You will find there's a large group of people that think they're something special because they know how to drive a manual transmission. They will belittle anyone that even suggests that driving an automatic is o.k. Try not to pay any attention to them. I drive a manual FR-S and love it. However there are times I second guess my self and wish I had an automatic. They both have their advantages and they both have their disadvantages. Buy the car you want and not the car you think someone else thinks you should buy.

 

Honestly? It depends.

The fact that you already know how to drive a manual at all leads me to believe you'd like the FR-S better with a stick in the long run. It'll make you a more aware and more confident driver. Yes, driving stick in heavy traffic sucks, but honestly, it's not going to ruin your life.

The FR-S is a good car to learn stick in too. It doesn't really have a lot of power, so you're probably not going to get yourself in a lot of trouble after gaining confidence in your own driving ability.

In reality, the auto is fine too if you don't actually care about managing gears yourself. It's not like its a bad transmission or anything.

 

i can shift my frs way faster with the paddle shifter then any of you with the manual.and just wait till you have to replace the clutch on that car.

 

Manual if you want to shift ;) I don't mind traffic but it can get annoying with a manual car.
Automatic is fine too, some are even faster
Whatever you prefer but I think manual is a lot more fun.

 

Manual if you live in the country. Manual if you live in the city. Manual if you live on Mars. I've had both in all situations. Stick is always waaaay more fun. Trust me

The auto industry has advanced automatic transmissions so much that even Paris Hilton can fart around Beverly Hills in her LFA with heels on. The only thing that can separate me from that segment of society is the stick. So that's all I drive lol

And I'd rather replace a clutch than begin to diagnose a gremlin in an automatic transmission.

 

Manual. I would drive a manual frs in heavy traffic any day over the atm. I think to truly drive the frs to its potential it has to be manual. But if I was buying on for my wife I would she would want a manual too. If you lack the coordination and added work it takes to drive a manual in traffic , then get the faster boring automatic.

 

This, also I find it hilarious that some people here are acting like the auto in the FRS responds like some old Turbo 350 with 150K miles worth of wear. I plan on buying and FRS when I finish school and have already had the the chance to drive both an auto and manual and I will say the manual does give the car more of boy racer feel. However, when I look at dyno sheets and MPG numbers the auto does sort of redeem itself.

 

My manual just hit 30k miles after a year (and parked two months in the winter). I'm 60 and kinda wanted the auto, partly for convenience and mileage, but now that I've lived with the manual, I wouldn't have it any other way.

I drift pretty much every day on my way to work (125 mile round trip mostly on KY two lane twisties) and the rock solid control the stick gives me simply can't be beat. It just plain FEELS like a race car driving experience.

If I still lived in Seattle I would not have bothered getting this kind of car. It's pointless. Maybe a TC. Maybe.

I still use my 1st gen xB as my primary mover for band equipment, still going strong at 135k. That thing is simply amazing - two basses, a bass rig, lights and smoke machine, two 15" main monitors and two floor monitors, amps, eq, equipment bag and stands - and a passenger. The secret is the height of the cargo area and the space under the front seats...