensive ($1800 for brakes, wtf!). I've also heard that BMW doesn't like to work on older cars, whereas Mercedes does. (or is it the other way around?)

BMW's good about keeping parts around for cars, and for the really old stuff like 2002s, there are lots of 3rd party replacements. The Japanese are especially bad about this.

$1800 for a brake job is way overpriced.

--Andre
 

M. Bardamu

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Originally Posted by tiecollector
It's annoying having a manual because I'm the only one I trust to drive it. Eating in the car with a manual is always interesting too. My manual Impreza sure is fun though. Next car will be a sport shift.

I bought my first-ever car(!) in January, a 2009 Impreza 2.5i with auto transmission. I now rue never learning stick, because I'm wondering what the boxer engine with turbo and manual in the WRX would have been like...

There's this lame "Sport Shift" clutchless up-and-down shifter, but it's not the same...
 

tiecollector

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I feel your pain. I regret not upgrading to the WRX. The 2.5i is still quite fun though and I might tweak it in the near future, however, the novelty of the stick runs out when you are sitting in traffic or can't have your wife drive after you've had one beer too many. All in all I'm very pleased with the 2.5i, plus for learning a stick, it is the cheaper to replace if you break it.

Did you get the sedan or the hatchback? I love the hatch.
 

rnoldh

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My first car was a Fiat X19 ( many years ago ).

It had a manual ****** and was a total POS. The joke was Fiat stood for "Fix it again Tony!".

fiat_x19_03.jpg


I guess it looked kind of cool ( body by Bertone ) but it was really awful as to dependability, though it was cheap ( like $1900 new, and I bought it new with a lot of help from my dad.) Thankfully, it didn't last long.

Through the years I've had many other cars both manual and automatic. In 1979 I had a Corvette and I probably made a mistake by getting it with automatic. Back then, if you were getting a Vette, it should have been with manual IMO. They are so low and uncomfortable I wouldn't remotely consider a Corvette today.

I also remember having a VW mini bus ( with manual of course ) which was a lot of fun. I also had a Honda Accord with manual back when they were first becoming popular ( about 1978 ). This makes it seem like most of my cars have been manual but that's not true. I tend to keep the cars I get with automatic for longer periods.

Today I have about the most boring car imaginable, a Toyota Avalon XLS with automatic. Boring as hell but I love it. Comfortable, dependable, easy to maintain, and relatively inexpensive. All things I appreciate today. I once had a Jaguar back in the companies bad old days ( English owned with Lucas electronics ). It had automatic and was terrible. Always in the shop and expensive to repair.

Today, if price didn't matter, I would get something like a top of the line Lexus with automatic. Only way I would get a true manual would be if it were an older vintage fun car.

Obviously, I learned to drive on manuals and it was a good experience. I agree that in 10 years the useage of old style manuals with 4 or 5 speeds and a clutch will lessen and lessen.
 

stylesmurf

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Originally Posted by sonick
DAAAAMN. Came across a sweet low mileage (106k miles) BMW E30 325is for a good deal, but it's an AUTOMATIC!!!!! I'm torn! If only it was a manual I'd be all over it... But with automatic, I am definitely in a pickle.
If you are handy, the conversion is not bad. I've owned quite a few E30s before and I LOVE this car. The manuals are alot gutsier than the automatics, but even the automatic is a blast to drive. The auto is a bit underpowered though if you plan to have passengers. keep in mind that 106 for a E30 IS pretty low mileage these days.
Originally Posted by A Y
Unless you need a car ASAP, I'd pass on it. E30s with decent mileage, good price, and MTs are not uncommon. Also, who knows what shape the auto ****** is in, and they are not cheap or easy to service. --Andre
Depends on the part of the country. In states with snow alot of them are rusting due to neglect/old age. The ******* in these are pretty reliable, even if they didn't get their fluid changed much (if at all)
Originally Posted by tiecollector
I almost bought a BMW slightly used. It wasn't much more than my Impreza, but servicing was insanely expensive ($1800 for brakes, wtf!). I've also heard that BMW doesn't like to work on older cars, whereas Mercedes does. (or is it the other way around?)
Depends on which model you were looking at. Since you said "slightly used' I assume that you're talking about a E90/E92 model. Those things have massive disc brakes but it shouldn't cost anywhere near 1800... unless maybe you're at the dealer. The E30 BMWs are among the cheapest cars to maintain. All the parts are readily available and dirt (did i say DIRT???) cheap. The cars are pretty easy to work on, except for old rusty suspension bolts on the bottom.. (use power tools)
 

Reggs

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I learned manual from arcade machines before I was old enough to drive. I learned automatic first in a real car. I loath driving more than anything and want it to be as passive as possible, so automatic for me.
 

inq89

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I don't know how to drive manual, so therefore I own an auto. But will eventually like to learn when I can afford a second fun car. But a primary car should be auto IMO
 

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